How it works
What happens after you send the form, in order.
Most people have never hired a lawyer. Here is the whole process, the fees, and the timelines, so there are no surprises.
The process
Five steps.
You will always know which one you are on.
- 01
Call or send the form
Tell us what happened in a sentence. Attorney Meline Mailyan reviews it herself, usually the same business day, and tells you honestly whether you have a case.
- 02
We take over the insurance company
From the moment you sign, adjusters talk to us, not you. We send preservation letters, pull reports, and secure evidence.
- 03
You get treated
We connect you with doctors who treat now and get paid from the settlement. Your job is to recover.
- 04
We build the demand and negotiate
When your treatment is done, we assemble a demand package that leaves nothing to argue and negotiate from strength. If they will not pay, we file.
- 05
You get paid
Fee and medical liens come out of the settlement. We explain every line. You never write us a check.
Timelines
How long it takes, honestly.
The biggest driver is your medical treatment. We do not send a demand until your doctors know what your future looks like, because the insurer only pays once.
Straightforward cases
Clear fault, soft-tissue or single-surgery injuries, adequate insurance. Settled with the adjuster after treatment ends.
Serious injury and commercial cases
Surgery, long-term care, trucks, multiple defendants, or disputed fault. Often filed in court to force a fair number.
Trial
A small share of cases. We prepare every case as if it will be one of them, which is why most are not.
Fees and money
No fee unless we win. Here is exactly what that means.
What percentage do you take?
Our fee is a percentage of the recovery, set out in a plain-English agreement before we start. It is the standard contingency structure used across California, and it rises only if the case has to be filed in court, because that involves far more work. You see the number before you sign anything.
Who pays case costs?
We advance them: police reports, medical records, expert fees, filing fees. They are reimbursed from the settlement. If there is no recovery, you do not repay them.
What comes out of the settlement?
The attorney fee, advanced costs, and any medical liens. We negotiate the liens down, which often puts more in your pocket than the fee costs. You get a written breakdown of every line before the check is released.
What if I already accepted a small check?
If you signed a release, the claim is usually closed. If you only cashed a property damage check, your injury claim is likely still open. Send us the details and we will tell you which.
Will my case go to trial?
Most cases settle. But the insurer’s offer depends on whether they believe you will go to trial. We prepare every case as if it will, and that is why they settle.
Deadlines
The clock is already running.
2 years
Standard statute of limitations for personal injury in California, from the date of injury.
6 months
To file a government claim if a city, county, or state vehicle or road condition is involved. Miss it and the case is gone.
7–30 days
How long most stores keep surveillance video. Not a legal deadline, but a practical one that decides slip and fall cases.
Free case review
Step one takes five minutes.
Three short questions, or one phone call. We tell you honestly whether you have a case and what it is likely worth. No fee unless we win.