Ceres is a city located in San Joaquin Valley, California. Between Turlock and Modesto, Ceres is an up-and-coming city in Stanislaus County. A growing population of nearly 49,000 can mean Ceres residents may experience many problems. This includes accidents that often lead to emotional and physical trauma. With such injuries comes the potential for financial hardship. In such situations, an experienced Ceres personal injury lawyer can obtain the compensation you deserve while you recover from your injuries.

A personal injury is defined as the emotional, mental, or physical harm resulting from the negligence of another party or entity. Our law office represents clients for severe personal injury cases such as:

• Car Accidents
• Bicycle Collisions
• Medical Malpractice
• Motorcycle Crashes
• Pedestrian Accidents
• Premises Liability
• Products Liability
• Trucking Collisions
• Workers’ Compensation
• Wrongful Death

Bringing a successful personal injury case usually requires proving four elements of negligence. These include:

• Duty of Care: The responsible party had an obligation to exercise due care toward the injured individual.
• Breach of Duty: The responsible party violated or breached that duty of care
• Causation: The negligent person’s actions directly caused bodily injury to the other party
• Damages: The injured party suffered measurable losses due to the negligent person’s actions

As you can see, a personal injury lawsuit is not always easy to litigate. It requires producing specific evidence to persuade a jury and judge that you should be compensated for your damages. You should contact a skilled Ceres auto accident attorney as soon as possible. An attorney guides you through this challenging time to obtain the necessary compensation.

Compensation from a personal injury case is intended to make an injured person whole again. Two types of damages may be recovered through these cases: economic and non-economic. These include:

• Disfigurement: A disfigurement is a physical, permanent change to a person’s appearance. Common types include amputations, burns, and scarring. Placing a value on a disfigurement varies on specific factors. These include a person’s age, gender, and employment. It also consists of the type and location of the disfigurement and how it affects a person’s self-esteem. The cosmetic surgeries needed to fix the appearance of the scarring or disfigurement will also be considered in the settlement.
• Medical Expenses: All reasonable and necessary expenses incurred for medical care related to an accident can be claimed. This includes reimbursement for medical treatment and the estimated cost of future medical care related to the injury.
• Loss of Consortium: An uninjured spouse may seek damages for loss of consortium. This compensates the claimant spouse for losing affection, love, society, companionship, and services such as childcare and household chores. The injured spouse’s inability to conceive a child may also be considered for compensation.
• Loss of Earning Potential: A permanent injury or disability can cause a significant reduction in earning capacity. Determining lost earning potential usually involves calculations and evidence such as expert testimony. A Ceres personal injury attorney can hire economists and other expert witnesses to help substantiate your claim.
• Lost Wages: The time missed from work to recover from an injury and attend medical appointments may be claimed. Evidence must be consistent and complete with the treatment received by medical providers to prove the inability to work.
• Pain and Suffering: This considers the mental anguish and emotional suffering caused by an injury. These include fear, anxiety, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The amount of compensation awarded for pain and suffering is subjective. It is calculated on the severity of the injury and how it has impacted the person’s life and employment opportunities.
• Property Damage: An injured person may be compensated for damage to his or her personal property due to the car crash. If repairs are not feasible, the injured person may be reimbursed for the lost property’s fair market value.
• Wrongful Death: Financial restitution from a wrongful death claim can help cover several expenses. Costs related to a loved one’s death, like end-of-life medical care, funeral arrangements, and burial services, are recoverable. The loss of household services, wages, and future income the decedent provides may also be recovered. Intangible harms such as mental suffering and emotional anguish may also be claimed for compensation.

Punitive damages are rarely considered in a personal injury case. They are not intended to compensate an injured person for their losses. Instead, the purpose of punitive damages is to punish a person for their reckless or egregious conduct. For instance, a hit and run or driving under the influence could constitute negligence for a motor vehicle accident. A judge or jury could potentially award punitive damages under these circumstances.

A personal injury claim must be filed in a specific amount of time. This is referred to as the statute of limitations. A two-year window exists to bring a case under California Code of Civil Procedure Section 335.1. When government entity negligence is involved, an injured person has six months or 180 days to file a lawsuit. This is by California Government Code Section 911.2. The injured person will lose the right to pursue compensation if the deadline is not met.

Many people who have been injured in an accident avoid seeking legal assistance because they believe they cannot afford it. However, legal services do not always come at a high price. Most personal injury attorneys in Ceres handle cases on a contingency fee basis. This means there is no upfront cost in hiring an attorney with years of experience for your claim. A client must only pay attorneys’ fees if and when there is a favorable result.

People face many challenges after they have suffered severe injuries in an accident. Substantial medical care and time away from work are necessary for recovery. This can cause financial hardship for not only the injured person but for their family as well. An injury lawyer does not want injured people to worry about finances when they should be focusing on healing. An injury attorney can provide peace of mind by obtaining a fair settlement on the injured person’s behalf. Watch the video below to learn what to look for in a lawyer.

What are the most dangerous intersections in Ceres, CA?

When driving in Ceres, you must be cautious and follow traffic laws. However, too many motorists make unsafe or illegal driving decisions. This can harm others when drivers speed or fail to yield the right of way. Some of the intersections where auto accidents occur most frequently include:

• Central Avenue and Pine Street
• Don Pedro Road and Blaker Road
• Fowler Road and Mitchell Road
• Harold Street and Pine Street
• Herndon Road and Hatch Road
• Mitchell Road and Alphonse Drive
• Moffett Road and Whitmore Avenue
• Morgan Road and Whitmore Avenue
• State Route 99 and Hatch Road
• Whitmore Avenue and 5th Street

A catastrophic accident can devastate the lives of injured people and their families. If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident through no fault of your own, please call our experienced Ceres personal injury lawyers at (209) 227-1931 or (800) 404-5400 to receive free, friendly case advice.

^{Editor’s Note: updated 11.14.23 Image Credit: “12019” and “Free-Photos” via Pixabay ds cha [cs 1269]}

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