Practice Areas
Personal Injuries
In California, laws are in place to protect you if you have been harmed by another person, business, organization, or government entity. If this has happened to you or a loved one, you are in the right place. All we do is personal injury law: we recover compensation for the injuries and damages caused to our clients.
Below is an overview of common accidents and personal injuries in California. Explore the topics at your own pace, and when ready, contact us or another law firm for a consultation. Legal advice tailored to your situation can help you make informed decisions, and move forward with confidence and peace of mind.
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Common Types of Accidents and Personal Injury Claims in California
Personal injury accidents are mainly governed by the laws of “torts.” Torts is the area of the law that allows an injured victim to seek monetary compensation from another party for injuries to his or her person and/or property. If you have a tort claim, there are two main issues that must be addressed: liability and damages. Whether a tort claim is based on negligence, an intentional act, or strict liability, the same basic principles generally apply. Overall, the injured person must prove that the defendant is liable, and should also prove the damages.
Usually, most of us envision a car accident when we hear the term personal injury accident; however, there are many other types of accidents that are very common, including:
Motor Vehicle Accidents – this includes car accidents as well as accidents involving other types of motor vehicles, such as motorcycles, busses, trucks, trains and boats. Read More >>
Car Accidents – in one recent year, there were over 275,000 injury accidents in the State of California. Of those, almost 3,500 included at least one fatality. Read More >>
Rideshare Accidents (Uber/Lyft) – rideshare vehicles, such as Uber and Lyft, are extremely popular in California, particularly in heavily congested areas such as Los Angeles. California classifies rideshare companies as “transportation network companies (TNC)” and requires a minimum $1 million liability insurance policy. Read More >>
Motorcycle Accidents – There are more than 800,000 registered motorcycles in California (the highest volume in the nation) and most of them is located in Southern California. Motorcycle-involved accidents have been on the rise at least for the last 2 decades. Read More >>
Commercial Vehicle Accidents – this includes accidents involving company-owned cars, vans, busses, and trucks. When a commercial vehicle causes or contributes to a collision, the company is typically held legally responsible for damages to injured victims. Also, commercial vehicles are covered by commercial insurance policies with high liability limits. Such policy limits allow massive reimbursement amounts for those who suffered injuries and other losses caused by commercial vehicles. Read More >>
Truck Accidents – in California, large trucks are involved in over 3,000 injury crashes and 200 fatal collisions in an average year. The sheer size and weight of a tractor-trailer dramatically increases the likelihood of severe injuries for the occupants of vehicles involved in a collision with these trucks. Read More >>
Bus Accidents – similar to truck or other commercial vehicle accidents, liability may extend to the company that owns the bus and/or employs the driver involved in a bus accident. Due to high policy limits in these cases, bus accident victims are typically entitled to higher amounts of reimbursement for their bills, pain, suffering, lost earnings, property damage, and other economic and non-economic damages. Read More >>
Train Accidents – railroad crossings are the most likely location for a train accident. Data released by the Federal Railroad Administration indicates that 49 people were fatally injured in a California train crossing accident in 2019. Read More >>
Boating and Cruise Ship Accidents – in an average year, there are about 500 recreational boating accidents, resulting in 50 deaths, in California. Hundreds more are injured in boating and cruise ship accidents each year, according to the California Division of Boating and Waterways. Read More >>
Airplane or Other Aviation Accidents – although fatal crashes involving commercial airplanes are rare, non-fatal accidents that result in injuries to passengers do still occur. According to the National Transportation Safety Board, there were 32 aviation accidents involving commercial planes in 2017. There were 1233 general aviation accidents which include commuter and privately owned airplanes, resulting in 347 fatalities that same year. Read More >>
Bicycle, Skateboard, Hoverboard, or Scooter Accidents – Besides motor vehicle accidents, a lot of people are being injured because of other types of accidents on roads – such as bicycle, tricycle, and scooter accidents. 455 cyclists were fatally injured in California traffic accidents from 2016 through 2018, the highest rate over any three-year period since the mid-1990s, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Since a bicycle or scooter provides less protection than a motor vehicle does, even a seemingly minor accident may cause serious injuries to its rider. Read More >>
