How to Avoid a Bicycle Accident and What to do if you are Involved in an Accident

October 23, 2018

Bicycling is a necessity for some, and an enjoyable pastime for others. No matter which category you fall into, bicycling can be dangerous. As a bicyclist, you must be hyper aware of what is going on around you. You must follow safety protocols as well as anticipate other’s actions in order to protect yourself. Below we have compiled a few tips to follow for bicycle safety. These tips can help cyclists avoid accidents, and protect themselves in the event of an accident. We will also discuss what you should do if you are involved in an accident, and if you should seek representation from a bicycle accident lawyer. Avoid High-Risk Situations One of the best ways to avoid an accident is to avoid riding in high traffic areas at peak times. A knowledgeable bicycle accident attorney in Los Angeles warns that high traffic areas are where many bicycle accidents occur. The best way to avoid an accident is to stay away from those areas. Be an “Educated” Cyclist Of course, bicycle accidents can, and do, happen any time in any area. You should always be an educated cyclist. That means, know local laws, exercise extra care if you are in unfamiliar surroundings. Plan your route ahead of time to minimize the chance of getting lost. Carry a GPS enabled device, in case you do lose your way. Ensure That You are Highly Visible to Motorists Visibility is especially important at night, but it also matters during the daylight. Make sure your bicycle is equipped with adequate reflective materials so that automobiles will be able to see you better. Also, do not wear dark clothing that may make you more difficult to see. Many accidents occur because the motorist can not see the bicyclist. Make Sure That Your Senses are Not Dulled The most obvious case of dulled senses is bicycling under the influence of drugs and alcohol. These materials impair your judgment and your senses. You can not bicycle safely when you are under the influence. Period. If you or a loved one is or was injured in a bicycling accident you should know your rights and contact the best personal injury attorney Los Angeles has to offer. A good personal injury attorney will fight for your rights and help you recover after a bicycling accident.

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The Dangers of T-Bone Accidents

October 16, 2018

When the front end of one vehicle impacts with the side of another vehicle, that’s known as a broadside crash. These types of crashes are also commonly known as T-bone crashes. They’re some of the most dangerous motor vehicle accidents that drivers and passengers can be involved in. Severe Injuries Can Result T-bones almost always occur in intersections after a driver disregards a traffic signal, stop sign or otherwise doesn’t yield the right-of-way when turning left or pulling out into the flow of traffic. Oscar Gutierrez is a Personal injury attorney Los Angeles has to offer. He’s well aware of the fact of the severe injuries that can result from broadside crashes. The Lack of Side Protection Nearly all of the safety features that are built into motor vehicles contemplate front-end collisions. Beyond a window and a door, few vehicles offer protection from side impacts. That lack of side protection leaves drivers and passengers highly vulnerable to injuries. A person on the side of a vehicle that is broadsided is far more likely to suffer severe injuries than drivers or passengers who are involved in front or rear-end collisions. The Second Impact At higher speeds, broadside accidents often cause a vehicle to spin completely out of control into oncoming traffic. That can result in a second or even a third impact with another vehicle or stationary object. It’s not unusual for these types of crashes to result in vehicle rollovers. Given the complexities of these cases, you’ll want to retain a Los Angeles car accident lawyer to protect and aggressively advance your best interests. Common T-bone Injuries In a broadside crash, people who are on the side of the vehicle where the impact occurs are more likely to suffer severe injuries. That’s because the force of the impact that is absorbed is significantly greater for them than a passenger on the other side of the vehicle. Some common injuries resulting from these crashes follow: -Traumatic brain and spinal cord injuries. -Disc and nerve damage to the neck and back. -Fractures and dislocations. -Pelvic injuries. -Damage to joints like the shoulders, knees and ankles. T-bone accidents involve complex personal injury claims and litigation. Speak with a

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Damages Recoverable After Pedestrian Accidents

