Your San Bernardino Personal Injury Attorney

attorney derek pakiz and paralegal caroline la in suits in front of window in san bernardino

As one of the premier San Bernardino personal injury law firms, the Reeves Law Group is highly capable of recovering due compensation after you’ve suffered a negligent act or preventable accident by another party.

These tragedies often leave clients with a heavy burden as they deal with overwhelming medical expenses, loss of income, mental anguish and emotional damage. Derek Pakiz at the Reeves Law Group can be your trusted advocate in these difficult times, with over 30 years of experience in fiercely pursuing justice for his clients who’ve been victimized in personal injury accidents.

Feel free to browse the latest testimonials on our website from local San Bernardino residents, or research our firm’s reputation on Google.

For a Free Consultation Call (800) 644-8000

Why Hire The Reeves Law Group

  • $250,000,000+ Recovered
  • Newsweek’s 10 Best Personal Injury Attorneys
  • No Fee Guarantee – No Fees Unless We Win

Derek’s proven expertise is in catastrophic injury cases, including traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, amputation, wrongful death, and many more. His exceptional track record also boasts jury verdicts in the seven and eight figures. The Reeves Law Group aggressively represents their clients, whilst consistently demonstrating empathy and a deep sense of care.

Whether you or your loved one has suffered a car or other type of motor vehicle accident, a slip and fall, workplace accident, wrongful death or any other incident, you can trust that Reeves Law Group will deliver results so you can focus on your recovery. Derek and his team can represent you and seamlessly help guide you through California’s legal system with ease and confidence.

If you or a family member has suffered a personal injury, call us now at (800) 644-8000 any day of the week for a free consultation on your case. The  diligent and results-oriented team at the Reeves Law Group in San Bernardino will work tirelessly with you so that those at fault are held accountable for their actions and you receive just compensation that is owed to you from insurance companies trying to play hardball.


A Review of The Reeves Law Group

I was driving to work in San Bernardino when a pick-up truck ran a red light and t-boned me. My truck spun around 180 degrees and I got thrown around inside my car. Ever since the crash, my neck has been in terrible pain, and the pain shoots into both of my arms, all the way down to my wrists. I have health insurance through Kaiser, and I’ve received every treatment under the sun to try to help me to get better. The problem is that my doctors aren’t able to figure out exactly what’s causing my pain, so they don’t know what to do to make me better. I hired The Reeves Law Group because I needed a lawyer to help me through this process. His main concern was that I was getting the right medical testing and treatment to help me get better, and he believed in me even when my doctors didn’t know what was wrong with me.
Jose R. via Avvo
Five Star Rating5 / 5

Date Published: 07-12-2021


How Does Hiring a local Personal Injury Lawyer Help Me?

If you or a loved one sustained serious or catastrophic injuries due to a severe fall or a vehicle collision and someone is liable for your injuries, then your best course of action would be to find a qualified personal injury trial lawyer for legal representation.

Filing your own personal injury claims can be a daunting task, especially when you’re dealing with the insurance company of the at-fault party who will do what they can to either dispute, deny, or attempt to settle your claim for an amount lower than satisfactory.

To prevent that from happening, you will want to retain the services of a successful trial attorney, who will not only handle all communications between the people involved but also make sure you don’t accept a low ball settlement offer from the insurance company of the policyholder.

If, for example, you were indirectly injured in a fall on someone’s else property, it is especially important to seek the legal counsel of trusted an expert personal injury law firm in your area (or the area where your accident took place) who specialize in handling claims and lawsuits against large insurance companies and well-financed corporate and individual defendants.

These particular personal injury claims against commercial establishments are more complex and challenging due to the evidence needed to prove negligence against a property owner that breached a duty of care to keep their premises in reasonably safe conditions.

Without the legal expertise of trial attorneys on your side to help you maximize the recovery of your damages, from accrued medical costs to lost wages, the chances of you receiving the compensation you deserve will be less than satisfactory from the settlements offered by the insurance companies.

A firm with three decades of experience in Southern California like The Reeves Law Group will offer you a free case evaluation, which is a massive advantage to clients and will not charge a fee or seek reimbursement for costs advanced unless your case is won.

