One bad moment on Colorado Boulevard, the 210 Freeway, or a slip on an unmarked hazard at a Pasadena shop can change everything. Medical bills begin before you’re out of the ER. An insurance adjuster calls within 48 hours, sounding friendly, to offer a check that feels generous until you learn what your case is actually worth. You’re missing work, missing paychecks, and trying to figure out how to get your car fixed, your bills paid, and your life back on track.
The Law Offices of Adrianos Facchetti has been fighting for injured people in Pasadena and throughout Los Angeles County for more than 20 years. We’ve turned $20,000 opening offers into $500,000 settlements, secured full policy limits in under six months without filing suit, and pursued underinsured motorist claims all the way to a $500,000 recovery when other lawyers would have closed the file. And we’ve done it on a contingency, you pay nothing upfront, and we don’t get paid unless we win your case.
Call (626) 793-8607 for a free, confidential case review – 24 hours a day. We speak English, Spanish, and Portuguese.
Why Injured Pasadena Residents Choose Law Offices of Adrianos Facchetti
You have plenty of personal injury lawyers to choose from in Los Angeles County. Here’s what makes this firm different, and why we believe the results should speak louder than the marketing.
20+ Years of Trial-Tested Experience in Los Angeles County
Adrianos Facchetti has been licensed to practice law in California since 2006 (State Bar No. 243213) and has personally handled more than 1,000 personal injury cases across Pasadena, Burbank, Glendale, and greater LA County. Adrianos is a dual citizen of the United States and Brazil, which gives him a unique perspective representing immigrant and Portuguese-speaking clients who might otherwise feel shut out of the California legal system. Our firm is bilingual in Spanish and fluent in Portuguese, and we routinely handle cases for clients who need their lawyer and their whole legal team to speak their language.
Real Case Results – Millions Recovered for Injury Victims
Here’s what we’ve actually done for our clients. (Every result is a real, verifiable case handled by our firm.)
- $2.75 Million – Motorcycle v. Auto. Settled for more than 27 times the policy limits.
- $1.25 Million – Pedestrian Hit in Crosswalk. Secured the full $1,250,000 policy limits despite significant challenges in the case, including our client’s prior criminal history that the defense tried to use against us.
- $1 Million – Severe Burn Injury from Hot Liquid. Full policy limits recovered in under six months – all before filing suit.
- $1 Million – Premises Liability. Obtained a $1 million recovery on behalf of our clients.
- $850,000 – Auto v. Auto. Convinced the insurance carrier to pay $850,000 to resolve the claim.
- $500,000 – Rear-End Auto Collision (UIM). Initial injuries appeared minor; imaging later revealed a thoracic spine fracture. We pressed the underinsured motorist carrier and recovered an additional $485,000 on top of the at-fault driver’s $15,000 policy — $500,000 total.
- $500,000 – Assault. Took over a case where a previous firm had secured only a $20,000 offer. Turned it into a $500,000 policy-limits recovery despite disputed insurance coverage.
- $450,000 – Police Misconduct. Recovery obtained for our client against a law enforcement defendant.
- $350,000 – Premises Liability (Federal Court). Hotel guest suffered a displaced ankle fracture tripping over an unlit concrete hazard. Case removed to federal court; resolved after targeted discovery and mediation.
- $255,000 – Dog Bite. Client attacked by a business owner’s pit bull. Recovered the full $255,000.
- $250,000 – Auto v. Bicycle. Child injured in a bicycle-vs.-vehicle crash; defense used video footage to argue the child was speeding and helmetless. We kept the focus on the driver’s responsibility and secured the full $250,000 policy limits.
- $100,000 – Pedestrian Hit and Run. Tracked and identified the fleeing defendant, then obtained the full policy limits.
- $95,000 – Bicycle v. Auto (Wrist Injury). Went head-to-head with the insurance company and achieved a settlement of $94,999.99.
View our complete Case Results →
Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. Every case is evaluated on its own facts.
No Fee Unless We Win – And We Cover Every Case Cost Upfront
Personal injury is a contingency-fee practice. You owe us nothing out of pocket: no retainer, no hourly bills, no invoices for experts or court reporters. We advance every cost of the case, accident reconstruction, medical records retrieval, filing fees, expert witness fees, deposition transcripts and we are only paid if we recover compensation for you. If we don’t win, you owe nothing. Period.
