“Physical Contact” is required in order to make an Uninsured Motorist Claim!

Los Angeles Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist attorney Barry P. Goldberg is regularly confronted with issues which implicate the use of Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Coverage.  It is very common that an unidentified “hit and run” vehicle is involved in serious collisions.  It is not uncommon for a “phantom” vehicle to cut someone off or run someone off…

Auto Accident Attorney Los Angeles

A Judgment After an Adversarial Trial is Still Needed to Obtain Amounts Above the Policy Limits.

Woodland Hills personal injury attorney Barry P. Goldberg is always looking for creative ways to obtain as much as possible for his clients.  It has become more common that the value of the plaintiff’s injuries easily exceed the available third party policy limits.  Most capable plaintiff’s attorneys know and understand how to make a “policy…

“Baby You Can Drive My Car—Yes I’m Gonna Be a Star”

Woodland Hills personal injury attorney Barry P. Goldberg is regularly consulted on accident cases where the driver involved is driving someone else’s vehicle.  “Baby you can drive my car” might have some unexpected consequences.  After an accident, consumers always ask “Does the Automobile Insurance follow the car or the driver?”  The answer to this question…

It is Critical to Understand the Legal Standards for Causation in Any Personal Injury Case

Woodland Hills Personal Injury Lawyer, Barry P. Goldberg, is careful in every case to establish each of the elements of a personal injury cause of action which too many lawyers take for granted.  More often, defendants are moving for summary judgment to negate a case on the grounds that the plaintiff cannot establish “Causation” as…

What to Do After a Pedestrian Accident

Pedestrian accidents can happen anywhere, anytime, even when you think are paying attention. Perhaps, before crossing a street, you checked left and right and saw that the coast was clear of cars. Or you saw a car and believed that you and a driver made eye contact and it was safe to cross the street, but the driver didn’t slow down. Long story short? Accidents between motorists and pedestrians in Woodland Hills are common. If you are a pedestrian who was hit by an automobile driver, there are several things you should know.

First, the driver of the car, truck, or motorcycle may face both civil and criminal liability. Civil liability means that as the injured pedestrian, you may sue for damages sustained as a result of the accident. An experienced pedestrian accident attorney will be able to help you with this. You may be able to recover medical expenses, lost wages, emotional distress, and for injuries suffered. Additionally, a local government agency, such as the District Attorney’s Office, could charge the driver with criminal liability. This means the state would prosecute the driver for injuries caused to you if the driver was determined to be breaking the law, such as driving under the influence or engaging in a hit and run. Criminal liability could result in fines, probation, jail time, and loss of a driver’s license.

Legal Obligations of Driver Who Hits a Pedestrian

Auto Accident Lawyer Los Angeles

Do You Know the Difference Between an Insurance Agent, Broker and Broker/Agent?—Should you Care?

Woodland Hills personal injury lawyer Barry P. Goldberg is a student of all things insurance.  When it comes to this topic the average person turns off immediately and just somehow trusts that the person they buy the insurance from, and then the insurer, will somehow take care of everything.  In California, it is the rule…

If you ask for “Full Coverage” Your Insurer has no Duty to provide it! Get an Independent Agent to Advise You!

Woodland Hills personal injury lawyer Barry P. Goldberg cringes when interviewing a client and hearing the response “I have Full Coverage.”  While it certainly beats “I have no coverage” or “I have minimum coverage”, it really provides less information than clients think.  In fact, there is no accepted array of automobile insurance that qualifies as…

What to Expect When Meeting Your Personal Injury Attorney for the First Time

Woodland Hills personal injury lawyer Barry P. Goldberg understands that most people are nervous about meeting a lawyer for the first time because most people have been able to avoid legal disputes most of their lives.  When you have met a lawyer, it is usually for “bad news” and is (almost) always expensive.  Besides that,…

Pedestrian Accidents: Safety Tips

Being hit by a car while walking down the street or across a crosswalk is a terrifying experience, and unfortunately, one that is not all that uncommon in the San Fernando Valley. Indeed, the Center for Disease Control shares that over 4,700  pedestrians were killed in traffic crashes in the United States in 2012, and another 76,000 pedestrians were injured. According to the CDC, “this averages to one crash-related pedestrian death every 2 hours, and a pedestrian injury every 7 minutes. Pedestrians are 1.5 times more likely than passenger vehicle occupants to be killed in a car crash on each trip.”

Pedestrian Accident Risk Factors

While pedestrian accidents injure men and women of all ages, certain demographics are more at risk for being hit by a car while walking. These include:

Stop Sign Pedestrian Accidents

Pedestrian accidents are all-too-common in the San Fernando Valley.  In California, pedestrian deaths occur in approximately 22% of all traffic fatalities. No matter how often pedestrian accidents may occur, if you are the innocent victim minding your own business and obeying pedestrian traffic laws who is hit by a motor vehicle, nothing feels common about it. Chances are you’re wondering how – and why – your accident happened and how you will recover, both financially and physically.

Drivers responsible for pedestrian accidents often claim they “failed to see” you, didn’t have time to stop, or even that it was your fault and you darted in front of their car! What’s more, their insurance company might even try to blame you for the accident. If you were hit by a drunk, distracted or reckless driver, you deserve to be compensated. Contact an experienced pedestrian accident attorney to learn more.

Driver runs a stop sign/traffic light