Were you injured in an assault in Orange County, California? You may have the right to pursue compensation for medical expenses, lost income, pain and suffering, and other losses resulting from your injuries. Contact Fielding Law today at 833.88.SHARK for a free consultation with an experienced Orange County assault injury lawyer.
An assault can result in physical injuries, emotional trauma, and unexpected financial costs. Depending on the circumstances, a civil claim may be available against the person who harmed you or another party that bears legal responsibility for your injuries.
If you were injured in an assault in Orange County, CA, you may be dealing with medical treatment, time away from work, and expenses you did not anticipate. Fielding Law can help you pursue compensation from those who may be legally responsible and handle the legal details of your claim.
Clients choose our team because we offer:
Assault injury claims can involve medical records, police reports, witness statements, photographs, surveillance footage, and other evidence. Our attorneys carefully prepare each case and pursue compensation available under California law.
Reach out today to speak with an Orange County personal injury attorney during your free consultation.
If you were injured in an assault, you may have grounds to pursue a civil claim against the person who harmed you. This claim is separate from any criminal case arising from the incident.
A criminal case is brought by the government and may result in penalties such as fines or incarceration. A personal injury claim is brought by the injured person and seeks compensation for losses caused by the assault. You may be able to pursue a civil claim even if criminal charges are not filed, or the person who assaulted you is not convicted.
Depending on the circumstances, other parties may also bear responsibility for your injuries. For example, a property owner or business may face liability when its conduct contributed to an assault, and the requirements for liability under California law are met.
No attorney can assign an exact value to an assault injury claim without examining the facts of the case. Two people injured in similar incidents may ultimately have claims with very different values.
Factors that may affect the value of an assault injury case include:
Evaluating a claim requires looking at the circumstances of the assault as a whole, along with the evidence establishing responsibility and the extent of the resulting harm. As more information becomes available, the potential value of the case may become clearer.
If you were injured in an assault, you may be entitled to compensation for both the financial and personal consequences of your injuries. The damages available will depend on the circumstances of your case.
Economic damages compensate you for financial losses associated with your injuries.
These may include:
Non-economic damages compensate you for losses that do not have a specific dollar amount.
These may include:
Punitive damages may also be available in some California assault cases. Rather than compensating you for a particular loss, punitive damages are intended to punish particularly wrongful conduct and deter similar behavior.
Personal injury attorneys commonly handle assault injury claims on a contingency fee basis. Under this arrangement, the attorney’s fee is based on an agreed-upon percentage of the compensation recovered for the client rather than an upfront hourly fee.
If there is no financial recovery, the client generally does not owe an attorney’s fee. The written fee agreement should explain the percentage charged and how litigation costs and other case expenses will be handled.
Assaults can cause injuries ranging from cuts and bruises to severe trauma requiring extensive medical treatment. Some injuries are immediately apparent, while others may require additional testing or become more noticeable in the days following the incident.
Injuries associated with assaults may include:
The effects of an assault can continue well beyond the initial medical treatment. Depending on the nature of the injuries, recovery may involve rehabilitation, follow-up appointments, additional procedures, or ongoing care. Some injuries can also cause lasting physical limitations or emotional difficulties that affect a person’s daily life.
California generally gives an injured person two years to file a lawsuit for assault or battery, starting from the date the assault occurred. However, different deadlines may apply in certain circumstances, and claims involving a government entity can have additional requirements and much shorter deadlines.
Acting sooner can also help preserve evidence. Surveillance footage may be erased, physical evidence can disappear, and witnesses may forget important details over time. An attorney can identify the deadline that applies and begin gathering available evidence.
The steps you take after an assault can affect your health and your ability to document what happened.
Once you are in a safe location, consider taking the following steps:
Your safety and medical needs should come first. Once those immediate concerns have been addressed, preserving evidence and keeping records of your injuries and expenses can help support a potential claim for compensation.
A civil claim arising from an assault can involve questions about who bears responsibility, what evidence is available, and whether there are additional parties from whom compensation may be sought. An Orange County assault injury attorney can handle these legal issues while you focus on your recovery.
An attorney can help by:
Evidence can become more difficult to obtain as time passes. Having an attorney begin investigating early can help preserve important information and build a well-supported claim for compensation.
If you were injured in an assault in Orange County, CA, Fielding Law can help you pursue a civil claim against the person who harmed you and, when applicable, other parties who may bear legal responsibility. Our attorneys can investigate what happened, gather available evidence, assess your injuries and losses, and pursue the compensation available under California law.
Assault injury claims can involve issues that are separate from any criminal case, and California law limits the amount of time you have to file a lawsuit. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation with an experienced Orange County assault injury attorney.