Recognition, Reviews, and Reputation
- 5 stars across 258+ verified reviews from real clients
- AV / Martindale-Hubbell peer-rated law firm profile
- BBB-accredited business with an active profile
- Avvo-rated attorney profile
- MyBurbank’s Best 2025 – voted by the community
- Active local partner – Bikes For Kids annual giveaway (10 free bikes to kids within 10 miles of our office); JBHS Football frosh team sponsor two years running
We Actually Come to You
If your injuries make it hard to travel, our team will meet you wherever is most convenient, hospital, home, or elsewhere, so you can get the legal help you need without added stress.
Personal Injury in Pasadena & California by the Numbers
Understanding the data helps you understand why insurance carriers fight so hard to pay you less than your case is worth.
California Traffic Injury Statistics (Latest Available)
- California recorded 164,123 reported car crashes in 2024 – roughly 1,370 collisions every day (UC Berkeley SWITRS).
- 3,807 Californians were killed in traffic crashes in 2024 – a 6.3% drop from 2023 and the lowest total since 2019 (NHTSA).
- 12,085 pedestrians were injured or killed in California motor-vehicle crashes in 2024.
- California ranks second in the nation for total traffic deaths, behind only Texas.
- Pedestrians accounted for roughly 26% of all California traffic deaths – roughly double the national share, reflecting how dangerous our urban street network is for people on foot (California OTS).
- Preliminary 2025 data from the first half of the year shows a 43% decline in California motor-vehicle deaths compared to the same period in 2024 – roughly 979 fewer lives lost in six months (National Safety Council).
Los Angeles County & Pasadena Crash Data
Los Angeles County recorded more than 11,120 crashes in 2024, accounting for over 20% of California’s statewide total. The city of Los Angeles alone led the state in alcohol-related crashes last year.
Pasadena is the ninth-largest city in LA County, with roughly 131,000 residents and a dense street and freeway network. The California Office of Traffic Safety publishes annual Crash Rankings that compare Pasadena’s traffic safety performance against similarly sized California cities. Concentrated crash areas we work in regularly include:
- Colorado Boulevard through Old Pasadena and the Playhouse District
- Lake Avenue between the 210 Freeway and California Boulevard
- Fair Oaks Avenue through Old Town and into South Pasadena
- The 210, 134, and 110 Freeway interchanges
- Huntington Drive into South Pasadena, San Marino, and Arcadia
What the Data Means for Your Claim
Two findings should shape how you think about your case before you even pick up the phone.
Insurance carriers deny or delay payment on a large share of serious-injury claims, industry analyses consistently put the figure near 40%. Carriers are profitable precisely because they are disciplined about paying as little as possible.
Represented claimants recover substantially more. Research from the Insurance Research Council has repeatedly found that injured people represented by an attorney receive settlement amounts roughly 3.5 times higher on average than unrepresented claimants, even after attorney’s fees. The gap exists because adjusters price their offers based on the perceived risk of litigation, and an unrepresented claimant poses very little risk.
Most personal injury cases resolve in 12 to 18 months. Complex cases involving catastrophic injury, contested liability, or multiple defendants can take longer. What shortens any case is early, thorough evidence preservation, which is why the first call should happen in the first few days, not months down the line.
How Much Is My Pasadena Personal Injury Case Worth?
Every case is different. But compensation in a California personal injury case generally falls into three categories.
Economic Damages You Can Recover
Economic damages are the measurable, out-of-pocket losses your injury caused:
- Past and future medical expenses (ER visits, surgery, hospitalization, physical therapy, prescriptions, assistive devices, home modifications)
- Lost wages from time you missed at work
- Loss of future earning capacity if your injury prevents you from returning to the same job
- Property damage (vehicle, bicycle, personal items destroyed in the incident)
- Out-of-pocket costs, such as transportation to medical appointments
- Long-term rehabilitation and life-care plan costs for catastrophic injuries
These numbers are built from bills, pay stubs, tax returns, and expert projections. They are the foundation of any serious settlement demand.
