4 Important Factors of a Successful Deposition

Personal injury lawyers in Orange County informed you that opposing counsel has set your deposition. You know that cases are often won and lost at deposition. You want to give the best deposition possible. You can if you are prepared and attend your deposition knowing exactly what will happen and how it will happen.

Below are four factors that are important for a successful deposition:

The defense counsel is not your friend. The best tactic that an opposing counsel will use during a deposition is to be as nice as possible to you. The reasoning behind this approach is to get you to feel comfortable and to get you to provide information that you would not have otherwise provided. Although you should be nice and cordial, you should remember that the deposing counsel is not your friend and you are not having a conversation with him or her.


Never guess. The worst thing you can do at your deposition is to guess. If you are asked a question that you don’t know the answer to, it is best to simply say “I don’t know.” If you are specifically asked to guess or estimate something, your answer should include that you are “not 100% sure” and that you are “estimating” about the fact asked.

Be prepared. Your attorney will meet with you prior to your deposition to prepare you for the big day. Some documents your attorney may go over with you include the Complaint, your interrogatory answers, and the accident report, if there was one.

Do not lie. The worst mistake you can make is to lie. Regardless of how foolproof or elaborate, you may think your life is, the odds of you actually getting caught in it are higher than you think. Lying during a deposition, while under oath, can be detrimental to the outcome of your lawsuit.
                         
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Complex Regional Pain Syndrome: The Hidden Injury

Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), also known as reflex sympathetic dystrophy (RSD), is an incurable medical condition that causes severe pain in a specific part of the body where an injury is present. CRPS often develops after a traumatic injury from a serious accident.

If your CRPS was caused by the negligent or reckless actions of another party, you should contact a personal injury attorney as you may be entitled to monetary causation.

Common Causes of Complex Regional Pain Syndrome

Complex regional pain syndrome can be caused by a number of different accidents, including:

• Car accidents
• Truck accidents
• Motorcycle accidents
• Pedestrian accident
• Slip and fall accidents
• Workplace accidents
• Construction site accidents

Regardless of what type of accident caused you to suffer this incurable neurological disorder, you will no doubt suffer chronic pain that will require extensive and expensive medical treatment.  To ensure that you have the financial means to get the full extent of the compensation that you need, you should consult an experienced personal injury attorney.

The Symptoms of Complex Regional Pain Syndrome

The symptoms of complex regional pain syndrome can vary in severity. Some common symptoms may include:

•     Severe burning pain
•     Pain to light touching
•     Swelling
•     Stiffness and limited mobility
•     Discoloration of the skin and texture

Over time, the pain and symptoms of complex regional pain syndrome can spread to other extremities.

Treatment of Complex Regional Pain Syndrome

There are multiple approaches to treating CRPS. Some common approaches include prescribing pain medication, rehabilitation, electrical nerve stimulation, and desensitization. Other common methods of managing CRPS include nerve block and injections of local anesthetics to the affected parts of the body.

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For more information or to schedule a complimentary consultation with an experienced orange county personal injury attorney, please visit to Law office of Habbas Pilaw.

Hire an Insurance Bad Faith Attorney

An expectation of getting a timely and just compensation from your own insurance company is not always reality. Unfortunately, it has become too common for insurance companies to limit or deny coverage of a valid claim without property justification.

When your insurance company wrongfully denies your claim or fails to pay you the true value of your claim, it is acting in bad faith and you may be entitled to damages. The question is how do know when you have a claim and how do you get the full extent of the compensation that you are entitled to?

Hire The Right Legal Help!

Insurance bad faith claims are generally complex cases. There is no uniform definition for insurance bad faith claim. Moreover, since state law, not federal law, regulates insurance practices, each state has its own set of unique laws. As such, it is imperative that you hire an experienced attorney who specializes in insurance bad faith and knows the laws in your state to help you the handle your claim.

How to Find the Right Lawyer

Finding the right lawyer to handle your bad faith insurance claim is no easy task. You need to be an astute customer, get referrals from friends and family members, and do your research.

Once you have some potential candidates, you need to diligently interview each attorney to make sure they are the right fit for you. You should take several factors into consideration during your selection process:

• Reputation in the community
• Track record in handling cases similar to yours
• Level of experience
• Legal education 

One of the most important factors you need to consider when hiring a bad faith attorney is how comfortable you are with the individual. Insurance bad faith claims can take several months or even years to resolve. As such, you may be spending a good deal of time with your attorney, so make sure you are comfortable with him.

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Filing a Lawsuit After the Statute of Limitations has Run

Personal Injury Lawsuit

Under California law, you only have a specific amount of time after you suffered some type of harm to file a lawsuit. This is known as the statute of limitations. While different types of cases have different deadlines, most personal injury cases have a two to six year deadline after the date of injury.

Generally, once this time frame has expired or the statute of limitations has run, you will not be able to file a personal injury lawsuit, unless an exception applies.

Exceptions to the Rule

There are a few exceptions to filing a lawsuit after the statute has run. Some of these exceptions are discussed below:

Injured Minors

If the plaintiff was a minor at the time of injury, most states, including California, allow the individual to reach the age of 18 before the clock starts running. For example, if you were injured in a car accident at the age of 12, you have until your 20^th birthday to file a lawsuit.

