Lockeford Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyer

Lockeford, California is an unincorporated community in San Joaquin County. Registered as a state historical landmark, this census-designated place was named after Dean Jewett Locke, who settled in the area in 1851. The town’s name was suggested in 1859 by Dean Locke’s wife, Delia, in reference to the ford that was built by him across the Mokelumne River. Since that time, Lockeford is considered home to over 3,200 people today.

Located along Highway 88 just east of Lodi, Lockeford continues to grow. With growth, however, comes the chances of accidents. These often involve emotional and physical trauma that lead to financial hardship for the injured person and the family. When an accident is caused by the negligence of someone else, an experienced injury attorney can help the injured individual recover the compensation they need and deserve.

What Type of Case is a Personal Injury?

A personal injury is any physical, emotional or mental harm that has resulted from the reckless, careless, or negligent actions of another party or entity. Some of the serious personal injury cases we handle include the following:

• Bicycle Crashes
• Car Accidents
• Dog Bites
• Motorcycle Collisions
• Pedestrian Accidents
• Premises Liability
• Products Liability
• Slip and Fall
• Traumatic Brain Injuries
• Truck Crashes
• Wrongful Death

Types of Compensation in a Personal Injury Claim

Compensation in a personal injury claim is intended to place the injured individual in the position that he or she would have been in had the accident not occurred.  A fair offer for settlement will consider the current and projected costs for all accident-related expenses, including economic and noneconomic damages such as:

• Disfigurement: Visible injuries or scarring can be overwhelming for injured people and their families to deal with, especially if it is severe and obvious. A disfigurement can decrease self-esteem, cause a loss in the quality of life, and result in psychological damage. An injured person may seek reimbursement for the costs of cosmetic surgery to revise the scarring as well as the embarrassment and humiliation suffered by that disfigurement.
• Loss of Consortium: A claim for loss of consortium may be placed by the injured person and his or her spouse for the deprivation of the emotional elements of marriage. This includes loss of comfort, affection, companionship and sexual relations. The inability to conceive children may also be considered through this type of damage.
• Lost Wages: If a person has missed time from work to recover from an injury or attend a medical appointment, he or she may be able to be reimbursed for that time lost. An experienced Lockeford personal injury attorney can help calculate wage loss. An attorney may also hire an economist to calculate future lost earnings due to a permanent disability.
• Medical Expenses: An injured person is entitled to the recovery of all necessary and reasonable medical expenses, including those incurred in the future, due to the injuries suffered in the crash. The costs for transportation to and from medical appointments may also be considered for recovery.
• Pain and Suffering: This is the emotional and physical pain associated with a personal injury. It includes the affliction, discomfort, aches, and other pain suffered due to the injury. Damages for pain and suffering are intended to make an injured person whole again. However, quantification of pain and suffering is often complicated as each person’s tolerance for trauma is different.
• Permanent Disability: If a personal injury leads to permanent disability, the injured individual may be able to seek compensation for costs related to the disability. This type of damage takes into consideration the lifestyle accommodations made necessary by the disability including assisted living arrangements and medical appliances such as a brace, walker, or wheelchair.
• Property Damage: Injured people may seek reimbursement for damage to property that was directly caused by the actions of the negligent party. For instance, a cyclist or pedestrian may be compensated for the cost of repairs or replacement of damaged glasses, clothing or watches.
• Punitive Damages: Unlike economic or noneconomic damages, punitive damages are not intended to compensate the injured person for their losses. Instead, they are designed to punish the negligent party for an egregious act such as drunk driving and prevent them from engaging in similar conduct in the future. These are successfully awarded if the injured individual can prove that the at-fault party acted willfully in a particularly reckless, malicious or fraudulent manner.

Is There Enough Insurance?

There are several types of insurance available to pay for injuries sustained in an accident. This would include the other motorist’s bodily injury liability insurance if they were at fault for the crash. If the damages exceed that driver’s insurance policy limits or that motorist does not have insurance, a claim may be filed against the injured person’s own car insurance. This is possible if he or she has uninsured/underinsured motorist protection. This type of coverage is there to protect you and members in your household if you are involved in a car wreck caused by someone who does not have enough coverage or does not have insurance. Depending on the language of the insurance policy, this coverage may also pay for damages resulting from a hit and run accident.

Even though the claim will be handled by your own insurance company, this does not necessarily mean that they have your best interests in mind. Insurance companies often look for any detail that can undervalue your claim or deny it altogether. For this reason, it is essential to hire a Lockeford car accident lawyer to ensure your right to recovery is protected. To learn what to look for in an injury lawyer, watch the video below.

How Long Do I Have to File a Personal Injury Claim?

There is a specific time limit for filing a personal injury claim. This is known as the statute of limitations. In California, there is a two-year window to file for personal injury. However, certain circumstances may shorten or extend the statute. When a personal injury claim involves a minor, he or she has two years to file after his or her 18^th birthday. Conversely, claims involving government negligence have a statute of six months or 180 days from the time of loss.

Can I Afford a Lawyer for My Case?

Many people who have been injured in a car wreck are hesitant to start a legal case due to the cost of hiring a Lockeford personal injury lawyer. This reluctance may reduce an injured person’s recovery for personal injury damages caused by negligent parties. An injury lawyer who handles cases on a contingent fee basis can provide an injured individual and their family the legal representation they need when finances are limited. An attorneys’ fee is only to be collected if a favorable outcome is obtained in the case.

What Can I Expect from a Lockeford Car Accident Lawyer?

A personal injury case often involves careful consideration of the circumstances and facts of the accident as well as complicated calculations of the injured person’s losses. In these situations, contacting an experienced attorney for assistance is essential. A skilled injury lawyer can help gather evidence of your injuries and the accident, interview witnesses, hire experts, identify possible claims, and advocate your case in court if all attempts at a fair settlement fail.

Lockeford Personal Injury Lawyer

I’m Ed Smith, a Lockeford car accident lawyer. The mental, emotional, and physical trauma of an accident can be challenging to overcome. When the accident is caused by the negligence of another person or entity, the injured individual may be able to seek financial compensation for their losses. If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident due to the fault of someone else, I am here to provide you with free, friendly case advice on your situation. Please call me at (209) 227-1931 or toll-free at (800) 404-5400.

We are members of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum and the National Association of Distinguished Counsel.

See a list of our past cases on our verdicts and settlements page and our client reviews on Avvo, Yelp, Google.

Photograph Source: By "RawPixel" via Pixabay

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Editor’s Note: This page has been updated for accuracy and relevancy [cha 8.10.20]