Personal Injury
Personal injury is a complex area of law dealing with victims who suffer injury or death as a result of the negligence or intentional act of another person, business entity, or a governmental entity such as a City, County, or State.
Our firm will treat you with compassion and guide you through the claims process, work with your doctors and medical facilities, and deal with the insurance companies who want to minimize the extent of your injuries and the number of monetary damages to which you are entitled. If a lawsuit is filed, we will guide and educate you through the “litigation” process from beginning to end.
Our firm handles all types of personal injury matters including the following:
- Auto accidents
- Truck/big rig accidents
- Motorcycle and bicycle accidents
- Pedestrian accidents
- Construction-related accidents
- Premises liability including slip/trip and fall accidents resulting in serious injury
- Product liability for defective or unsafe machines, equipment, and consumer products
- Assault, battery, and intentional acts leading to injury or death
- Unsafe roads and dangerous conditions of a property
Victims of accidents and intentional acts have a right to be made “whole” and to recover their damages from responsible parties and/or their insurance companies. These “damages” include the following:
- Past and future medical expenses
- Past and future lost wages
- Out of pocket expenses
- Past and future physical pain, suffering, diminished quality of life, disfigurement, physical impairment, anxiety, humiliation, mental anguish, and emotional distress.
For serious and catastrophic injuries such as traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, amputation, and paralysis, victims and their families will face life-altering decisions as they face permanent disability, long-term treatment and care, disfigurement, depression, and financial challenges. We have the knowledge and experience to assist you in coordinating long-term care and treatment and financial planning. We will treat you with compassion and respect so that you are not left alone to face the emotional and financial strain caused by a catastrophic injury.
Workers' Compensation
If you are injured on the job, the California workers' compensation system is designed to provide benefits in the form of (1) medical care, (2) temporary disability payments, (3) permanent disability payments (if you do not fully recover), (4) supplemental job displacement benefits (if you are unable to return to your usual occupation), and (5) death benefits for your spouse and children if you die from a work-related injury or illness.
California has a “no-fault” system in that benefits are payable regardless of fault. However, there are a few exceptions – for example, if your injuries are a result of horseplay, fighting, violating company policy, breaking the law, or if they occurred outside the scope of your employment – and you may not be entitled to benefits depending on the facts of your particular case.
Although most injured employees will recover and eventually return to work without any medical restrictions, some will continue to have ongoing problems and never fully recover. If you do not fully recover from your work injuries, have work restrictions, or if your activities of daily living are significantly affected by your injury, you may be entitled to permanent disability payments. If your permanent disability is partial, you are eligible to receive benefits over a fixed number of weeks, depending on the extent of your disability. If your permanent disability is “total,” or if your disability rating is 70% or greater, you will be eligible to receive payments for the rest of your life.
If you have been injured on the job, we will treat you with compassion and guide you through the claims process, work with your doctors and medical providers, deal with the insurance companies who want to minimize the extent of your injuries and/or disability, and educate you through this complex system which has gone through some major changes in recent years and continues to evolve and change.
At the Law Offices of Jeffrey L. Tade, we are passionate about the law and take pride in representing our injured worker clients. We have the passion, experience, dedication, and knowledge to assist you with your claim from the early stages and to trial if necessary. We have litigated cases up to the Courts of Appeal level and take great pride in pushing the boundaries of the law in the interest of justice.