Recent Blog Posts
Tips to Avoid Making An Accident Worse
We cannot control what other drivers do on the road. Another driver’s thoughtless or careless act can change our lives forever in a matter of seconds. It is frustrating and frightening to think that our lives and the lives of our loved ones could be in the hands of a distracted, drunk, speeding, or… Read More »
FACIAL DOG BITE WOUNDS
When dealing with a facial dog bite case, there are a few factors that can be quite important in the overall outcome of the case, separate and apart from establishing liability (responsibility, negligence, carelessness, etc.) of the dog owner. It is very important to have photographs taken at various stages of the dog bite… Read More »
WORKERS’ COMPENSATION: FAMILY MEMBERS CAN BE PAID!
In certain serious Workers’ Compensation cases, it is possible to have family members (usually the injured worker’s spouse) paid to take care of the injured worker. Typically this requires a physician to recommend some form of nursing care and/or Home Health care. If it is determined that the Workers’ Compensation insurance carrier will or… Read More »
Court of Appeals Addresses Whether Liens Must be Negotiated Prior to Providing Plaintiff’s Counsel with Settlement Funds
A new case has addressed an issue that has long been an annoyance of plaintiff’s attorneys. The case is Karpinski v. Smitty’s Bar, Inc.(2016) 2016 Cal App LEXIS 277. Mr. Karpinksy was the victim of a serious beating while on the Smitty’s premises. After filing suit, the case settled at mediation on May 5,… Read More »
IS A SWISS ARMY KNIFE A WEAPON?
The California Supreme Court heard oral arguments within the last week in a case in which a defendant received an enhanced sentence for possessing a multi-tool Swiss army knife at the time of a traffic stop. During the traffic stop, the Swiss army knife was discovered in the defendant’s pocket, with the blade allegedly… Read More »
Forest Ranger Gets Burned
Puskar, a forest ranger at Yosemite National Park was severely burned while living at County provided housing. As part of his job, Puskar was required to stay at the park while working as a ranger. He rented a residential unit from the County – a public entity. The County, whom rented the living units… Read More »
I DIDN’T DO IT! IT’S THE CAR’S FAULT!
News is circulating about an auto accident caused, at least in part, by on of Google’s self-driving cars. A report filed by Google indicated that the crash, which took place in Mountain View, California in mid-February, occurred when the self-driving car tried to get around some sandbags, colliding with the side of a bus… Read More »
7 Things to Always Keep in Your Car
*Updated June, 2022 From the moment we receive our first driver’s license, it seems like our lives are a non-stop car ride from one destination to the next. With so much time spent behind the wheel, there are a number of items that no vehicle should be without—particularly in the event of an accident… Read More »
Primary Assumption of the Risk Strikes… Again!
I’ve written in the past about the primary assumption of the risk doctrine and how it has been greatly expanded over the years. You can read that article here. Recently, the Court of Appeal for the Fourth Appellate District has revisited the limits of this issue. The case is titled, Griffin v. The Haunted… Read More »
TO TREAT OR NOT TO (OVER)TREAT: THAT IS THE QUESTION
When attorneys representing defendants in personal injury cases argue that plaintiffs have obtained too much treatment, they refuse to fully compensate the plaintiff for the costs of that medical treatment. Quite as often, defense attorneys also argue that a plaintiff’s lack of treatment shows that they were not really injured, and refuse to fully… Read More »