Non-Economic Damages: Pain, Suffering, and Loss of Enjoyment
Non-economic damages compensate for what doesn’t appear on an invoice, physical pain, emotional suffering, anxiety, depression, scarring, disfigurement, loss of consortium (the impact on a marriage or family relationship), and the diminished quality of life that follows a serious injury. California places no statutory cap on non-economic damages in standard personal injury cases. Juries decide these figures based on the evidence.
The one exception is medical malpractice, where the Medical Injury Compensation Reform Act (MICRA), as amended by AB 35, caps non-economic damages at $390,000 for non-death cases and $500,000 for wrongful-death cases in 2026, rising annually through 2033.
When Punitive Damages Apply
Under California Civil Code § 3294, a jury can award punitive damages when the defendant acted with “oppression, fraud, or malice.” These damages punish and deter, they are on top of compensatory damages. Punitive damages are most common in drunk-driving cases, intentional-harm cases, and corporate-misconduct cases (for example, a manufacturer that concealed a product defect).
Factors That Affect Your Case Value
Six factors drive the difference between a modest settlement and a major recovery: the severity and permanence of the injury, the clarity of liability, the strength of the medical documentation, the available insurance policy limits, the credibility of the injured person, and the reputation of the firm handling the claim. A good lawyer can influence every factor except the first, which is exactly why the lawyer you choose matters.
Understanding California Personal Injury Law
California Statutes of Limitations – Deadlines That Can End Your Case
A statute of limitations is a legal deadline. Miss it and your right to sue is gone, no matter how strong your case was.
- Most personal injury claims: 2 years from the date of injury (California Code of Civil Procedure § 335.1)
- Claims against a government entity (a city vehicle, Metro bus, Pasadena PD cruiser, or public employee): you must file a government tort claim within 6 months under Government Code § 911.2. This is a separate, earlier deadline, and missing it almost always ends the case.
- Property damage only: 3 years (CCP § 338)
- Medical malpractice: 1 year from discovery, with a 3-year outer limit (CCP § 340.5)
- Wrongful death: 2 years from the date of death (CCP § 335.1)
- Minors: the clock is generally tolled (paused) until the child turns 18
If you’re unsure which deadline applies to your situation, call us the day you suspect you have a claim. We will tell you for free. (For general reference, see the California Courts Self-Help Guide.)
How California’s Pure Comparative Negligence Rule Works
California is one of a minority of states that follow pure comparative negligence, a rule the California Supreme Court established in Li v. Yellow Cab Co., 13 Cal.3d 804 (1975). Under pure comparative negligence, you can recover damages even if you were partially or mostly, at fault for your own injuries. Your recovery is simply reduced by your percentage of fault.
A quick example: a jury awards $100,000 in total damages and finds you were 30% at fault. You recover $70,000. If the jury finds you were 80% at fault, you recover $20,000. You can even recover something if you were 99% at fault, though at that point the math stops being friendly.
This is good news for injured Californians, many other states use “modified” comparative negligence rules that bar recovery entirely if you were 50% or 51% at fault. It also means the insurance carrier’s first move is almost always to argue you were more at fault than you actually were, because every percentage point of fault shaved onto you subtracts from your recovery. Fighting that fault allocation is one of the most valuable things a good lawyer does.
What You Must Prove to Win Your Case
Every negligence case rests on four elements:
- Duty – the defendant owed you a legal duty of care (every driver owes every other road user a duty to drive reasonably; every property owner owes lawful visitors a duty to maintain reasonably safe premises)
- Breach – the defendant failed to meet that duty
- Causation – the breach caused your injury, both directly and as a foreseeable consequence
- Damages – you suffered real, quantifiable harm (medical bills, lost wages, pain, permanent impairment)
If any element is missing, the case fails. If all four are strong, the case is strong.
How We Gather Evidence to Minimize Your Share of Fault
We investigate from day one. Depending on the case, that means obtaining the Pasadena PD or CHP collision report, subpoenaing surveillance footage from nearby businesses before it overwrites (most systems overwrite within 30 days), canvassing for witnesses, downloading event data recorder (“black box”) data from vehicles, retaining accident-reconstruction engineers, preserving damaged property, coordinating with treating physicians to document the full medical picture, and in serious cases, retaining economists and life-care planners to quantify future losses. The sooner we start, the more evidence survives.
