Personal Injury Law Services in California

A personal injury claim in California turns on four elements: that the other party owed you a duty of care, that the duty was breached, that the breach caused your injury, and that the injury produced measurable losses. Proving those elements requires evidence that begins disappearing almost immediately after a collision or fall.

Surveillance footage is often overwritten within days or weeks. Vehicles are repaired or salvaged. Roadway conditions change. Witnesses move and memories fade. Early investigation, preservation letters, scene documentation, and prompt medical treatment do more to determine the outcome of a case than anything that happens later in litigation.

We represent injured people and their families in Fresno, Clovis, Madera, Visalia, Hanford, Merced, Bakersfield, and throughout California.

California's general statute of limitations for personal injury is two years from the date of injury, and two years from the date of death for wrongful death. Claims against a public entity such as a city, county, transit district, school district, or the State of California are subject to a far shorter government claim requirement, generally six months from the date of injury, before a lawsuit can be filed at all.

Medical malpractice, claims involving minors, and cases where an injury was not immediately discoverable follow different rules. Because these deadlines are jurisdictional, missing one usually ends the claim regardless of how strong the underlying facts are.

If a government entity may be involved, the case should be evaluated within weeks, not months.

Adjusters look for three things: an argument that you share fault, a gap or inconsistency in your medical treatment, and a recorded statement they can use to limit the value of the claim. California follows pure comparative fault, so any percentage of blame assigned to you reduces your recovery by that percentage. That makes early liability investigation worth far more than it costs.

Treatment gaps are the second lever. When weeks pass between the incident and care, or when prescribed treatment is not completed, the insurer argues the injury was minor or unrelated. Consistent, documented treatment protects both your health and the claim.

We handle communication with insurers so that you are not negotiating your own claim while recovering from an injury.

Recoverable damages typically include past and future medical expenses, lost wages and reduced earning capacity, property damage, and non-economic damages for pain, suffering, disfigurement, and loss of enjoyment of life. Where a serious injury permanently changes daily life, future care costs and life care planning often represent the largest component of the claim.

We also work to reduce medical liens and negotiate with health plans and providers so that a larger share of the recovery reaches the client. Our personal injury matters are handled on a contingency basis, meaning there is no fee unless we recover for you.