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…
Inverse Condemnation in California Wildfire Lawsuits
When wildfires damage homes, businesses, or land in California, the cause is often linked to utility company equipment. Many people think they must prove the company was careless or broke safety rules to get…
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…
Understanding Proposition 51 and How It Affects Shared Liability
Proposition 51, also known as the Fair Responsibility Act of 1986, governs shared liability in personal injury cases. When more than one party is responsible for causing an injury in California, determining which party…
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…
How Violations of California Vehicle Code Affect Truck Accident Liability
Commercial truck accidents often cause catastrophic damage, which is why so much effort has gone into figuring out why these collisions happen and how to prevent them in 2026. The California Vehicle Code addresses…
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…
Claims Involving Elderly Drivers Under California’s Senior License Renewal Rules
As drivers age, safety concerns can collide with legal responsibility after an accident caused by an elderly driver. California is one of many states that has implemented additional license renewal requirements for senior drivers….
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…
Independent Contractors Injured on the Job in LA — Do They Have Rights?
In 2023, roughly 2.2 million California residents reported that they are primarily self-employed. This figure includes a combination of small business owners, freelancers, and gig workers, many of whom work long, hard hours in…
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…
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…
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…
The Connection Between Algorithmic Bias and Employment Discrimination
Algorithms are mathematical equations and techniques based on logic. Computers use algorithms to make logical and math-based decisions, without the risk of human error or bias. However, computers also make predictions based on the data and algorithms they are provided – so…
FDA Issuing Warning Letters to Companies Selling Fraudulent COVID-19 Treatments
Nearly a year into the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) continues working to protect consumers from companies making false statements about their products – those claiming certain supplements and drugs can mitigate, treat or prevent the novel coronavirus….
Family of Pilot Killed Fighting Wildfires Sues Aircraft Company
This has been a particularly bad year for wildfires here in California, with thousands of residents suffering injuries, loss and property damage. In August, a helicopter pilot lost his life when his aircraft crashed as he was dropping water on a wildfire….
Have You Seen “Chippie” Hanging Out in Traffic?
The California Highway Patrol recently posted a video of a holiday hitchhiker hanging off the back of a highway patrol officer’s motorcycle antenna. Chippie, the Castro Valley police department’s “elf on a shelf,” has been making appearances on the department’s Facebook page,…
Pursuing Catastrophic Injury Damages for Chronic Pain
Chronic pain can be physically, mentally, and emotionally debilitating. Doing the most mundane things like driving a car can cause severe discomfort depending on where you are injured. Most injury victims know that it will just take some time to heal and…
Teenagers Who Vape Are at Higher Risk for COVID-19
It seems like vaping news has taken a backseat since the entire country has been drowning daily in Coronavirus updates. It was not that long ago that we were seeing regular headlines about the teen vaping epidemic and increased deaths and now…
Smoke and Ash Inhalation Often Comes with Catastrophic Burn Injuries
California is synonymous with certain natural disaster events such as earthquakes and wildfires. Over the last several years, however, wildfire season seems to be turning into a continuous devastating event lasting the majority of the year. This is tough on a large…
What You Need to Know about Big-Rig Blind Spots
How many times have you driven down the highway getting ready to change lanes when you suddenly realize another vehicle is next to you seemingly out of nowhere? You instantly dart back over into your lane panicked about a near miss but…