New California Laws That Could Affect Your Injury Claim (2025–2026)
The law isn’t static, and a handful of recent changes meaningfully affect Pasadena personal injury claims.
AB 413 – “Daylighting” Law (effective January 1, 2025). It is now illegal statewide to park within 20 feet of a crosswalk approach. The goal is pedestrian visibility at intersections. In a pedestrian-strike case, a vehicle illegally parked in the daylighting zone can shift fault analysis substantially.
AB 645 – Automated Speed Enforcement Cameras. California’s speed-camera pilot went live in San Francisco in August 2025. Los Angeles deployment is targeted for 2026. Once the cameras are active, their citation data can become admissible evidence of speed-related negligence.
MICRA Cap Adjustments (AB 35). California’s medical-malpractice non-economic damage cap increases annually from 2023 through 2033, eventually reaching $750,000 for non-death cases and $1 million for wrongful-death cases. The 2026 cap is $390,000 / $500,000.
SB 1107 – Increased Auto Insurance Minimums. Effective January 1, 2025, California’s minimum auto liability limits jumped to $30,000 per person / $60,000 per accident / $15,000 property damage, up from the decades-old $15/$30/$5 minimums. Higher minimums mean higher available policy limits in many cases, but uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage is still essential.
Our Pasadena Personal Injury Practice Areas
We handle the full range of personal injury claims for Pasadena residents and visitors.
Car Accidents
From rear-end collisions on the 210 Freeway to red-light runners at Colorado and Lake, car crashes are the most common personal injury matter we handle. We’ve recovered $500,000 in a rear-end case where the initial symptoms seemed mild, $850,000 in an auto-v.-auto claim, and the full $1.25 million policy limits in a pedestrian-crosswalk case. Learn more about car accident claims →
Motorcycle Accidents
Motorcyclists are roughly 28 times more likely to die in a crash than passenger-car occupants (NHTSA). They also face unfair bias from insurance adjusters who assume the rider was reckless. Our firm secured $2.75 million in a motorcycle case, more than 27 times the available policy limits. Learn more →
Pedestrian Accidents
Pedestrians account for roughly 26% of California traffic deaths, and roughly 75% of pedestrian fatalities occur at night. Colorado Boulevard, Lake Avenue, and Fair Oaks are persistent pedestrian hotspots in Pasadena. We secured the full $1.25 million policy limits in a crosswalk-strike case despite significant challenges. Learn more →
Bicycle Accidents
California sees more than 10,000 bicycle injuries and 100-plus cyclist fatalities each year. We’ve recovered $250,000 for a child injured in a bike-vs.-car crash, despite video footage the defense tried to use to blame the child. Learn more →
Truck Accidents
Commercial truck crashes are different from car crashes. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations apply. Multiple parties can be liable, driver, trucking company, cargo loader, maintenance contractor. Evidence like the truck’s electronic logging device must be preserved immediately. Learn more →
Uber, Lyft & Rideshare Accidents
Rideshare claims involve a layered insurance structure, the driver’s personal policy, the rideshare company’s contingent liability coverage, and the company’s $1 million policy that activates only when a passenger is in the car or a ride is accepted. Which layer applies depends on the app’s exact status at the moment of the crash. Learn more →
Slip, Trip & Fall / Premises Liability
Property owners owe a duty of reasonable care to lawful visitors. That duty is breached by unmarked spills, broken stair treads, unlit walkways, and unsecured rugs. We’ve secured $1 million and $350,000 in premises liability cases, including a federal-court case against a hotel operator. Learn more →
Dog Bites
California is a strict-liability state for dog bites under Civil Code § 3342. The owner is liable the first time the dog bites, even if the animal had no prior history of aggression. We recovered $255,000 for a client attacked by a business owner’s pit bull. Learn more →
Wrongful Death
Under CCP § 377.60, specific family members, spouses, domestic partners, children, and in some cases parents and dependents, can bring a wrongful-death action when negligence causes a loved one’s death. Damages include financial support, loss of companionship, and funeral expenses. Learn more →
Catastrophic Injuries
Traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, severe burns, amputation, and permanent disfigurement change everything about a case, the medical evidence, the damages model, the life-care planning, the expert costs. We deliberately limit intake on these cases so every client gets the attention the case requires. We recovered the full $1 million policy limits on a severe burn-injury claim in under six months, before filing suit. Learn more →
What to Do After an Accident in Pasadena – A Step-by-Step Guide
The decisions you make in the first 72 hours shape the value of your case more than almost anything that happens later.
