ClickCease San Mateo Personal Injury Lawyer [#1 Voted 2024] PI Lawyers

San Mateo Personal Injury Attorney

Dedicated Personal Injury Lawyers Serving Clients in San Mateo, CA

Personal injury accidents can happen when you least expect them – and when you’re least prepared to deal with them. Medical bills can start to mount while you lose wages from having to miss time at work. Meanwhile, insurance companies are calling you and you don’t know where to turn for help. Walkup, Melodia, Kelly & Schoenberger is here for you. We offer legal representation to injured accident victims in San Mateo, California. Our San Mateo Personal Injury Attorney can assist you with every step of your case, fighting for the compensation you deserve. Request a free consultation today.

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The Main Types of Personal Injury Cases in San Mateo

Personal injury law involves many types of cases, but some are more common than others. Some of the types of personal injury cases include:

  • Brain injuries. Traumatic brain injuries can result from car accidents, falls, even playing recreational sports. These unique injuries often require a lifetime of medical care and accommodation, so they require the assistance of an experienced personal injury attorney.
  • Burn injuries. As with brain injuries, burn injuries require intensive medical care, which may include surgical procedures, grafting, and reconstruction. This specialized care can become expensive, and be winning compensation for future medical expenses requires an attorney’s guidance.
  • Car accidents. To receive full compensation for your injuries following a San Mateo car accident, you must show that an at-fault driver’s negligence contributed to your injuries and property damage. A personal injury attorney protects your right to full compensation under the law.
  • Motorcycle accidents. Since motorcycle accidents often involve extensive injuries, claims require the assistance of an experienced motorcycle accident attorney.
  • Nursing home abuse. Our nation’s elderly and disabled are vulnerable to abuse, whether through negligence and abandonment or willful misconduct. An attorney can help hold the responsible party accountable for his or her despicable actions.
  • Spinal cord injuries. Like brain injuries, spinal cord injuries often lead to devastating consequences and the need for lifelong medical care.
  • Wrongful death. If you lost a loved one in an accident, you may be able to collect damages for your monetary and non-monetary losses as a survivor.

How Much Is My Personal Injury Case Worth?

One of the most common questions we receive at our San Mateo personal injury firm is, “What is my case worth?” There is no one answer to this question, but you can get an idea of the potential value of your case by understanding your specific damages. “Damages” refer to both your losses and the amount of money you could receive through a personal injury claim. Our San Mateo Personal Injury Attorney estimates the value of a personal injury claim based on the following factors:

  • Cost of past and future medical bills. Almost all personal injury claims result in recovery for accident-related medical costs. A claim can pay for your doctor’s appointments, surgeries, treatments, rehabilitation, medical devices, prescriptions, and more. Keep copies of all medical bills to discover this damage value.
  • Value of lost wages and earning capacity. We will assess the amount of your lost wages from missed time at work, as well as your lost potential earnings if the accident stripped you of your ability to return to work or your previous position, resulting in a loss of income.
  • Price of property damage. Another economic damage that can contribute to the value of your personal injury case is the cost of property damage repairs or replacements. We’ll work with trusted third parties, such as San Mateo auto mechanics, to evaluate the cost of your property damages.
  • Emotional and psychological damage from the accident. Our team will look at the damages that are more difficult to calculate – the non-economic harms that stem from your accident. These can include emotional distress, mental anguish, and psychological trauma, as well as the costs of related treatments.
  • Any permanent disabilities or disfigurement involved. If your injuries caused permanent disabilities, scarring, disfigurement, amputation, chronic pain, or lost quality of life, you could appeal to a jury for lifelong pain and suffering damages. Your age and the severity of your injuries will affect this amount.

In general, the more catastrophic the injury, the greater the value of the personal injury claim. Permanently disabling or disfiguring injuries, such as spinal cord injuries or brain damage, will be of higher worth than more minor injuries. The state of California places a $250,000 cap on pain and suffering damages in medical malpractice cases. Aside from this cap, the amount you receive for your case depends greatly on the ability of your attorney to demonstrate your damages to an insurance company, judge, or jury.

When and Why to Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer?

In California, you will have the choice of whether to hire a personal injury lawyer during the negotiation of your case. Having legal representation is not a requirement, but it is generally in a victim’s best interests – especially if the injuries are serious. Having a lawyer by your side can make a significant difference in how much you receive for your case because insurance companies will take you and your claim more seriously. The following situations generally give rise to the need for a personal injury lawyer in San Mateo:

  1. When you suffered serious or catastrophic injuries. A serious injury is a long-term one that will impact the victim for a year or longer. A catastrophic injury will permanently affect the victim for life. Examples include traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, severe burns, and amputations.
  2. When you have expensive medical bills or lost wages. As your debts mount, help from a lawyer will start to look more appealing. A lawyer can take care of medical bills and calls from creditors while working on your case. A lawyer will also fight for maximum compensation, helping you achieve future financial stability.
  3. When you don’t know a lot about the law. It’s a good idea to hire an attorney unless you have a background in personal injury law. A lawyer will have all of the inside information about the specific laws that apply to your case, such as California’s dog bite or premises liability laws.
  4. When you don’t want to deal with legal processes. Filing an insurance claim is just the first step in what could be a lengthy legal process. If you would rather spend your energy focusing on recovering from your injuries or spending time with an injured loved one, let an experienced attorney handle the legwork of your case.
  5. When an insurance company is disputing your claim. Sometimes injured accident victims run into a roadblock on the journey toward recovery – an insurance company that disputes or denies the claim. If this is the case, contact a lawyer for counsel. You might need legal representation to fight against bad-faith insurance dealings.

