The Inland Empire region of Southern California is remarkable because, unlike other specific counties, it is a broad regional area that includes parts of several other counties and has many major cities rather than just one. Inland Empire is located south of Los Angeles, but for reference purposes also includes parts of southern Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties. The largest cities are Riverside, San Bernardino, Ontario, Rancho Cucamonga, Corona, Fontana, Moreno Valley, Victorville and Temecula. This area is the 3rd largest metropolitan area in the state.
Current employment and educational levels are low, and many people are recent immigrants from Mexico and other southern countries. Most people work in other counties like Los Angeles and Orange counties, and they have to make a two hour commute to and from work. This area was once known for citrus fruit and many military bases that are now closed. Due to its location south of Los Angeles and the local terrain and mountains, there are some problems resulting from smog and air pollution, as well as water pollution.
With a dense population of over 4.5 million people, the Inland Empire region also has its share of Personal Injury accidents, from traffic collisions, workplace violence, deliberate attacks and other problems. When people are harmed due to negligent behavior on the part of another person or company, they deserve to be compensated for their damage claims and other losses. The primary method for achieving this goal is by working within the legal system and its options for obtaining compensation by filing Personal Injury claims.
Inland Empire Personal Injury Attorney
When you seek help from an experienced Inland Empire Personal Injury Attorney, you benefit from their vast knowledge of Personal Injury Law, the local and state legal systems and prior case studies. Your attorney will develop a unique strategy for your case, based on evidence, expert witness input and current regulations.
Most Personal Injury lawsuits are settled prior to a court appearance, but if your case does go into courtroom litigation, being represented by an experienced legal professional is an important edge you want to have on your side. A skilled Personal Injury lawyer knows how to calculate damage claims accurately to support your case, and they know how to present your case in the best manner to a judge and/or jury.
Inland Empire Injury Accidents
Accidents that result in bodily harm, emotional duress, pain and suffering or loss of a loved one generally are considered to be “personal injury” accidents. These accidents result in physical, mental, psychological or emotional pain and other things that affect lifestyles and the finances of the injured persons. In California, like other states, there are legal paths to take to help injured parties gain fair compensation for expenses and damage claims related to accidents that occur because another person or a company exhibited negligent behavior that led to the accident. The law allows injured people or the survivors of persons wrongfully killed in such accidents to obtain justice for a variety of damage claims, including medical costs and loss of income due to the accident injuries and aftermath.
There are two basic types of damage claims in a Personal Injury lawsuit. One is for all the items that have specific economic costs, like your hospital and doctor bills, rehabilitation therapy, income lost due to the injuries and recovery, perhaps some real property damages, and future economic losses. Some of the future expenses, like long-term care, loss of a job due to disability, and other items may require calculation by an expert witness your attorney will consult. Other damage claims deal with non-economic claims, such as pain and suffering, disfigurement and other problems that do not have a firm price tag, like loss of consortium. Here again, your attorney and their resource people will estimate costs for your claims.
Inland Empire Accident Reports
This area of the country has a dense population that is combined with heavy commuter traffic, as residents often drive as much as two hours to get to jobs in Los Angeles and Orange counties. About a third of all adult workers commute alone in cars to another region for work, and use of public transportation is low. This situation leads to high traffic accident rates and related injuries and fatalities. This area also has its share of other types of accidents, such as workplace violence, slip and fall accidents, and injury accidents that happen on public or private property.
With millions of vehicles on local roads daily, the Inland Empire emergency response teams are kept quite busy. Here are a few recent traffic accidents reported in this region:
- A 60-year-old woman was killed when she was struck by a Ford Explorer SUV as she attempted to walk across a street without using a crosswalk.
- A high-speed crash took the life of a 14-year-old boy and injured two other adults in March of 2014. The female driver was speeding while trying to pass other vehicles when she lost control of the SUV and it hit a curb, left the roadway and struck a tree.
- Drunk driving by a 20-year-old man resulted in a wrong-way crash between three vehicles in Riverside, CA. One adult was killed, and a 4-year old girl and two other adults were injured when the man slammed head-on into one vehicle. His car spun around and then was also hit by a pickup truck.
- A tow-truck driver loading a vehicle onto the flat bed of his truck while up on a bridge over railroad tracks was hit by a hit-and-run driver who was speeding. The tow-truck driver was critically injured.
- A bicyclist was injured by a hit-and-run driver when that driver’s vehicle crossed a divider and hit the bicyclist head-on.
As is the case with many traffic accidents, alcohol or drug use and speeding cause many accidents. Hit-and-run accidents are frequent, possibly due to a large population that includes many people who are uneducated, do not have driver’s licenses, or are new to the area. This area suffers from recent lack of employment and low incomes.
Inland Empire Personal Injury Claims
When you are an innocent victim, harmed because another person was careless, negligent or deliberately hurt you, or you suffer injuries because a company failed to produce a safe product, you may be eligible to file personal injury claims through the legal system. There is a broad range of claims that people ask compensation for in this type of lawsuit, from medical expenses to property damage. Obtaining fair compensation for all current and future financial claims is the basic objective of this legal action, but it also is a matter of fairness and justice. Why should you suffer due to another person’s negligent behavior? The laws and the courts are on your side and your attorney will guide you through this entire process.
Claims that are allowed involve two basic types of damages, economic and non-economic. The basic costs to attend to your injuries are mainly economic things, such as medical care bills, special equipment and loss of income if you must miss work or can no longer work. Non-economic claims are somewhat harder to assess. These may include pain and suffering, mental anguish, fear and other emotional or psychological injuries. Your Personal Injury Attorney may call in expert witnesses who can calculate the monetary equivalents for these types of claims. In some cases, you may also have property damage claims to include in your lawsuit, such as collision damage to your own vehicle.
Inland Empire Legal Representation
There’s only one best path to take if you or a loved one has been injured in an accident due to negligence. Contact an experienced legal professional for Inland Empire Legal Representation immediately. They understand the rules for filing Personal Injury claims in this state and they know how much compensation to request based on the facts of your case. California has established a cap of $250,000 for certain medical malpractice claims, and it follows a pure comparative negligence rule that could reduce the amount of any award by the percentage of fault the injured party contributed to the accident.
Remember, there are certain time limits that will affect your ability to obtain fair compensation. In California, if you are suing a government agency for Personal Injury, you must file your claim within just 6 months. For other Personal Injury claims, the statute of limitations is longer, perhaps one to two years or more. Your attorney will take care of making sure your claim is filed on time and that your case details meet all requirements. Your job is to make a good recovery so you can again move forward in life.
The above information applies to cities in both Riverside County and San Bernardino County including but not limited to:
Riverside County
Banning
Beaumont
Blythe
Calimesa
Canyon Lake
Cathedral City
Coachella
Corona
Desert Hot Springs
Eastvale
Hemet
Indian Wells
Indio
Jurupa Valley
La Quinta
Lake Elsinore
Menifee
Moreno Valley
Murrieta
Norco
Palm Desert
Palm Springs
Perris
Rancho Mirage
Riverside
San Jacinto
Temecula
Wildomar
San Bernardino County
Adelanto
Apple Valley
Barstow
Big Bear Lake
Chino
Chino Hills
Colton
Fontana
Grand Terrace
Hesperia
Highland
Loma Linda
Montclair
Needles
Ontario
Rancho Cucamonga
Redlands
Rialto
San Bernardino
Twentynine Palms
Upland
Victorville
Yucaipa
Yucca Valley