Discovery Rule

The “discovery rule” also extends the statute of limitations, inasmuch as the clock does not start running until the injured person has reasonably figured out that they were injured. For example, an individual who is exposed to asbestos may not suffer an asbestos-caused illness, such as mesothelioma, until decades after exposure to the materials that contained asbestos. This type of “extension” generally applies to cases involving exposure to dangerous or toxic chemicals.

Mental Disability or Incompetence

If the plaintiff was deemed mentally incompetent at the time of the incident or because of the wrongful conduct that caused the injuries, the statute of limitations is suspended for as long as the mental incompetence continues. It should be noted that this statute of limitations exception generally does not apply to government claims.

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For more information or to schedule a complimentary consultation with an experienced Orange County personal injury lawyer, please call the Law Offices of Samer Habbas at 1-888-848-5048.

California Statutes of Limitations For Bringing Personal Injury Claims

Personal Injury

When you are injured as a result of the negligent actions of another party, you must file your claim within a certain amount of time as mandated by law. This deadline for filing a lawsuit is known as the statute of limitations.

Once the statute of limitations “runs out,” you may no longer be able to bring a claim. As such, in order to avoid the running of the statute on your claim, you should immediately consult an experienced personal injury lawyer to timely handle your claim.

Different Statutes of Limitations For Each Type of Claim

Different types of legal disputes may have different statutes of limitations under California law. Below is a list of statutes of limitations for some common types of legal disputes:

• Personal injury lawsuit: 2 years from the date of injury; if the injury is not immediately discovered, the statute runs 1 year from the date the injury is discovered.

• Medical malpractice claim: 3 years from the date of injury or one year from the date of discovery of the injury.

• Breach of a written contract: 4 years from the date the contract was breached or broken.

• Property damage: 3 years from the date of the property damage.

• Claims against government agencies: A claim must be filed with the appropriate agency within 6 months after the incident (some exceptions apply, review California Government Code section 905 and 911.2).

Tolling of the Statute of Limitations

In some cases, the statute of limitations may be tolled or suspended for a certain period of time, until it begins to run again. Tolling of statutes often applies to situations where the injured victim is a minor, is out of state or is insane.

Cases that deal with the tolling of the statute of limitations are complicated. The injured victim should consult with an experienced personal injury attorney to ensure their case is properly handled.

Call an Experienced Personal Injury Attorney

Personal Injury Lawyers orange County

For more information or to schedule a complimentary consultation with an experienced personal injury attorney, please call the LawOffices of Samer Habbas at 1-888-848-5048.

How to Determine If You Should File a Lawsuit

Just because you were injured does not mean that you automatically have a legal cause of action and should file a lawsuit. You should ask yourself the reason why you want to file a lawsuit: Money? Respect? Revenge? Principal? Perhaps the most important question to ask is whether it is worth your time, effort and expense to file suit, which may take years to resolve.

 If you were injured by the negligent or careless actions of another party, it is in your best interest to first consult with an experienced personal injury attorney to determine whether you should pursue legal actions.

Research Before Filing a Lawsuit

Even when you consult an attorney, extensive research should be conducted to determine whether you should file suit. Failing to do your research can add anxiety, frustration and even doom your lawsuit.

Below are some important steps you and your personal injury attorney should take before rushing to the courthouse to file your lawsuit:

-          Researching the merits of your claim, including determining whether all of the elements of your potential causes of action are met.

-          Researching cases that are similar to your fact pattern to determine the possibility of compensation that may be awarded in your claim.

-          Collecting important pieces of evidence that may prove or disprove your case.

-          Determining whether you have the necessary funds to go forward with your claim.

-          Contacting potential witnesses to determine whether they are willing to testify.

-          Researching the potential parties to determine whether they are solvent and you are able to collect a judgment against them.

-          Researching the applicable statutes of limitations to make sure you can timely bring a lawsuit against the negligent parties.

-          Determining whether you can avoid litigation by attempting to take advantage of all reasonable opportunities to settle your claim.

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For more information or to schedule a complimentary consultation with an experienced personal injury attorney , please call the Law Offices of Samer Habbas at 1-888-848-5048.

Children’s Rights When Injured In a Car Accident

Getting into an automobile accident can be a devastating experience, especially if it involved young children. Serious injuries of a child in a car accident may be the most horrific experience that a family can endure. Unfortunately, many individuals are not aware that car accidents are the leading cause of injury and death in children, especially teenagers.

Compensation for Children After a Car Accident

When your child is injured in a car accident, the last thing you may be thinking about is obtaining compensation. It is understandable that the only thing you want to focus on is helping your child recover. However, having the financial compensation may be the exact tool you need to get the treatment your injured child deserves.

I

f the accident that your child was injured in was caused by the negligent or reckless actions of another party, your child may be entitled to monetary compensation. It is in your child’s best interest for you to consult with a personal injury attorney who has experience in dealing with child car accident cases. With a good attorney on your side dealing with the legal aspects of your claim, you can concentrate on getting your child the medical treatment he or she needs.

Type of Compensation Your Child May Be Entitled To

Compensation for child injury victims may vary depending on the specific facts of the case. Your child may receive compensation for:

-          Medical bills

-          Physical therapy bills

-          Costs for prolonged medical care

-          Funeral costs

-          Pain and emotional suffering

-          Disfigurement

-          Diminished quality of life

Your attorney will look at the details of the accident to determine what damages to seek compensation for.

Call an Experienced Personal Injury Attorney

For more information or to schedule a complimentary consultation with an experienced personal injury attorney, please call the Law Offices of Samer Habbas at 1-888-848-5048.