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If you’ve suffered an injury or been the victim of negligence, our dedicated personal injury
attorneys will fight to recover the maximum financial damages award you deserve.
If you have experienced a personal injury or sexual assault incident, we are here to help empower you to seek justice and financial compensation. Schedule a free, private, and no obligation consultation below to explore your options further.
A personal injury lawsuit is a claim filed in civil court that seeks financial damages for any losses resulting from an accident or other incident.
There are four main scenarios that typically lead to personal injury lawsuits:
Once a personal injury lawsuit has been filed, there are typically two main outcomes that can follow. As an example, consider a case where a car accident led to significant damages (medical costs, property damage, lost wages, etc.). For such a case, the result would likely be either a formal lawsuit or an informal settlement. Let’s take a look at the differences between the two potential outcomes.
” Formal Lawsuit: a criminal case must be initiated by the government. A formal personal injury case, however, usually begins when a private individual (the “plaintiff”) files a civil complaint against another person, business, corporation, or government entity (the “defendant”). The complaint will include allegations that the individual or corporation acted carelessly or irresponsibly in connection with an accident or injury resulting in harm. The formal action is known as “filing a lawsuit.”
” Informal Settlement: most personal injury disputes over fault related to an accident or injury are resolved through informal early settlement. A settlement usually involves those personally involved in the dispute, their insurers, and attorneys representing both sides. A settlement often includes formal negotiation, followed by a written agreement in which both sides agree to forgo any further legal action (such as a lawsuit), instead resolving the matter through an agreed upon financial amount.
At Dordulian Law Group, our North Hollywood personal injury attorneys are your #1 advocates, fighting to preserve your rights and secure a maximum financial damages award on your behalf. We are never afraid to take a case to trial, and always prepared to proceed according to the best interest of the client.
As a general rule, most personal injury claims have a two-year filing deadline. The statute of limitations for most California personal injury claims is two years from the date the accident or injury occurred. In order to pursue legal recourse, you must file your claim within the two-year deadline. Failure to meet the California statute of limitations deadline for personal injury cases could make your claim ineligible for arbitration by a state court.
While the two-year statute of limitations applies to most personal injury claims, there are certain exceptions for specific crimes.
One notable exception involves California Assembly Bill 218 (AB 218). AB 218 is a piece of legislation that has extended the statute of limitations for survivors of childhood sexual abuse. Under AB 218, a three-year clause known as the bill’s “lookback window” allows for all survivors of childhood sexual abuse the opportunity to file a civil claim seeking financial damages, regardless of how long ago the crime occurred.
Until the end of 2022, the standard statute of limitations for childhood sexual abuse claims is temporarily suspended, allowing any survivor the opportunity to file a claim to recover financial damages.
For additional information on AB 218 and the statute of limitations in both civil and criminal cases, please take a moment to review our extensive blog.
Ready to file a claim and pursue justice through a financial damages award? Our expert attorneys are available online or by phone now.
Different types of personal injury claims may be filed for different situations and a range of injury types. Your top-rated North Hollywood personal injury lawyer will help you determine a legal strategy, including which claims should be pursued in compliance with California law. Let’s look at the varying types of damages that can be recovered in a personal injury claim:
If you experienced a car accident injury in North Hollywood area, don’t wait to file a claim. Contact our expert attorneys online or by phone for a free consultation today.
You may file what are known as special compensatory damages for any financial losses resulting from your injury or incident. Recovering these damages can help with medical bills and the cost of any future care that may be required. Special damages are meant to cover the costs that accumulate when someone is too injured to work (or otherwise a detriment to one’s own economic well-being). Special damages can include rent, mortgage payments, and even costs associated with relocation arrangements required following a serious injury.
General compensatory damages are those which you can collect for experiencing non-economic hardships, including “pain and suffering” and “mental anguish.” As these damages are defined and described using broad terms that cover more abstract misfortunes like diminished quality of life or psychological trauma directly resulting from an incident, it’s important to have a skilled and knowledgeable North Hollywood personal injury lawyer on your side ensuring the maximum damages award is ultimately recovered. These types of serious but less tangible damages can be harder to litigate (or prove via a civil lawsuit), which is why having a highly qualified DLG personal injury attorney in your corner is the advantage you need and the answer to recovering every bit of compensation you deserve.
