Questions clients ask first.

Nothing up front. We work on a contingency-fee basis, meaning our fee is a percentage of any settlement or verdict we obtain for you — if we don't recover money for you, you owe no attorney's fee. Case costs (medical records, filing fees, expert witnesses if needed) are typically advanced by the firm and reimbursed from the recovery. The written fee agreement we sign before any work begins sets out all of this in detail, as required by California Business & Professions Code § 6147.

Our fee is a percentage of the recovery: one-third (33⅓%) if the case resolves before a lawsuit is filed, 40% after a lawsuit is filed, and 45% if the case is set for trial or goes to appeal. Case costs, such as records, filing fees, and experts, are separate from the fee, are advanced by the firm, and are repaid from the recovery. All of it is set out in writing in your fee agreement before you sign anything, and there is no attorney fee unless we recover money for you.

No. That is the point of a contingency fee arrangement — you owe no attorney's fee if there is no recovery. Advanced case costs are typically only reimbursed out of a recovery as well; the specifics are always spelled out in writing up front.

Most personal injury cases resolve within 9 to 24 months, though it varies. Timing depends on how long your medical treatment takes to stabilize (cases generally shouldn't settle before that), how willing the insurance carrier is to negotiate fairly, and whether a lawsuit becomes necessary. We'll give you a realistic estimate early on and update it as the case develops.

Most personal injury cases settle without a trial. But cases that are prepared as though they might go to trial tend to produce fairer settlement offers, because insurance carriers respond to real preparation. We build every case that way, even when we expect it to resolve beforehand.

Seek medical attention, even if you feel okay — some injuries take days to show symptoms, and prompt treatment also documents the connection between the accident and your injuries. If possible, get a police or incident report, take photos, and get witness contact information. Avoid giving a recorded statement to the other party's insurance company before speaking with an attorney.

Most California personal injury claims must be filed within two years of the date of injury (Code of Civil Procedure § 335.1). If your claim is against a government entity — for example, a city, county, or state agency — a much shorter administrative claim deadline applies, generally six months under the Government Claims Act. Missing a deadline can permanently bar your case, so if you're unsure, don't wait to ask.

If you have them: a description of how the injury happened, the date and location, names of any treating providers, your insurance information, the other party's insurance information (if known), and any police or incident report. If you don't have all of this organized yet, that's fine — many clients reach out before any of it is sorted out, and we work through it together.

Yes, and it's common. Insurance adjusters represent the insurance company's interests, not yours, and early offers are often lower than a case is actually worth. We can step in at any point before a settlement is finalized — once you've signed a release, though, the case is generally closed, so it's worth talking to an attorney before accepting an offer.

Currently this practice is focused on California personal injury matters. If your case is based in another state, let us know — we can try to point you toward appropriate counsel.