The best way to find out is to consult with an experienced attorney. During a free case evaluation at Arnold Law Firm, we’ll review the facts of your situation, explain the applicable law, assess the strength of your claim, and give you an honest evaluation of your options.
Not every injury or workplace dispute results in a legal case, and we’ll tell you honestly if we don’t think you have a viable claim. But many people have stronger cases than they realize — especially in situations involving insurance company lowball offers, employer retaliation, or injuries that seem minor initially but worsen over time.
Call Arnold Law Firm at (916) 777-7777 or submit a free case evaluation online. There is no cost and no obligation.
Yes, but claims against government entities (cities, counties, the State of California, school districts, transit agencies) follow special rules under the California Tort Claims Act (Government Code § 810 et seq.). The most critical difference is the administrative claim deadline: you must file a formal claim with the government entity within 6 months of the injury — not 2 years like most personal injury cases.
If the government rejects your claim (or fails to respond within 45 days), you then have 6 months to file a lawsuit. Missing the administrative claim deadline almost always bars your case entirely, with very limited exceptions.
Common government liability scenarios include dangerous road conditions, public transit accidents (bus accidents, train accidents), injuries on public property, and police misconduct. Contact Arnold Law Firm immediately if you’ve been injured due to government negligence — the 6-month deadline is unforgiving.
Traumatic brain injuries often result in significant compensation because of the life-altering nature of these injuries. Damages may include extensive medical treatment (emergency care, surgery, rehabilitation, therapy), lifetime care costs for severe TBIs, lost wages and diminished earning capacity, cognitive and emotional changes (personality shifts, memory loss, depression), pain and suffering, and loss of enjoyment of life.
Moderate to severe TBI cases frequently involve millions of dollars in lifetime medical costs. Arnold Law Firm works with medical experts, life care planners, and economists to fully document the long-term impact of your brain injury and maximize your compensation.
A wrongful death claim is a civil lawsuit filed when someone dies due to another person’s or entity’s negligence or wrongful act. Under California Code of Civil Procedure § 377.60, the following people may file a wrongful death claim:
- The deceased person’s surviving spouse or domestic partner
- The deceased person’s children
- If there is no surviving spouse or children, anyone who would be entitled to the property under California’s intestate succession laws (such as parents or siblings)
Wrongful death claims can recover funeral and burial expenses, loss of the deceased person’s income, loss of companionship and emotional support, and the value of household services the deceased provided. California has a two-year statute of limitations for wrongful death claims from the date of death.
If you’re the victim of a hit-and-run accident, take these steps:
- Call 911 immediately — reporting the accident creates an official record and may help identify the driver
- Note everything you can about the fleeing vehicle (make, model, color, license plate, direction of travel)
- Ask witnesses if anyone saw the vehicle or captured dashcam/phone footage
- Seek medical attention for your injuries
- File a claim under your UM coverage — your own Uninsured Motorist policy may cover your injuries and damages
- Contact an attorney — we can work with investigators and law enforcement to locate the at-fault driver
California Vehicle Code § 20002 makes it a crime to leave the scene of an accident. Even if the driver is never found, your UM coverage can help you recover compensation.
Yes, but rideshare accident claims involve unique insurance complexities. Uber and Lyft provide tiered insurance coverage depending on the driver’s status at the time of the accident:
- App off: Only the driver’s personal insurance applies
- App on, waiting for a ride request: Limited liability coverage from the rideshare company (typically $50,000/$100,000)
- En route to pick up or during a trip: Up to $1 million in liability coverage from the rideshare company
Determining which coverage applies requires establishing exactly what the driver was doing at the time of the crash. Arnold Law Firm has experience navigating these layered insurance policies.
Truck accident cases are significantly more complex than typical car accidents for several reasons. Commercial trucks are governed by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs), which impose strict requirements on drivers, trucking companies, and vehicle maintenance. Violations of these regulations can establish negligence.
Multiple parties may be liable, including the truck driver, trucking company, cargo loader, and vehicle manufacturer. Trucking companies also carry much higher insurance policies (often $1 million or more), which means their insurers fight harder to avoid paying claims. These cases require specialized investigation, including obtaining electronic logging device (ELD) data, driver qualification files, and maintenance records before evidence is destroyed.
If you’ve been injured in a truck accident, contact Arnold Law Firm immediately — trucking companies send investigators to the scene quickly, and critical evidence can disappear fast.
Be very cautious about accepting an early settlement offer from an insurance company. These initial offers are almost always far below what your case is actually worth. Insurance adjusters know that injured people face mounting medical bills and financial pressure, and they try to settle quickly before you understand the full extent of your injuries and damages.
Once you accept a settlement and sign a release, you cannot go back and ask for more money, even if your injuries turn out to be worse than expected. Before accepting any offer, consult with a personal injury attorney who can evaluate the true value of your claim.
Arnold Law Firm offers free case evaluations and works on a contingency fee basis, so there’s no cost to find out what your case is really worth.
UM/UIM coverage can be critical in several common scenarios:
Hit-and-run accidents: When the at-fault driver flees the scene, your UM coverage may be the only available source of compensation. Only about 10% of hit-and-run drivers are ever identified.
No-contact accidents: If another driver runs you off the road without making contact with your vehicle, their insurance typically won’t apply. UM coverage can fill that gap.
Underinsured drivers: California only requires $30,000/$60,000 in liability coverage, which may not come close to covering serious injuries. UIM coverage pays the difference between the at-fault driver’s policy limits and your actual damages.
Accidents with unlicensed or uninsured drivers: Drivers without a license often lack insurance as well. UM coverage protects you in these situations.
We strongly encourage all California drivers to carry UM/UIM limits that match their liability limits.
If you’re hit by an uninsured driver, you still have options. The most common path is filing a claim under your own Uninsured Motorist (UM) coverage if you carry it. California law requires insurance companies to offer UM coverage, though you’re not required to purchase it.
You can also file a lawsuit directly against the uninsured driver, though collecting a judgment from someone without insurance can be difficult.
This is one of many reasons why we recommend California drivers carry robust UM/UIM coverage. If you’ve been injured by an uninsured driver, Arnold Law Firm can evaluate all available sources of compensation for your case.