Map Apps, Distracted Driving, and Car Accidents

Many drivers in Los Angeles and the San Fernando Valley claim that Waze is the best invention since sliced bread. Waze is an app with 40 million registered users that shares real-time traffic and road info, with the goal of saving everyone time and gas money on their daily commute. Google bought the Israel-based app in 2013 for $1 billion, plus $100 million in employee retention and incentives.

Map apps and distracted driving

Waze is a lifeline for many So Cal drivers who want to avoid hours of traffic and frustration (read abut a recent case of road rage gone very bad here). For example, if someone is stuck in traffic due to a car accident, they will report their observation which in turn allows other users to view and plan their drive accordingly. The app also updates a user’s route based on current traffic conditions.

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Car AccidentBy Barry Goldberg
Los Angeles Auto Accident Attorney

Analyzing the Enforceability of a Release—Was There Gross Negligence?

Woodland Hills personal injury lawyer Barry P. Goldberg is consulted for many very serious injuries sometimes related to fairly dangerous activities and others rather routine.  More and more, we are seeing a signed “Release of All Liability” which may bar all recovery for injuries caused by dangerous equipment, negligent employees and negligent co-participants.  Most commonly,…

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Personal InjuryBy Barry Goldberg

When Road Rage Leads to Auto Accidents

If you’ve ever driven in Southern California, you know firsthand just how frustrating it can be. With traffic, construction, distracted drivers who are texting and eating and reading newspapers (we witnessed that once during rush hour on the 10 freeway!) a trip to the grocery store down the street can turn into a several hour affair.

It’s not surprising then, that driving in these conditions can leave a person frustrated and stressed. What is not acceptable is when the driver takes their aggression out on an innocent victim, such as a motorcyclist or cyclist who is obeying the rules of the road but just happens to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. While many instances of road rage do involve bicyclists and motorcyclists, automobiles are not in the clear. Let’s take the case of a recent road rage incident in Hollywood.

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Car AccidentBy Barry Goldberg

Financial Recovery for Emotional and Mental Suffering

If you have recently been injured in an auto accident in the San Fernando Valley, you are probably focused on your physical injuries. But what many accident victims do not know is that emotional and/or mental trauma is quite common following a car crash and you have the right to seek financial compensation for both.

Emotional Pain and Suffering

As we have discussed, a car accident victim can recover financial damages for emotional pain and suffering. Many injured victims, however, pay little attention to the effects of the car accident on their emotional and mental health. They are too busy dealing with physical injuries (broken bones, whiplash), mounting medical bills, and unhelpful insurance companies to focus on potential emotional trauma. This isn’t right.

Emotional distress

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Car AccidentBy Barry Goldberg

Multi-Car Accidents: Who is At Fault?

As we have discussed, auto accidents in Woodland Hills can take many forms. For example, motor vehicle collisions can be head-on, side swipe, rear-end, and hit and run, to name a few. The injuries and property damage can vary from accident to accident, but there is one common thread: if you were not at fault, and you or your loved one suffered an injury as a result of another driver’s negligence, you have the right to recover financial compensation. What happens when you are involved in a multi-car crash and each driver is blaming the other? Who is at fault?

Multi-Car Collisions

One type of auto accident that can be particularly complicated and stressful is the multi-car pile up. A multi-car crash involves more than two vehicles and with constant traffic and construction on San Fernando Valley roads, these types of auto accidents happen on a regular basis. In fact, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that approximately 40% of all traffic-related injuries and fatalities occur as a result of collisions involving more than two motor vehicles.

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Car AccidentBy Barry Goldberg

San Fernando Valley Bike Laws

Los Angeles and the San Fernando Valley are relatively bike-friendly communities. Replete with bike trails, pro-cyclists traffic laws, and experienced bike accident attorneys who can and do successfully represent bike accident victims in lawsuits against angry or distracted drivers, cyclists in the San Fernando are generally protected. What happens, however, when bike trails are not available and bicyclists and motorists are required to share the same road?

As nice as it feels to have the wind blowing in your face, as a cyclist, you are at greater risk of injury in an accident than a motorist. Motorists are protected by seat belts, airbags, and surrounded by steel; cyclists may be wearing a helmet for protection. While not every cyclist in California is currently required to wear a helmet, a bill was recently introduced to make California the first state requiring adult bicyclists to wear helmets. According to some biking advocates who oppose the bill, they are worried that by requiring bicyclists to wear helmets, the state would discourage people from becoming bike commuters. According to the group, the California Bicycle Coalition, “evidence shows that mandatory helmet laws make the streets less safe for people on bicycles — and for everyone — by discouraging bicycling … And we know that having more bicyclists and pedestrians on the streets makes them safer for everyone.”

Types of bike accident injuries

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Bike AccidentBy Barry Goldberg

Tracy Morgan Truck Accident Settlement

Last year, comedian Tracy Morgan and his friend James McNair were involved in a serious truck accident. Tracy suffered severe injuries and McNair was killed when a Walmart truck collided with the limo bus that was carrying the comedians who were returning from a comedy show. In the wrongful death lawsuit brought by McNair’s children, Walmart agreed to pay out a $10 million settlement to the children. You can read more about Tracy Morgan’s accident here.

Traumatic Brain Injury Stats

Numerous reports stated that Tracy suffered broken bones (broken leg bones, a broken nose and several broken ribs) and may have suffered a brain injury as a result of the crash. According to The Brain Trauma Foundation, auto accidents are the second most common cause of traumatic brain injuries, after falls. Additionally:

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Car AccidentBy Barry Goldberg

Can I Recover for Pain & Suffering After a CA Car Accident?

I was badly injured in a car accident in the San Fernando Valley. I know my medical and doctor bills should be covered by insurance, but what about my pain and suffering?

In California, an individual who was injured in an auto accident may recover for pain and suffering. There are two broad types of damages, or financial recovery, available: Economic and Non-Economic. Damages for pain and suffering fall into the non-economic category and can be the most controversial part of an auto accident case; in part because they are not easily defined or quantified without the guidance of an experienced auto accident lawyer.

Non-Economic Damages

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Car AccidentBy Barry Goldberg

Using Video Footage From Your Auto Accident

Today’s technological advancements mean that almost everyone has a way to take video footage of what goes on around them. The ability to capture footage can be especially useful when a car accident in the San Fernando Valley occurs. There are several types video surveillance footage that may be used if you are injured in an accident. For example, the footage can also be helpful to show that you weren’t at fault. Your attorney can help you locate and use appropriate footage, but it makes sense to understand all of the types footage to request from law enforcement or other drivers.

First, red-light cameras can provide helpful footage. The cameras are usually installed in areas where a significant number of auto accidents occur or where it is likely drivers will commit traffic violations. The cameras record information of traffic violations and identify offending drivers. The red-light cameras can also show whether a driver fails to stop at a red light and how fast he or she was driving through the intersection. Cameras are often mounted at different angles, which can create useful evidence for a victim. Not all intersections have red-light cameras. Your auto accident attorney may be able to help you request this footage from the city or municipality that maintains the camera, although it may take time, and possibly a court order, for it to be released.

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Car AccidentBy Barry Goldberg