Frequently Asked Questions

PARRIS handles all types of personal injury cases, including those involving motor vehicle accidents, drunk driving accidents, medical malpractice, nursing home abuse, catastrophic personal injuries, and class action lawsuits. We also handle cases involving employment and environmental law. Learn more about the cases we handle by visiting our Practice Areas page. Our Lancaster attorneys have nearly 40 years of longstanding expertise and can answer any specific questions you have about your particular case. Contact us today for a free consultation.

The PARRIS office is located in Lancaster, California at 43364 10th Street West. Our personal injury attorneys handle cases throughout California, including Victorville, Palmdale, Santa Clarita, Apple Valley, and surrounding areas. Contact us for a free case consultation.

The statute of limitations places a time limit on how long a person has to file a lawsuit, pursue a claim, or otherwise bring legal action due to wrongful conduct. Various civil actions will have different statutes of limitations. Even a single event can involve different time limitations to file a claim or lawsuit. Because of the different laws concerning statutes of limitations, you should contact our personal injury attorneys to discuss your case in more detail and find out whether you are entitled to collect compensation for your injuries, lost wages, medical bills, and pain and suffering.

At PARRIS, you pay no fees until we win. Personal injury cases at PARRIS are handled on a contingency fee basis, meaning that there are no up-front costs for clients. Our attorneys only get paid if they win your case, after which they become entitled to collect a predetermined percentage of the total settlement as payment. If your attorneys do not have success in winning your case, then you are not responsible for paying them any legal fees out of pocket.

To learn more about how PARRIS lawyers get paid, visit our blog post here.

If you or a loved one have been injured, contact our Lancaster personal injury attorneys today for a free consultation.

In the event of an auto accident, it is important that you take appropriate precautions to ensure that the involved parties are safe and secure and that your legal rights are protected.

• Stay calm.
• Check for injuries. Call an ambulance if anyone requires immediate medical attention.
• If possible, move the vehicles to the side of the road to clear the roadway for traffic. If need be, turn on hazard lights to warn oncoming drivers.
• Exchange pertinent information with the other parties, including insurance policy information, driver’s license information, and contact information. If possible, get contact information from witnesses as well.
• If there is any doubt as to whether or not it is prudent to contact law enforcement, it is probably best to notify the police.
• Document the accident with a camera or notepad if possible.
• Never admit fault, even if the answer seems obvious. This protects your legal rights.
• Do not leave the scene until you have exchanged pertinent information with the other parties and the police.

Car accidents are stressful and traumatic, and dealing with insurance companies in the aftermath of a car accident can be even worse. At PARRIS, our car and auto accident lawyers serving Apple Valley and Victorville can review your case free of charge and determine the best way to pursue your claim. Contact the car accident lawyers from our Lancaster office today to schedule a free consultation.

At PARRIS, our skilled trial attorneys have an intimate familiarity with the law. If you or a loved one has been involved in an auto accident, our lawyers can help. Serving the Lancaster area, including Victorville and Apple Valley, we have extensive experience with a variety of auto accident cases, including those involving:

• Car Accidents
• Truck Accidents
• Motorcycle Accidents
• Pedestrian Accidents
• Bicycle Accidents
• Bus Accidents
• Drunk Driving Accidents
• Automotive Defects
• Auto Accidents Caused in Police Pursuits

In the event of a vehicle accident, it is the responsibility of the at-fault party to compensate victims for any damages that occurred as a result. If you are being denied compensation by an insurance company for an auto accident claim, we can help. It may be possible to obtain financial compensation for medical bills, rehabilitation costs, loss of wages, property damage, and pain and suffering. If you or a loved one has suffered a traumatic injury, such as a brain or spinal cord injury, our attorneys will work to secure damages sufficient to cover a lifetime of medical costs as well as compensation for lost future income. If a loved one has been killed, our compassionate auto accident lawyers can help your family file a wrongful death lawsuit against the negligent party. At PARRIS, we relentlessly pursue justice for victims. Contact us today.

Insurance companies often appear to deal fairly with their policyholders, especially at the beginning of a case. However, many people find that their insurance companies become increasingly hard to deal with when it comes time to collect compensation. To learn more about common tactics insurance companies use to limit claims, read our blog article here. We advise victims of personal injury to speak with our attorneys about their cases as soon as they can. Having an attorney involved to handle the legal aspects of your case makes it more difficult for bad faith insurance practices to take place.

Accident investigation and reconstruction is a vital step in any motor vehicle accident lawsuit. The stress and anxiety associated with auto accidents mean that the parties involved are not always in a good position to objectively judge the accident’s cause. An experienced and knowledgeable accident investigator can analyze physical evidence and apply scientific knowledge to investigate and reconstruct the accident, allowing him or her to definitively determine the cause of a traffic collision. The findings of an accident investigation can directly affect your eligibility for financial compensation, so it is crucial that you contact an attorney if there is an insurance dispute. If you or a loved one has been involved in a car or auto accident, our lawyers serving Lancaster, Victorville, and Apple Valley can help ensure that the cause of your accident is thoroughly investigated. We are committed to helping individuals obtain the financial compensation they are legally entitled to. Contact us today.