Within the First Hour
- Call 911. Even if injuries seem minor, a police response creates an official record. Pasadena PD will usually dispatch to the scene; on freeways, CHP handles the call.
- Get medical attention. Adrenaline masks injury. Concussion, internal bleeding, and soft-tissue damage often don’t show up until hours or days later. If paramedics recommend transport, accept it.
- Document the scene if you safely can. Photos of vehicle positions, damage, license plates, street signs, skid marks, weather conditions, and your injuries. Video is better than photos.
- Exchange information. Driver’s license numbers, insurance carriers and policy numbers, phone numbers, and plate numbers for every vehicle involved.
- Get witness contact information. Independent witnesses disappear fast. A first name and phone number is enough to find them later.
- Do not admit fault. Not at the scene, not to the other driver, not to the police. State the facts you observed and let investigators determine fault.
Within 24 Hours
- File a police report if one wasn’t taken at the scene. Pasadena PD non-emergency: (626) 744-4501.
- Notify your own insurance carrier. Provide basic facts, what happened, where, when. Don’t speculate about fault or injury severity.
- See a doctor even if you felt fine at the scene. Same-day or next-day medical documentation is one of the most valuable pieces of evidence in any claim. Gaps in treatment are the single biggest reason adjusters undervalue cases.
- Preserve your damaged property. Don’t repair your vehicle, wash the clothes you were wearing, or throw anything away. It is all evidence.
Within the First Week
- Do not give a recorded statement to the other driver’s insurance carrier. They’ll call within days, sounding helpful. Anything you say is being recorded and used to argue your injuries are exaggerated or that you were at fault. You are not required to give them a statement, politely decline and tell them your lawyer will be in touch.
- Do not sign a medical authorization from the opposing insurer. Their forms are almost always overbroad and give them access to your entire medical history, which they use to argue your injury was pre-existing.
- Do not post about the accident on social media. Not a photo, not a complaint, not a “doing fine” update. Defense lawyers monitor claimants’ social media and screenshot everything.
- Call a Pasadena personal injury lawyer. A free consultation costs nothing. Waiting costs evidence.
Which Pasadena Hospitals to Visit for Injury Care
For serious injuries, Pasadena-area residents have access to several major medical facilities:
- Huntington Health / Huntington Hospital – 100 W California Blvd, Pasadena. Level II trauma center and the primary acute-care facility for the San Gabriel Valley.
- Methodist Hospital of Southern California – 300 W Huntington Dr, Arcadia. Comprehensive emergency and orthopedic services.
- USC Arcadia Hospital – Arcadia.
- Keck Medicine of USC specialty centers – spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury, and complex rehabilitation.
Medical records from established, recognized local hospitals carry weight in negotiations and at trial.
Pasadena Neighborhoods and Communities We Serve
From our Burbank office on Riverside Drive, we represent injured people throughout the San Gabriel Valley and greater Los Angeles County. That includes:
- Old Pasadena, Playhouse District, and Bungalow Heaven – heavy foot traffic, restaurant and nightlife density, and the Gold Line station make these hotspots for pedestrian and rideshare incidents.
- South Pasadena, San Marino, and Altadena – we represent clients across the San Gabriel Valley, including Altadena residents affected by the January 2025 Eaton Fire.
- Arcadia, Sierra Madre, and La Cañada Flintridge — the 210 Freeway corridor through these cities sees steady commercial truck traffic and high-speed commuter collisions.