October 9, 2018

Damages Recoverable After Pedestrian Accidents As per the most recent available numbers from the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, 5,987 pedestrians were killed in traffic accidents in 2016. That comes out to about one pedestrian accident fatality every 90 minutes. About 130,000 other pedestrians who were hit by motor vehicles were treated in emergency rooms across the country. About 75 percent of those fatalities occurred after sundown. Pedestrians are about 1.5 times more likely to be killed in a passenger vehicle accident than the occupants of those passenger vehicles. After all, pedestrians are virtually exposed and unprotected in the event of an accident. If a pedestrian is lucky enough to survive being hit by a motor vehicle, he or she might be eligible for an award of personal injury damages. For purposes of maximizing those damages, an experienced, aggressive and effective law firm consisting of pedestrian accident attorneys will be needed. Here are some of the damages that might be recoverable in a pedestrian accident: Past medical bills and medical bills reasonably expected to be incurred in the future. Past lost earnings and lost earnings reasonably expected to be lost in the future. Any permanent disfigurement. Any permanent disability. Pain and suffering. Loss of a normal life. In the event of a wrongful death, other damages including funeral and burial costs. If you or somebody close to you was seriously injured in a pedestrian accident, you’ll want to meet with the pedestrian accident lawyers at our offices. Call us, or use our online contact form to ask for a free consultation and case evaluation. You’ll then have the opportunity to meet with the best personal injury attorney Los Angeles

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Can Schools be Sued for Injuries to Children?

October 9, 2018

Injuries at school are a common occurrence for young children. Parents of children who were injured at school may face costly medical bills and rehabilitation costs. When a child is injured at school, it is sometimes possible for parents to sue the school for damages related to the child’s injury. Because a public school is a government entity, filing a claim is different from suing a business or a person for negligence. Appropriate steps must be taken before the parents can sue the school directly. School districts are immune from liability under a doctrine known as “sovereign immunity.” This means that school officials and the school itself cannot be held liable for injuries that occur on school grounds. The good news is that all states have waived this immunity in cases where the school or one of its employees was negligent and the negligence caused an injury. Parents who want to sue a school for their child’s injuries must proceed according to state requirements. They usually must file a “Notice of Claim” with the appropriate state agency prior to filing a lawsuit directly against the school. The notice of claim must usually be in writing, describe the nature of the claim and include a demand for compensation including a dollar amount so that the incident can be investigated. The notice must be filed within a time frame specified by state law, usually a much shorter time than that allowed for filing a lawsuit. Failure to do so may result in the claim being time-barred. In California, parents have six months from the time of the alleged injury to file a Notice of Claim. A personal injury lawyer Los Angeles CA may be able to assist parents with this type of case. If the claim is rejected by the state agency, a child injury lawyer may be able to assist parents file a claim in state courts. After the claim is filed, an investigation will typically be conducted. A personal injury lawyer will be granted access to any relevant information about the incident requested, such as witness statements, photographs, camera footage and incident reports. Even if the injury was caused by another child, the parents of an injured child may be able to claim that school officials failed to properly supervise children which contributed to the incident that caused the injury. Other types of cases may involve unsafe or improperly maintained equipment such as cracked sidewalks and playground equipment that has not been properly secured.

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How to Report Police Abuse or Misconduct

September 27, 2018

If you have been mistreated by the police or you have witnessed someone having their rights violated by the police, then you may not know what to do next. It is important for you report it as soon as possible. There are several steps that you need to take to protect yourself and the community you live in. Write Everything Down This is an extremely important step. You will need to write down everything that happened during the police encounter. You will also need to get the contact information of the police officers and witnesses. Be as descriptive as possible. Contact the Best Personal Injury Lawyer in Los Angeles You will need to contact an attorney if you have been arrested. This is an optional step if you were not arrested, but it is strongly recommended that you do this. It can be difficult to prove that police misconduct occurred. That is why you need the help of police abuse lawyers in Los Angeles. Even if you were not charged with a crime, you may still want to pursue action against the police. An attorney can help you build a strong case against the police officer. One of the many great things about hiring an attorney is that you will not have to pay upfront. You will only pay if the attorney is able to get a settlement for you. File a Police Misconduct Report You will not be able to proceed to this step until all of the civil actions and criminal charges have been resolved. If you file the report too soon, then your chances of winning in court will be smaller. However, you can go ahead and file the report if you have not been charged with a crime. Make sure that you keep copies of all of the documents.

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How Ride-Sharing Accidents Differ From Other Car Accidents