Our injury law firm has the necessary experience needed to help our clients file a claim, deal with the insurance company, and, if needed, initiate a lawsuit for fair compensation.


Testimonials

What Do I Do After Suffering a Personal Injury?

In order to protect your legal rights and the viability of your claim with the assistance of a specialist plaintiff’s lawyer, there are a few critical things you can do as a victim of a serious injury that will help put you in a better position to recover from damages. Local residents in the Inland Empire should especially look for and consider personal injury law firms based on their expertise and proven results to advise on your legal recourse if you’ve suffered injuries from a serious accident due to someone else’s negligence.

Seek Medical Attention

First, before you even think about contacting the insurance companies regarding filing a claim against the other individual or establishment, make sure if you feel any sort of pain or discomfort as a result of the accident, go see your doctor immediately. Request a full examination and follow your doctor’s orders when receiving treatment for your injuries. It is critical that you do not wait too long before seeking medical attention for an accident injury.

Do Not Admit Fault

In the case of an auto accident, make sure you do not admit fault regardless of whether it seemed like you were the one at fault. Admitting fault makes you and your insurer liable for the accident and limits your ability to file a claim in the future. This is why all communications between all parties involved in an accident should be handled by a qualified accident attorney.

Hire An Experienced Accident Attorney

One of the best things you can do after suffering a serious or catastrophic injury in an accident is to find a personal injury attorney in your city and the 909 or 951 area code that specializes in accident and injury cases. The insurance company might give you a settlement offer lower than what you feel you deserve. When that happens, you’ll want a proven accident attorney at a professional law firm on your side who will help you file a successful claim and make sure you receive the compensation you are owed. Get started with a free consultation.


What Are Personal Injuries?

A personal injury is defined as any type of injury that was caused by the negligent actions of an individual that caused an intended or accidental injury, which includes physical injuries and emotional distress. Accidents in Southern California can happen anywhere at any time causing minor to severe injuries where medical care may be necessary, which is why for personal injury attorneys a civil case can be varied and range from simple to complex. Injury attorneys will always recommend getting a full examination of your injuries from medical professionals in order to build the best case possible for their clients and for their recovery.

Some of the most common types of personal injury cases we’ve seen in SoCal are:

  • Product Liability
  • Catastrophic Injuries

What Are The Elements Of A Personal Injury Case?

A personal injury case usually involves two parties who were in an accident—the person injured (called the plaintiff) and the person who caused the injury (called the defendant). As a general rule, the injured person must show that the individual who was responsible acted in negligence.

For personal injury lawyers to make their case against the at-fault party, the plaintiff must show four primary elements.

  • Duty: The individual at fault owed a duty to the plaintiff. For example, the owner of a property has the duty to keep their property safe so that visitors are not hurt.
  • A Violation of This Duty: The accident victim must show that the accused did not exercise reasonable care, violating their duty.
  • Cause of Injury: The accident occurred because of something the defendant did. For example, if the injured party was hurt after slipping on the floor because the defendant had spilled something and didn’t clean up the mess.
  • Damages: Plaintiffs need to show that they were hurt by the defendant’s carelessness. For example, if the injured party slipped and suffered a broken arm or leg in the fall, they might be entitled to money for their injury, assuming that fault is established.

Where Can Personal Injuries Happen In this area?

In San Bernardino County, there are many different areas where injuries can easily occur. They are unexpected and unforeseen, especially on the road where car accidents are one of the most common and fatal accidents that happen to anyone, loved ones, family members, and at any time. Accident attorneys are well-versed in how to handle some of the most severe accidents and injuries that require medical treatment or surgeries to help clients recover money owed to them.

Some of these areas where injuries often occur include:

Motor Vehicle Accidents

People are hurt in car accidents on the road every day around the world. If someone was hurt in a motor vehicle accident due to the negligence of someone else, he or she could earn compensation for injuries. For example, if a driver, motorcyclist, bike rider, or pedestrian is hit by an intoxicated driver and suffered a serious injury, the victim can seek damages ranging from medical bills to lost wages. Contact us if you’ve been involved in an auto collision in San Bernardino.

