Straight answers
Questions people actually ask
The real ones — including the questions people are embarrassed to ask out loud.
Cost, time & what happens next
What does it cost to hire you?
Nothing up front, and nothing at all unless we win.* We work on contingency: our fee comes out of the recovery, so if there's no recovery, you owe us no attorney's fee. Case costs (filing fees, records, experts) are advanced by the firm and repaid from the settlement. The consultation is free and you're never obligated to hire us.
How long do I have to file?
In California it's generally two years from the date of injury for a personal injury claim — but the shorter deadlines are the ones that kill cases. A claim against a city, county, or state agency (public bus, government vehicle, dangerous road) generally must be filed in six months. Work injuries should be reported to your employer within 30 days, with the workers' comp claim generally filed within one year. Some situations extend the clock — injuries to minors, injuries discovered later. The only safe move is to ask early.
How long will my case take?
Honest answer: it depends on your medical treatment more than on the lawyers. Most cases can't be properly valued until you finish treating or reach a stable point, because that's when the full extent of the injury is known. Straightforward cases often resolve in months; serious injury and commercial trucking cases involving litigation can take a year or more. Anyone who promises you a fast number is guessing — or planning to settle your case cheap.
Do I have to go to court?
Most injury cases settle without a trial. Filing a lawsuit is often a step toward a better settlement rather than a guarantee of a courtroom. If your case does go to trial, we prepare you thoroughly — you will never be walked into a room without knowing what's coming.
Your case, your situation
What is my case worth?
It comes down to five things: how serious the injury is, how much medical treatment you need, income you lost, how clear the other side's fault is, and how much insurance coverage exists. That last one matters more than people expect — a serious injury caused by someone with a minimum policy may recover far less than the same injury caused by a commercial truck carrying a large policy. No ethical lawyer can promise you a number before reviewing your facts, and prior results never guarantee a future outcome.
What if the accident was partly my fault?
You may still have a case. California uses pure comparative negligence, which means your recovery is reduced by your share of fault but not eliminated by it — even a person found mostly at fault can recover something. Insurance adjusters routinely overstate a claimant's fault early on, hoping you'll accept it and go away. Don't decide you have no case based on what an adjuster told you.
What if I don't have health insurance or money for a doctor?
This stops more people from getting help than anything else, and it shouldn't. In injury cases, treatment can often be arranged on a medical lien — the provider treats you now and is paid from the settlement later, not from your pocket. Getting treated protects your health first and documents your injury second. Gaps in treatment are one of the most common reasons a good claim loses value.
Does my immigration status matter?
Under California law, your immigration status is not admissible as evidence in a personal injury or wrongful death case (Evidence Code § 351.2), and undocumented workers are covered by California workers' compensation the same as anyone else. You have the right to be compensated for an injury someone else caused. We handle these cases in Spanish every day, and what you tell us is confidential.
The insurance company already called me. Now what?
Be careful — that adjuster works for the other side. A recorded statement taken in the first days, before you know the full extent of your injuries, is routinely used later to argue you weren't badly hurt. You are generally not required to give the other driver's insurer a recorded statement. If they've already made an offer, talk to a lawyer before accepting: early offers usually arrive before the medical picture is complete, and signing a release ends your claim permanently.
What if the other driver had no insurance — or fled?
You may still have a path. Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage on your own policy often applies, and in a hit-and-run it may be the main source of recovery. There may also be additional responsible parties — an employer if the driver was working, a vehicle owner, or a business that overserved a drunk driver. Finding coverage nobody else looked for is a large part of this work.
Truck & work injuries
Why is a truck accident different from a car accident?
Three reasons. Commercial policies are typically far larger than personal auto policies. More parties may be responsible — the driver, the trucking company, the company that loaded the freight, a maintenance contractor. And the evidence is perishable: electronic control module ("black box") data can be overwritten, dashcam and facility footage auto-deletes on a schedule, and the trucking company's rapid response team is often at the scene the same day. This is why speed matters more in truck cases than in any other kind.
Can I be fired for filing a workers' comp claim?
Retaliating against an employee for filing a workers' comp claim is illegal in California (Labor Code § 132a), and you may have a separate claim if it happens. Reporting the injury to your employer promptly and in writing is the single best protection for the claim itself — unreported injuries and claims filed after a termination are the ones insurers fight hardest.
Do you handle stress or mental health claims?
We review them, and we'll be straight with you about the odds. California allows psychiatric injury claims, but the legal standard is demanding: the work events generally must be the predominant cause (over 50%), there's typically a six-month employment requirement, and employers can defend by pointing to good-faith personnel actions like discipline or a denied promotion. Claims that combine a physical injury with psychological effects are usually on much stronger ground. Tell us the facts and we'll give you an honest read.
Do you speak Spanish?
Sí — full intake and case management in Spanish, plus Farsi and Armenian. Bilingual case managers who handle your file, not a translation line you get transferred to. Switch this page to Español with the toggle at the top any time.
