A catastrophic injury is an accident so severe that it leaves the injured incapacitated for an extended period of time. Catastrophic injuries often require intense and long-term medical treatment and can impact a person’s physical and emotional well-being for years and even decades to come. Because these injuries are often so serious that they can result in death or leave the injured without the ability to work or care for themselves, the additional help and support of family members or loved ones is often necessary. As a result, catastrophic injuries have a substantial impact on many parties – not just the injured – and seeking counsel from an experienced Los Angeles catastrophic injury lawyer is crucial to better manage the outcome if you’ve been injured in a major accident in L.A. With typical catastrophic injuries including spinal injuries, brain injuries, limb loss, loss of sight or hearing, severe burns, and…

If you were on someone else’s property and experienced a slip and fall accident, you may be entitled to recover damages. A slip and fall accident is a type of personal injury claim that arises out of someone’s inability to keep their property safe. If you’ve been harmed in Los Angeles by someone else’s negligent attention to their property, you should contact a personal injury lawyer to discuss your options. They can help you understand what would be needed to prove the property owner acted negligently and is therefore responsible for covering your medical expenses, lost earnings, and any long-term pain and suffering in the event of a severe or catastrophic accident. Below, we review some of the necessary facts your attorney will work to uncover in order to prove you’re entitled to damages due to a slip and fall accident. Who is Liable for a Slip and Fall Accident?…

After an accident that was caused due to someone else’s carelessness, you are likely entitled to pursue legal damages and receive compensation for your injuries. One of the most common questions asked by injured parties pursuing personal injury claims in Los Angeles is often surrounding how long the entire process will take. How quickly your personal injury claim gets resolved will depend mainly on the personal injury lawyer you hire to carry out the case and your claim’s specific facts. The more experienced and skilled your counsel, the more likely your claim will be quickly resolved. Similarly, if the facts of your case demonstrate someone’s liability in a straightforward manner, your claim will generally progress quickly. While there is no surefire way of knowing how long the entire process will take, there are some indicators that you can anticipate a speedy resolution. Below, we outline what you can expect from…

Getting into a car accident in Los Angeles can be incredibly stressful. Between navigating any resulting injuries to figuring out how to fix a damaged or totaled car, you’ll want the experience of a Los Angeles car accident lawyer on your side to walk you through the process. One of the questions attorneys are asked most frequently is who is responsible for covering the medical expenses and recovery costs after a car accident. In California, car insurance companies have certain obligations and are generally held accountable for covering drivers’ personal injury claims. Ensuring you have taken all the appropriate steps to document your accident and injury, leaning on your attorney to handle the insurance companies, and following their lead on making important decisions regarding any resulting personal injury claims will be essential to your physical and financial recovery after an accident. Reporting Your Car Accident in California Reporting your car…

Punitive damages are quite a bit different from economic and non-economic damages on a fundamental level. Economic and non-economic damages are “compensatory,” which means they are meant to cover the losses suffered by the plaintiff due to the negligent or wrongful misconduct of the defendant. By contrast, punitive damages are meant as a modifier to the compensatory damages amount, to discourage the defendant (and others who are similarly situated) from engaging in similar misconduct. Confused? Here’s an example: Suppose that you are injured in a car accident by a defendant-driver who was going through a fit of “road rage.” Your damages total $100,000. Simply put, the defendant was angered that you did not let them merge into your lane, and as such, they rammed the back of your car, causing you to crash and sustain significant injuries as a result. Under such circumstances, the court might find that the defendant’s…

Few people are prepared for the devastating and life-altering consequences of a catastrophic injury. Generally resulting in long-term and even lifelong effects that significantly impact a person’s quality of life, the impact of a catastrophic injury can affect your family and loved ones, as well. Since these injuries typically require extensive and long-term treatment encompassing physical, mental, and emotional rehabilitation, it’s recommended that you contact an experienced Los Angeles catastrophic accident lawyer if you’ve been involved in a serious accident in the city. There is a substantial chance that a severe accident or injury might occur in a city with such close proximity to so many different activities in nature. A catastrophic injury will generally include spinal injuries, limb loss, traumatic brain injury, and any other injury that requires effective long-term treatment or care. Below, we discuss the five most common causes of catastrophic injuries in Los Angeles, along with…

Given the number of cars on the road that make the city infamous for its traffic jams, Los Angeles pedestrian injuries and fatalities remain some of the highest in the nation. Every year, hundreds of people are killed, and even many more injured as they aim to navigate the treachery of the city’s roads. Many injured in pedestrian accidents opt to seek counsel from an experienced Los Angeles pedestrian accident attorney so they can recover damages and receive compensation for their physical and emotional injuries. With pedestrian injuries increasing year-over-year since 2006, many often ask themselves what makes Los Angeles so dangerous for pedestrians. Below, we take a look at some of the factors driving the incidence of these gruesome accidents. California Pedestrian Accidents: The Numbers According to the Governor’s Highway Safety Association, California often leads the nation in pedestrian deaths, with 2016 emerging as one of the highest on…

Los Angeles is becoming increasingly scary for bicyclists as the advent of smartphones makes drivers more careless on the road. When a car and a bicycle crash, both parties will often try to assign blame to the other: The cyclist might allege the driver wasn’t paying attention or was overly aggressive, while the driver will likely argue that the cyclist was pedaling too close to the road. Fortunately, determining fault in a bicyclist accident often revolves around California’s laws regarding the duty of care, and an experienced Los Angeles bicycle accident attorney can help you argue for your rights. To understand how fault is determined after a bicycling accident in California, we outline the state’s duty of care laws and attempt to resolve any questions you might have regarding your particular case. Drivers in California Have a Duty of Care In California, drivers have a legal duty of care to…

While a substantial portion of Los Angeles commuters choose to get around on bikes, that doesn’t mean the city is safe for cyclists. The hours-long traffic jams, pristine weather, and mostly flat streets make the city ideal for commuting via bike — yet Los Angeles constantly lands itself on ‘worst places to bike’ lists by industry magazines and associations. What accounts for the discrepancy? Based on what our Los Angeles bicycle accident attorney has learned, it’s the city’s inability to curb the incidence of fatal accidents involving cyclists.  Los Angeles has recently tried to address safety concerns by improving roadway conditions, and the city has even increased funding devoted to safety projects. With many measures inspired by Vision Zero, a Swedish concept focused on increasing safe travel for all roadway users (including cars and cyclists) when implementing these programs, the mayor of L.A. proclaimed that they were designed to reduce…

Orthopedic Injuries After an Accident in California  Orthopedic injuries are those that involve damage to the musculoskeletal system. These types of injuries are common in serious accidents, and the forces involved in vehicle collisions, falls and other traumatic accidents are more than enough to cause damage that leads to a debilitating injury. While most individuals who suffer orthopedic injuries will be able to recover with proper treatment, some accident victims will experience permanent complications. If you have suffered an orthopedic injury in an accident, you may be entitled to financial compensation, and it is important that you speak with a personal injury lawyer as soon as possible. What are Common Orthopedic Injuries from Traumatic Accidents? Orthopedic injuries can occur in all areas of the body. At the Banafshe Law Firm, P.C., we help victims of serious accidents recover just compensation for orthopedic injuries including: Bone Fractures As an experienced Los…