San Diego Personal Injury Lawyer
When you're injured because of someone else's negligence, the path to recovery can be overwhelming. Beyond the physical and emotional trauma, you're faced with medical bills, lost wages, and complex dealings with insurance companies. Dobson Justice is here to lift that burden, providing authoritative and compassionate representation for individuals who have been harmed through no fault of their own.
The firm handles all communications and legal complexities on my behalf, from investigating the incident and gathering evidence to negotiating with insurance adjusters. My primary goal is to ensure you can focus on what truly matters—your health and well-being. I am prepared to negotiate a fair settlement that covers all your damages, and am also ready to litigate aggressively in court to secure the best possible outcome for you. Your fight is my fight.
California Personal Injury Claims: Your Rights & Recovery Path
Dobson Justice fights for the rights of injured Californians to recover as much as possible for your injuries. When negligence causes harm, you deserve a dedicated legal advocate to secure the compensation you need to heal and move forward. Below is a breakdown of three of the most common personal injury claims, the applicable California law, and the critical steps to protect your future.
1. Motor Vehicle Accidents (Cars, Trucks, Motorcycles)
The Law in California: California operates under an at-fault insurance system, meaning the driver who causes the accident (or their insurance company) is financially responsible for damages. Key principles include comparative negligence (whether you were at fault and if so how much) and the statute of limitations, which generally gives you two years from the date of injury to file a lawsuit (California Code of Civil Procedure § 335.1).
Best Practices to Maximize Recovery
Secure Safety & Report: Move to a safe location if possible. Call 911. A police report is a vital piece of evidence.
Gather Evidence: Take photos of vehicles, injuries, road conditions, and license plates. Get contact info from all drivers and witnesses.
Document Your Recollection Contemporaneously: Taking a video of the scene while narrating what just happened is another powerful way to create a record. As soon as you are safely able to send yourself an email, text a family member, or make a voice memo detailing everything you remember. Include time, weather, what you saw and heard, what the other driver said, and how you feel. Creating a contemporaneously time-stamped record can be invaluable against later-disputed facts.
Seek Immediate Medical Care: Even if you feel "okay," get evaluated. Adrenaline can mask injuries, and a medical record creates a crucial link between the accident and your harm.
Notify Your Insurer: Report the accident to your own insurance company, but do not give a recorded statement to the other party's insurer without consulting an attorney. The simple act of making this report also creates a contemporaneous account.
Consult a Personal Injury Attorney: Effective time-stamped evidence and documentation can assist fault investigations, and your fight to recover full compensation for medical bills, lost wages, vehicle damage, pain and suffering, and other appropriate damages. Reach out today for your free consultation.
2. Slip, Trip & Fall (Premises Liability)
The Law in California: Property owners and occupiers have a legal duty of care to maintain their premises in a reasonably safe condition. To prove liability under California law, it must typically be shown that the owner knew or should have known about the dangerous condition (e.g., a spill, broken step, uneven pavement) and failed to address it in a reasonable time. The statute of limitations is also two years.Best Practices to Maximize Recovery
Identify the Hazard: If you are able, note exactly what caused your fall (wet floor, torn carpet, poor lighting). Mental notes matter.
Document the Scene: Taking a video of the scene while narrating what just happened is another powerful way to create a record. Use your phone to take pictures or video of the hazard, the surrounding area, and your injuries.
Report & Create a Record: Report the incident to the manager or property owner and ask for a copy of the incident report. Right after this interaction, as soon as you are safely able to, create your own record. Send yourself an email or text detailing the name of the person you spoke with, what they said, and their response. You can also record a short video, narrating what happened and capturing the scene. Creating a contemporaneously time-stamped record can be invaluable against any later claim that you never reported it or that the hazard "didn't exist."
Identify Witnesses: Get names and contact information for anyone who saw you fall or the condition before/after.
Seek Medical Attention & Document: Falls can cause serious hidden injuries. After seeing a doctor, jot down notes about your pain, limitations, and the impact on your daily life. Texting a friend or family member about your struggles creates a dated, authentic record of your suffering.
Preserve Evidence: Keep the shoes and clothing you were wearing, as they may serve as evidence. Do not clean or alter them.
Consult a Personal Injury Attorney: Effective time-stamped evidence and documentation can assist fault investigations, and your fight to recover full compensation for medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other appropriate damages. Reach out today for your free consultation.
3. Dog Bites & Animal Attacks
The Law in California: California has a liability framework for owners of dogs that bite (California Civil Code § 3342). This means the dog owner is liable for damages if their dog bite someone in a public place or lawfully in a private place, regardless of the dog's past behavior or the owner's knowledge of its viciousness. There is no "one free bite" rule. The statute of limitations is also two years.Best Practices to Maximize Recovery
Identify the Animal & Owner: Get the owner's name, address, and contact information. Ask for proof of rabies vaccination. If the owner is unknown, try to get a description of the dog and its direction of travel.
Seek Immediate Medical Care: Dog bites carry high risk of infection and often require urgent care, stitches, or surgery. This also creates an official medical record of the injury.
Report the Attack: Report the bite to local animal control and/or the police. This creates an official government record of the incident. The report you give is a contemporaneous account that will be difficult for the owner to dispute later.
Document Everything Visually and in Writing: Taking a video of the scene while you narrate what happened is another excellent way to capture the details. As soon as you are safely able to, write down your full account. Take clear photos of your injuries, the location of the attack, and the animal if safe to do so. Recording a short video while you narrate what happened is another excellent way to capture the details. Detail where you were, what the dog did, the owner's reaction and statements (e.g., "He's never done that before!"), and conversations with witnesses. Emailing this to yourself or texting it to a trusted contact creates a contemporaneously time-stamped record that can lock in the details before memories shift.
Gather Witness Information: Get names and phone numbers of anyone who saw the attack or the dog's behavior before/after.
Track Your Damages: Keep a journal of your physical recovery, pain, emotional distress (like fear of dogs), and any missed work. This ongoing contemporaneous documentation powerfully illustrates your non-economic damages.
Consult a Personal Injury Attorney: Effective time-stamped evidence and documentation can assist fault investigations, and your fight to recover full compensation for medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other appropriate damages. Reach out today for your free consultation.
Why Contemporaneous Notes Could Make All the Difference
Insurance adjusters and defense attorneys look for inconsistencies to undermine your claim. A clear, time-stamped record, through texting, emailing, and metadata created immediately after an incident can be powerful evidence and leverage for your case. Creating and documenting contemporaneous evidence of your state of mind, objective evidence during or as soon thereafter as possible, and the genuine impact of your injuries. An email to yourself, a detailed text, or a voice memo might further strengthen your position by time-stamping and confirming the contemporaneousness of your recollection. These things can be vital for strong arguments and securing meainingful settlements.
Your Next Step: A Free, Confidential Case Evaluation
If you or a loved one have been injured in any of these situations, securing counsel quickly might mean the difference to secure a quicker settlement. The sooner you seek and secure legal assistance, the better. This provides you with more time to evaluate, prepare, and conclude your case. Contact Dobson Justice today for a free, no-obligation consultation. The firm works on a contingency fee basis—you pay no attorneys’ fees unless I recover money for you.