Category Archives: Off Topic Articles

Memorial Day 2009; Remember Those Who Have Given Their Lives So That We May Be Free.

Today, Memorial Day, is a holiday wherein we Americans pay tribute to those who what fallen in the service of the United States of America.

Today is more than a paid holiday off of work; it is more than a day to drink beer and have a picnic; it is more than a shopping day for sales at your local mall; it is supposed to be a solemn day of tribute and remembrance of those who have given their lives in the service of the United States of America.

As I write this in the year 2009, young Americans are still at war and fighting and dying in Iraq and Afghanistan, may god bless them and keep them safe.

I know it is very easy to worry about the economy, home foreclosures, raising gas prices, love, job, or lack thereof, you favorite TV show, the NBA playoffs, etc. However, remember this, young Americans, the best and the brightest, are now at this time on this very day, giving their all for all of our freedom.

Take a moment today to pray for them, take some time today to give silence as tribute for them, and above all, look at something beautiful today for them, those blessed souls who gave their lives for us, for they can no longer see.

By Norman Gregory Fernandez, Esq., © 2009

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Representing Yourself in a California Personal Injury Case is Just Plain Dumb!

California Personal Injury Lawyer, Norman Gregory Fernandez, Esq.Recently I talked to a man who was rear ended in a car accident, and suffered injuries. He received medical treatment which totaled approximately $5,000.00. He stated that the insurance company told him to submit a demand, which he did. He then told me that the insurance company kept telling him to wait just a little longer, and that they would work it out, etc.

Well guess what, the man waited for two years and two days after the accident to call me for a consultation. He is basically shit out of luck; S.O.L. for short! You see you only have two years from the date of the injury to file a lawsuit. This is also known as the statute of limitations for filing a law suit in this type of case. Ignorance of this fact is no excuse for waiting.

Had the man called me one week before the statute of limitations expired, I might have taken the case and filed the requisite lawsuit for him. Unfortunately for him, it was too late. In this mans zeal to in his mind to get more money by not getting an attorney, he got nothing. Little did he know that in the vast majority of cases, a plaintiff in a personal injury case gets more money with an attorney, then without.

I recently spoke to a lady who also happened to work for an insurance company. She had a car accident and was still treating. She was told she may need surgery. The defendant insurance company offered her $7,000.00. She talked to some (moronic) friends at her insurance company who told her it was a good offer, and she took it. She signed a settlement and release of all claims, her case is over. She calls me after the fact to see if she can get out of it. The answer was no! She is stuck with her dumb decision.

I always ask myself why persons injured in a motor vehicle accident, slip and fall, dog bite, or other type of personal injury would not at least call a personal injury attorney like me to obtain at least a free consultation to find out what their rights are? If someone was very sick would they not go see a doctor? Sure they would. So why do people try to handle personal injury cases on their own. Don’t they realize it is the dumbest thing you can do? Don’t they realize that they may be entitled to untold thousands or more in compensation for their injuries? Don’t they realize that personal injury attorney’s such as myself charge nothing unless we recover money for you.

Now granted there are tons of personal injury attorney’s out there. In my opinion most are just settlement mills looking for the quick buck. Not me or my firm!

If you have a personal injury case in California, call me for a free consultation at 800-816-1529 ext. 1. If I can help you, I will. I  will fight to get you as much money as possible in your case.

Don’t be cheap, and don’t be dumb, retain an attorney to get more money than you will on your own. Don’t be like the fools above, instead of cutting out attorneys fees; they cut themselves totally out of any real settlement!

By California Personal Injury Lawyer Norman Gregory Fernandez, © 2009

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New Laws for 2009 in the State of California.

Here are some of the new laws which went effect on January 1, 2009:

No-text Law
Writing, sending, or reading a “text-based communication” while driving will be against the law for all drivers in California. Violating this law is punishable by a base fine of $20 for a first offense and $50 for each subsequent offense. With the addition of penalty assessments, fines can be more than triple the base fine amount.

Mounting GPS on Windshield
You may now mount a GPS on the lower right or lower left part of your windshield so long as it does not interfere with any air bag device. In the past nothing could be mounted to your windshield.

Smoking with a minor in the Car
It is now an infraction to smoke a cigarette, cigar, or pipe in a car whether it is in motion or at rest if a minor child is in the car with you. This applies even if you are pulled over to the side of the road.

