mandell law firm

Have You Been in a Woodland Hills Bicycle Accident?

Or anywhere else for that matter. Although we are kids when we first learn how to navigate our neighborhoods on a bicycle, mastering that simple task provides us with an accomplishment that we can enjoy throughout the rest of our lives. Even as we age, we are never too old to appreciate this simple pleasure.

But every year bicycle riders put their lives on the line while riding. As a result, they often become injured by automobile drivers who aren’t paying attention. If you’ve been involved in a Woodland Hills bicycle accident, or anywhere else, you should talk to an attorney about the legal remedies that are available to you.

Bicycles Are Invisible

The dangers are the same for bicycle riders as for those who ride motorcycles. Automobile drivers are looking out for other automobiles, not two-wheeled vehicles. A bicycle doesn’t provide much of a visible presence on the road, and therefore can easily become involved in an accident – usually due to no fault of the rider. Since bicycles are required to share the same roads as automobiles, there are bound to be unfortunate incidents where the two come together.

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Part Two of a Two-Part Series

You might reasonably ask yourself, “Why should I hire a personal injury attorney?” There are a lot of good reasons, but for one – insurance companies love to see plaintiffs who are not legally represented. This means that, not only can they utilize their own expert legal staff against you, but they can drag out the proceedings to the point that you may well settle out of court simply in sheer desperation.

If you are forced to hold out long enough, you may have to take whatever they offer just to recover something, and get on with your life. But you should also know that an insurance company is under no obligation to settle with you.

Another reason why you should never represent yourself is the complexity of the process. You will be required to answer every request for information and documents and you must be able to do so in a timely manner. Insurance companies are well-versed in the law. You’re not. They know this, and they use it to their advantage.

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Part One of a Two-Part Series

Being injured is never something to take lightly. Even if you are minding your own business, your life can be permanently changed in an instant. You would like to think that the party responsible for your injury would be willing to make things right, but sadly, you’ll find that most of the time you would be wrong.

If you’re injured by an individual, as in an auto accident, he will turn the matter over to his insurance company to handle. If your injury is the result of an error or carelessness on the part of a company, corporation, or other public or private entity, they will not only have an insurance carrier on their side, but may also employ legal counsel whose mission will be to diminish or deny responsibility altogether, and find legal grounds on which to contest your claim.

In this two-part series you will learn:

• What constitutes personal injury
• After your injury – what to do and what not to do
• Why you should hire a personal injury attorney
• Finding the right attorney
• What you may be entitled to recover

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Southern California Truck Accidents

Are you a Southern California resident who has been involved in an accident with a large truck? Have you experienced personal injury that has not only interrupted your job, but has left you with substantial medical debt and possibly even a restricted outlook on life? Then you need to talk to a California personal injury lawyer. They are there to help you secure the compensation you deserve as well as recover your life.

Each year, thousands of people in Southern California are involved in collisions involving large trucks. A significant percentage of the occupants of these automobiles are either killed or see a drastic reduction in their quality of life as a result. It’s hard to imagine anyone coming into contact with such a mass of moving steel and not being seriously injured. These are the situations when personal injury law can provide protection.

Devastation and Serious Injury

These types of accidents are almost always devastating, even at slow speeds. When you compare the size of an automobile to a large truck, especially a tractor trailer, the automobile just doesn’t stand a chance. The car’s occupants can be seriously injured, even in what normally might be considered a minor accident.

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You’ve Been Injured. What Next?

Personal injury cases are based on the premise that someone was injured by the act of another person or entity. If you find yourself in this unfortunate situation, you should seek out a top personal injury attorney who can fight for you and your rights. Since these cases are not necessarily clear cut, it is rarely advisable for you to go this alone.

When pursuing your personal injury case, the first thing on your list should be finding a good attorney. Even after you have narrowed down your choices, you still need to do a little research in order to make sure that he or she will be the right fit for you. This means looking for reviews from other clients, complaints, and even pending lawsuits that may have been filed. The Better Business Bureau is a great place to find this kind of information.

The Face to Face Meeting

You will next want to set a meeting with your attorney. Here, you will discuss the details of your case to determine if you do, in fact, have a viable claim. This is when your attorney will instruct you on what can be expected through each step of the process. This is also the time that your attorney will instruct you as to what will be expected of you. This will include any information you may have, the facts of your case, contacts who can help to verify your case, and any other information pertinent to your claim. The defendant’s attorney will also be contacting your attorney to swap information material to the case.

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Mobile Phones Behind the Wheel – An Evolving Danger

Anyone who has ever been behind the wheel of an automobile will eventually come across an auto accident. A majority of the time, these are the result of not paying close attention to the road. With the advent of mobile phones with texting and email capabilities, the dangers of “distracted driving” are more apparent than ever. The combination of driving and constant communication has created a recipe for disaster.

In 2010 alone, about 1.6 million traffic accidents in the U.S. were caused by the use of mobile phones while driving. That figure represents more than 28 percent of all traffic accidents. While the culprit used to be talking on mobile phones, now the problem has evolved into texting, sending and receiving emails, photos, and browsing the internet while behind the wheel.

