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…
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…
Common Causes of Negligent Burn Injuries in Los Angeles
Burn injuries are among the most painful and devastating types of injuries one can experience. While accidents causing burns can happen anywhere and anytime, some incidents occur due to negligence or recklessness, leading to…
The Role of Neurological Experts in TBI Cases
Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) are among the most severe and life-altering injuries that one can sustain. TBIs can result from various accidents, including car crashes, falls, sports injuries, and workplace accidents. When pursuing a…
How Do Skin Grafts Work?
A skin graft is a surgical procedure in which a doctor removes part of your skin from one area of your body and places it on another part of your body. This is typically…
Can a Brain Injury Permanently Affect Mental Health?
A brain injury can impact your life in many ways. For example, you may have headaches, sleeping issues, problems with concentrating and focusing on tasks, and fatigue. Another effect it could have is on…
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…
Cannabis Smoke and Delta 9-Tetrahydrocannabinol Added to Prop 65 List for Reproductive Toxicity
The Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986 – often referred to as Prop 65 – contains a list of approximately 900 different substances that can lead to cancer, reproductive harm, or birth defects. California recently added cannabis (marijuana) smoke…
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…
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…
I Think My Employer Is Discriminating Against Me. What Do I Do?
If an employer or co-worker makes your life miserable because he or she views you as “different” and acts on this attitude in a negative manner, and this behavior is consistent and systemic, you can file a lawsuit for employment discrimination. An…
What to Expect from the Passing of Governor Newsom’s Wildfire Utility Bill Law
In the wake of the ongoing lawsuit against Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) as a result of the 2018 Paradise/Camp fire, California Governor Gavin Newsom has enacted a utility bill law that could benefit victims of wildfires and alleviate financial burdens for…
New Anti-Harassment Training Requirements in California
In the wake of the #MeToo movement, California passed a sweeping amendment to its workplace safety and anti-harassment standards. These new standards are codified under the Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) with the enactment of SB 1343. Key changes to California’s…
Understanding California’s Peace Officers Bill of Rights [Infographic]
What rights do public safety officers have when facing internal investigations? The California Peace Officers Bill of Rights defines clear protections for police officers’ personnel records, privacy issues, interrogation tactics, searches and more. Scroll down to learn more. Matthew McNicholasAs one of…
What California AB-218 Means for Childhood Sexual Assault Victims [infographic]
Many victims of childhood sexual assault are not ready to come forward until it’s too late to pursue justice through the courts. AB-218, a proposed bill in California, aims to give victims more time to report assault and further protect the community…
Peace Officers Bill of Rights
Download PDF Table of Contents 3300. Name of Act 3301. Definition; legislative findings and declarations 3302. Political activity; membership on school board 3303. Investigations and interrogations; conduct; conditions; admissibility of statements; representation; reassignment 3304. Punitive action barred for lawful exercise of rights;…
How Proposed California AB-218 Would Protect Childhood Sexual Assault Victims
Most people have heard of a statute of limitations, where after a certain period of time, legal action can no longer be taken. This is because as time goes on, evidence becomes stale, a witness’s memory fades, and sometimes documents get lost….
Understanding Disability Discrimination Law in California
If you suffer from a disability, both state and federal laws protect your ability to work so long as you can perform the essential duties of your job with reasonable accommodation. If you find yourself struggling at work, you should consider whether…
Corruption and Discrimination in Law Enforcement: How Officers Can Speak Up
In addition to working on stressful cases, police officers frequently deal with internal conflicts on the job, and the hazards of this hostile work environment are often hidden. Reporting misconduct or corruption in a workplace is difficult enough, and law enforcement officers…
You’re Not Alone: Speaking Up for Harassed Firefighters
The culture within fire stations often subjects employees to harassment and discrimination, and gives harassed employees no comfort in coming forward to report their abuse. If you have suffered harassment on the job as a firefighter, you are not alone. Resources are…
Common Accidents that Occur on Construction Sites
Construction is a dangerous industry. Workers often handle heavy materials, sharp objects, and powerful tools and work under tight deadlines. This combination creates an extremely dangerous environment. How OSHA Regulates Construction Sites The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the regulatory body…
Understanding California’s Strict Product Liability Laws
As a customer purchasing a product, you place your trust in the manufacturer. You believe the product will satisfy your needs and not cause you harm. California’s strict consumer protection laws seek to ensure that manufacturers, retailers, and designers are held accountable…
Rebuilding Your Home After the California Wildfires [Infographic]
If you or a loved one lost your home in a recent California wildfire, you may find that the payout from your homeowner’s insurance is not enough to rebuild your home. It’s crucial that you understand your options for recovery. Matthew McNicholasAs…
Federal Appeals Court Rules in Favor of Uber in Lawsuit to Keep Drivers as Independent Contractors
On September 25, 2018, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeal handed over a major victory to the ride-sharing giant Uber Technologies Inc. in a battle between Uber and a class of thousands of Uber drivers alleging they were misclassified as independent contractors….
Are Consumers at Risk? The Hidden Dangers of Using E-cigarettes
Consumers have turned to e-cigarettes as an alternative way to get a nicotine fix without the harmful effects of smoking a traditional cigarette. However, defective e-cigarettes pose an entirely new set of risks that have become increasingly dangerous. In 2017, more than…