- Alhambra, San Gabriel, Monrovia, and the broader San Gabriel Valley
Most Pasadena personal injury lawsuits are filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, Pasadena Courthouse at 300 E Walnut St or Stanley Mosk Courthouse at 111 N Hill St, downtown, depending on venue. We know the judges, clerks, and local rules at both.
Meet Your Pasadena Personal Injury Attorney
Adrianos Facchetti, Founder
Adrianos Facchetti has represented injured people across Los Angeles County for more than 20 years. Admitted to the California Bar in 2006 (State Bar No. 243213), Adrianos has personally handled more than 1,000 personal injury cases and has developed a reputation for taking cases other firms won’t and winning them. He turned a $20,000 insurance offer into a $500,000 assault settlement, secured the full policy limits in a crosswalk-strike case for a client with a complicated past, and recovered $2.75 million in a motorcycle case , more than 27 times the policy limits.
Adrianos is a dual citizen of the United States and Brazil, and his firm represents the Pasadena-area Brazilian, Portuguese-speaking, and Spanish-speaking communities in their own languages. He is passionate about helping immigrants navigate the American legal system without fear.
Outside the courtroom, Adrianos runs the firm’s annual Bikes For Kids giveaway (10 free bikes to local kids each summer) and sponsors the John Burroughs High School frosh football team.
- California State Bar No.: 243213
- Admitted: 2006
- Languages: English, Spanish, Portuguese
- Professional profiles: Avvo | Martindale-Hubbell | BBB | LinkedIn
Read the full bio of Adrianos Facchetti →
What Our Pasadena Clients Say
“I was recommended to Adrianos through my brother who knows him and said he’s done quality work in handling Uber accidents over the years. Adrianos was kind enough to take my case during a bad situation I was in thanks to an Uber accident and subsequent faulty treatment recommended by a previous lawyer who had no idea what he was doing. Thanks to Adrianos he was able to find me the right treatment for my injuries and pursue the correct compensation for the pain I endured. I would personally recommend Adrianos and his firm to anybody. Their communication, knowledge, & professionalism is top tier!” – Brendon Argote
“Adrianos and his team are AMAZING! He is very professional, informative, and dedicated. He truly cares about his clients and ensures the best outcome in the case and treatment. Adrianos communicated with me every step of the way and allowed me to focus on getting the treatment I needed. Andrea, Bo, Fernanda, and Sarah were very patient and helpful; they were available to assist with any questions. I highly recommend The Law Offices Of Adrianos Facchetti. Thank you, Adrianos for going above and beyond!” – Lucy Salazar
“I immediately felt like he was someone I could trust and who would have my best interest at heart but also someone aggressive enough to fight for what I deserved. Adrianos and his whole team were AMAZING from the beginning of this experience until the end. They guided me through every step and made sure I was treated well and cared for medically and financially. I really could go on and on about how wonderful my experience with Adrianos was, especially in the midst of a crappy situation. My thoughts, concerns and feelings were theirs as well and I’m extremely grateful to have had Adrianos advising me and helping me along this process.” – Barrett Carroll
“I am beyond happy with the services that I received from Adrianos and his team! Having been in a hit-and-run accident, I was confused, in pain, and had no idea where to begin with any of this process. It was my first time in a major car accident and also having to get a lawyer and I am thankful he was the one who was referred to me. Any questions I had were answered quickly and thoroughly. They cleared up any confusion I had and gave me realistic timelines and expectations. I would definitely recommend this office to anyone having to deal with the repercussions of a car accident. You can tell that Adrianos and his team are passionate in what they do in how they care for their clients. Thank you all so much!” – Dianna Elliott
5 stars • 256+ reviews. Read more testimonials →
Pasadena Personal Injury FAQs
How much does it cost to hire a personal injury lawyer in Pasadena?
Nothing upfront. Personal injury lawyers in California work on a contingency fee basis, we only get paid if we win compensation for you. Our fee is a percentage of the recovery, typically 33â…“% if the case settles before a lawsuit is filed and 40% if the case goes into litigation. We also advance all case costs (filing fees, expert witnesses, medical records, deposition transcripts) and are only reimbursed from the recovery. If we don’t win, you owe nothing.
What’s the deadline to file a Pasadena personal injury lawsuit?
