How to Collect Damages After a Car Accident
A car accident completely shakes up your life. Suddenly and unexpectedly you are confronted with pain and injuries that need to be treated, an interrupted work-life which means loss of income, mounting bills, and an uncertain future. During this upsetting aftermath, an experienced attorney can help you start to put the pieces together that you will need to move forward. One of the first and most important issues to resolve is where the money will come from to cover the costly damages you are suffering. A lawyer...
What Should I Do After a Car Accident?
Being involved in a serious car accident is frightening. There is a rush of adrenaline that takes over, and it can be hard to think clearly and rationally about the situation you now find yourself in. In any type of car accident, there are important steps you must take. Some are required by California law, and some are important to take because they can help strengthen your case later if you pursue an insurance or legal claim against another driver. If you’ve been involved in...
The 100 Deadliest Days
We’ve officially entered the 100 Deadliest Days of the year—between Memorial Day and Labor Day, when there is a serious increase in fatal car crashes, especially among teenage drivers. Other factors associated with summer also conspire to raise the number of car accidents, including: More drivers on the road for summer travels and activities (some of whom won’t know where they are going and might be lost) More bicyclists (many of them children) and motorcycle riders on the road Greater number of road construction projects during...
What’s Distracting Drivers?
Did you know that according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, over 400,000 people are injured in car accidents as a result of distracted driving? And the Centers for Disease Control estimate that nine people die every day in this country in these types of crashes. Despite these sobering statistics, distracted driving shows no signs of abating. There are more distractions out there than ever before. 3 Types of Distractions When you say “distracted driving,” most people think about texting. While that is a...
Post Car Accident Do’s and Don’ts
You’re heading home from work when suddenly your car is hit by another vehicle. Being in a car accident is not something anyone plans to do. Understandably, you’ll be shaken up. It’s also important that you have these do’s and don’ts in the back of your mind if you are ever in a crash. The steps you take right after an accident occurs can have significant legal ramifications and impact your ability to collect appropriate damages. Do: call 911 first thing if you or anyone...
Navigating the Complex Legal System After a Crash
Did you know that the statute of limitations for filing a lawsuit for an injury resulting from a car accident in California is two years? That means that the clock starts ticking on the day of the accident and if you do not file a claim for an accident injury by the deadline your case will almost certainly be dismissed, and you will lose your chance to recover any compensation for your expenses through the court system. What else is involved when filing a suit...
Rear-End Collisions: Not Always Cut and Dried
When it comes to rear-end collisions, many people mistakenly think that the driver who did the rear-ending is automatically at fault. The state of California has a “pure comparative negligence” regulation. This means that each driver is assigned liability for causing the accident and the amount of compensation a driver is entitled to is determined by a liability assessment. If the driver who was hit is found to have contributed to the cause of the accident and that liability is assessed at 10% then as...
Watch Out for Distracted Drivers
The hustle and bustle of the holiday season can result in a spike in car accidents caused by distracted driving. Three common types of distractions can lead to a distracted driving car crash and holiday drivers can easily check the boxes for all of them: Visual Distractions Simply put, visual distractions are anything that takes your eyes off the road. Glancing at a holiday shopping list at a red light, looking at the radio display to learn who’s singing that Christmas carol, or turning to...
Nerve Damage After a Car Accident
One of the trickier injuries to diagnose and treat after a car accident is nerve damage. There are approximately 7 trillion nerves in your body, and they can be injured in many ways including being stretched, torn, or pinched. What accident victims often don’t realize is that nerve damage can happen not only in a major motor vehicle accident but even in the case of a minor “fender bender.” One of the most common car accident injuries—whiplash—can be the cause of nerve damage. Some other...
Simple Safety Checklist to Prevent Car Accidents
Each year thousands of car accidents are caused by a failure of some part of the vehicle. Many of these are from common maintenance items that could have been prevented. It’s important that you schedule regular maintenance on your car or truck. In addition, however, there are some basic parts of your car that you should check periodically to help prevent crashes. Below is a safety checklist for your vehicle. Tires There are two tests you need to do to prevent tire failure. To grip...