Definition of a motorcycle
Deleting the existing weight limitation of 1,500 pounds, removes a separate definition for electrically powered vehicles and will allow fully enclosed 3-wheeled motor vehicles to use the carpool lanes.

New DUI Laws — Zero tolerance
Any person who is on probation for a DUI convection cannot drive with a blood alcohol level of.01 percent.

Unlicensed car dealersLaw-enforcement officers can impound vehicles that are being sold by unlicensed dealers.

Temporary operating permits restricted
The DMV will restrict permits to allow more time to obtain a smog certificate.

Counterfeit Clean Air Stickers
It will be a crime to forge Clean Air Stickers, which are issued to low-emission vehicles and allow the vehicles with these stickers to be driven in carpool lanes.

Special interest license plates
Gold Star Family special interest license plates will be available to family members who have had family killed in the line of duty while serving in the Armed Forces during wartime or military operations.

Temporary employees
Wages for employees of temporary services employers shall be paid weekly or daily if the work less than 90 days.

Family and Medical Leave Act
Families who have members who are active in the military are eligible up to 12 weeks of leave if they meet the “qualifying exigencies: short notice deployment, attendance at official military events or activities, arranging or providing childcare, attending school or daycare meetings, handling financial and legal matters, and rest and recuperation visits when the soldier is on leave.”

I must caution you that this is only a partial list of new laws in California for 2009.

By California Motorcycle Accident Attorney and Biker Lawyer Norman Gregory Fernandez, © 2009

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Happy Independence Day from The California Personal Injury Lawyer Blog!

california personal injury lawyer norman gregory fernandez discusses independence dayFirst off I want to wish everyone a safe and sane Independence Day.Well it is that time of year again; Independence Day, known to others as the 4th of July Holiday.

On this day in the year 1776, the founding fathers of the United States of America proclaimed through the Declaration of Independence, a new nation that was free of it’s allegiance to the British Empire. If you want to read the full text of the Declaration of Independence click here to see an article I wrote last year.

There are many who will celebrate today and tonight by having a barbecue with the friends or family, watching a fireworks show, or setting off your own fireworks, and enjoying an extra day off of work and a long weekend.

Take a moment to contemplate what today; Independence Day is really all about. You see, our founding fathers some 232 years ago, put the lives of themselves and the lives of their families on the line by signing the Declaration of Independence. They were revolutionaries, they were patriots, and to the British traitors. Yes, any one of the founding fathers who signed the Declaration of Independence if caught by the British, most likely would have been tried and hanged for treason against the British Empire.

Our founding fathers put it all on the line so that you can enjoy your barbecue and fireworks celebration in the greatest nation on earth.

Had it not been for the Declaration of Independence and the Revolutionary War fought by many brave souls two centuries ago, we would probably still be British!

Our current military and past military veterans are and continue to put it on the line so that you may continue to be free.

Freedom is never free; it is bought and paid for with the flesh and blood of brave souls. This is why it is so important that we never give up our freedoms!

Have a great Independence Day.

By California Personal Injury Lawyer Norman Gregory Fernandez, © 2008

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California Ban on Use of Cell Phone Without Hand Free Begins July 1, 2008! What You Need to Know about the New Law.

california car accident lawyer discusses the new ban on driving while holding cell phonesOn July 1, after a nearly two-year grace period, a new era begins in California: holding a cell phone to your ear and talking while driving will be illegal unless it is an emergency.

In most cases, you will still be able to talk-and-drive, but you will need a hands-free device to do so such as a blue tooth headset, speakerphone set up, or a wired headset.

What Exactly is the New Law?

(1) If you are 18 or older, you are prohibited from holding a phone and talking while driving.

(2) If you are 16 or 17, the only time you can use a cell phone while driving is in an emergency only.

(3) The first offense of the cell phone law will result in a $20 ticket. Subsequent citations will result in $50 tickets. However, with court costs and penalties, the true costs of these tickets will be approximately $76 and $190, respectively.

Here is something else to think about: The new laws go into effect just days before the California Highway Patrol goes on “maximum patrol” throughout the Fourth of July weekend. This means that 80% of CHP officers will have their eyes on the road, and on you and your cell phone.