September 17, 2018

Lyft and Uber have become more popular in recent years. People love these ride-sharing companies because they make it convenient for them to get around. It is also relatively inexpensive to use a ride-sharing company. In the past, people were concerned about sharing a vehicle with a stranger. There have been a few reports of violence. However, ride-sharing companies are still considered safe for drivers and passengers. Yet, people are still concerned about car accidents. – How Ride-Sharing Accidents are Different – Drivers use their own vehicles to transport passengers – A commercial driver’s license is not required. The main purpose of ride-sharing companies is to match drivers and passengers. People who work for a ride-sharing company are not employees. However, they are screened before they are allowed to work for the company. They undergo a background check. They are also required to meet the following criteria. – They have to be at least 21-years-old. – They need to have at least one year of driving experience if you are over the age of 23. You need to have three years of experience if you are under the age of 23. – They need to have a valid driver’s license. – They need to have a four-door vehicle. – They need to have proof of vehicle insurance and registration. What Happens if You get Into an Uber Accident Uber provides its drivers with commercial insurance. The coverage kicks in when the driver takes the call. The coverage limit is $1 million. If you were injured in an accident while in an Uber, the Uber insurance will pay. In addition, you can get compensated from the driver’s insurance company if they were negligent. You should let Uber know about the accident as soon as possible. What Happens if You get into a Lyft Accident Lyft handles accidents the same way that Uber does. It has its own insurance policy. You may also be able to get compensated by the driver’s insurance policy. Contact a Ride Sharing Accident Lawyer Crashes involving a ride sharing service can be complex. That is why you need the help of a personal injury lawyer in Los Angeles. Your attorney will be able to investigate the accident thoroughly.

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I Had A Car Accident. Now What?

August 29, 2018

You may be a careful driver, but not everybody on the road drives like you. If you’ve been injured in an accident as a result of the negligence of another driver, you’ll want to protect any personal injury claim that you have. Here’s what you need to do. Stop Unless you’re creating a traffic hazard or traffic jam, stay where your car came to rest. Don’t move your car until police arrive to avoid being charged with leaving the scene of an accident that you didn’t cause. In addition you’ll also want the investigating officer to get the best perspective on how the accident happened. Call 911 Don’t get talked out of calling 911. You’ll severely damage any personal injury case that you might have without a police investigation and report. The investigating officer’s report will contain all of the information needed to pursue a claim. You’ve been injured, so ask the 911 operator to send paramedics to the scene too. They’ll evaluate your condition, treat you at the accident scene and transport you to the nearest emergency room. The records of the paramedics and emergency room personnel will begin a long paper trail that you’ll need to document your personal injury case with. Don’t Give a Statement You can tell the investigating police officer what he or she needs to know about how the accident happened. Even though the accident wasn’t your fault, you don’t ever want to give a statement of any kind to the other insurance company. The law doesn’t say that you’re required to give a statement. The other insurer will only try to use your words as a weapon against you in the future for purposes of attacking your credibility. Contact Our Offices It’s critical that you contact our offices by phone or email to arrange a free consultation and case conference with a quality car accident lawyer. A personal injury lawyer in Los Angeles from our offices will listen to you closely, answer your questions and provide you with a full range of legal options. Medical Appointments Attend each and every medical or treatment appointment that you are granted. Gaps in treatment or missed appointments will lead to allegations of faking or malingering by the opposing insurer. Never admit fault or say that you’re sorry. Stop, call 911, get treatment and contact a Los Angeles car accident lawyer from our offices right away.

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Top 5 Construction Hazards

August 15, 2018

Construction workers have one of the most dangerous jobs in the world. One thousand people died in a construction accident in 2016. Construction workers make up 6 percent of the workforce, but they make up 20 percent of workplace injuries. Fortunately, 60 percent of workplace injuries can be prevented. Most Common Construction Site Injuries: Falls Thirty percent of construction site deaths are caused by falls. Not using fall protection equipment in unstable working surfaces and in the unsafe use of ladders and scaffolding, can cause a work injury. Struck by Objects Ten percent of construction site injuries are caused by people being struck by objects. These accidents are often caused by vehicles. Construction workers have to make sure that their site stays clear of vehicles. Misuse of heavy equipment can also cause a person to get struck by an object. For this reason, it is why it’s important for every employee to receive the proper training. Electrical Hazards Electrical accidents cause 8 percent of construction deaths. Construction workers will need to identify the utilities before they start working. They will also need to use ground-fault circuit interrupters. Caught in Between Seven percent of deaths occur when a person gets caught in between the pipe and excavation These accidents often occur when a construction site trench collapses. The trench should be at least five feet deep. Hazardous Materials Construction sites have a lot of hazardous materials in them. There are chemicals that may spill and create a hazard. There are also toxic materials that can be inhaled. The proper safety equipment will need to be used in order to prevent accidents. Contact a Construction Accident Lawyer Many construction accidents are the result of the accident. That is why you need the help of a work injury lawyer. A work accident lawyer can review your case and determine who is at fault. Your personal injury lawyer in Los Angeles can and will help you get compensated.

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