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When someone else's negligence turns your life upside down, we help you recover the compensation you need to move forward.
Personal injury law exists to protect people who are hurt because of another party's careless or wrongful conduct. When an accident is caused by someone else's negligence, California law gives the injured person the right to seek compensation for the harm they have suffered. That compensation is meant to restore you, as closely as money can, to the position you were in before the injury happened. It is not a windfall and it is not a punishment. It is a recognition that you should not have to bear the financial and personal cost of an injury that was not your fault.
A serious injury can change everything in an instant. Medical bills start arriving, time away from work eats into your income, and the insurance company often seems more interested in protecting its bottom line than in treating you fairly. At Nalbandian Law, we represent injured people throughout Glendale and across California, and we handle the legal side of your claim so you can concentrate on healing.
Our firm brings a practical, client-focused approach to every personal injury matter. We take the time to understand how the injury has affected your daily life, your finances, and your family, and we build a case designed to recover full and fair compensation for the harm you have suffered. Knowing how the law works, and what you are entitled to, puts you in a far stronger position from the very first day.
Personal injury is a broad area of law that covers many different kinds of accidents and incidents. What these cases have in common is that someone was hurt because another person or company failed to act with reasonable care. Our firm has handled a wide variety of matters, and some of the most common include:
If your situation does not fit neatly into one of these categories, that does not mean you are without options. Personal injury law reaches many kinds of accidents, and the surest way to find out whether you have a claim is to speak with a knowledgeable attorney about the specific facts of what happened to you.
Most personal injury claims are built on the legal concept of negligence. To hold another party responsible, the law generally requires you to prove four elements. Understanding these elements helps explain why some cases are strong and others are more difficult.
Each of these elements has to be supported by evidence. That is why the investigation stage of a case matters so much. Police reports, photographs, witness accounts, medical records, and sometimes input from qualified professionals all help establish what happened and who is responsible. Our role is to gather that evidence, connect it to the legal elements, and present a clear and persuasive account of how the other party's conduct caused your injuries.
California follows a pure comparative negligence rule, and this is one of the most important things injured people should understand. Under this rule, you can still recover compensation even if you were partly to blame for the accident. Your total recovery is simply reduced by the percentage of fault assigned to you. For example, if your damages are found to be a certain amount and you are determined to be twenty percent responsible, you can still recover the remaining eighty percent.
Pure comparative negligence means there is no cutoff that bars recovery just because you share some of the fault. Even a person found mostly at fault can recover something for the share attributable to the other party. This is different from the rules in some other states, and it is one reason you should be cautious about accepting an insurance company's early assessment that the accident was your fault.
Insurance companies know about this rule, and they often try to shift as much blame onto you as possible in order to lower what they have to pay. Part of our job is to push back on inflated fault arguments and to make sure the percentage assigned to you reflects what actually happened rather than what the insurer would prefer.
Timing matters a great deal in personal injury cases. In California, the general statute of limitations for most personal injury claims is two years from the date of the injury. If you miss that deadline, you can lose the right to recover compensation entirely, no matter how strong your case would otherwise have been. That is a harsh result, and it is completely avoidable when you act in time.
Some situations carry different or much shorter deadlines. Claims against a government entity, such as a city, county, or state agency, usually require you to file a formal claim within a far shorter window before you can even proceed. There are also circumstances where the so called discovery rule applies, meaning the clock may start when you discovered, or reasonably should have discovered, that you were harmed rather than on the date of the underlying event. These exceptions are narrow and fact specific.
Because these rules can be complicated and the consequences of missing a deadline are severe, it is important to speak with a knowledgeable attorney as soon as possible after an accident. Early involvement also means evidence is preserved, witnesses are located while their memories are fresh, and your rights are protected from the start.
The goal of a personal injury claim is to make you whole again, as much as the law allows. Compensation, often called damages, generally falls into two categories. Economic damages cover the financial losses that can be documented with bills, receipts, and records, while non-economic damages account for the human costs that do not come with a price tag but are just as real.
Every case is different, and the value of a claim depends on the specific facts. We work to document the full scope of your losses rather than accepting an insurer's first, often low, offer. That means looking not just at the bills on the table today but at the long-term impact the injury will have on your life.
