ORANGE county
trial attorneys

The law offices of DiMarco | Araujo | Montevideo have more than 30 years of experience with all types of work accident and injury cases in Southern California, and our dedication to comprehensive and compassionate representation for all our clients has established a reputation for success. Our legal team firmly believes in protecting the rights of any individual who has been injured as the result of someone else’s negligence, and we are committed to providing thorough legal representation for any injury claim. We do everything in our power to make our clients’ lives easier during difficult times so they can focus on recovering instead of fighting a legal battle.

How Is Negligence Proved in an Injury Case?

In any injury case, proving negligence is crucial to obtain a just settlement. There are three basic factors to proving negligence:

1. The offending party had a duty of care to act in a reasonable manner, and consider the health and safety of the public, their customers, or the people around them.
2. The duty of care was breached. The offending party acted in a manner that violated their requirement to act in a safe manner.
3. The breach caused your injuries. If you were injured as a result of someone else’s unsafe, illegal, irresponsible, or careless actions, then you have grounds to claim negligence.

Proving negligence is not always an easy task, but the trial attorneys lawyers at DiMarco | Araujo | Montevideo know how to navigate any type of injury case. Our experience and dedication ensure our clients that we will explore every possible avenue for maximum compensation on their behalf.

Types of Compensation Available to Injured Plaintiffs

A plaintiff in an injury case can receive two types of compensation: compensatory damages that exist to repay a plaintiff for his or her losses resulting from a defendant’s negligence, and punitive damages the court imposes to punish severely negligent or intentionally dangerous defendants. While some compensatory damages are straightforward and simply repay losses, others are more difficult to calculate.

Types of Compensatory Damages:

1. Lost income. If an injury forced you to miss work in order to recover, you can claim compensation for the wages lost at that time.
2. Medical expenses. A plaintiff can claim compensation for all expenses related to medical treatment resulting from a negligent act. It’s crucial for the plaintiff to have proof that his or her medical bills resulted from the defendant’s actions and not some other cause.
3. Property damage. If the defendant’s negligent act damaged or destroyed the plaintiff’s personal property, the plaintiff can sue for the costs of replacing or repairing those items.
4. Pain and suffering. The jury will consider testimony from expert witnesses and the overall state of the plaintiff following his or her accident to award an appropriate amount to compensate physical pain, mental distress, and emotional suffering resulting from a defendant’s negligence.

Depending on the severity of the plaintiff’s injuries, these damages can be substantial. Although there is no hard and fast rule for calculating pain and suffering damages, they are generally greater than the victim’s medical expenses proportionate to the severity of the injury. For example, a plaintiff who suffered a broken wrist will receive far less in pain and suffering damages than a plaintiff who suffered a broken spine and subsequent paraplegia. If you or a loved one were recently injured in an accident and are looking to learn more about what types of compensation you may be owed, speak to one of our experienced Orange County trial attorneys today.

If you sustained a serious injury at work and are looking to file a claim, speak to one of our Orange County workers’ compensation lawyers today. Insurance companies are known to contact victims first and offer them an unsubstantial settlement for their injuries. We will not let an insurance company low-ball you on a settlement offer.

Time Limit for Filing a Lawsuit in Orange County

California has a two-year statute of limitations for filing injury claims, beginning on the date the injury in question occurred. In cases involving injuries that do not manifest symptoms immediately, the statute of limitations begins on the “date of discovery,” or the date the plaintiff should have reasonably been able to discover his or her injury.

Comparative Negligence in California

California follows a pure comparative negligence law that allows plaintiffs to still recover damages even if they are partially to blame for those damages. For example, a pedestrian is walking and decides to quickly jaywalk, passing between two parked cars, when a passing driver hits him. The court would likely assign some fault to the pedestrian for jaywalking unsafely, but the driver would likely absorb the lion’s share of the liability for the accident.

In California, a plaintiff may still recover damages even if he or she is 99% at fault for the incident in question; his or her case award simply reduces by his or her percentage of fault. Find out if you are partially liable for your accident by speaking to an Orange County trial attorney during a free consultation today. Our experienced law firm can help you with your injury claim.

Types of Cases We Handle

We have experience pursuing justice in a wide range of injury lawsuits. These suits include injuries involving car accidents, truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, medical malpractice, product liability (defective products), dog bites, premises liability, pedestrian accidents, bicycle accidents, wrongful death, and much more. We’ve fought for victims with a variety of injuries, including spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, broken bones, lacerations, and many more. Please refer to our Practice Areas navigation for a list of all services at our law firm.