At PARRIS, you pay no fees until we win. You will not pay any upfront costs for our legal services – our personal injury attorneys in Lancaster work on a contingency fee basis. This means that legal fees are paid for by the settlement or jury award in a personal injury case. If we are unsuccessful in getting you compensation, then you aren’t responsible for paying any legal fees.

The amount of monetary compensation that you are entitled to collect after being injured varies greatly between cases and is based on several factors, including:

• The age and health of the victim before the injury
• The extent of the injuries
• The amount of medical treatment needed
• The ability of the victim to recover fully from the injury and return to a similar lifestyle
• Whether the victim was required to miss work because of the injury
• The presence of emotional and physical pain and suffering

This blog post explores this question in more detail.

As a general rule, victims of personal injury are entitled to receive monetary compensation for property damage, lost wages, medical bills, and emotional pain and suffering. Contact our personal injury attorneys serving Lancaster, Apple Valley, and Victorville for a free case evaluation. We can give you an accurate estimate of the amount of compensation you are entitled to collect based on the specifics of your case.

The statute of limitations for filing a personal injury claim in California is usually two years from the date of the injury. However, the statute of limitations is longer for medical malpractice and legal malpractice claims. Our personal injury attorneys, serving the Victorville and Apple Valley areas, are familiar with the legal time limits for filing claims in California; contact PARRIS for assistance in filing your personal injury claim on time.

No, not all personal injury claims go to court. Most insurance companies like to settle outside of court to avoid paying the higher legal fees associated with taking a trial to court. In these cases, employees at PARRIS work tirelessly to get our clients the maximum settlement possible. Contact us today for a free case consultation.

Class action lawsuits are filed by a person or a small group of people on behalf of a larger population against a manufacturer, financial institution, or other business. The plaintiffs in the suit will all have been hurt, injured, or otherwise wronged by the defendant. A class action lawsuit allows all people who have been injured or wronged in the same way to obtain compensation for their injuries. PARRIS lawyers have ample experience litigating these cases: our Lancaster attorneys have obtained Multi-Million dollar results in previous class actions. If you believe you are eligible to participate in a class action, contact us today.

In the majority of cases, class members do not need to join a class action lawsuit. They choose to participate by not “opting out,” that is, by not filing their own lawsuit against the defendant. On rare occasions, class members may be asked to opt into a lawsuit, thus affirming their acknowledgment of and participation in the legal proceedings. Persons who want to be named as primary parties in the lawsuit can choose to hire their own lawyers to intervene in the existing legal matters. If you or someone you love has been injured due to a defective product or drug that you think may make you eligible to join a class action lawsuit, contact PARRIS in Lancaster today. Our class action lawyers serving Palmdale, Santa Clarita, and surrounding cities are skilled in the litigation of class action lawsuits and can help you obtain compensation for your injuries and pain and suffering.

Class action lawyers operate on a contingency fee basis. This means that they are entitled to receive a certain percentage of the total settlement and do not get paid unless the lawsuit is won or settled. In some cases, the company that is being sued may also be responsible for paying for any legal fees that class members accrue. At PARRIS, you pay no fees until we win. Contact our Lancaster attorneys today if you think you are eligible to join a class action lawsuit.

Medical malpractice can be defined as the failure of a medical professional (doctor, nurse, EMT, dentist, plastic surgeon, or other medical facility staff member) to provide adequate or otherwise reasonable medical treatment and care to a patient. Medical malpractice can occur once or on an ongoing basis and may manifest itself only over a period of time. Common types of medical malpractice include:

• The failure of a medical professional to diagnose an illness, the delayed diagnosis of an illness, or the misdiagnosis of an illness.
• Surgical errors, including performing the wrong surgery.
• Medication errors, including administering a medication that has potentially deadly side effects or interacts negatively with another medication.
• Foreign bodies (often surgical tools or instruments) left inside the patient.

In Lancaster, medical malpractice attorney R. Rex Parris and his team can help you understand your case and successfully litigate a suit against the negligent medical professional who harmed you. If you suspect you or a loved one have become a victim of medical malpractice, call our Antelope Valley injury attorneys today.

If you suspect that you have become the victim of medical malpractice and are still under the care of that doctor, the first thing you should do is consider seeing another, more reputable medical professional. Next, contact a Lancaster medical malpractice attorney, serving the Antelope Valley, Victorville, and Santa Clarita areas to discuss your case. California law places a limit on the amount of time that victims have to file medical malpractice claims, so it is in your best interest to act quickly the moment you suspect malpractice.

