Personal Injury Lawyers
You got hurt. Now there’s a claim number, an adjuster who wants a recorded statement, and bills nobody has agreed to pay. We’ll handle that, while you focus on getting better. Sam & Ash Injury Law fights for What’s Right across Southern California, and we answer the phone 24/7.
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Award-Winning Attorneys
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Over $750MM Recovered For Accident Victims
$2.75MM
PREMISES LIABILITY
Major injuries caused by dangerous property design at commercial shopping centers
$1MM
CHILD INJURY
Minor Child v. Pick-Up Truck
$275K
SLIP & FALL
Fall caused by uneven sidewalk
$225K
PERSONAL INJURY
Major injuries requiring emergency orthopedic surgery, fully compensated from the homeowner’s insurance policy
No Fees Until YOU Win
I spoke with Ian ( lead attorney ) this morning about a possible case. Although my case wasn’t strong, he literally took an hour to discuss and give law based facts as to how a case works and why my case would be a challenge. Ian is a true gentleman and has an approach that is unmatched! If you have a possible case do yourself a favor and reach out to him… it will be the most honest answer you can get during a tough situation. Good Luck with your journey!!
California
I got rear-ended in the In-N-Out drive thru. It wasn’t a very high speed accident. But by the time I got home I could barely stand up. My back has been a little fragile ever since the military and the impact of that minor accident did a number on me.â¨â¨The damage to my car was only $500 (tough Jeep bumper). Luckily, I knew not to trust the insurance company and that they would use the minor damage to screw me over.â¨â¨I called Sam & Ash on a weekend and was immediately guided what to do and taken care of.â¨â¨Not only would I have got a worse result (and probably not recovered fully), but it would have been so much MORE DIFFICULT if I did it on my own. Instead, they handled literally everything except going to my appointments. When the chiro stopped giving me progress, they helped me find a physical therapist. My result? I’m pretty close to 100% recovered and they put close to 10k in my pocket (even after medical bills). Incredible. I don’t think I could have got a few hundred in my pocket on my own.
California
Sam & Ash Injury Law is one of the best law firms I worked with. I highly recommend them to anyone that needs help and support with their case. The caseworkers are nice and they care. Kayla called and checked on me and sent me flowers when my grandmother passed away as I was still working through the difficulties of my injury. Please give them a call and check them out. Best experience
California
The best lawyer that we chosen because Sam & Ash Injury Law Firm always contact you. They do not ignore you and call you on by email, post mail and phone call. I would say everything choose best lawyer which located in Newport beach, Ca. Always choose Sam & Ash Law Firm. The staff explain every detail of the meaning if you do not understand the law like myself and kind staff. You will not regret it.
California
Ian McTaggart, managing partner of Sam & Ash LLP, is an excellent lawyer. I was very satisfied with his knowledge, professionalism and candor. Plus, he quickly returned my phone calls, was easily available and gave me expert advice on a rather tricky case. I highly recommend Ian, and Sam & Ash LLP, to anyone in Southern California seeking personal injury representation.
California
We’re Here To Help
After an injury, it’s not always clear whether you need a lawyer. Maybe you assume the insurance company will be fair. It isn’t confused or disorganized — it’s running a process built to close your claim cheap. Ash Watkins spent years defending insurers before switching sides, so we know exactly how that process works.
Call us anytime, day or night. We’ll listen, answer your questions, and start building a plan that fits your situation. The sooner you reach out, the more evidence still exists.
Filing A Claim After A Personal Injury
In California, you generally have two years from the date of injury to file a personal injury lawsuit, under Code of Civil Procedure § 335.1. Wrongful death claims run two years from the date of death. Miss the deadline and the court dismisses your case, no matter how strong it was.
California also hides a much shorter clock. If a city, a county, the state, Caltrans, a transit agency, a public school, or a public hospital had a hand in your injury, you have six months to present a written claim to that entity under Government Code § 911.2 — not two years. Miss that one and the lawsuit is over before it starts.
Two more things trip people up. Filing an insurance claim is not filing a lawsuit — the clock keeps running while you negotiate. And finishing treatment doesn’t pause anything. Act fast, or you can lose your right to sue.
What To Do After
After an injury in California, these steps protect your health first and your claim second:
Call 911
Get police or paramedics on scene. The official report documents what happened while everyone’s memory is fresh — and before anyone changes their story.
