Auto Accidents
Auto accidents are by far the most common types of personal injury cases found in the U.S. court system today.
According to statistics, auto accidents are the leading cause of death for persons under the age of 34. I’m sure you know of a celebrity or two that’s had a serious accident with a major injury.
According to the NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration), death is caused by a motor vehicle accident every 13 minutes. Most car accidents are entirely preventable; however, recent studies show that most drivers engage in activities that take their attention away from the road, such as:
- Talking to other passengers
- Playing with the radio/CD player
- Eating/drinking
- Using a cell phone
Motorcycle Accidents
Motorcycle accidents are also a huge component of the accidents today taking place on the road. Approximately 4,000 motorcyclists are killed each year, and more than 80,000 are injured in traffic crashes.
When someone is involved in a motorcycle accident, it is very likely that they will sustain life-altering injuries. In fact, it is common for motorcycle accident victims to incur serious and life-threatening physical injuries that will require lifelong medical treatment. Motorcycle accident victims frequently need ongoing care from hospitals, physicians, surgeons, and medication. Continual medical care can be very costly for victims and their families, who are usually unprepared to handle such large expenses.
In all motor vehicle accident cases, it is essential to first preserve the evidence. Begin with photographs and video so that physicians, police, and other witnesses can be identified.
It may also be necessary to take a “video” of the phasing of the traffic lights that may include “measurements” at the accident scene itself. We are often obligated to survey the neighborhood for witnesses, who are sometimes found waiting for buses, or even employees of small businesses or gas stations in the surrounding area. Every effort is made to prove liability on the part of the defendant, and therefore establish an open and shut case immediately.
When it comes to medical treatment, our firm ensures medical providers are notified immediately for the patient’s well being.
- First, we contact the best doctors, to treat their “specific injuries” in the most cost-effective manner.
- Second, to control medical cost so resources that are available either through HMOs, PPOs, Medicare, MediCal, as well as Medical Liens, are managed to the benefit of our injured client.
Personal Injury
What Is a Personal Injury Attorney?
A personal injury lawyer also is a lawyer who has a background and experience in handling clients and provides legal representation to those have been injured, physically or psychologically, as a result of the negligence or wrongdoing of another person, company, government agency, or other entity. Thus, personal injury lawyers tend to be especially knowledgeable about physical injuries and have more experience with regard to the area of law known as tort law, which includes civil wrongs and economic or non-economic damages to a person’s property, reputation, or rights.
Even though personal injury lawyers are licensed to practice in virtually any field of law, they generally only handle cases that fall within tort law including, but not limited to: work injuries, automobile and other accidents, defective products, medical mistakes, slip and fall accidents, and more.
The expression "trial lawyers" often refer to personal injury lawyers, even though most cases handled by personal injury lawyers who settle rather than ending in trial.
We are experienced “TRIAL LAWYERS” here at Nelson & Natale. We believe in representing our clients' best interest and recovering the compensation you DESERVE!
Once licensed, a lawyer may take on any kind of case whether or not they have much experience in it. However, legal ethics require an inexperienced lawyer to enlist appropriate help or take the time to learn the issues to competently represent the client. Most lawyers prefer to stick to one area of the law to gain the knowledge and experience necessary to provide the highest-quality legal representation to their clients.
Some personal injury lawyers choose to devote the majority of their time and energy to one area of litigation within personal injury law, thus becoming more experienced at handling very specific types of cases (e.g. medical mistakes, aviation accidents, work accidents).
Dog Bite Injuries
Dog bites can be one of the most impactful incidents that can happen to anyone. Almost every breed has the potential to attack and cause severe damage regardless of their size. Most dog bites result in minor injuries, but when the attack is to the victim’s face or hands, the outcome can be life-altering. It is crucial that you seek medical attention immediately. Here at Nelson & Natale, we take on dog bites. Over the past 40 years we’ve had clients that have suffered detrimental neurological issues caused by even a small dog that the client never thought would attack them. The following list contains just a few examples of the types of injuries that can be caused by dog bites:
- Facial Scars
- Nerve Damage / Muscle Damage
- Paralysis
- Puncture wounds
- Organ Damage
- Infection
- Neurological Issues
- Disfigurement
- Rabies
- Emotional and psychological trauma
California Law on Dog Bites - Strict Liability
When it comes to dog bite cases, each state handles them differently. California operates on the legal theory of “Strict Liability”, meaning that the owner of a dog that bites someone is “strictly liable” for the bite. Other state laws require the dog owner to have notice of a prior attack for them to be considered liable. In other words, each dog receives one free bite, and if you happen to be the unfortunate first victim of a dog bite, you are not able to sue the dog owner for damages. California applies the rule that if your dog bites someone, you are automatically liable regardless of whether or not the dog has a history of attacks.
Who is Liable?
Thanks to Strict Liability, it is easy to determine who will be liable for the dog bite. In most cases it is the owner of the dog. Anyone who has assumed custody of the dog even if it is temporary, can also be held liable the same way the owner would be. It also does not matter how long someone has had the dog in their custody. For example if someone is caring for a stray dog temporarily while it finds a permanent home, that person who is currently caring for the dog will be held liable. The owner of the property which harbors the dog also assumes some responsibility for the dog’s actions. The only exception for Strict Liability is in a situation where the victim of the attack was trespassing.
Premises Liability
Premises liability is a legal concept that often comes into play in “Personal Injury Cases”. At Nelson & Natale we are very familiar with premises liability cases. In fact we recovered $4.6 million as a result of a Jury Trial in Santa Monica on a premises liability case. Every property owner is responsible for the maintenance of their premises and ensuring it is safe for people. Similar to most personal injury cases, premises liability is based on negligence. At Nelson & Natale we take the responsibility of proving that the property owner was negligent in their ownership and maintenance of the property. We have won hundreds of these cases and we make sure to make the process as easy for you as possible. We work together to investigate the premises and acquire the proof needed to ensure your case is successful. Premises liability cases include but are not limited to:
- Slip and falls
- Swimming Pool Accidents
- Elevator and Escalator Accidents
- Construction Site Accidents
- Amusement Park Accidents
- Dangerous Conditions of the Premises
As mentioned before, premises liability cases rely on the proof that a property owner was somehow negligent and this led to you being injured. If you have an accident at a premises, it is important for you to take pictures and acquire evidence of what caused your injury. It is important that you take care of yourself and immediately seek medical attention. If you are unable to acquire proof at the immediate moment your accident occurred, you might still have a case. Once you reach out to us we will do our best to investigate the premises and acquire valuable evidence. There are hundreds of possible conditions that can lead to an accident including:
- Water leaks and flooding
- Improper lighting
- Damaged handrails or stairs
- Potholes
- Cracked sidewalks
- Falling objects
- Liquid spills in stores
If you are not sure that what caused your accident at a premises qualifies as a dangerous condition, please call us now for a FREE consultation (310) 641-8300