Most California personal injury cases must be filed within two years from the date of the injury, under Code of Civil Procedure § 335.1. The deadline is shorter in several situations: only 6 months if a government entity is involved (Government Code § 911.2), 1 year from discovery for medical malpractice (CCP § 340.5), and 3 years for property damage. Minors generally have until their 20th birthday. Call us promptly if you’re unsure which deadline applies.
Do I have a case if I was partially at fault?
Yes. California follows a pure comparative negligence rule, so you can recover damages even if you were partially or mostly, at fault. Your compensation is simply reduced by your percentage of fault. If you’re found 30% at fault on a $100,000 claim, you recover $70,000. Insurance carriers will always try to assign you more fault than you actually bear, which is exactly why having a lawyer negotiate that allocation matters so much.
How long does a personal injury case take to settle in California?
Most cases resolve within 12 to 18 months. Straightforward cases with clear liability and well-documented injuries can settle in under a year, we recovered $1 million on a severe burn-injury case in under six months without filing suit. Complex cases involving catastrophic injury, contested liability, or litigation through trial can take two to three years or more.
How is pain and suffering calculated in California?
There is no fixed formula. California juries have wide discretion to award non-economic damages based on the evidence. Lawyers and adjusters often use two methods to estimate a starting figure: the multiplier method (multiplying economic damages by a factor of 1.5 to 5 based on injury severity) and the per-diem method (assigning a daily dollar value to the suffering and multiplying by the number of days affected). There is no cap on non-economic damages in California except in medical malpractice cases under MICRA.
What if the at-fault driver was uninsured or underinsured?
Your own uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage steps in. California’s minimum liability limits increased to $30,000 per person / $60,000 per accident / $15,000 property damage effective January 1, 2025 under SB 1107. UM/UIM coverage is optional but should be on every California policy, it’s often less than $10 a month. We regularly pursue both the at-fault policy and your own UM/UIM policy in the same claim. In one of our cases, after the at-fault driver’s $15,000 policy was exhausted, we pursued the UIM carrier and recovered an additional $485,000, a total of $500,000 for our client.
What’s considered a catastrophic injury in California?
Catastrophic injuries cause permanent, life-altering disability or disfigurement. That typically includes traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, severe second- and third-degree burns, amputation, permanent disfigurement, severe internal organ damage, and loss of vision or hearing. These cases require larger damages models, life-care planning, and economist testimony.
Should I accept the insurance company’s first offer?
Almost never. First offers on serious-injury claims are systematically low, insurance carriers price initial offers assuming many claimants accept out of financial desperation. We’ve taken over cases where a previous lawyer accepted a $20,000 offer and turned them into $500,000 recoveries. At a minimum, have a personal injury lawyer review any offer for free before signing anything.
What if my accident involved a government entity, a Pasadena city vehicle, Metro, or a public employee?
You must file a government tort claim within 6 months of the incident under Government Code § 911.2. This is a separate, earlier deadline than the regular 2-year statute of limitations, missing it almost always ends the case. After the government responds (or doesn’t, within 45 days), you have 6 additional months to file a lawsuit. Call us immediately if your accident involved the City of Pasadena, LA County, LA Metro, CHP, or a public employee acting in the scope of their job.
Do you speak Spanish or Portuguese?
Yes. Our firm is fluent in English, Spanish, and Portuguese. Adrianos is a dual citizen of the United States and Brazil. All consultations are free and confidential, and we are available by phone 24/7.
Contact Our Pasadena Personal Injury Lawyer for a Free Consultation
If you or a loved one has been injured in Pasadena or anywhere in Los Angeles County, we are ready to review your case today at no cost.
Law Offices of Adrianos Facchetti Accident & Injury Lawyers 4444 W Riverside Dr #308 Burbank, CA 91505 (A short drive from Pasadena and if your injuries make travel difficult, we come to you.)
Phone: (626) 793-8607
Hours: 24/7 phone availability. Office hours Monday-Friday.
Languages: English, Spanish, Portuguese
Get Directions → | Start Your Free Consultation →
The information on this page is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Viewing this page or contacting us does not create an attorney-client relationship. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. Every case is evaluated on its own facts.
