Personal Injury

I could write about how I will fight tooth and nail to get you compensated or how insurance companies will treat you unfairly unless you hire an attorney. But you have already read that on every other attorney website (or heard it on the radio or on the buses across town). There are numerous law firms that can fit you into their cookie cutter approach to personal injury and hand you off to staff, paralegals or junior attorneys. I do not do that.

To make you stand out amongst the thousands of claims being filed, I use my film production experience to take a visual approach to demands and litigation. I understand that your personal injury is unique and personal to you. I concentrate on treating you and your injury as more than just words on paper.

The insurance adjuster will see you as a person, just like them, that has experienced an unnecessary and traumatic event their life. They will know you, your family and the impact your injury has had on everyone. The jury will envision the events that led to your injury and feel the impact that it has had on your life, and your future. Your injury deserves more than just being processed into dollars using a mathematical calculation on attorney letterhead. It had an emotional and shocking effect on you – that effect must be communicated to the people that will evaluate and ultimately compensate you, whether it be an insurance adjuster, judge or jury.

What is a tort?
Tort law is the foundation for all injury claims. While attorneys like to state they practice in numerous areas of the law, and list car accidents, dog bites, construction accidents, trucking accidents, slip and fall, etc., their focus is tort claims. Tort claims are divided into intentional torts, negligence and strict liability. Depending on the type of injury, the willfulness of the conduct and Arizona statutes, your claim will fall under one of these three. The most common tort claim is one of negligence.

While there are nuances to particular types of injuries, the four factors of negligence will be the most important:
(1) duty,
(2) breach,
(3) causation and
(4) damages.

A duty is established based upon the relationship the person. For example, car drivers have a duty to drive safely and not harm others on the road. Landowners have a duty to maintain a safe premises.

Breach occurs when a person with a duty fails to uphold it.

Causation means that your injury was caused by the breach of duty. In other words, if the person did not act, you would not be injured. Sometimes, your injury may be caused by one person, but your own negligence contributed towards your injury. Generally, the jury or fact finder will find a percentage of fault and reduce your damage award accordingly.

The final element is damages. This encompasses your medical bills, pain and suffering, loss of income, loss of future earnings and, in rare circumstances, punitive (penalty) damages. The amount of these damages can vary significantly from case to case. Without an attorney, you may find yourself at the whim of an insurance adjuster and evaluating your own claim will likely not maximize your recovery. Additionally, a standard attorney demand is not as effective as you would hope. The adjuster gets hundreds of self represented and attorney demands. To maximize your recovery, you need to do something different and stands out among the crowd.

Vehicular accidents

There is few things as aggravating as being rear-ended or side-swiped by other drivers, and the injuries and losses that result from their actions. With many drivers not obeying cell phone usage regulations and laws (text & drive, hands-free use), distracted driving has become a disease that affects many lives.

Distracted driving, drunk driving, careless driving, reckless driving, road rage driving… The list goes on and onwith ofenses, misdemeanors and felonies other drivers can be guilty of with devastating consequences for individuals and families.

I represent victims of such vehicular accidents: whatever the extent of your injuries, you most likely need a good attorney to defend your best interests when dealing with the party at fault, their insurance company, and their attorney.I also with dealing with your insurance company when the damage suffered is extensive.

Here are some of the types of case I will take care of:

- You have been injured in your car by a distracted car driver
- Your motorcycle has been T-boned or rear-ended by a car
- Another driver’s reckless driving resulted in multiple collisions
- Red light rear-ending
- Careless driving by a truck resulting in a collision or worse
- Death of a dear one due to reckless or careless driving by another party

And many other situations where you are the injured party or the victim of another driver.

I work on the basis of recovery (contingency): my compensation is a percentage of the award or settlement you receive as a result of my work. I have successfully resolved cases well beyond the insurance company’s initial offer, ultimately giving my clients much more had they tried to resolve the case themselves.

Call me at (520) 260-2007 as early as you can, so that you do not compromise your case and the outcome of a decent settlement and full compensation.

Trucking accidents

Trucking accidents are a special type of vehicular accidents. Because of their size versus other vehicles on the road. Trucks can cause terrible accidents with devastating consequences.

In a commercial environment, trucks can wreak havoc on a property, with hundreds of thousands of dollars in property damages.

Trucking and hauling companies know the risks and are usually extremely well insured. Insurance companies covering trucking risks employ very sharp lawyers specialized in litigating and mitigating losses caused by trucks.

