Frequently Asked Legal Questions
Common Questions California Injury Victims Have When Looking for Legal Guidance
A National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) analysis of 2003–2005 trauma-center data found that lower-extremity injuries were the most common body-region injuries among motorcyclists age 15 and older who sustained moderate or more serious injuries. Leg injuries were the most frequent, followed by injuries to the pelvis and knees. Lower-extremity trauma can range from bruising and ligament damage to open...
You may have a personal injury claim for your own injuries and losses. If police identify the driver, the claim may go through the driver's liability insurance. However, if police never find the driver, uninsured motorist coverage may apply depending on your coverage and whether you meet the reporting and physical contact requirements. If your child is later born...
Many Fresno personal injury lawyers work on a contingency fee basis, where clients generally pay no attorney fees upfront. Under this arrangement, your attorney's payment comes out of any settlement or court award, not in advance from your own funds. Two less common alternatives, hourly billing and flat fees, come with very different trade-offs. Some lawyers may also require...
A head-on collision occurs when the front ends of vehicles traveling in opposite directions collide, sometimes producing severe forces and serious injuries. For example, when two similar vehicles each travel at 50 mph and collide head-on, each may experience a crash severity roughly comparable to striking a rigid barrier at 50 mph, not 100 mph. The impact can still...
Motor vehicle accidents account for roughly 38% of new spinal cord injury (SCI) cases every year, making them the leading cause of SCIs in the United States. Vehicle crashes are especially dangerous to the spinal cord because they can expose the body to sudden compression, twisting, and rapid forward-and-back movement. These forces may fracture or dislocate the vertebrae, causing...
Ribs are among the bones most commonly fractured in car accidents. The clavicle (collarbone) and femur (thighbone) are also frequently injured, along with bones in the arms, pelvis, face, skull, and spine, depending on the force and direction of the collision. For a personal injury claim, however, the location of the fracture is only part of the issue. What...
If you got the hit-and-run driver's license plate, report it to law enforcement and any applicable insurer as soon as possible. The plate can help police identify the registered vehicle owner. Investigators can then use other evidence to determine who was driving. A license plate does not prove the registered owner caused the crash. The owner and driver may be...
Certain incidents are called transportation incidents when pedestrians, roadway workers, or others not in vehicles are hit by vehicles or powered equipment. This classification applies if the vehicle or equipment is being used for transportation, and its movement or a traffic event results in the impact. The circumstances of a workplace death can affect which agencies investigate, what evidence is...
Foreign-body injuries are among the most common eye injuries at work. They occur when dust, metal shavings, wood chips, concrete particles, or other debris strike the eye or become lodged in it. Even a small particle can cause serious pain. It may scratch the cornea, causing a corneal abrasion. It can also become embedded in the eye or lead to...
According to the California Office of Traffic Safety Annual Report (2024), California recorded a motorcycle fatality rate of 79 deaths per 100,000 registered motorcycles in 2022. More recently, 583 motorcyclists died in California traffic crashes in 2023, accounting for 14% of all traffic deaths statewide. Motorcycle crashes are more likely to result in fatal injuries because riders have limited physical...
TL;DR: A pedestrian accident attorney in California should have direct pedestrian case experience, knowledge of local courts, trial readiness, and strong client reviews. Many attorneys work on a contingency basis, which means you typically pay nothing up front, and they take a percentage of any settlement or judgment only if you win. Still, time is critical; evidence like surveillance...
There is no official current national count of accidents caused by truck drivers. However, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's (FMCSA) Large Truck Crash Causation Study (LTCCS) revealed that when a large truck was assigned the crash’s “critical reason,” about 87% received a driver-related code. These codes covered issues such as poor decisions, inattention, fatigue, and loss of vehicle...
There is no official nationwide count of crashes caused specifically by drivers failing to use turn signals. However, one frequently cited 2012 observational study presented by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) estimated that turn signal neglect could contribute to as many as 2 million crashes each year in the United States. The figure is an extrapolation from observed...
TL;DR: Fire trucks and other fire department emergency vehicles are involved in thousands of crashes annually. According to NFPA estimates, there were 16,900 accidents in 2024, resulting in approximately 650 firefighter injuries. Between 2019 and 2023, there was an average of 17,865 accidents per year. If hit by a fire truck in California, you have only 6 months to...