Pedestrian Accidents – 893 pedestrians were killed and another 14,000 injured on California’s roadways in 2018 alone. Note that pedestrians may be injured not only on roads, whether public or private, but also on lands, buildings, construction sites, and elsewhere. Read More >>
Premises Liability – premises liability involves injuries sustained while on the property of another. Slip and falls are the most familiar type of premises liability accidents; however, other examples include injuries sustained as a result of inadequate maintenance or security of property, failure to perform required maintenance, faulty construction, toxic chemicals, mold or other hazardous conditions, or even food poisoning at various types of commercial and residential premises, etc. Unsafe building, land, or road, whether private or public, can also cause compensable injuries as can, for instance, defective elevators, escalators, or stairs that are improperly maintained or that lack proper safety precautions. Read More >>
Unsafe Property or Road Conditions – a private property owner has a duty to keep the premises free from known hazards. The same applies to the government. Public roadways must be properly maintained and repaired, when necessary, by the responsible government agency. Failing to keep private property or public roadways safe can result in liability on the part of the owner and/or occupier of the road, land, property, building, or other premises. Read More >>
Business Customer Accidents – if you are injured while on the property of a business, or by a product purchased from a business, the business may be liable for the damages you incur as a result of your injuries. Read More >>
Inadequate Maintenance or Security of Premises – the owner or occupier of a property has a duty to adequately maintain the property and make sure it is safe for visitors, as well as provide adequate security where necessary. If they fail to do so, and you are injured as a result, the owner/occupier could be liable for damages. Read More >>
Amusement Park Accidents – millions of residents and visitors alike flock to California’s amusement parks, carnivals, and fairs each year. Most enjoy their visit without incident; however, when accidents do occur at these venues, they can result in serious injuries. Read More >>
Construction Accidents – the construction industry consistently ranks in the top three industries for fatal occupational injuries in California with falls, slips, and trips accounting for half of the fatal construction accidents. Read More >>
Product Liability – injuries caused by unsafe products fall under the purview of product liability claims – for which manufacturers or anyone involved in the chain of distribution may be held strictly liable. A product can be unsafe because of a defect in the design, a defect that is introduced during the manufacturing process, or because a required adequate warning was missing. Today, the area of product liability is huge, starting from an unsafe drug or medical product to any online purchase, or even an asbestos/mesothelioma liability case. Read More >>
Defective Product or Faulty Service – a defective design or another defect introduced during the manufacture of a product, as well as in the chain of distribution to consumers, can result in a faulty product. If that product causes injury, the manufacturer and all distributors may be held strictly liable for such injuries. Faulty service may also cause personal injuries to a customer, who can claim damages under the negligence theory against the person and/or the business causing the injuries. Read More >>
Food or Beverage Injuries – when you purchase food or beverages from a restaurant, bar, café, or grocery store, you count on them to be safe for consumption. If they cause you to become ill, or otherwise injure you, the establishment that served you or distributed the defective food to you may be held legally responsible. Read More >>
Hazardous or Toxic Materials – some products are inherently dangerous and cannot be made safe because they contain hazardous or toxic ingredients. When that is the case, a proper warning must be included. If you were injured because the warning was missing, or inadequate, you may have a product liability claim. Read More >>
Work-Related Injuries – thousands of workers are injured each year while on the job. In 2018, there were 422 fatal workplace accidents in California, according to the California Department of Industrial Relations. If you were injured during work or because of occupational conditions, you may be entitled to workers’ compensation and other reimbursement for your personal injury claims. Read More >>
Medical Errors, Medical Malpractice – medical errors can cause serious, even life-threatening injuries to patients. These include things such as surgical errors (operating on the wrong person/area, leaving foreign objects in the body, lack of post-op follow-up), prescription errors (failing to recognize dangerous drug interactions, wrong medication dispensed, wrong dosage), anesthesia errors (administering too much or too little, failing to catch dangerous interactions), and diagnosis errors (failing to diagnose or misdiagnosing). Read More >>