Save All Evidence
Photograph the scene, the hazard, your injuries, and any vehicles. Surveillance footage and skid marks disappear within days. What you capture now may be all that survives.
Seek Medical Attention
See a doctor right away, even if you feel fine. Adrenaline hides injuries, and a gap in treatment is the first thing an adjuster will use against you.
Follow Your Doctor’s Instructions
Attend every follow-up and complete the recommended treatment. Missed appointments become an argument that you weren’t really hurt.
Report the Accident
If it happened at a store, restaurant, hotel, apartment complex, or rental, notify security or management and ask for a copy of the incident report. They file one whether you see it or not. After a car crash, California also requires you to file an SR-1 with the DMV within 10 days if anyone was injured or property damage tops $1,000 — regardless of fault, and even if police already took a report.
Contact a Lawyer
Don’t wait. We can send evidence preservation letters, notify the insurers you’re represented, and start the investigation the same day you call.
Keep a Journal
Write down how the accident happened while you still remember it clearly, then track your symptoms, treatments, and the days you couldn’t work.
Limit Social Media
Insurers look. A single photo of you smiling at a barbecue gets used to argue you’re fine. Post nothing about the accident or your recovery.
Compensation For Your Personal Injury
Depending on your case, California law may let you recover money for:
- Medical expenses
- Funeral and burial costs in wrongful death cases
- Lost wages during recovery
- Reduced earning ability from permanent injuries
- Property damage
- Extra expenses related to your injuries
- Physical pain and emotional suffering
- Diminished quality of life
- Loss of financial or emotional support from a loved one
Insurers count on you taking the first offer out of exhaustion. That offer is almost always calculated off your billed medicals so far — not the surgery you’ll need in three years, the overtime you can’t work, or what your life looks like now. Before you accept anything, let us review it. California does not cap pain and suffering damages in ordinary negligence cases. The one significant exception is medical malpractice, where Civil Code § 3333.2 limits non-economic damages to $470,000 in 2026, or $650,000 where the patient died.
Types Of Personal Injury Cases We Handle
You May Be Entitled To Maximum Compensation
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Answering Your Questions
How long do I have to file a personal injury claim in California?
Two years from the date of injury for most claims, under CCP § 335.1. Wrongful death runs two years from the date of death. Claims against a government entity — a city bus, a county vehicle, a dangerous public road, a public hospital — must be presented to that entity within six months under Government Code § 911.2. Once the entity rejects the claim in writing, you have six more months to file suit under Government Code § 945.6. For injured children, the two-year clock generally doesn’t start until they turn 18 — but that six-month government deadline can still apply.
Can I still recover if the accident was partly my fault?
Yes. California uses pure comparative negligence, adopted by the California Supreme Court in Li v. Yellow Cab Co. Your percentage of fault reduces your recovery, but it never erases it — even at 80% at fault, you can still recover the other 20%. There’s no 51% cutoff here like there is in Nevada and most other states. That doesn’t mean fault stops mattering. Every point the adjuster pins on you is money out of your pocket, which is why they push so hard for a recorded statement before you’ve talked to a lawyer.
How do you deal with the insurance company?
We take every call, so you don’t have to. We gather the medical records, wage documentation, and bills, then find every policy that applies — not just the obvious one. California’s minimum auto coverage is $30,000 per person and $60,000 per accident under Vehicle Code § 16056, raised from 15/30 on January 1, 2025. On a serious injury, that’s gone in a week. Locating the second and third policy — an employer, a rideshare company, the uninsured motorist coverage on your own car — is often the whole case. One California rule to know early: under Proposition 213, Civil Code § 3333.4, a driver who was uninsured at the time of the crash generally can’t recover pain and suffering, even when the crash was entirely someone else’s fault. There are exceptions. Tell us early so we can find them.
What does it cost to hire Sam & Ash?
Nothing upfront and nothing hourly. We work on contingency, we advance the case costs, and if we recover nothing, you owe nothing. We also negotiate down the medical liens against your settlement — money that goes to you, not to us. You’ll see the fee in writing before you sign.
Do most cases settle, or do you go to trial?
Most California injury cases settle, and a good settlement is usually the fastest route to your money. But insurers track which firms actually file and try cases, and they price their offers accordingly. We build every case for a Southern California jury, because that’s what makes a fair settlement possible.
Need Help?
Injured and getting the runaround? Call us. The first conversation is free.
949-304-2000 — 24/7 · Se habla español