California law gives you 30 days to notify your employer and one year from the date of injury to file a claim, though limited exceptions apply in certain circumstances. Missing either one can put your workers' compensation benefits at serious risk. Dealing with strict deadlines while you are hurt or facing medical bills is not easy. You may be unsure...
To find a personal injury lawyer in Alameda, use the local bar association’s referral service and verify attorney credentials through an official state licensing body. Then, schedule free consultations with each lawyer before making a decision. Most personal injury attorneys in Alameda offer free initial consultations. That means you can speak with several candidates at no cost before choosing one....
In California, there is no single universal deadline for filing an insurance claim for DUI injuries. However, state law gives you two years from the date of the crash to file a personal injury lawsuit. The clock starts on the day of the crash itself, not when you finish treatment or when insurance denies your claim. Certain facts can...
To find a workers' comp lawyer in California, start by checking the attorney's license status through the State Bar of California's Attorney Search. Then compare lawyers based on their experience with Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board (WCAB) claims, denied benefits, delayed disability payments, treatment disputes, settlements, and communication. A work injury may also involve more than workers' compensation. If a negligent...
After a dog bite in Alhambra, get medical care first. Then, report the bite to Alhambra Animal Control, document your injuries carefully, and contact a lawyer as soon as you can. You may have options under California law when such an incident happens to you. Knowing what to do can help protect your health and your legal rights. ...
Securing your dog in the back seat with a crash-tested harness, crate, or carrier is the best way to keep them safe in a car accident. Your dog is family, and the thought of them getting hurt in a crash is something most pet owners never want to imagine. The problem is that many dogs ride in cars without any...
Yes, you can sue someone if you fall in their driveway. Under California premises liability law, you can sue if a property owner’s negligence caused the injury. This law holds property owners responsible for keeping their land reasonably safe. Negligence may exist if the property owner or another person controlling the driveway created the dangerous condition, knew about it,...
Yes, you may be able to pursue more than what the at-fault driver's policy will pay. California law offers several paths when your damages exceed those policy limits. This may include the driver's personal assets, a third-party liability claim, and uninsured or underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage. California's minimum insurance limits can leave victims short after a serious DUI crash. A...
Yes, you could potentially sue someone for hitting you in a crosswalk. California Vehicle Code (CVC) § 21950 generally gives pedestrians the right of way in marked and unmarked crosswalks, and drivers must yield when required by law. If they fail to do so and you sustain injuries and losses, you may have the right to file a personal...
California retail workers can file workers' compensation for back and hip injuries under a no-fault system. That no-fault design means you can focus on getting better rather than proving negligence. Workers’ comp covers both sudden accidents and injuries that worsen over time. Retail work puts real strain on your body. You may spend entire shifts on your feet, carry heavy...
Yes, you can file an insurance claim if someone hits your parked car. You do not need the other driver’s full information to start the claim. California law and your insurance policy both provide ways to recover repair costs, including in hit-and-run cases. Uninsured Motorist Property Damage (UMPD) applies only if the at-fault vehicle is identified as uninsured and the...
Potentially. A trucking company may be liable if the driver was acting within the scope of employment or agency, or if the company’s own negligence contributed to the crash. Trucking companies must follow federal rules that go far beyond standard traffic laws. Commercial carriers operating on this corridor must comply with both California law and federal safety regulations that go...
Under California law, if another person’s carelessness led to your brain injury, you might be eligible to pursue a lawsuit. With a personal injury claim, you may pursue financial compensation for how this injury has affected your overall quality of life. Brain damage can be debilitating. Victims often require long-term care, repeated specialist visits, and extended time away from work....
Black box data can help establish fault in a California truck accident when it shows unsafe or reckless driving. It records objective facts such as speed, braking, and steering right before impact. While it does not directly assign legal fault, it provides clear evidence of what the truck did. That can strongly support a finding of who caused the...
You can sue a third party after a scaffold accident in Sacramento if their negligence caused your injury. California law allows injured workers to pursue compensation from contractors, property owners, or equipment makers, even while receiving workers’ compensation benefits. Downtown, Midtown, the Railyards, and West Sacramento's Bridge District are driving the region's construction boom. New towers, healthcare facilities, and infrastructure...
You may sue for an elevator or escalator injury when unsafe equipment, poor maintenance, or a defect causes harm. In California, injured people may pursue a claim against the property owner, maintenance company, or manufacturer if negligence is involved. Elevator and escalator injury claims usually involve negligence. Negligence means a failure to use reasonable care that results in harm. Common...