It helps to remember that an insurance company is a business, and its financial interest is in paying as little as possible on each claim. The adjuster who calls you soon after an accident may sound friendly and concerned, but their job is to protect the insurer, not to look out for you. Understanding this from the beginning helps you avoid common traps.
Early settlement offers are often low for a reason. Insurers know that injured people are worried about mounting bills and may be tempted to accept fast money before the full extent of their injuries is clear. Once you accept a settlement and sign a release, you usually give up the right to seek anything more, even if your condition turns out to be far worse than it first appeared. A quick check today can cost you dearly tomorrow.
Insurers also use tactics such as requesting recorded statements they can later use against you, disputing whether your treatment was necessary, delaying responses in the hope you will give up, and arguing that you were largely at fault under the comparative negligence rule. When we represent you, we handle these communications directly so you are not navigating them alone, and we hold the insurer to what your claim is actually worth.
Every case follows its own path, but most personal injury claims move through a series of recognizable stages. Knowing what to expect removes some of the uncertainty and helps you feel more in control of the process.
Most personal injury cases settle before trial, but the willingness and ability to go to court often influences how seriously an insurer takes your claim. We prepare every case as though it may be tried, which puts you in the strongest position whether the matter settles or proceeds to a courtroom.
Some of the most damaging harm to a personal injury claim comes from simple, avoidable missteps in the days and weeks after an accident. Being aware of these pitfalls can help protect the value of your case.
Avoiding these mistakes is much easier with guidance early on. When we are involved from the beginning, we help you steer clear of the missteps that insurers count on and keep the focus where it belongs, on your recovery.
From the moment you retain our firm, we take the pressure off your shoulders. We investigate what happened by gathering police reports, medical records, witness statements, and any available photographs or video. We consult with medical providers and other qualified people when needed to understand the true extent of your injuries and their long-term impact.
We also handle the insurance companies directly, so you are not left navigating their tactics alone. Our attorneys are skilled negotiators, and we work to reach a fair settlement whenever possible. When an insurer refuses to offer what your claim is worth, we are fully prepared to file suit and present your case in court. Throughout the process you will always know where your case stands, what the next step is, and what to expect along the way.
We believe injured clients deserve honest guidance and steady communication. We treat every client with respect, return calls promptly, and make sure your questions are answered in plain language rather than legal jargon. Our reputation is built on trust, and we work hard to earn it in every case we take.
Personal injury cases are commonly handled on a contingency basis, which means the attorney's fee is a percentage of the recovery and is paid only if the case succeeds. This arrangement allows injured people to pursue their claims without paying legal fees up front. We are glad to explain how fees work during your consultation so there are no surprises.
The timeline depends on the complexity of the case, the severity of your injuries, and whether the matter settles or goes to trial. Some claims resolve in a matter of months, while others take longer, particularly when injuries are serious and ongoing treatment is involved. We keep you informed at each stage so you are never left guessing.
The surest way to find out is to talk with an experienced attorney about the specific facts of your situation. If someone else's careless conduct caused your injury and you suffered real losses as a result, you may have a valid claim. A consultation is the simplest way to get a clear answer.
Because California follows a pure comparative negligence rule, you may still be able to recover compensation even if you were partly responsible. Your recovery is reduced by your share of fault, but partial fault does not automatically prevent you from pursuing a claim.
If you or a loved one has been hurt because of someone else's negligence, the steps you take early on can make a real difference. Seek medical attention promptly, even if your injuries seem minor at first, because some conditions become apparent only after time passes. Follow your doctor's treatment plan, keep copies of your bills and records, and write down what you remember about how the accident happened while it is still fresh.
Preserve any evidence you can, including photographs of the scene and your injuries, and gather the names and contact details of any witnesses. Avoid giving recorded statements to the other party's insurer and be cautious about signing anything before speaking with an attorney. These simple steps help protect both your health and the value of your claim.
When you are ready, contact Nalbandian Law to schedule a consultation, and let our experienced team review your situation and explain your options. You do not have to face the insurance companies alone, and understanding your rights is the first step toward the fair recovery you deserve.
Let our experienced Glendale team review your case and fight for the compensation you deserve.
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