If it is illegal to hold a phone while talking, how is it possible to dial it or press a button to answer the phone or take a call, even if you talk hands-free?

This is where things may get a bit dicey because the laws are silent on these issues.

The Law basically only bans talking on the cell phone without a hands free device for non emergency calls, therefore, you are allowed to touch the phone to make a call or take one, said Mike Marando, a spokesman for the state Department of Motor Vehicles. “As long as you don’t hold the phone to carry the conversation,” he added.

Will text messaging while driving in California be illegal?

Text messaging will be illegal only for 16 and 17 year-old drivers. The law silent as to adults. I strongly recommend that no one text message while driving!

Tom Marshall, a CHP spokesman, has stated that “If you are text messaging and we see it’s affecting your driving, we can still pull you over” for distracted driving.

The offense is not distracted driving or, for example, driving with a bag of French fries in your lap. What Police actually cite you for what happens as a result of being inattentive, such as impeding traffic or an improper lane change.

Will getting a ticket for talking on a cell phone result in a higher insurance rate for motorists?

No. But there is a chance that it could eventually.

Cell phone violations will not result in any points being tacked onto your driving record — insurance carriers use those points to determine if you’re a good or bad driver. But the tickets are still on your driving record.

Darrel Ng, a spokesman for the California Department of Insurance, said that in the future, carriers might apply to the state to use tickets when setting rates, although they’d likely have to prove a correlation between getting those tickets and accident rates.

What other states have similar laws, and how are those working out?

New York was the first state to institute a hand-held ban, beginning in 2001, and Connecticut and New Jersey have followed suit.

From 2001 through 2006, police in New York issued 976,725 citations to motorists for holding their phones while driving.

Even more interesting, the number of citations has increased each year, with 285,684 tickets being given in 2006, the latest year for which numbers are available.

With more than 11.3 million licensed drivers in New York, it’s probably safe to assume that an awful lot of people are not getting caught.

What are some ways to comply with the laws without spending a lot of money?

First and foremost, learn how to use the voice recognition system that comes with most cell phones. Voice recognition usually requires users to touch only one button and then say a person’s name to make a call.

Surely the much talked-about Apple iPhone, which starts at $399, comes with voice recognition?

No, it doesn’t. It is a feature you can get with a BlackBerry phone or many standard phones.

What are some other ways to go hands-free?

There is no shortage of devices out there. Here are three easy ways to be a go hands free:

(1) Buy a cheap cell phone cradle that mounts to a vehicle’s dashboard. A conversation can then be carried on using the phone’s speakerphone function. Cost: $15 and under at automotive stores.

Tip: If your vehicle’s stereo system has an auxiliary jack, you can play your phone through the vehicle’s speakers, which makes it easier to hear.

(2) Use a headset. Most phones come with an earpiece or you can easily upgrade to a wireless bluetooth headset that syncs to your phone.

Wireless bluetooth headsets typically cost between $30 and $120, and many are available.

(3) Use a wireless speaker. These mouse-sized devices can be clipped to a sun visor and are a lesser-known alternative to the wireless earpiece. Motorola and Parrot are two prominent manufacturers.

Will the new laws prevent car or other motor vehicle accidents and/or make drivers safer?

Based upon research that I have done, the experts seem to agree that most of the problem is not the act of holding the cell phone while driving, but the distraction of talking while driving. If they are right simply holding a conversation with someone in your car is as dangerous as talking on a cell phone.

As a driver who also happens to be a car accident lawyer, I beg to differ. While driving I see many people holding their phones to their heads which hinders their ability to turn their head while driving. When I am driving my car, I dread seeing other drivers talking on cell phones because I know they are not paying attention.

I am hoping the new law will prevent car accidents but only time will tell.

California Car Accident Lawyer

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A 21 Year Old East Bay man has been killed in three-car crash in Berkeley, California

Law Office of Norman Gregory Fernandez Personal Injury NewsBerkley, California-

An Emeryville man died early this morning after he was in a three-car crash on Interstate 80 early, the Alameda County Coroner’s Office said.

Eric Fernandez, 21, was involved in a three-car collision on eastbound I-80 near Ashby Avenue around 12:05 a.m., according to the California Highway Patrol.

The crash involved a van, sedan and an undisclosed vehicle, the CHP said.

