Personal Injury Representation

Serious Injuries Require Serious Counsel

California personal injury law gives injured people the right to recover compensation for their losses when someone else's negligence causes harm. Under Civil Code Section 1714, every person is responsible for injuries caused by their lack of ordinary care or skill. Whether the negligence involves a distracted driver, a hazardous property condition, or a dog owner who failed to restrain their animal, you have a right to pursue economic and non-economic damages.

Economic damages include medical expenses - both past and future - lost wages, loss of earning capacity, and out-of-pocket costs. Non-economic damages cover pain and suffering, emotional distress, and loss of enjoyment of life. In cases involving particularly reckless or intentional conduct, punitive damages may also be available under Civil Code Section 3294. Building a case that captures the full measure of these damages requires thorough investigation, expert witnesses, and experienced negotiation or litigation strategy.

Personal injury cases at The Berhe Law Firm are handled on a pure contingency basis - you pay nothing in attorney fees unless we recover for you. Case costs and expenses may apply separately. That means our incentives are aligned with yours from the first conversation. We are methodical in how we investigate, thorough in how we document, and aggressive when it comes to securing the compensation our clients deserve.

Contingency Fee

You pay nothing unless we recover for you. Our fee is a percentage of what we recover - there are no upfront costs and no hourly charges. If we do not win, you owe us nothing.

Services

What We Handle

Car Accident Claims

Representation for drivers, passengers, cyclists, and pedestrians injured by negligent, distracted, or impaired drivers - including commercial vehicle and rideshare incidents on California roads.

Slip and Fall Claims

Claims against property owners and businesses who failed to maintain safe conditions - wet floors, broken walkways, inadequate lighting, and other hazards that cause serious falls.

Premises Liability

Holding property owners accountable under California Civil Code Section 1714 and the landmark decision in Rowland v. Christian - covering all categories of entrants, from invitees to trespassers.

Dog Bites & Animal Attacks

Claims under California Civil Code Section 3342, which imposes strict liability on dog owners for bites occurring in public places or lawfully on private property - regardless of prior knowledge of aggression.

Wrongful Death

Representation for surviving family members under California Code of Civil Procedure Section 377.60 - pursuing full compensation for funeral costs, loss of financial support, and loss of companionship.

Insurance Negotiations

Aggressive negotiation with liability insurers, handling bad-faith claims under California Insurance Code Section 790.03, and taking cases to trial when insurers refuse to offer fair value.

Our Approach

How We Handle Personal Injury Cases

Investigation & Case Building

We begin with comprehensive evidence collection - accident reports, photographs, witness statements, surveillance footage, medical records, and expert consultations. The strength of a personal injury case is built in the first weeks, not months later.

Demand & Negotiation

Once your medical treatment is complete or reasonably stable, we prepare a comprehensive demand package to the responsible parties and their insurers. We negotiate from a position of strength - with full documentation of your damages and readiness to litigate if needed.

Settlement or Trial

Most cases resolve through negotiated settlement. When insurers fail to offer fair value, we file and litigate in California Superior Court. Defendants and their insurers know that cases backed by thorough preparation and experienced trial counsel are costly to fight.

Common Questions

Personal Injury - What Clients Ask

Answers to the questions injury clients most frequently raise. This information is general and does not constitute legal advice for your specific circumstances.

California's statute of limitations for most personal injury claims is two years from the date of injury, under Code of Civil Procedure Section 335.1. However, there are important exceptions that can shorten or extend this period. Claims against a California government entity - such as a city, county, or state agency - require a government tort claim to be filed within six months of the incident under Government Code Section 911.2, before any lawsuit can be filed. Claims by minors are generally tolled until age 18. Medical malpractice claims have a different limitations period under Code of Civil Procedure Section 340.5. The discovery rule may also apply in cases where an injury or its cause was not immediately apparent. Because these rules are complex, consulting with an attorney as soon as possible after an injury is strongly advisable. This is general information only and is not legal advice.

Several immediate steps can significantly affect the outcome of a personal injury claim. Seek medical attention promptly - even if you feel the injury is minor, gaps in treatment are regularly used by insurers to minimize claims. Document everything: photographs of the scene, your injuries, the other party's property, and any hazardous conditions. Get the names and contact information of all witnesses. Report the incident to law enforcement and obtain a copy of any police report. Do not provide recorded statements to the other party's insurance company without first consulting an attorney - insurers are trained to use recorded statements in ways that minimize their liability. Preserve physical evidence and, if possible, do not repair damaged property before it has been documented. This is general information and not legal advice.

California follows a "pure comparative fault" system under Civil Code Section 1714 as interpreted in Li v. Yellow Cab Co. (1975). This means you can recover damages even if you are partially at fault for an accident - your recovery is simply reduced by your percentage of fault. For example, if you are found 30% at fault for a car accident, you can still recover 70% of your total damages. This is more plaintiff-friendly than the "modified comparative fault" rule used in many other states, which bars recovery once you are 50% or more at fault. Insurance adjusters often attempt to assign comparative fault to minimize their payout - having legal representation significantly impacts how fault is assessed and argued. This is general information and does not constitute legal advice for your specific case.

California personal injury damages fall into two primary categories. Economic damages are objectively verifiable monetary losses: past and future medical expenses, lost wages, loss of future earning capacity, property damage, and other out-of-pocket costs. Non-economic damages compensate for subjective harm: pain and suffering, emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life, and loss of consortium for a spouse or domestic partner. In cases involving oppression, fraud, or malice, punitive damages may also be available under Civil Code Section 3294. Note that in medical malpractice cases, California's Medical Injury Compensation Reform Act (MICRA) caps non-economic damages, with amounts set under recent amendments. These caps do not apply to most other personal injury cases. This is general information only.

A contingency fee arrangement means the attorney's fee is paid only if - and when - a recovery is obtained. The fee is typically a percentage of the total amount recovered, whether through settlement or judgment. Under California Rules of Professional Conduct, Rule 1.5, the specific percentage and terms must be set out in a written fee agreement signed by the client. The percentage may vary depending on the stage at which the case resolves - fees are often higher if the case proceeds to trial than if it settles before litigation. Case costs (such as filing fees, expert witness fees, and investigation costs) are typically advanced by the firm and reimbursed from the recovery, separate from the attorney's fee. If there is no recovery, the client owes no attorney's fee. The fee agreement for any specific engagement will be discussed in full before representation begins. This is general information and not legal advice.

Potentially, yes. If the at-fault driver in a car accident is uninsured or underinsured, your own uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage - which is required to be offered by California insurers under Insurance Code Section 11580.2 - may cover your damages. Even if you declined UM/UIM coverage, other options may exist: the at-fault party may have personal assets that can satisfy a judgment, and in some cases third parties such as employers (if the at-fault party was driving for work), government entities (if a road defect contributed), or product manufacturers may share liability. Identifying all potential sources of recovery is an important part of early case evaluation. This is general information and does not constitute legal advice for your specific circumstances.

When You Are Injured, Results Matter