Los Angeles California Personal Injury Law Blog

What are everyday dangers found in illegal turns?

On behalf of Pheffer Law posted in auto accidents on Thursday, May 9, 2019.

Californian residents like you spend plenty of your day on the road, whether it's commuting to work, meeting with friends, or just going to pick up groceries. There are many small dangers you could come across any time you do your daily driving. Illegal turns are one of them.

FindLaw first looks at illegal U-turns, which can be particularly dangerous because a driver is fighting against traffic to make this turn. Any time you have to fight against traffic, you increase your chances of hitting or being hit by another vehicle. This is especially true when it comes to turns.

What to do after a fender bender

On behalf of Pheffer Law on Monday, April 29, 2019.

If you drive a car in California, chances are you will be involved in more than one accident in your life. Thankfully, most accidents are not catastrophic. But regardless of how minor an accident might be, it can still be an intimidating experience.

You may feel anxiety and uncertainty over how you should handle the event. Many times, due to either stress or trauma, people will not know how to act in the situation.

Drive safe around cyclists

On behalf of Pheffer Law posted in auto accidents on Monday, April 22, 2019.

California is a great place to ride a bike, yet cyclists are the ones who are most hurt if they get into an accident with a vehicle. Motorists need to be more aware of bicycles and understand how to share the road with them, and cyclists also must do their job to make sure everyone stays safe.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, most bicyclist deaths occur in urban areas between the hours of 6 pm and 9 pm. While cyclists have the same responsibilities as motorists, the size of bikes can make it harder for drivers to see them. Drivers should look more carefully and closely before turning, in parking lots, when backing up and when parking. If you are sharing the lane with a bicycle in front of you and it is going a slower speed, give it room and pass when it is safe to do so in the adjacent lane.

How can I best share the road with motorcycles?

On behalf of Pheffer Law posted in auto accidents on Tuesday, April 16, 2019.

As beautiful weather comes back into the daily forecast, more motorcycles will be hitting the roads in California. As a driver, you hold some responsibility for the safety of those on these smaller vehicles. Motorcycles lack the protections you have in your vehicle. Any accident with a motorcycle is much more serious and has a greater potential to be deadly for the motorcycle rider than for you. When everyone pays attention and shares the road, it can keep all vehicles on the roadways safe.

When you see a motorcycle on the road, Direct Auto and Life Insurance suggests that you give them a bit more room. Do not crowd motorcycles. Let them have some space. This also ensures you can see them clearly and react in a timely manner when they slow down, make a turn or come to a stop.

Roadway death compounds tragedy for California family

On behalf of Pheffer Law posted in auto accidents on Tuesday, April 9, 2019.

Tragedy sometimes seems to strike some families disproportionately. One family in California has had a particularly difficult three years, with the loss of one sister due to a heart attack and a second sister struggling with a rare form of brain cancer. Last week, ill fortune struck yet again when a third sister perished in a car accident in California Valley.

Loved ones describe the victim as a loving woman with a generous spirit and quirky personality who loved pulling pranks and making people laugh. She was close to her remaining family members, including her sister and father, the latter of whom she would take out to lunch when she got a commission from her job selling cars and the former of whom she would help with his gardening. She also maintained a mother-child type bond with the son of her boyfriend.

“Who’s liable in self-driving car accidents?”

On behalf of Pheffer Law on Monday, April 8, 2019.

California is always on the edge of new technology and driverless cars are no exception.

California-based companies Uber, Apple and Tesla and more are all developing self-driving automobiles. In fact, in 2018 Google subsidiary Waymo received the first permit to test cars without a driver on public streets and highways. But new technology comes with new problems.

What is a sprain?

On behalf of Pheffer Law posted in auto accidents on Wednesday, April 3, 2019.

A sprain is one of the most common soft tissue injuries to occur in California as a result of auto accidents. Many people have the idea that a sprain is not a serious injury. While a sprain is not life-threatening and may take less time to heal than a broken bone, it can still be a painful condition that prevents you from performing your normal activities, at least on a short-term basis. Sprains of the shoulders or knees often result from motor vehicle accidents.

According to the Mayo Clinic, a sprain affects specific tissues in your body known as the ligaments, which bind your bones to one another at your joints. This flexible connection between two or more bones affords you the ability to move. A severe impact or trauma at the site of a joint can cause your ligaments to become torn or stretched, and "sprain" is the name for the damage that results.

Is there a way for motorcyclists to split lanes safely?

On behalf of Pheffer Law posted in auto accidents on Sunday, March 31, 2019.

California is the first, and so far only, state to legalize lane splitting, which refers to the act of riding a motorcycle between lanes or rows of slow moving traffic. The reason California is the only state to have legalized the maneuver, which many also call "white lining," "lane sharing" and "filtering," is because many motorists and lawmakers alike consider the practice unsafe. Since the Golden State legalized lane sharing back in 2017, however, the California Highway Patrol has been hard at work coming up with tips for safe lane splitting. At the end of 2018, the agency finally presented them.

The CHP prefaces the tips by saying that although white lining is legal in California, motorcycle operators should still exercise extreme caution when traveling between rows of traffic, stopped or not. At the end of the day, every rider is responsible for his or her own safety. The CHP further clarifies that they provided the tips to assist motorcycle operators but that they are not guaranteed to keep them safe.

Signs of whiplash to look for after being rear-ended

On behalf of Pheffer Law on Friday, March 29, 2019.

Whiplash is a neck injury often caused by rear-end car crashes. Although it is often dismissed as a minor injury, whiplash can cause significant pain and disruption to your life and can even cause other long-lasting complications.

If you have been involved in a rear-end collision, it can be helpful to understand the signs of a possible whiplash injury. If you are able to recognize that you may have a possible injury, then you can seek appropriate help both medically and legally.

What are the dangers of potholes?

On behalf of Pheffer Law posted in auto accidents on Sunday, March 17, 2019.

As winter gives way to spring, California drivers need to be extra mindful of potholes, which can do damage to your vehicle's tires, alignment, steering, suspension, rims and body. The damage done to your automobile may result in costly repairs. Forbes Magazine cites a recent study by AAA auto club indicating that American drivers spend $3 billion per year on repairs to vehicles due to potholes.

If you think your vehicle may have sustained damage because of a pothole, take it for an inspection of the undercarriage, tires and suspension by an ASE-certified technician as soon as you can. The problem may get worse if you ignore it, and therefore become more costly to fix.

Jeff Pheffer's calling in life is to deliver justice to Californians injured by the negligence of others.