CHP reports say that Fernandez was initially trapped after the accident, and once he was freed by emergency personnel he was taken to a local hospital, where he died.

If you or a loved one has been in a car accident in the San Francisco Bay Area, including Berkeley and the East Bay, you will want to talk to an expert car accident lawyer about your car accident case. You may give us a call at 800-816-1529 7 days a week, 24 hours a day for a free legal consultation or check out the California Personal Injury Center by clicking here now.

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Politicizing the Cost of Health Care by Blaming Trial Lawyers; What a Load of Crap!

California Medical Malpractice Lawyer Norman Gregory Fernandez Discusses Medical MalpracticeYou have heard President Bush blame trial attorneys for the cost of health care being so high; you have heard a certain political party blame trial attorneys for the cost of health care being so high, and now another article is circulating on the Internet blaming trial attorneys for the cost of health care being so high. What you are hearing folks is flat out crap. It is time to air out the truth and call the B.S. for what it is; B.S.

We trial lawyers help personal injury victims including victims of medical malpractice, when nobody else will. We are usually the last and only recourse for persons who have been harmed. Do you think that a doctor, hospital, or other health care institution is going to just volunteer to compensate you for your losses?

What is Medical Malpractice? Medical Malpractice in a nutshell is a person suffering injuries or damages, as a result of a doctor or health care institutions failing to act as an ordinary professional in the community would. In other words, the doctor, hospital, or provider, causes you injuries by screwing up, usually with devastating results!

As we all know or should know, human beings are not perfect, and will sometimes make mistakes. Just like most commuters buy car insurance to protect themselves in case they screw up, doctors do the same thing.

It is not the fault of personal injury trial lawyers for a doctor or hospitals, screw-up, and it certainly is not the victims fault. We personal injury lawyers are the ones that go to bat for people who have been injured as a result of a doctor or hospital screw-up. It is our jobs and it is what we do. We help the victims to obtain compensation for their loss.

How could we be the ones who are responsible the high cost of medical care? In fact it is the insurance companies who are responsible for the high cost of medical malpractice insurance. I would like to think that the cost of malpractice insurance is based upon risk, but we all know the insurance companies exist to make a profit and that is it.

Now I like doctors, we all like doctors. They are the ones we turn to when we are sick. They make mistakes just like the rest of us, and they should be made to pay if lets say they cut off the wrong leg, fail to diagnose a serious condition, or leave tools in a patient after surgery. You get the picture.

With that being said, maybe doctors should adopt more stringent guidelines to discipline and police themselves, so that the bad doctors are weeded out. Maybe that will decrease their malpractice insurance rates.

California has had a cap of $250,000.00 on general damages for medical malpractice cases since the 1970’s. General Damages are damages such as pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, emotional distress, etc. Imagine only being able to get a maximum of $250,000 if a doctor cuts off the wrong leg, or fails to diagnose a cancer that would have been curable it caught in time, etc. Victims are still entitled to out of pocket losses.

So there it is. The cost of health care is through the roof. If anything it is greed that is driving up the cost. If universal health care was adopted, then maybe our nation would see some relief.

By Norman Gregory Fernandez, Esq., © 2008

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Where My Law Firm Handles Personal Injury Cases In California.

California Personal Injury Lawyer, Norman Gregory Fernandez, Esq.My firm handles personal injury cases in the following cities and counties thoughout California.

