How Scar and Disfigurement Claims Are Evaluated in California
An accident can be a jarring experience for a victim. That experience is greatly exacerbated if an injury occurs and results in scarring or disfigurement. In California, a person experiencing this may be able…
How Multidistrict Litigation (MDL) Differs from California State Class Actions
When many people are harmed by a defective product, a dangerous drug, or corporate misconduct, the legal system uses certain tools to manage the large number of claims. Two common options are multidistrict litigation…
How Dashcam Footage Can Strengthen Your Car Accident Claim in California
After a car accident in California, it is often one driver’s word against the other’s. Police reports are not always accurate, and witnesses may recall events differently. In these cases, dashcam footage can provide…
What Out-of-State Visitors Need to Know About CA Laws
California is no stranger to tourism. Los Angeles alone gets nearly 50 million visitors per year. While many of those visitors choose to use rideshare services or public transit, a significant percentage drive their…
Drone-Related Injuries: New Technology Meets California Negligence Law
Drones are no longer the niche gadgets they were when they first hit the market – they now play an important role in photography, construction, real estate, recreation, deliveries, and more. However, the more…
Mental Health Concerns After an Injury
In the world of personal injury law, it might be tempting to focus primarily or even exclusively on a person’s physical suffering, but what happens when a victim experiences the invisible toll of emotional…
Who’s Liable in LA’s Frequent Multi-Car Pileups?
If you live in or around Los Angeles, it’s probably no surprise that our city recently ranked 2nd for having the worst traffic in the nation. Since traffic density is one of the most…
What Is a CCP 998 Offer in California, and How Can It Impact Your Case?
A CCP § 998 offer is a written settlement offer that can be used by either the plaintiff or the defendant in a civil case. The primary goal of a 998 offer is to…
Wildfire Evacuation Injuries: Can You Sue for Poor Emergency Planning?
In 2023, there were over 7,000 wildfires reported in the state of California, and this number is still growing in 2024. As experts continue to suggest that the frequency of these disasters will only…
Proving Future Medical Costs in California Brain and Spinal Cord Injury Cases
Brain and spinal cord injuries are among the most serious, life-altering traumas a person can suffer. In California, victims of catastrophic injuries may be entitled to compensation for both immediate medical expenses and the…
How California Juries View Brain Injury Claims Without Visible Head Trauma
Unlike a broken bone, a surgical scar, or other visible wound, a concussion or traumatic brain injury can be invisible to the naked eye. Still, the pain is real for victims and can be…
Who’s Liable When a FedEx or Amazon Van Hits You?
Delivery trucks and vans are an unavoidable sight on LA roads. They zip down neighborhood streets, double park in busy commercial areas, and block lanes of traffic during deliveries. In addition to making life…
What to Expect at Your Deposition in a Personal Injury Case
If you’re pursuing a personal injury claim, you may find that the deposition is one of the most stressful parts of your case, especially if you’ve never been through one before. Being under oath…
Discovery Is the Most Important Part of Your Lawsuit
Soon after you file a personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit, you will enter the pretrial discovery phase (“discovery” for short). For many plaintiffs, this is the most important part of your case–and it…
Hit and Run Accidents in Los Angeles
A hit and run in Los Angeles, as in most jurisdictions, involves a driver being involved in an accident with another vehicle, a pedestrian, or a fixed object, and then leaving the scene without…
The Growing Issues of Jury Internet Access
Today, access to the internet is so widespread that expecting jurors to completely avoid looking up information about a case, the attorneys involved, or even the people giving testimony seems almost impossible. I was…
The Importance of Early Diagnosis in Traumatic Brain Injury Cases
Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) happen when the brain experiences a jolt, blow, or impact strong enough to cause damage. A TBI can result from things like car accidents, falls, sports injuries, or any incident…
The Impact of Social Media on Personal Injury Cases
In our digital era, social media has woven itself into the fabric of daily life, providing instant connections to friends, family, and the broader world. Following a car accident, many instinctively turn to their…
The Role of Life Care Planning in Paralysis Cases
A paralyzing injury is a life-altering event with immense physical, emotional, and financial consequences. If you or a loved one is facing this life-changing challenge, life care planning is an essential tool for navigating…
The Financial Burden of Traumatic Amputation
Traumatic amputation, the sudden loss of a limb due to accident, injury, or severe burns, is a life-altering event. Beyond the physical and emotional trauma, amputees face a significant financial burden that can have…
Two Employment Cases Ranked Top 50 Settlements in California by TopVerdict.com
Partner Matthew McNicholas’ $750,000 settlement (Cordero v. County of Los Angeles) and Partner Patrick McNicholas’ $842,000 verdict (Thompson v. City of Pasadena) were ranked on TopVerdict.com’s Top 50 Labor & Employment Verdicts in California in 2019. In Cordero v. County of Los…
What Are Wage and Hour Violations?