A knowledgeable car accident attorney on your case will seek the maximum amount of compensation in your traffic accident case. Uber and rideshare accidents are also a potential cause, and happen more than we’d like. Contact us if you’ve been involved in an Uber accident in San Bernardino.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Association (NHTSA), in 2011, there were 29,757 fatalities involved in motor vehicle accidents nationwide. In San Bernardino County, 2011 saw 53 deaths resulting from a car accident. Vehicle accidents require the expertise of a qualified team of accident attorneys to help represent car accident victims, truck accident victims, and motorcycle accident victims suffering from serious or catastrophic injuries.

Property Injuries

Property owners owe a duty to their guests to safely maintain their property. If, for example, an accident like a slip and fall occurs in a grocery store due to a liquid spill on the floor, the property owner may be at fault for negligence that caused injuries to the victims.

The California Department of Health tracks injuries sustained in each county and reports the different types of injuries suffered. In 2012, the Department of Health reported the following statistics for San Bernardino:

  • 76 fatal falls sustained by all age groups
  • 46,399 non-fatal falls sustained by all age groups (that required hospitalization or emergency medical attention)

A premises liability claim can often be difficult to prove without building a strong case against a property owner’s negligence in providing a safe environment, which is why seeking a personal injury law firm with an experienced team of personal injury lawyers is an important decision to make. Having a skilled civil attorney on your side to help you with a claim or represent you in court can only increase your chances of fair compensation against commercial establishments.

Workplace Injuries

Normally, when an employee was hurt on the job, they cannot seek compensation directly from their employer. Workers’ compensation insurance benefits, however, may be available to employees. It is smart to consult with work injury attorneys to guide you through your workers’ compensation claim.

In 2012, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported a total of 41 fatal occupational injuries in the San Bernardino metropolitan area. Work injuries can happen in risky work environments, such as construction sites, but can also occur in office buildings and at desk jobs.

The problem with seeking a workers’ compensation claim with your employer is that you could be potentially denied, which is where an attorney of a reputable law firm can step in to help with your claim or even possibly file a lawsuit in court should the settlement offer is barely enough to cover the cost of your expenses and lost wages.

Wrongful Death

A wrongful death claim arises when someone dies from injuries sustained because of someone else’s carelessness. These claims are closely related to personal injury cases, as the deceased person would have been able to file a personal injury lawsuit if he had lived. However, when someone died from their injuries, attorneys can assist families of the deceased in filing a claim, which is like a personal injury claim for another person, on behalf of the deceased. Personal injury lawyers know how delicate wrongful death cases can be and very few cases would need to be decided by the courts as settlements are typically agreed to by the different parties beforehand.

In San Bernardino County in 2012, the California Department of Public Health recorded the following causes of fatal injuries:

  • Falls: 76 fatalities
  • Bicycle and pedestrian injuries: 57 fatalities
  • Car crashes: 56 fatalities
  • Motorcycle collisions: 27 fatalities
  • Drownings: 16 fatalities
  • Severe burns: 4 fatalities
  • Machinery injuries: 2 fatalities
  • Injuries from being struck by an object: 1 fatality

The Reeves Law Group serves everyone in the Inland Empire without discrimination or judgement based on race, religion, sexual orientation, income, education or any other factor, and takes these personal injury cases very seriously. Our injury law firm has a dedicated team prepared to help families of wrongful death victims seek the compensation they are due as quickly as possible against the at-fault party so they can have more time to heal. Should a case ever needed to be settled in court, we have the skilled trial lawyer experience needed to successfully prosecute.


CONTACT AN EXPERIENCED  PERSONAL INJURY ATTORNEY IN San bernardino

Each day,  personal injury attorneys witness the impact of negligent acts on countless lives. It’s always heartbreaking to see how, sometimes, even a small mistake can bring unfathomable consequences – The Reeves Law Group in San Bernardino is here to ensure that you don’t suffer in silence.

Their expert knowledge, compassionate service and unmatched dedication will give you an advantage in your potential lawsuit. They also have the skills and resources to handle your plaintiff’s injury lawsuit, and to provide one of the best legal representation options in California.

If you’re ready to discuss your claim, you can contact us and schedule a free case review with our team through their confidential online form or call (800) 644-8000 now.

[Written by Derek Pakiz. Article updated on January 22, 2024]

 

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