Chico Personal Injury Lawyer

If you need a Chico personal injury lawyer, contact Eric Ratinoff Law Corp at (866) 527-4278 for a confidential case evaluation. We are happy to discuss the details of your potential case, explain the legal process, and provide guidance about how to pursue a personal injury lawsuit.

Eric Ratinoff has been representing plaintiffs in personal injury lawsuits for over 25 years. His personal demeanor, outstanding results, excellent reputation, and passion for justice have earned him legal accolades and peer review awards, including being named as a Northern California Super Lawyer for 10 consecutive years, an honor reserved to only the top 5% of lawyers in this region. Our team has recovered millions of dollars on behalf of our clients for matters involving traumatic brain injury, car accidents, trucking collisions, bicycle collisions, nursing home abuse, insurance bad faith, wildfire litigation, and more.

If you’ve been injured in a car accident, suffered a traumatic brain injury, nursing home abuse, insurance bad faith matter, or any other catastrophic injury, we are here to help. The people we represent are worth the fight.

Chico Personal Injury Lawyer: FAQ About Lawsuits

How do I know if I have a personal injury claim?

4 things must be present to have a personal injury claim:  first, you must have been injured in some way, either physically, financially, or emotionally. Second, the responsible party must have been negligent. Third, the responsible party’s negligence must have caused your injury. And fourth, the injury must have resulted in damages that can be compensated financially.

Do I still have a claim if the collision is partly my fault?

Yes. In most scenarios, you can still recover money even if you are partly at fault for the collision. California courts call this, “comparative fault.” It means whatever amount you recover in damages may be reduced by whichever percentage you are found to be at fault for the resulting injury. It is important to disclose all of the facts honestly with your lawyer.  Even if there are details that may make you look bad or mean you are partially at fault, disclosing these details to your lawyer will help minimize risk and help you recover as much as you are able to recover, despite the situation.

When should I hire a personal injury attorney?

If you have been physically injured, you or the person caring for you should consult with a personal injury attorney as soon as possible. Hiring a Chico personal injury lawyer soon after your injury will preserve important evidence and ensure documentation may be properly collected. In short, it will help ensure that you receive the right result for your case.

It’s also important to consult with a personal injury attorney before the statute of limitations expires. The statute of limitations dictates how long you have before you are no longer allowed to file a lawsuit for your injury.  Although it varies state to state and depends on the type of injury and defendant, in some cases this time period can be as short as 6 months after the injury. To protect your rights, consult with a lawyer as soon as you are able to ensure you do not miss the window of opportunity to file a claim.

What will a Chico personal injury attorney cost?

Our lawyers represent clients on a contingency basis, which means that you will not pay any legal costs or fees until there is a settlement or a winning verdict at trial. We advance all upfront costs, so you pay nothing out of pocket. After your settlement or verdict, your lawyer will collect a fee from a percentage of the total case recovery, in addition to case costs. If you are not awarded a settlement or winning verdict, you will not be charged any legal fees or costs.

Some people hesitate in hiring an attorney because they do not want to pay fees out of their recovery, if and when a settlement is reached. However, hiring an experienced attorney can greatly increase the amount of financial compensation you receive for your injury. Even after the attorney’s fee and case costs are paid, you will typically have more money in your pocket than you would if you attempted to represent yourself. We invest heavily in our clients, hiring reputable and knowledgeable experts, employing highly skilled people who can tell your story effectively, and advancing all costs associated with filing your lawsuit. We are committed to recovering the maximum just verdict or settlement possible.

What type of compensation does a personal injury claim cover?

The type of compensation you can receive for your injuries depends on several factors, including the nature and extent of your injuries, physical and emotional pain and suffering, the change in your quality of life, economic hardship or financial loss, decreased earning potential and physical impairment. Every client is different, every story unique. So we invest a great amount of effort to get to know your story and how your injury has altered the fabric of your life.

Depending on the details of your personal injury, you may be eligible to receive compensatory damages that may include the following:

  • Property damage
  • Medical bills
  • Lost wages, including overtime
  • Out of pocket expenses (transportation charges, etc.)
  • Pain and suffering
  • Physical disability
  • Disfigurement
  • Permanent scars
  • Emotional trauma
  • Mental anguish
  • Loss of enjoyment of life
  • Loss of love and affection
  • Embarrassment
  • Mental disability

How much financial compensation can I get for my injuries?

The law entitles you to be fully compensated for your injuries to the extent the at-fault party is responsible for causing your injuries. The law states that you are entitled to “be made whole,” which means you should be returned to the same position after the settlement as you were in immediately before the injury occurred. Obviously no one can go back in time or take away the injury itself, so the law requires the negligent party to adequately financially compensate you for your injuries. This compensation is known as “damages.”

While insurance is intended to provide compensation for losses, you should never expect to get adequately compensated for your injuries by what an insurance company will offer. These companies are in the business of making profits. They have perfected the art of collecting premiums and paying out as little as possible for insurance claims. All too often they will not even agree to pay you for all of your medical bills or lost wages, claiming the bills are excessive or that a particular medical treatment was not necessary.

In serious injury cases, where you may think it impossible to dispute your injury, the insurance company may dispute the impact your injuries will have on your future, and they may dispute the type of medical treatment and care you will need for the rest of your life. In essence, they will try to minimize your claim no matter what happened to you.

Fighting the insurance industry can feel like a losing battle at every turn. This is when an experienced and well-respected attorney makes all the difference. The lawyers who represent your insurance company will know the amount of experience the lawyer you’ve hired has, and they will treat your case accordingly. Our attorneys are well established with a long history of success fighting powerful insurance companies and large corporations. When an insurance company hears from us, they know they’re in for a fight.

Consult with a Chico Personal Injury Lawyer

If you or someone you love suffered a personal injury, call us today at (866) 527-4278, or fill out the form on this page for a confidential case evaluation. We are happy to come to you to discuss your situation in person, or you can visit us at our Chico office at 631 W. East Avenue in Chico. There is never a fee unless we win money for you, and we advance all costs associated with your claim. Contact us today for a no-risk consultation.