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Personal Injury Law Overview

EFS Law Center, Los Angeles

On a daily basis, you probably don’t give much thought to personal injury lawyers. You go about your routine and never realize, thankfully, the obstacles and close-calls that could result in your needing a lawyer. Consider the potential hazards you likely encounter on your way to work or school every day:

  • Unsafe and reckless drivers
  • Icy or ill-maintained walkways
  • Defective products
  • Wet floors without proper signage
  • Broken steps and other risky premise issues
  • Insecure construction sites
  • Dangerous dogs and other animals

If you do suffer an injury as a result of one of these hazards (or others), you may be able to pursue legal action. California personal injury law sets a structure for determining if your injury was the result of negligent, wrongful, reckless or intentional conduct of another party and what actions you can take. Whether it was an individual, business or government entity who is at fault, this legal code can impose civil liabilities on the responsible party. Note: civil cases differ from criminal cases, although some situations will have both a criminal and civil component.

These civil liabilities are also known as “damages.” Damages are a way to compensate you for the economic and non-economic losses you suffer when you are an injury victim. In order to be awarded damages, you need to show that the incident resulted in financial, physical or emotional harm for you. Damages can be awarded to cover:

  • Medical bills
  • Loss of income while injured
  • Loss of future income if you’ve been seriously harmed and can no longer perform your old job
  • Pain and suffering
  • Adverse impact on lifestyle
  • Loss of a loved one or companionship
  • Punitive damages

Damages can be imposed if there is a viable legal basis on which to show that the defendant was negligent. Negligence is typically defined as an individual or entity failing to “exercise reasonable care to prevent foreseeable harm”, although the practice of proving negligence can be more complicated than this phrase may suggest. While most personal injury cases are based on negligence – or an unintentional accident – there are some situations where intentional harm can also result in a personal injury case. Physical attacks or sexual assault, for example, could necessitate hiring a personal injury lawyer. 

Your precise damages will vary based on the nature of your injury and the circumstances surrounding it. Working with an attorney experienced in California personal injury law center, such as The Law Office of Edward Shkolnikov, can help you evaluate your claim and determine the level of damages you may be entitled to.

The attorneys at EFS Law Center, Los Angeles personal injury law firm, have a reputation as one of the region’s leading personal injury attorneys. We have extensive experience helping clients in the Beverly Hills, LAX, Torrance and San Fernando Valley areas through these difficult challenges. We have the knowledge, dedication, and experience that you need if you’ve been injured by the actions of someone else. For your personal injury law needs, reach out to our office located in Sherman Oaks, California today at 1-833-338-4878