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…
Burn Victims and Emotional Trauma
Burn injuries are like no other. These injuries are among the most painful and traumatic experiences a person can endure. Beyond the physical damage, burn victims often suffer from long-lasting emotional harm. These victims…
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…
How Prosthetic Costs Impact Settlement Value in Amputation Cases
Losing a limb or requiring prosthetic assistance after an accident is life-changing in every way possible. The physical, emotional, and financial toll is overwhelming, especially the financial burden of prosthetic devices, as they can…
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…
How Jury Demographics in LA Affect High-Value Personal Injury Verdicts
Los Angeles County is known for a lot of things, including its diversity, booming economy, and dense traffic. When a personal injury goes to trial in Los Angeles, the jury pool—and those who are…
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…
Power Line Fires and Utility Negligence in LA
In California, power line fires caused by utility negligence are a common concern, having led to several lawsuits in recent years. These fires threaten densely populated neighborhoods, but utility fires have also played a…
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…
What Will Insurance Cover After a Fire?
California is a hot and dry state, especially near LA. Devastating fires break out frequently, destroying untold billions of dollars worth of real estate and personal property. Fire insurance is a must in many…
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 Future of Paralysis Treatment
Have you or a loved one suffered an injury to the spinal cord that led to paralysis? You may be wondering what the future holds for you. While many people live full lives with…
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 Role of Expert Witnesses in Personal Injury Cases
An expert witness is someone with specialized skill, knowledge, experience, training, or education. These qualifications enable the expert to assist the court in understanding the evidence or determining facts at issue in a legal…
Whiplash Injuries After Car Accidents
Whiplash injuries occur when the neck and head are suddenly and forcefully flung backward and forward. This type of injury commonly results from rear-end automobile collisions, but can also occur in other types of…
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…
Can My Cell Phone Data be Used Against Me in a CA Personal Injury Claim?
Yes, your cell phone can potentially be used against you in a California personal injury claim. Here’s how and why: Evidence of distraction: If you were using your phone at the time of the…
What You Need to Know About Traumatic Brain Injury
From car accidents to falls, sustaining a traumatic brain injury is more common than you may think – and the results can be devastating. People who suffer a traumatic brain injury may be left with serious, long-term health issues that affect their…
Answers to Your Spinal Cord Injury Questions
Spinal cord injuries can be among the most devasting injuries to the human body. When it comes to injuries, no one’s body is immune. Even celebrities can suffer a devastating injury. Actor Christopher Reeve, best known for starring as Superman in the…
California’s I-5 Named One of the Most Dangerous Roads in America
Freight Waves, the self-identified “nerve center of the global supply chain,” has named the five most dangerous roads in the United States for truckers, and Interstate 5 in California made the list. At nearly 800 miles long, the freeway runs from Oregon…
Jackass’s Bam Margera Files Wrongful Termination Lawsuit
Brandon “Bam” Margera, a skateboarder, stunt performer, television personality, and filmmaker best known for the “Jackass” television show and movie franchise he helped create, is suing to stop the September 2021 release of the show’s fourth film, Jackass Forever. Margera, who says…
Carmichael Woman Dies After Fiery U-Haul Crash
A late April crash in Fresno County claimed the life of a Carmichael woman and seriously injured another, according to the Fresno County Sheriff Coroner’s Office. Summer Eitel, 39, was a passenger in a U-Haul truck that struck a tree and caught…
Over 2,000 COVID-19 Employment Lawsuits Filed in the United States
According to data published by a litigation watch tracker, the number of COVID-19-related employment lawsuits in the United States recently passed the 2,000 mark. From the start of the pandemic back in early 2020, experts believed employment-related litigation regarding COVID-19 might be…
Peloton Recalls 125,000 Tread and Tread+ Treadmills
In May, Peloton issued a recall of its Tread and Tread+ products, which were linked to reports of injuries, as well as the death of a child. This recall came after the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) issued a warning regarding the…
Wildfire Season Is Here and It Is Intense
With residents of California still recovering from a devastating 2020 wildfire season, this year’s is shaping up to look even worse, due to the abnormally dry winter and spring months. The current drought in the Southwest has set the stage for what…
California State Employees Must Show Proof of Vaccination
Officials for the State of California, hoping to head off new coronavirus cases, have issued a mandate that all State employees and healthcare officials must show proof of a COVID-19 vaccination. California joins New York City and the Department of Federal Affairs…
PG&E’s Plan to Bury Power Lines Shows the True Benefits of Lawsuits
In 2019, McNicholas & McNicholas, LLP was part of the legal team that helped secure a $13.5 billion settlement from Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PG&E) on behalf of wildfire victims. We are incredibly proud of our work and the work of…
Experienced Attorneys Explain Pain and Suffering Awards
When you or someone you love suffer an injury caused by someone else’s negligence, you are eligible to seek damages for your losses through the court system. The person or party who caused your injuries may owe you financial compensation for things…
Report to Congress Shows Popular Baby Foods Contain Toxic Metals
A report showing dangerously high levels of toxic metals in baby foods recently released to Congress takes aim at some of the largest baby food companies in the country. The report, published on February 4, claims these baby foods and snacks contain…
Sun-Maid Growers of California Facing Wage and Hour Lawsuit
A lawsuit filed against the Sun-Maid fruit processing company on February 15 claims that the company failed to provide proper wages, overtime, meal and rest breaks to employees at its California plant. The class action complaint, filed by plaintiff and former employee…
What Are the New Employee Leave Rules?
When you work for someone else, you typically expect to receive some sort of benefits whether it be paid parking, health insurance, or even some type of arrangement for taking time off when you need it. There are certain benefits that are…
What Are the Chances of Winning a Personal Injury Case?
This is a common question and there is no standard or one-size-fits-all answer. Every case is unique and the outcome depends on a variety of factors. However, we do take a number of things into consideration when analyzing how we might approach…
Employment Law Changes in 2021
As we settle into the new year, several new labor laws in California are now in effect. The majority of new legislation has to do with employee wellness and equity in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, as well as a statewide…
Chest Injuries from Car Accidents
Injuries to the chest can be more common than we think. Chest injuries can happen even in low-speed accidents. Injuries to the chest area from a motor vehicle accident can include: Bruised or fractured ribs. Injuries to the ribs, especially broken ribs,…
What If There Were No Witnesses to My Car Accident?
No matter how or why it happened, getting into a car accident is a terrible experience. When the accident is not your fault and you experience injuries, you can seek compensation by filing an injury claim against the at-fault driver. One of…
Do Guardrails Really Help Stop Truck Accidents?
Guardrails are in place to prevent drivers of both cars and trucks from rolling over or leaving the road in the event of an accident or unsafe driving conditions (like sharp curves or elevations). They’re also engineered to take on the impact…
Waymo’s Driverless Cars Are Hitting the Road – But Are They Safe?
With COVID-19 still very much a part of our everyday lives, driverless rides may be a very attractive option for those who are safety conscious – but are they risking their safety in other ways? Autonomous vehicles have been creeping onto roadways…