Frequently Asked Questions

Zero – our clients pay nothing until a case is won. At The Law Offices of Saam Alikhani, we advance all legal costs as we pursue justice for our clients. When a case is “won”, meaning that a settlement or verdict is reached, we will receive a percentage of the case as well as their costs back. Nothing is owed by the client to the firm if no recovery is made. This is known as a “contingency fee basis” – you don’t pay until we win. Other attorneys may charge an hourly fee in addition to an expensive retainer, while at The Law Offices of Saam Alikhani, we work on a contingency fee basis.

If there are outstanding medical bills (from a doctor, physical therapist, or chiropractor for example), we can work to get these bills and medical liens waived, meaning the client will not pay anything. At the Law Offices of Saam Alikhani we are committed to maximizing the net recovery – we will fight for a maximum payout while working with medical providers to reduce what you may owe.

Almost every personal injury case is between an accident victim and a large insurance company. Insurance companies are focused on the bottom line and profits. There is a saying in the insurance industry – “Delay, Deny, and Defend” against your claim so you get paid as little as possible. These so-called “Triple Ds” are what insurance companies live by.

The outcome of your case greatly depends on whether you have an attorney representing you. According to the Insurance Research Council, 85% of all insurance payouts went to victims who were represented by an attorney. Victims represented by an attorney received settlements nearly 3.5 times higher than those without legal representation.

You need a personal injury attorney, well-versed in the law, to be your advocate every step of the way. There is nothing insurance companies love more than self-represented claimants trying to handle their own case. Self-representation results in “pennies on the dollar” recoveries with no further recourse. The reality is that insurance companies can, and should, pay more in these instances given their policy limits. Insurance companies will push hard and pressure you to settle quickly and for far less than what you can recover before you hire a personal injury attorney.

At The Law Offices of Saam Alikhani, we don’t tolerate insurance companies pushing our clients and accident victims around. Our goal is to get you justice and maximize your recovery. This includes payment from the insurance company, reimbursement of out of pocket expenses including medical bills, and any property damage.

Don’t get pushed around by Big Insurance. Call us today at (949) 771-4188 for a free consultation.

As soon as possible. Many claims and cases are time sensitive, and it is imperative that we are there with you every step of the way. Gathering evidence and developing a claim takes time, and our aim is to be as diligent as possible to maximize your recovery within a reasonable time frame. If you’ve been in an accident, call us immediately at (949) 771-4188.

If you are injured in an accident and not 100% at fault, you likely have a personal injury claim. This includes injuries that were pre-existing but may have been aggravated by the accident.

California is a “comparative fault” state. This means that, if someone is partially at fault, then the damages awarded to them are adjusted accordingly. For example, if someone has a personal injury claim and is found to be 20% at fault, then they may recover 80% of the sustained damages. Fault in a personal injury case can be determined by police reports, witness statements, photographs and video, as well as medical records.

At The Law Offices of Saam Alikhani, we are committed to understanding every aspect of your claim to maximize your recovery. We get ahead of any games insurance companies may play when they try to place the blame on our clients.

Timing of personal injury cases varies from a few weeks to several years depending on the claim, complexity of the case, among other factors. Over 95% of personal injury cases are settled before going to trial. In these instances, a resolution can occur within months. The more complicated cases, which involve additional legal discovery and diligence will take longer. Cases that go to trial generally take the longest to be resolved and can take up to several years given what needs to be proven, trial preparation and the legal diligence and discovery involved.

At The Law Offices of Saam Alikhani, we don’t settle cases until we have all the facts to maximize your recovery. This means all damages are accounted for, with necessary and reasonable treatment being received by the client, as well as any determination of future treatment that may be required to a “reasonable degree of medical certainty”.

Our goal is to get you paid as soon as a resolution is reached. Our clients should receive their compensation check within 30 days of any settlement or resolution, and often times much sooner.

Personal injury claims against private parties and entities generally must be filed within 2 years from the date of the accident. Additionally, any claims of property damage must be filed within 3 years from the date of loss.

For cases against public or governmental entities, there are stricter guidelines. In such cases, a claim generally has to be brought within 6 months of the date of the accident. The public entity then has 45 days to respond in writing. If such an entity denies a claim in writing, you have another 6 months to file a lawsuit. If the public entity does not respond within the 45 days, you then have 2 years from the accident to file suit.

Yes. Though California law requires all drivers to have auto insurance, you can still file a claim with us. Most lawyers will reject your case, while our commitment to justice and recovery for our clients welcomes such cases.

Even though you may not be at fault, California Civil Code limits damages if you do not have insurance. In such instances, damages are limited to economic items only. This means that we can recover your medical bills and property damage, but non-economic items such as physical pain, mental suffering, impairment, and emotional distress are precluded. Please call us at (949) 771-4188. for a free case evaluation.

All insurance companies have uninsured motorist benefits, which you can decide to opt into. This means that, if you have automotive insurance, you can likely receive a payment from your own insurance company, since the other driver has no insurance. Your insurance provider must act in “good faith” as you hold a policy with them, and any attempt to push you around opens them up to being sued. At The Law Offices of Saam Alikhani, we strive to maximize your recovery with your insurance company – you’ve paid the premiums of your policy and deserve proper payment. We don’t tolerate your own insurance company pushing you around in these cases.

There also may be other parties to file a claim against if the other driver doesn’t have automotive insurance. For example, if the other driver was driving “on the job” for their employment, it is possible that the employer is liable. Once we have the facts of your case, we can identify all parties that may be liable to you.

If you have medical insurance, you likely should take advantage of your policy in seeking the proper care.

If you do not have medical insurance,  we can help. We can get you treatment from doctors, chiropractors, and physical therapists without the need of insurance. This is known as a “medical lien”, where we enter into an agreement with our network of medical providers to get you the care you need, without any upfront cost to you. Once the case is resolved, medical providers are paid.