When in doubt, hire a personal injury attorney. Walkup, Melodia, Kelly & Schoenberger only charge clients legal fees if our lawyers win monetary recovery. This means you have nothing to lose in discussing your case with us. We can help you understand whether you should take on your claim alone, as well as what your case could be worth with our assistance. A lawyer can be instrumental in your case. Don’t let an insurance company take advantage of you. Even the score by hiring an attorney.

Where Do I Find a Professional Personal Injury Lawyer in San Mateo?

Once you decide you need a personal injury lawyer, the search for the right one begins. All lawyers are not created equal. An attorney’s education, experience, case history, processes, and principles can all impact your case. It’s important to know what you are looking for when searching for the best professional San Mateo Personal Injury Attorney. Perform an online search for attorneys in your area. Then, compare their websites and search for the following must-haves:

  • Try to find out how long the attorneys at the firm have been practicing personal injury law. A brand-new lawyer fresh out of law school might not be the right choice if you have a complex or high-value case. Experience in your practice area is key. Look for a history of success in your desired field.
  • Awards and real results. Accolades for a firm and its individual lawyers can demonstrate a consistent commitment to excellence. For example, our lead attorneys are some of the country’s top-tier professionals, winning awards such as “Top Ten” Super Lawyers, Lawyer of The Year, and Trial Lawyer of the Year.
  • Fair pricing options. Most personal injury lawyers take clients on a contingency-fee basis. This means you’ll only pay the attorney’s fees if you win your case. This pay scheme can help you afford a top attorney in San Mateo without ever paying out-of-pocket for legal fees. The law firm should also offer free, no-obligation case evaluations.
  • Personal client attention. Meet with your prospective lawyer and get a feel for how he or she represents clients. Look for tailored legal services, personalized strategies, open communication, and honesty in your attorney. Read client reviews and testimonials for an idea of what to expect.

Your search for a professional personal injury lawyer in San Mateo can end right here. At Walkup, Melodia, Kelly & Schoenberger, we have everything you’re looking for in a lawyer and more. Our team has a 50-year-long track record of securing outstanding results for our clients. We have the passionate, aggressive, and strategic tactics to get the most for your case in San Mateo. No need to continue your search for a law firm that will get the case outcome you need – your ideal lawyer is just a phone call away at (415) 981-7210.

Focused Personal Attention from Attorneys in San Mateo

If you recently suffered any type of personal injury in San Mateo, contact a San Mateo Personal Injury Attorney who genuinely care about your future. Walkup, Melodia, Kelly & Schoenberger has proved time and again that its top priority is the client. Each lawyer at our firm is 100% dedicated to securing justice and real results for their clients – not for fortune or fame, but for the human beings behind the personal injury claim. We see the families affected by the accident cases and base our strategies on people, not profits.

Personal attention and commitment to the client give us the power to achieve the best possible results for cases we take. We’ll sit with you during a free consultation, listen to your story, and ask what your specific goals are for the case. It might be to resolve your insurance claim as quickly as possible or to fight for maximum compensation even if it takes a personal injury lawsuit. Either way, we’ll build a strategy that will help you achieve your desired results. We’ll work hard to get your family the compensation you need to move forward with your lives.

To get all the answers to your accident-related questions, contact us online 24/7 or call our San Mateo office at (415) 981-7210. We’ll evaluate your case for free during a confidential meeting, helping you understand the value of your claim, determine who might be liable, and the steps you will need to take to file a claim. You have two years from the date of your injury to file a claim in California. Don’t wait. Contact our personal injury attorneys today to start your journey toward recovery.

Proving Negligence is Key to Maximum Injury Compensation

Injured plaintiffs will need to prove that the defendants- persons responsible for causing an injury- in their cases were negligent to succeed in their personal injury claims. Proving negligence involves showing the court these facts about the incident:

  • First, the plaintiff must show the court that the defendant had a duty to the plaintiff to act with reasonable care. For example, a driver has a duty of care to operate his or her vehicle responsibly, follow all posted traffic signs, and not exceed acceptable speeds while traveling to prevent injury and damage to others.
  • Second, the plaintiff must show how the defendant breached this duty of care. This could be through a specific action, such as texting while driving or speeding through a red light, or inaction, such as a failure to address a known problem with the vehicle that could be potentially hazardous on the road.
  • Next, the plaintiff must prove that his or her injuries and other damages were the direct results of the defendant’s breach of duty. This is known as proving “cause in fact,” and generally means the plaintiff must show that the defendant’s actions more likely than not caused his or her damages.
  • Finally, the plaintiff must have suffered “actual harm,” or incurred some injury or loss. If the plaintiff did not suffer an injury or financial harm from property damage, lost income, or other losses, then the plaintiff has no claim.

The right San Mateo personal injury attorney can help injured plaintiffs in San Mateo recover damages including medical expenses, lost income, lost earning capacity, pain and suffering, property damage, and more in some cases.

Skilled and Trusted San Mateo Personal Injury Attorney

The attorneys at Walkup, Melodia, Kelly & Schoenberger have secured more million-dollar settlements and case awards for clients than any other law firm in Northern California, and we are happy to provide professional legal representation to citizens of the San Mateo area. We take cases on a contingency fee basis, meaning clients pay nothing unless we win. Reach out to our office to schedule a free consultation about your personal injury claim in San Mateo.