Wrongful death damages may apply in certain circumstances in which the bereaved is compensated after the loss of a family member, and costs can range from funeral expenses to medical expenses incurred before a loved one’s death. Punitive damages are rare and in a separate class. In cases where a California court might find that a car accident victim is owed punitive damages, the defendant’s behavior would have to be extraordinarily reprehensible. The legal team would have to demonstrate that the defendant knowingly acted with recklessness, and intended to cause harm.
Dordulian Law Group’s North Hollywood personal injury lawyers have the experience to get you the damages award you deserve. Whether you’ve been injured in a car accident, suffered a medical malpractice incident, sustained a slip and fall injury, or endured a dog bite attack, our team of experienced professionals will compassionately guide you through such difficult circumstances. Our attorneys are intimately familiar with the complexities of California personal injury law, and uphold an unwavering commitment to the continued well-being of every single client. Learn more about our services and schedule a free consultation today by calling (818) 873-4300.
Contact our top-rated team of expert personal injury attorneys online or by phone today to pursue justice and secure a financial award for damages.
If you have suffered an injury due to any kind of accident, either through to the fault of another party via negligence or intentional harm, you should contact a North Hollywood personal injury attorney immediately to ensure your rights are protected. An experienced attorney will be able to process your claim and put together a winning legal strategy towards recovering a maximum financial damages award. A skilled car accident or personal injury attorney will build your case and convincingly demonstrate the evidence.
You can feel confident that the Dordulian Law Group is dedicated to protecting and advocating for victims of sexual abuse. Please contact us to schedule a free, private, and confidential consultation. We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
The processing time for settlement checks can vary depending on the specific facts of the case. In most cases, personal injury settlement checks are issued between 90 and 120 days after a settlement has been reached. The general process of obtaining a settlement check typically includes the following steps:
1- Signing a release: For the defendant’s insurance company (or defendant alone) to issue a settlement check, you must sign a release form stating that no further legal action will be taken to pursue additional damages for the incident in question. By signing the release, you effectively protect the liable party from being sued in the future for the same injury or accident.
2- Processing the release: After signing the release, the insurance company processes the document and subsequently issues a settlement check. In most cases, the settlement check is sent to your personal injury attorney, and made payable in both of your names.
3- Depositing the check: Once the check is received, your attorney will deposit it into a special trust or escrow account. Once the check clears, your personal injury attorney will distribute the funds. However, it should be noted that in some cases your attorney might need to put a portion of the settlement towards any outstanding debts or liens. Be sure to always discuss with your attorney in advance whether or not any unpaid debts or liens exist in your particular case.
4- Deduct legal fees and receive payment: Most personal injury attorneys work on a contingency fee structure, which means you pay nothing up front, and instead a portion of the final settlement award is deducted and used to pay resulting lawyer fees. Once your attorney pays off any remaining liens and subtracts legal costs (e.g. hours devoted to your case, court reporting costs, expert witness fees, private investigator fees, etc.), you will receive your settlement funds. The contingency fee an attorney charges can vary dramatically from one attorney to another. That’s why it’s important to always discuss fees and an estimated percentage deduction of your final settlement amount beforehand. If you encounter two attorneys with identical experience and past success rates, but one charges a significantly higher contingency fee, it is in your best interest to confirm those financial particulars well in advance.
North Hollywood personal injury victims choose Dordulian Law Group because we have the experience and dedication required to help you win your case. We’re here to help you fully recover after an unfortunate accident, obtaining the maximum possible financial damages award for your claim. To date we have recovered over $100 million for injured clients like you. And with a 98% success rate and over 25 years of experience, you can be confident that your case is in expert hands when you choose DLG. Contact us today for a free case evaluation. There is no obligation and our no fee guarantee means you pay nothing until we recover the financial compensation you deserve.
Client Review
“I was rear-end by a careless driver, and I was stressed and hurt. Attorney Samuel Dordulian and Dordulian Law Team was highly recommended. He was emphatic, informative, and answered all my questions and concerns. Every step of the way, there was constant communication. He was thorough and kept me informed. In addition, his team is exceptional and helpful. Thank you for your amazing service. I highly recommend him.”
Zachary Q.
If you have experienced sexual assault, abuse, or harassment, we are here to help empower you to seek justice and financial compensation. Schedule a completely private and confidential consultation with us to explore your options.