Sports Injuries – each year approximately 3.5 million children under the age of 14 are injured playing a sport nationwide. While some sports are inherently dangerous, children are frequently injured because safety was not a priority. Read More >>
Victims of Police Misconduct – Victims of police misconduct (including victims of excessive force, unlawful detention, or false arrest) are entitled to compensation for the injuries they have suffered, depending on the facts of what happened. Read More >>
Personal Injury Lawsuits Against Government – When a person is injured due to the wrongful actions or incactivity of a government entity, they may file a personal injury claim against the agency involved. These cases include accidents caused by poorly maintained roads, injuries in public facilities, or harm inflicted by government employees. Special rules and timelines apply in claims against government bodies. Read More >>
Abuse – Abuse cases encompass physical, emotional, or sexual harm inflicted by individuals in various settings, including homes, workplaces, or institutions. Victims of abuse may suffer significant physical and psychological damage, and the law allows them to pursue financial compensation and justice against perpetrators. Read More >>
Nursing Home Accidents and Abuse – Nursing home residents are especially vulnerable to neglect and abuse, resulting in injuries such as falls, bedsores, malnutrition, or worse. California law provides protections for elderly and dependent adults, enabling them and their families to pursue claims against at-fault caregivers and facilities. Read More >>
Intentional Acts (Torts) – Causing Personal Injuries – most personal injury accidents usually require the victim to show negligence (fault) on the part of the defendant in order to recover damages. However, as the name implies here, an “intentional tort” requires a showing of intent. Assault and battery, intentional infliction of emotional stress, false imprisonment, and defamation are all examples of intentional torts. Read More >>
Injury to Reputation: Defamation – unlike most other personal injury accidents, defamation does not result in physical injuries. In California, injury to your reputation refers to an untrue statement made to a third party that causes injury to a victim’s reputation or income. Read More >>
Animal Attacks and Dog Bites – many states, including California, impose “strict liability” when a dog bites someone. This means that the owner is liable even if the dog has never before exhibited aggression and the owner did nothing wrong. An owner of other animals may also be held legally responsible if the animal attacks and causes injuries. Read More >>
Traumatic Brain Injuries – data compiled by the California Department of Public Health tells us that over 30,000 non-fatal hospitalizations caused by a TBI occur in the state each year. TBI is typically caused by a serious blow to the head. Read More >>
Fire & Burn Injuries – whether caused by an electrical, house, vehicle, or another fire, or by a defective product, faulty service, radiation, or chemical exposure, this may include workplace injuries, apartment or business fires, electrical accidents, scalding water, or a variety of other situations that may cause injury to a victim. Read More >>
Birth Injuries – a birth injury refers to an injury that was caused (in whole or in part) by injuries sustained close to or at the time of birth. If the physician, or another healthcare provider, caused the birth injuries they can be held accountable. Read More >>
Wrongful Death – when a party’s wrongful conduct contributes to the death of an individual, the surviving loved ones may be entitled to pursue a wrongful death claim against that party. Read More >>
Serious, Catastrophic Injuries – These are severe injuries, often life-altering, such as traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, severe burns, or loss of limbs. Such injuries frequently lead to long-term disability, immense medical costs, and a profound impact on the victim’s quality of life. Catastrophic injury claims pursue substantial compensation to cover lifetime care, loss of income, pain, suffering, and other damages. Read More >>
Mass Torts – when hundreds (or more) victims suffer injuries as a result of a catastrophic event or a mass-produced defective product, the victim can band together in a mass tort lawsuit against the wrongful party. Read More >>
Contact an Experienced Personal Injury Attorney
If you are unsure whether injuries you sustained recently were the result of a compensable personal injury accident, consult with an experienced personal injury attorney right away. Not only can an attorney review the facts of your case to determine if a personal injury accident occurred, but your lawyer can also ensure that your rights are protected, determine which party (or parties) is legally culpable, and pursue a claim against the at-fault party to make sure you are fully and fairly compensated for all the injuries you suffered because of the accident.
