Gun ownership is prevalent in the United States, with a recent Pew Research Center study confirming that four-in-ten adults report that they live in a household with a gun. Furthermore, 30% of Americans say they personally own a firearm.
With so many guns in homes and private residences throughout the U.S., the potential for negligent discharge accidents leading to severe injuries is unfortunately quite high. Even the safest and most responsible gun owners can accidentally discharge their weapons. If negligence was involved, the injured victim may wish to file a civil lawsuit in pursuit of financial damages.
In the paragraphs below, we will review everything you need to know if you’ve been injured in a gun accident or negligent firearm discharge incident.
Were You Injured by the Accidental or Negligent Discharge of a Firearm?
Unintentional gun accidents happen every day, but when negligence is involved, the injured victim may be eligible to recover a substantial cash settlement. Injuries commonly sustained in gun accidents can range in severity. Some typical gun accident injuries include:
- Soft tissue damage
- Internal bleeding
- Organ damage
- Loss of limb
- Scarring or disfigurement
- Head wounds/trauma
- Traumatic brain injury (TBI)
- Catastrophic injury
If you were injured by the negligent discharge of a firearm, contact the experienced Los Angeles, California, attorneys at Martinian Lawyers today via 323-850-1900 to discuss your claim. Our consultations are always free and you never pay anything until after our gunshot accident lawyers secure a maximum financial damages award for your case.
What is the Difference Between an Accidental and Negligent Firearm Discharge?
An accidental discharge of a firearm can occur under a number of circumstances:
- The owner was cleaning the gun
- The owner was carrying the gun
- The owner was transporting the gun in a vehicle
- The owner dropped the gun
For a firearm accident injury to lead to a successful civil suit, negligence must be involved. Examples of a negligent discharge of a firearm may include:
- The gun owner unexpectedly discharged the gun while under the influence of drugs/alcohol.
- The gun owner carelessly pointed the gun at another human being and it discharged.
- The gun owner failed to properly utilize the trigger safety feature when wielding the firearm around others.
When a gun owner’s behavior jeopardizes the safety of another person in an unreasonable manner (“unreasonable” under civil law equating to what the average person would consider being such behavior), negligence may have been involved. As a result, if you were injured in a gun accident or negligent firearm discharge incident, you may be entitled to a financial damages award through a civil lawsuit with Martinian Lawyers.
How to Sue for a Gun Accident in the Home
Filing a gun accident or negligent firearm discharge personal injury lawsuit can help ensure that you obtain justice for the incident but also recover financial compensation for various applicable damages. The experienced team of gunshot accident injury lawyers at Martinian Lawyers will fight to obtain all eligible damages within your claim, such as:
- Hospital bills
- Medical care costs for past and future treatment
- Pain and suffering
- Lost wages due to your injury
- Reduced future earning capacity as a result of your injury
- Punitive damages
- Emotional trauma or psychological harm
- Prescription drug costs
- Physical therapy or rehabilitation expenses – both past and future
- Scarring or disfigurement (including reconstructive surgery)
A California gun accident injury claim can allow an injured victim like you to make a complete recovery which includes not only your health but also your financial well-being and quality of life.
What to Do After a California Gun Shooting Accident
The most important step you must take after any type of gun accident injury is to seek immediate medical treatment from a licensed physician. A medical examination will allow professionals to assess the extent of your injuries and proceed with an appropriate plan of action to ensure your health and well-being are addressed.
Call 911 immediately after the gun accident occurs. Once you have called first responders and received medical treatment, you will want to complete as many of the following steps as possible:
- Gather contact information from any witnesses – This includes driver’s licenses, phone numbers, email addresses, etc.
- Gather statements from witnesses – any information that can help corroborate the sequence of events is critical in a gun accident lawsuit.
- Take photos and videos of your injuries – while the doctor or nurse who examines you may take pictures, it’s important for you to also capture your own images and videos of the gunshot wound(s).
- Gather information related to your damages/losses – medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering are all likely after a gunshot injury. Accordingly, it’s important to compile this information – whether through bills, receipts, etc. – so your personal injury attorney will be able to include them in your eventual civil claim.
- Contact the gun accident attorneys at Martinian Lawyers – never speak to an insurance adjuster or a representative of the homeowner/gun owner without having an experienced negligent discharge lawyer from M&A present. Additionally, never accept a cash settlement or agree to make a statement for any official record without having one of our dedicated Los Angeles attorneys by your side.
Contact the Best Los Angeles Personal Injury Attorneys for Your Gun Accident Claim
The team of personal injury attorneys at Martinian Lawyers have over 25 years of experience helping victims recover maximized settlements and verdicts. Our gun accident lawyers are available 24/7 for free and confidential consultations. Don’t wait to file your negligent firearm discharge or gun accident lawsuit – contact the experienced and proven team of personal injury attorneys at Martinian Lawyers now.
In California, personal injury victims including those impacted by negligent firearm discharges have a limited window of time to file claims and recover the financial compensation they deserve. In most cases, the statute of limitations is two years from the date of the gun accident or incident. In other words, you typically have two years from the date of your gun accident or negligent firearm discharge injury to file a claim.
The Martinian Lawyers team of gun accident injury lawyers strongly encourages all victims to file claims as soon as possible. Doing so will help ensure you receive the proper medical care to support your case while also preserving critical evidence which will allow our investigators to conduct a thorough and rigorous examination and determine the degree of liability that will be placed on the at-fault party (defendant).
Reach out to a Martinian Lawyers negligent firearm discharge injury lawyer for a free consultation today via 323-850-1900 to discuss your claim. Proving gun accident injury claims – particularly those which occur in private homes – requires the knowledge, skill, and ability of a proven attorney from Martinian Lawyers. Don’t settle for anything less than our seasoned team of personal injury and gun accident lawyers. We will fight tirelessly to recover the largest possible cash settlement based on the circumstances of your unique claim.
Martinian Lawyers is a leading Los Angeles gun accident and negligent firearm discharge injury firm representing victims throughout California. Reach out to a member of the Martinian Lawyers team today to learn more. We’ve helped injured victims like you recover more than $100,000,000 in settlements and verdicts, and we’ll fight aggressively to get you the maximum cash settlement you deserve.
