Woodland Hills personal injury lawyer Barry P. Goldberg is very careful about which slip and fall/trip and fall cases he accepts. There are many reasons for this caution, not the least of which is that there are many defenses to such actions which must be overcome in order to establish liability. Also, it is important…
DetailsLast 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.
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:
DetailsI 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.
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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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…
DetailsRollover accidents have a higher fatality rate than other types of crashes, according to statistics from the National Highway and Transportation Administration. Every week, tragic headlines of fatal rollover accidents remind us of how dangerous these types of auto accidents can be.
A rollover accident occurs when driver loses control of the vehicle, tries to over-correct, runs off the road, and causes the vehicle to “roll over.” Such an accident may result in passengers being tossed around the vehicle or even ejected from it.
Woodland Hills personal injury lawyer Barry P. Goldberg is a constant advocate of the C.C.P. § 998 Offer to Compromise in every case that is in litigation. In short, there is no reason not to serve an Offer to Compromise which has the potential effect of reversing the substantial costs of trial, including expert witness…
DetailsIn many driving situations in the San Fernando Valley, it is dangerous — and sometimes downright illegal — to make a u-turn. It is not surprising that turning the car 180 degrees, to travel with oncoming traffic, can cause serious accidents. Indeed, hundreds of drivers are injured and even killed every year when making u-turns. If you or a loved one was injured by a driver making a reckless u-turn, contact an experienced auto accident attorney.
Common causes of u-turn accidents can include making a u-turn where it is illegal to do so; making a u-turn from a parked position or stopped position on the right side of the road; reckless, careless or negligent u-turns without looking for traffic, and obstructed views; and making a u-turn through a middle yellow “turning” lane. Whether a u-turn is illegal depends in part on where you do it.
DetailsUnfortunately, accidents near or on freeway off-ramps and on-ramps in the San Fernando Valley are more common than one might wish. Recently, for example, a So Cal driver carrying newspapers in a pickup truck hit a guardrail located near an onramp, flipped over, and the car lights turned off. A sedan headed onto the onramp ran into the truck, and the driver of the truck died as a result of this second accident. In another instance, a woman pushing her baby in a stroller was seriously injured in a pedestrian accident when an SUV struck her as she was walking through the crosswalk of an on-ramp.
While many vehicles accelerate to enter the freeway at safe speeds, many do not and the risk to pedestrians, stopped cars, and other drivers is high. These tragic tales are a harsh reminder of the importance of driving without distractions and proceeding on and off of freeways with extreme care.
DetailsDespite its glorification in Hollywood films such as the “Fast and the Furious” series and “Need for Speed,” street racing (or drag racing) has been blamed for causing many accidents — and with good reason. Drivers often lose control of their vehicles due to high racing speeds, resulting in injuries and fatalities to drivers, passengers, or bystanders.
Street racing generally refers to any contest or exhibition of speed between two or more vehicles on any street or roadway and is illegal in most states, including California. According to the Department of Motor Vehicles and the California Office of Traffic Safety, hundreds of citations are issued each year for illegal speed racing. Since 2006, California has allowed prosecutors to charge drivers who engage in reckless driving or speed contests that injure another person with a felony. Drivers could also be sentenced to six months in state prison and fined up to $1,000. Prior to that time, drivers could only be charged with a misdemeanor and thus faced shorter prison stints (if they faced any at all).
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