Need to Text? Pull Over.

Now, technology allows us to remain in constant touch with others. While this is intended to be a matter of convenience, it can quickly place others in a danger. Consider the fact that in 2009, the number of text messages sent totaled 1.5 trillion. By 2010, that number had increased by four-fold, to 6.1 trillion. With more and more individuals getting mobile phones with text and email capability, that number will continue to climb rapidly.

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I Can Do This. Right?

Personal injury law encompasses a broad array of circumstances. These may include, but are not limited to, injury in an auto accident or some mode of public transportation, slip and fall on property owned by someone else, injury from dog bite or other animal that does not belong to you. These, and more, all fall under the umbrella of personal injury and the severity of your injury may have a big impact on exactly how your claim is processed. There may be occasions when you could handle a claim on your own, either through an insurance company or small claims court. In other situations, you would be well advised to seek the counsel of a qualified legal professional. This will depend on the seriousness of your injury, and your comfort level in dealing with bureaucratic red tape.

When Is It Smart To Do It Yourself?

Auto accidents are by far one of the most common causes of personal injury, even for good, careful drivers. If you’re rear-ended by another driver and injuries to you and your passengers are slight, and the damage to your car is minor, you may feel comfortable simply filing a claim with your insurance, or the other driver’s insurance. If you feel that compensation is sufficient to cover repairs to your vehicle and any medical treatment received, and you are satisfied with the timeliness and professionalism of the service, then this would constitute a good outcome for you.

If, on the other hand, you’re not comfortable or not willing to negotiate with insurance adjusters to reach what you consider to be fair compensation for your loss, then you should turn this task over to someone who is skilled and professional and who can represent your best interests. Waiting until you’ve tried and failed to arrive at a fair settlement, and then seeking the advice of a personal injury lawyer can complicate your claim process. If you’re unsure about how to handle your personal injury claim, contact an attorney immediately and explain the details of your case. Most will offer a free consultation, and most will inform you if their services are not really required for your particular situation.

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Plan For Fun. Prepare for Adversity.

The holiday season is upon us, and for many Southern California families holiday tradition sometimes means travel, whether driving to a nearby city to visit parents and grandparents, or flying across the country to participate in a large family gathering. In either case, there are potential stresses and hazards that can be mitigated, or even avoided altogether, with a little careful planning beforehand.

The Winter Roadtrip

If you’re planning to drive to your holiday destination keep in mind that winter driving conditions, even in parts of California, are the most dangerous. Auto accidents related to driving in snow and ice result in 6000 deaths each year in this country. Another half million Americans are injured, according to The National Center for Atmospheric Research.

A Holiday Travel Checklist

The Mandell Law family wants your holiday trip to be as safe, happy, and stress-free as possible, so here are a few tips that can help you enjoy a warm and joyous holiday trip.

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What Constitutes Medical Malpractice?

When a physician deviates from the applicable standards of care that other physicians would exercise under the same circumstances, this is potentially a case of medical malpractice. To succeed with such a claim in court, a plaintiff must prove breach of the standard of care (a mistake that a prudent and reasonable doctor wouldn’t have made under the same circumstances), causation (proof that the injury wouldn’t have occurred or have been as serious if it wasn’t for the doctor’s mistake), and damages (in the form of lost wages, medical bills, agony, mental suffering or death).

Demonstrating proof of malpractice almost always requires the testimony of an expert witness in the same field of practice as the alleged negligent health care worker. In addition to bringing action against a negligent doctor in such a case, through the doctrine of vicarious liability, claims can also be brought against hospitals, nurses, and any other health care professionals who may have had a part in the negligence.

Pharmaceutical Injury

Annually, thousands of patients are injured, and even die, due to complications and negligence that result from errors in treatment.These may include medication errors, surgical malpractice, bacterial infections, birth injury, dental malpractice, errors in diagnosis, wrong site surgery, gastric bypass errors, breast implant complications, emergency room mistakes, elder abuse, nursing home neglect, and a variety of consequences resulting from pharmaceutical mishap.

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Some Surprises Can Make Your Day

Some days just don’t turn out exactly as we expected. But, sometimes, the surprises can turn out to be just what we needed. As most of us begin looking forward to the season of holidays, whether we celebrate for religious, or secular, or personal reasons, we make more of an effort to find the good in others as well as in ourselves, and we reflect on what we’ve been most thankful for over the past year. I decided to share a recent day from my life, and my daughter’s, that I found humorous, heartwarming, and that included one of those surprises that made my day. I hope you enjoy it.

At our house, mornings aren’t always a time of peace and tranquility. More often than not, it’s chaos and disorder. Trying to juggle professional and personal lives can be challenging. On this particular morning, I was running late, and realized I would not be able to get my 3-year-old daughter, Vanessa, to preschool and still make it to court in time for my scheduled appearance. After some internal debate, I decided the only solution was to take Vanessa to court with me. “I guess it’s never too early to start training her to be a lawyer,” I thought.

An Unexpected Day in Court

As we rushed into the courtroom, I reminded Vanessa that this is where Mommy works, and tried to impress on her how important it was to stay quiet while court was in session.

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