To quote the statute of limitations for filing a medical malpractice claim in California directly: “Victims must file a claim within three years of the date of the injury, or within one year of discovering the injury, whichever comes first.” We encourage you to speak with our medical malpractice attorney team in the Antelope Valley/Santa Clarita area to discuss your case in detail. Our lawyers can help you understand the specifics of your claim and recommend appropriate legal action that will hold the negligent parties responsible for their reckless actions.

Yes, it is still possible to file a medical malpractice lawsuit against a negligent health care professional even if you have signed a medical release form. It should be noted that patients are required to sign a release form or waiver before undergoing any medical procedure. However, signing this form does not give medical professionals the license to perform their duties below an acceptable standard. Contact our medical malpractice attorneys today for a free case consultation.

A medical malpractice attorney is paid on a contingency fee basis, which means that your lawyer is entitled to collect a certain predetermined percentage of your total settlement or jury award. If you don’t receive compensation, then you aren’t responsible for paying the legal fees associated with your case. Because medical malpractice cases are expensive to litigate, most personal injury lawyers won’t agree to take such a case unless there is a clear and defined instance (or instances) of malpractice that has occurred.

Car accidents are the most common cause of brain and head injuries. Sporting accidents, workplace accidents, and premises liability claims also contribute to the number of traumatic brain and head injury victims each year. Our lawyers serving Palmdale, Santa Clarita, and Victorville can help you understand the causes of brain injury in more detail.

Traumatic head and brain injuries require both short- and long-term treatment. Physical rehabilitation, working with a speech and language therapist, or meeting with an occupational therapist may all be appropriate courses of action depending on the severity of the injury. Learn more about how PARRIS injury attorneys can help with the costs of treatment.

The symptoms and side effects of traumatic head and brain injuries can include the following physical, emotional, and cognitive effects:

• Persistent or worsening headache
• Loss of consciousness
• Coma
• Memory loss
• Cognitive disabilities
• Seizures
• Loss of smell, taste, hearing, or eyesight
• Fatigue and difficulty concentrating
• Impulsive behavior, mood swings, and depression

Our Lancaster traumatic head and brain injury lawyers serving Palmdale, Victorville, Santa Clarita, and all of Southern California can help you and your loved ones through the difficult times of dealing with these injuries. Although we understand that no amount of monetary compensation can ease the physical and emotional pain that victims suffer, it can provide some level of financial comfort as victims and their families struggle to pay the medical bills and rehabilitation costs often associated with TBI. Contact us today to learn more.

The causes of spinal cord injuries are similar to the causes of traumatic brain injuries. Motor vehicle, workplace, and sporting accidents can all result in a spinal cord injury. Our spinal cord and head injury lawyers can help if someone you love has been injured due to the negligence of another party.

A complete spinal cord injury is defined as the total loss of motor skill and function below the site of the injury. Victims of complete spinal cord injuries are unable to feel any physical sensation below that spot as well. By contrast, victims of partial (or “incomplete”) spinal cord injuries may still retain some feeling and movement capabilities below the injury site. Learn more about spinal cord and head injury claims by contacting a PARRIS personal injury attorney today.

Treatment of spinal cord injuries may involve physical, occupational, and cognitive rehabilitation. Although extended hospital care and frequent surgeries are not uncommon, many victims of spinal cord injuries are able to receive outpatient care, allowing them more freedom and independence. Contact our spinal cord injury lawyers today to learn more.

Wrongful death can be defined as the untimely and unexpected death of a person due to the negligent (or, less commonly, intentional) actions of another party. This horrific issue can arise in cases involving medical malpractice, motor vehicle accidents, premises liability claims, workplace accidents, or any other type of fatal personal injury. A person can also be wrongfully killed in instances involving intentional violence, such as in the case of murder. Learn more about how to prove wrongful death by contacting our Antelope Valley wrongful death attorneys today.

In California, immediate family members, including spouses, children, stepchildren, and parents, are entitled to appoint a personal representative to their loved one’s estate and bring a wrongful death claim against the person or persons responsible for their loved one’s passing. It is recommended that families contact our wrongful death lawyers as soon as possible to expedite the legal process and ensure a positive outcome.

Surviving relatives must file a wrongful death claim within two years of their loved one’s death. If the death was caused by medical malpractice or exposure to asbestos, the statute of limitations for filing a wrongful death claim may be extended as necessary.

Although we know that this is an emotionally trying time for your family to go through, it is important to pursue legal action in a timely manner. It is beneficial for surviving parties to contact our team of wrongful death lawyers soon after the death occurs so that we can bring the full force of the law against those responsible.

Damages are calculated based on several factors:

• The deceased’s wages at the time of death
• The future earning potential of the deceased
• The health, life expectancy, and age of the deceased before death
• The losses of insurance benefits, wages or salary, love, companionship, comfort, and support that surviving family members face

Our Lancaster wrongful death lawyers faithfully serve residents in Palmdale, Santa Clarita, and surrounding areas. We at PARRIS understand that this is a difficult time for you and your family. Through hard work and dedication, we can help you obtain the monetary compensation you deserve.