Attorney Barry P. Goldberg, who was recently elected as a Trustee to the San Fernando Valley Bar Association, has served as a Co-Chair of the Arbitration Committee for four years. Read on to learn about recent upgrades to the system, including a newly designed website.
With the holidays just around the corner, more and more shipping trucks will be on the roads delivering food, presents, decorations, and more. Combine that with more cars on the road, as many of travel to visit family and friends for holiday celebrations, and you have a potential recipe for disaster.
Last year, the American Automobile Association estimated that 46 million people travelled over the Thanksgiving holiday, many of them by automobile. And because so many people take to the roads over the long Thanksgiving holiday, as well as during Hanukkah, Christmas, and New Years, the chances of being involved in a fatal or injurious car or truck accident increases. Drunk driving and/or drugged driving is also a major concern and is the leading cause of traffic accidents during the holiday season beginning with Thanksgiving and ending with New Years.
DetailsWhile we often hear about drunk driving and the damage it causes, there is another terror on the road, one that is not as well known but is on the rise: drugged driving.
According to a 2013 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, an estimated 9.9 million people aged 12 or older reported driving under the influence of illicit drugs during the year prior to being surveyed. While the rate of drunk driving is still higher, at 11%, drugged driving is still a serious concern and a form of distracted driving that can cause injury, or even death. Illegal drugs aren’t the only concern when it comes to driving while under the influence. A 2013-2014 National Roadside Survey found that more than 22% of drivers tested positive for illegal, prescription, or over-the-counter drugs. Indeed, of these drivers who tested positive for drugs, 47% had used a prescription drug, 37% had used marijuana, and 10% had used cocaine. If you or a loved one was injured by a driver in Woodland Hills who was under the influence of drugs or alcohol, you may be able to file a claim to recover financial compensation.
Woodland Hills Personal Injury lawyer Barry P. Goldberg may not believe in evil spirits and the undead and certainly would not represent them in court. However, this Halloween the California Court of Appeal has handed the undead a major victory to go along with the rare Halloween full moon. In a recent unpublished decision, delivered…
DetailsIf you are like 64% of Americans, you will be celebrating Halloween this weekend. Halloween is considered by many to be a fun holiday, with an opportunity to dress up in a crazy / creative / unique costume and eat a lot of sugar! Indeed, Halloween is known by many, certainly children, for its trick or treating. And for good reason — we are projected to spend $2.1 billion on Halloween candy in the U.S. this year alone!
With 41 million potential trick or treaters between the ages of 4 and 15 expected to be out on the streets this Halloween, it is important for parents to keep a few safety tips in mind to ensure a safe holiday. While a day of fun for many, Halloween poses plenty of real dangers that lead to real injuries and real cases. Claims can range from pedestrian accidents to dog bites and premises liability. By following these tips, you can help to ensure that you and your family and friends stay safe this Halloween while out and about in Woodland Hills.
It seems that hands-free devices may not be the solution to our distracted driving they were once thought to be. A recent study by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety shows some startling — and frightening — numbers about the risks of using a hands-free device (such as a smart phone or tablet) while driving. While texting and driving has been getting a lot of bad press lately (and for good reason! The number of serious injuries and fatalities associated with texting while driving are astounding), it appears that even using your device in “hands-free” mode has its downsides. If you or a loved one was injured in a car accident in Woodland Hills that was the result of a driver’s inattention or distracted driving, contact an experienced accident attorney to discuss your rights.
Were you involved in an auto accident with your infant child? Even if your child was snugly secured in his/her car seat, you likely still have fears about your baby’s health and well-being, especially if your baby is crying.
Car accidents are traumatic experiences for everyone, and infant children are no exception. If your child starts crying after you are hit by a reckless or negligent driver, you may be concerned that the tears mean he or she is injured. While that certainly may be the case, and it is necessary to take every precaution listed below to ensure your child’s safety, he or she may also be crying because of the sound and shock of the car crash and/or because the baby senses your anxiety.
With an infant child unable to tell you what is wrong, a parent involved in a car accident with an infant needs to take the following steps immediately.
These days, texting and driving gets a lot of backlash. And for good reason. In 2011, texting and driving was responsible for over 1.3 million car crashes, including many serious accidents in Woodland Hills. Statistically speaking, texting while driving makes a crash 23 times more likely than even talking on the phone and driving. If you or a loved one is injured by a driver who was texting instead of paying attention to the road, you may be able to bring a legal claim against them for damages.
However, texting while behind the wheel is not the only culprit of unsafe driving. In fact, many car accidents, especially among teens, are caused by other passengers in the car. Teens have the highest crash rate of any age group in the US and distraction is a factor in 58% of the accidents. And the top cause of these accidents? Not cellphone use (although that was #2): The top cause of distraction for teen drivers was interacting with one or more passengers. Researchers found that to be the cause of 15% of distracted-driving accidents among the teen drivers.
DetailsIt is estimated that over 4 million US residents are bitten by a dog each year. Many of these dog bites victims are in California, where over 40% of households own at least one dog. Some of these bites are just surface level “scrapes” and thankfully, do not cause serious injury. However, many dog bite victims are not so lucky. Approximately 885,000 bites per year — almost one out of every 5 — are serious enough to require medical attention (according to the CDC).
So what do you do if you or a loved one is bitten by a dog that requires serious medical attention and carries long-term consequences? Contact an experienced dog bite lawyer in Woodland Hills to discuss your legal rights and potential for financial recovery.
Burn injuries can be long-lasting, even permanent. And they can happen in the blink of an eye. Someone driving safely in their car, heading to work or to dinner or to the store, could wake up after being hit by another automobile with disfiguring, painful, and embarrassing injuries caused by burns.
When we think of auto accidents in Woodland Hills, we generally think of broken bones or whiplash and other neck injuries. We do not often think of burns. But first, second, and third degree burns are all common injuries suffered by accident victims. Indeed, car accidents involving air bag impact or a horrific fire can result in burns. If you or a loved one suffered burns or other injuries in a car accident that was not your fault, you may have a potential legal claim.