Every state has laws designed to ensure a fair day’s wage for a fair day’s pay. Not surprising, every state also has employers who will break the rules, causing employees to suffer economic hardship in the quest for the almighty dollar. Taking…
$2M Settlement Secured on Behalf of Driver and Passenger in Semi-Truck Accident
Partner Patrick McNicholas and Associate Michael Kent obtained a $2 million settlement on behalf of a driver and passenger whose vehicle struck a light pole after a semi-truck driver recklessly merged into their lane. The semi-truck driver failed to reasonably control the…
UPDATE: California Court Says Uber & Lyft Drivers Are Employees, Not Contractors
On August 10, 2020, the San Francisco Superior Court sided with California drivers, saying Uber and Lyft must classify those drivers as employees. Per Market Watch, “Judge Ethan Schulman of the California Superior Court in San Francisco struck at the heart of…
There Is No Such Thing as a Safe Autonomous Vehicle
Autonomous vehicles began as concept cars, highlighting the type of futuristic technology that car companies like showing off. The difference is that while many concept vehicles never make it onto the road, self-driving cars have. They’ve done so under the guise of…
A New Study Shows Hope for Improvement for Spinal Cord Injury Victims
It can be a very long, challenging road for many who suffer from spinal cord injuries. New treatment protocols come out periodically but at the end of the day, their effectiveness will depend upon the benefits they bestow. When it comes to…
Car Insurance “Coronavirus Rebates” – Who Is Really Profiting?
The California stay-at-home order due to the COVID-19 pandemic began March 19, 2020. As the order slowly modifies and lifts in phases, there is no doubt that some things have changed. You likely haven’t been out driving – other than essential short…
When Vehicle Defects Cause Your Accident and Injuries
Whether it is from a car, truck, motorcycle, or other type of vehicle, defective parts are an annoyance – having to bring your vehicle in to the dealer for repairs or replacement. However, at their worst, defective parts and component parts are…
Burn Injuries and the Road to Recovery
A burn injury can be one of the most painful injuries a person can experience, both physically and emotionally. Serious burns are also difficult to treat, and survivors typically face a long road to maximum recovery. And, although medical options continually advance,…
KFI-AM Interviews Matthew McNicholas On Illegal Ticket Quota Lawsuits
KFI-AM interviewed Partner Matthew McNicholas on recent lawsuits filed against multiple police departments alleging illegal ticket quota-based retaliation and the apparent rise of illegal ticket quotas in police departments around California. In his interview, McNicholas noted that “Officials often fail to realize…
KNX Interviews Matthew McNicholas On Lawsuit Alleging City of Los Angeles Knowingly Exposed Its Attorneys to Typhus
KNX interviewed Partner Matthew McNicholas on his recent lawsuit filed against the City of Los Angeles after three City Attorneys were exposed to, and contracted, typhus while assigned to a notoriously high-risk area in downtown Los Angeles known as the “Typhus Zone”….
Matthew McNicholas and Patrick McNicholas Ranked in National Law Journal’s 2020 Employment Law Trailblazers
Partners Matthew McNicholas and Patrick McNicholas were selected to National Law Journal’s 2020 Employment Law Trailblazers list for their repeated successes in some of the most significant and challenging labor and employment cases, many of which have major implications for employment law…
The Associated Press, Los Angeles Times, CBS News, New York Post and More Report on McNicholas & McNicholas LLP’s Lawsuit Against Delta Air Lines
As reported by the Associated Press, Los Angeles Times, CBS News, New York Post, KTLA, FOX 11, KABC, KNX and more, McNicholas & McNicholas LLP and Redefine Law Firm filed a negligence lawsuit on behalf of three minor students attending Pioneer High…
California Leads the Way in Protecting Hairstyles in the Workplace
California recently added new protections against discrimination beyond those afforded by Title VII. The state’s new law, referred to as the CROWN (Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair) Act, went into effect on January 1st with the support of…
The Daily Breeze and Beach Reporter Report on McNicholas & McNicholas, LLP’s El Segundo Police Department Retaliation Lawsuit
As reported by The Daily Breeze and The Beach Reporter, McNicholas & McNicholas, LLP filed a lawsuit on behalf of Scott O’Connor, a tenured El Segundo police officer who claims he was retaliated against after he spoke-out against important police related budget…
AB5 Was Supposed to Bring Changes – Just Not the Ones It Has
When Assembly Bill 5 (“AB5”) was signed by Governor Newsom in September 2019, labor and workers’ rights activists cheered. The new law would ensure protections for workers who passed the “ABC” test by forcing employers to classify those workers as employees rather…
KTNQ 1020AM Interviews Senior Lawyer Juan C. Victoria on Lead Poisoning and Exposure in Los Angeles
Senior Lawyer Juan C. Victoria appeared on KTNQ 1020AM to speak about the legal, financial and community impact of lead exposure in Los Angeles. In an interview with Tu Voz en Los Angeles (Your Voice in Los Angeles) hosts, Juan shared his…
What To Do When the Car Accident Wasn’t Your Fault
When you’re involved in a car accident, your mind immediately jumps to who was at fault. When the at-fault driver isn’t you, how do you proceed? Under California Vehicle Code Section 16029, every driver must be able to show proof of financial…
Philip Morris Won’t Die, But Its Customers Will
For years, the tobacco industry marketed their products under loose regulations. As a result of a 1999 lawsuit under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO), cigarette and tobacco manufacturer Philip Morris landed itself in trouble with the United States Department…
The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Associated Press, KTLA, Telemundo and More Report on $13.5 Billion Settlement with PG&E to Compensate Wildfire Victims
As reported by The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Associated Press, KTLA, Telemundo, and more, McNicholas & McNicholas, LLP, along with Frantz Law Group and Bridgford Gleason Artinian, helped secure a $13.5 billion settlement with Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PG&E)…