How We Prepare Your Case

Highly-Rated Orange County Personal Injury Lawyers

One look at our track record highlights how Russell & Lazarus is different from other personal injury firms in Orange County. We have a long history of successful settlements and court cases because of our dedication to the process. By dedicating our time to select cases, communicating extensively with clients, building trust, and preparing for every case to go to court, we have been able to help many clients get the fresh start they need after an accident.

If you’re looking for a California personal injury lawyer who is ready to fight aggressively for you, we’re here and ready to talk. To schedule your free case evaluation, call Russell & Lazarus at (949) 851-0222 or reach out to us online.

Laying the Groundwork for Positive Results

We don’t exceed clients’ expectations by accident. Every successful outcome, whether it’s in the form of a settlement or a jury award, is the result of careful planning, extensive preparation, and in-depth research.

This is one of the areas where we clearly deviate from how other Long Beach car accident lawyers handle cases. Some firms take almost every case that comes their way. They do minimal research to verify that the other party did cause their client’s injuries, knowing that they can likely negotiate some sort of settlement with a little bit of evidence. They get a settlement—albeit, one that is likely less than it would have been had they prepared more—tie up the case, and move onto the next as quickly as possible. This approach values quantity over quality and often leaves Newport residents without the compensation they truly deserve after an accident.

We approach cases a little differently. First, we know that there are only so many hours in a workday. As a result, we only take cases to which we can dedicate our full attention. This means turning away some clients, but we believe every victim deserves the best. If we can’t dedicate the time a case deserves, we are happy to refer people to other highly-rated attorneys in the area. Once we accept a case, we begin our investigation and begin digging deep.

Preparing Your Case for Court 

Why do we spend so much time investigating your accident, gathering evidence, and learning more about your injuries and their likely outcome? Simple: the more evidence there is, the harder it is to deny liability.

You may already know that the majority of personal injury cases settle outside of court. However, we don’t begin with the presumption that your case will be settled before it reaches court. In fact, we begin by assuming that every single claim will go to court. The standard for proving liability is much higher in court than it is in settlement negotiations, and we never deviate from that standard.

You might wonder why that’s necessary if the odds are good that your case will settle out of court. Even if a case doesn’t go to court, preparing to that level increases the likelihood of getting what you actually deserve from a settlement. The insurance company or individual involved in your case has a significant incentive to avoid court. Court costs often far outweigh what they would pay in a fair settlement, and they run the risk of victims being awarded even more than they requested. If we come to the negotiating table with everything we need to prove our case in court, they know that we’re ready to call their bluff and move forward. They’ll be less likely to play games during negotiations or try their luck with lowball offers. We believe that doing this results in higher settlements for our clients.

Our Results Speak for Themselves

Throughout the course of our time in business, we have helped thousands of clients fight for the compensation they deserve. During that time, 95% of our clients have had successful outcomes with their personal injury claims. Our team has recovered more than $300 million in compensation. These are the results that have earned us a place among Orange County’s top injury lawyers.

Want to know what we have recovered for other clients? Keep reading for an overview of a handful of our successful cases:

• Our client tried to exit a bus via a disabled passenger ramp on a scooter. However, because the bus driver dropped her off at a location covered with soft sand, she allegedly fell when her scooter tipped over. After working with us, she was awarded $2.04 million.
• After a driver changed lanes unsafely and cut in front of our client, a motorcycle rider, the rider suffered knee injuries. He was awarded $300,000, due in large part to the driver’s insurance provider’s unwillingness to negotiate in good faith.
• Our client, a construction worker, was injured when his foot went through his apartment walkway’s flooring. This occurred after shoddy repair work done by management. His back was injured to the point that it required surgery, which could obviously impact a construction worker’s ability to earn a living. We secured a $500,000 settlement.
• A 42-year-old Army sergeant died when a cement truck crushed the vehicle he was in. Liability was assigned to both the cement truck company and the brake repair facility, which allegedly did not properly repair the brakes on the cement truck. The surviving family members were awarded a $2.5 million settlement.

Find Out How Russell & Lazarus Can Help You

Every client deserves the highest level of commitment, and that is what we deliver at Russell & Lazarus. You only get one chance at a successful settlement or trial, and choosing the wrong personal injury lawyer can seriously hinder your chances. We invite you to schedule a free case evaluation with our team. We’ll learn more about your accident, get some information about your injuries and how they’ve impacted your life, and determine how strong your case is. From there, we will give advice and provide our recommendations. If we are unable to take your case, we are happy to recommend another attorney who may be able to assist you. Schedule your free evaluation now by contacting us online or calling Russell & Lazarus at (949) 851-0222.