FAQ’s

If you were injured in an auto accident and you are able, exchange information (driver’s license, registration, proof of insurance) and call the police to the scene. Be sure to notify them that you are injured. Then seek the appropriate medical attention (urgent care, emergency room, etc.). Do not speak to insurance adjusters until after you have consulted with a lawyer.

No. The insurance adjuser (whether it’s yours or the at-fault party) won’t help you settle your claim. The at-fault party’s insurance adjuster will pay you the least amount possible. They are trying to save their company money. Even in cases where liability is clear (rear-end accident) they will deny liability. Don’t let the adjuster take advantage of you. Hire the Law Offices of Daniel An to help you get the compensation you deserve.

In most cases, no. In very few cases, maybe if your lawyer has prepared you properly. The insurance adjuster isn’t your friend. That interview is designed to create a basis for denying your claim. Sometimes, the adjuster also asks you questions about your injuries and medical treatment. Those questions might seem harmless; however, if you don’t answer them correctly, the insurance adjuster will use your responses to diminish your claim.

If you have been injured as a result of the negligence of another, whether it be a car, motorcycle, truck, or bike accident, or any other type of accident, to increase your chances of maximizing your recovery, you should seek the assistance of a personal injury attorney. A skilled personal injury attorney knows how much your claim is worth, how to negotiate a settlement, the legal process, maximize compensation, how to handle paperwork, negotiate a fair settlement, attend court hearings, and deal with insurance companies so you can be stress-free and focus on your medical treatment and recovery.

Most personal injury law firms purchase billboard and bus ads, or falsely advertise how big they are or their huge verdicts and/or settlements. What they won’t share is how many losses they have or how much their clients spent on medical treatment to obtain those settlements or verdicts. Personal injury law firms often settle cases as quickly as possible for less than their clients deserve. This is what is often referred to as a “PI mill.” Other law firms will push cases to trial asking for unreasonable amounts.

You should hire a law firm that:

• Only accepts a sensible number of cases.
• Invests the time and money to maximize each client’s settlement.
• Has actual, licensed attorneys that negotiate the settlements, not legal assistants or “case managers.”
• Has attorneys that know how to litigate cases.

Many personal injury law firms are also set up so that you’ll never be able to speak with a lawyer. In fact, they will assign a legal assistant or “case manager” to handle your case from intake to settlement. A lawyer may never even look at your case. At the Law Offices of Daniel An, Mr. An manages every single case from intake to settlement.

Yes. The information you share with us is protected by attorney-client privilege and will remain confidential. This protection will apply even when our legal representation terminates or if you do not retain our firm. Since your communications with us are privileged, it is important that you make full disclosure of all pertinent facts with respect to your personal injury claim (such as prior injuries) so that we can fully access your case. This is also important so that the defense does not catch us by surprise in the middle of representation, which could be detrimental to your case.

Further, at the Law Offices of Daniel An, we keep your settlement and/or verdicts confidential.

It depends. If the “value” of your case is less than $10,000, whether or not you hire an attorney is up to you. You will have to keep in mind that the attorney’s share will be approximately one-third of this settlement amount. For cases valued less than $5,000, in most cases, attorneys and law firms will decline to take your case due to the resources involved in managing the case. If you require further consultation, please feel free to contact us.

You should bring your driver’s license, registration, any photos (including photos of your vehicle and injuries), proof of insurance, insurance policy if you have it, witness information, police reports, medical reports and bills, receipts for out of pocket expenses, information about the person that caused your injuries, health insurance (medi-cal, medicare, healthnet, etc.) cards, collision repair estimate, and any other documents that are relevant to your case. The more information you are able to give your lawyer, the easier it will be for him or her to determine if your claim will be successful. If you haven’t collected any documents at the time of your first meeting, however, don’t worry; your lawyer will be able to obtain them in his investigation of your claim.

We only work on a contingency fee basis, meaning that if we do not win, we do not get paid. We also take care of all case-related “costs,” such as hospital charges for duplicating medical records, investigation fees, postage, policy searches, asset searches, court filing fees, etc., until the end of your case where we are reimbursed for all fees and costs out of any settlement or judgment. We know that injured victims cannot afford to pay an attorney by the hour, so there are no up-front costs or fees to you.

In most cases, your injury claim can be settled without a lawsuit through careful negotiation. However, if the at-fault party’s insurance adjuster offers less than fair value, a lawsuit is sometimes necessary in order to obtain full value for your case. At the Law Offices of Daniel An, we prefer litigation and/or trial but if you wish to settle prior to litigation, we are willing to work with you.

If you do not have health insurance, we can refer you to a doctor who can work on a lien basis. The doctor or medical facility will treat you for your injuries and assert a lien against any recovery from the case. When your case settles or we obtain a judgment in your favor, we will do our best to negotiate your lien so that you pay the minimum amount possible to reimburse your medical providers.

This will depend largely on the type of case and the damages sustained. Our clients have suffered an injury and require medical treatment. Thus, past and future medical treatment are recoverable. As are all past and future lost wages. Also recoverable are “general damages,” which include pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, emotional distress, and inconveniences associated with the injury. In some cases, our clients are entitled to “punitive damages;” these damages are intended to punish the wrongdoer when the wrongdoer’s actions are intentional or reckless.