For these reasons, whether a truck caused personal injuries or damages to your personal property, or damages to your commercial property, you need a good trial attorney to defend your best interest and avoid settling for pennies on the dollar.

I am not intimidated by the sharp lawyers and adjusters of insurance companies. I will make sure your claim is resolved effectively and, if necessary, bring your claim to court.

I work on the basis of recovery (contingency): my reward is a percentage of the award or settlement you receive as a result of my work.

Call me at (520) 260-2007 as early as possible and before you discuss your claim with any insurance adjuster.

Catastrophic injuries

Catastrophic injuries significantly impact a person’s health and well-being. They cause immense pain and suffering. The cause can sometimes be completely unexpected.

Some of the common examples of catastrophic injuries are:

Neck, back, and spinal cord injuries
Traumatic brain injuries and neurological disorders
Paralysis
Amputations
Blindness
Injuries to internal organs
Severe burns
Partial or complete loss of motor skills
Severe chronic pain
Injuries requiring a change of occupation or resulting in disability status
Injury requiring home care, help with basic functions, or boarding in a ad-hoc facility

Catastrophic injuries can result from work-related accident, defective products, vehicularaccidents, chemical contamination or exposure, etc.

Catastrophic injuries typically result in long-term (sometimes life-long) medical treatment and continuous care, often leading to extreme changes in lifestyle and quality of life for the injured party.

Contrary to what could seem obvious, the victim of a catastrophic injury or their family are not the first to seek compensation. Oftentimes, the insurer of the person or company responsible for the traumatic accident reach out first to obtain a quick settlement. You want to make sure to discuss your case with a qualified attorney before quickly resolving your claim. It could make a huge difference in the amount of compensation you will receive.

In most cases, it is impossible to figure out quickly the total cost of medical care and post-care that will be needed for the injured party. This calculation requires an expert evaluation, quite possibly multiple expert opinions to take into account all the factors involved. But the chaotic nature of the situation, and the emergency relief needed by the family of the victim make them preyfor the insurers who seek to avoid covering the full prejudice suffered by the injured and the family.

It is therefore very important that you do not enter into any transaction with the insurers of the parties responsible for the catastrophic injuries. It is best not to speak directly with them, and not to discuss any specific of the injured person’s financials.

A competent personal injury attorney is the person in the best position to represent the interests of the injured and their family. Your attorney will discuss with all the parties, mandate the experts, gather the data and prepare your case for trial if the responsible parties do not cooperate to arrive at a meaningful and significant settlement.

A good personal injury attorney is also a trial lawyer. He is not afraid to got to court to bring to justice those responsible for the terrible catastrophe, with a view to obtain adequate and significant compensation for the victim: not just to cover the costs, but also to obtain punitive damages when the circumstances of the accident dictate it.

What types of compensation and damages are potentially available?

Coverage of medical and hospital bills
Coverage of future medical expenses
Reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses
Compensation for loss of earning capacity
Compensation for actual and potential loss of wages
Coverage of cost of vocational rehabilitation
Damages for pain and suffering based in physical and emotional injuries
Punitive damages, depending on circumstances

Wrongful death

When a person calls a lawyer to inquire about their options after a loved one died through the fault of someone else, it is never an easy event. The attorney has to ask difficult questions that will inevitably rub salt on the open wound.

The attorney retained to pursue such a case must also determine the extend of the financial prejudice incurred by the next-of-kind and the family. Will this death result in a loss of financial wherewithal? Loss of support? End-of-life expenses such as medical bills and funeral expenses?

The attorney has to investigate the circumstances to identify the parties that are legally liable, and negotiate with the opposing counsels on behalf of the grieving parties. Death can never be offset by any financial compensation, but an equitable compensation for losses and expenses must be sought after to relieve material pressures due to such a change in life situations.

Retaining the right attorney for this mission is not a simple, quick decision. It is of the utmost importance that the spouse or the family meet in person with one or several attorneys before they decide on who will be best suited to preserve their interests.

If you suspect that a loved one died through the misconduct, negligence or ill-intent of third-parties, I encourage you to contact me at (520) 260-2007 to set up a first meeting. Our phone conversation will give you a first impression as to whether or not I could possibly be the attorney you need to take over the case. We will then meet face-to-face, so that you can make this determination to the best of your judgment, and with your best interest always in mind.