Southern California, Central California, Northern California, 29 Palms, Adelanto, Agoura Hills. Alameda, Albany, Alhambra, Aliso Viejo, Alturas, Amador City, American Canyon, Anaheim, Anderson, Angels Camp, Antioch, Apple Valley, Arcadia, Arcata, Arroyo Grande, Artesia, Arvin, Atascadero, Atherton, Atwater, Auburn, Avalon, Avenal, Azusa, Bakersfield, Baldwin Park, Banning, Barstow, Beaumont, Bell, Bell Gardens, Bellflower, Belmont, Belvedere, Benicia, Berkeley, Beverly Hills, Big Bear Lake, Biggs, Bishop, Blue Lake, Blythe, Bradbury, Brawley, Brea, Brentwood, Brisbane, Buellton, Buena Park, Burbank, Burlingame, Calabasas, Calexico, California City, Calimesa, Calipatria, Calistoga, Camarillo, Canoga Park, Canyon Lake, Capitola, Carlsbad, Carmel-by-the-Sea, Carpinteria, Carson, Cathedral City, Century City, Ceres, Cerritos, Chatsworth, Chico, Chino, Chino Hills, Chowchilla, Chula Vista, Citrus Heights, Claremont, Clayton, Clearlake, Cloverdale, Clovis, Coachella, Coalinga, Colfax, Colma, Colton, Colusa, City of Commerce, Commerce, City of Industry, Compton, Concord, Corcoran, Corning, Corona, Corona Del Mar, Coronado, Corte Madera, Costa Mesa, Cotati, Covina, Crescent City, Cudahy, Culver City, Cupertino, Cypress, Daly City, Dana Point, Danville, Davis, Del Mar, Del Rey Oaks, Delano, Desert Hot Springs, Diamond Bar, Dinuba, Dixon, Dorris, Dos Palos, Downey, Duarte, Dublin, Dunsmuir, East Los Angeles, East Palo Alto, El Cajon, El Centro, El Cerrito, El Monte, El Segundo, Elk Grove, Emeryville, Encinitas, Escalon, Escondido, Etna, Eureka, Exeter, Fairfax, Fairfield, Farmersville, Ferndale, Fillmore, Firebaugh, Folsom, Fontana, Fort Bragg, Fort Jones, Fortuna, Foster City, Fountain Valley, Fowler, Fremont, Fresno, Fullerton, Galt, Garden Grove, Gardena, Gilroy, Glendale, Glendora, Goleta, Gonzales, Grand Terrace, Grass Valley, Greenfield, Gridley, Grover Beach, Guadalupe, Gustine, Half Moon Bay, Hanford, Hawaiian Gardens, Hawthorne, Hayward, Healdsburg, Hemet, Hercules, Hermosa Beach, Hesperia, Hidden Hills, Highland, Hillsborough, Hollister, Hollywood, Holtville, Hughson, Huntington Beach, Huntington Park, Huron, Imperial, Imperial Beach, Indian Wells, Indio, Industry, Inglewood, Ione, Irvine, Irwindale, Isleton, Jackson, Kerman, King City, Kingsburg, La Canada Flintridge, La Habra, La Habra Heights, La Mesa, La Mirada, La Palma, La Puente, La Quinta, La Verne, Lafayette, Laguna Beach, Laguna Hills, Laguna Niguel, Laguna Woods, Lake Elsinore, Lake Forest, Lakeport, Lakewood, Lancaster, Larkspur, Lathrop, Lawndale, Lemon Grove, Lemoore, Lincoln, Lindsay, Live Oak, Livermore, Livingston, Lodi, Loma Linda, Lomita, Lompoc, Long Beach, Loomis, Los Alamitos, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Los Angeles, Los Banos, Los Gatos, Loyalton, Lynwood, Madera, Malibu, Mammoth Lakes, Manhattan Beach, Manteca, Maricopa, Marina, Martinez, Marysville, Maywood, McFarland, Mendota, Menlo Park, Menifee, Merced, Mill Valley, Millbrae, Milpitas, Mission Viejo, Modesto, Monrovia, Montague, Montclair, Monte Sereno, Montebello, Monterey, Monterey Park, Moorpark, Moraga, Moreno Valley, Morgan Hill, Morro Bay, Mount Shasta, Mountain View, Murrieta, Napa, National City, Needles, Nevada City, Newark, Newman, Newport Beach, North Hills, North Hollywood, Norco, Northridge, Norwalk, Novato, Oakdale, Oakland, Oakley, Oceanside, Ojai, Ontario, Orange, Orange Cove, Orinda, Orland, Oroville, Oxnard, Pacific Grove, Pacifica, Palm Desert, Palm Springs, Palmdale, Palo Alto, Palos Verdes Estates, Paradise, Paramount, Parlier, Pasadena, Paso Robles, Patterson, Perris, Petaluma, Pico Rivera, Piedmont, Pinole, Pismo Beach, Pittsburg, Placentia, Placerville, Pleasant Hill, Pleasanton, Plymouth, Point Arena, Pomona, Port Hueneme, Porterville, Portola, Portola Valley, Poway, Rancho Cordova, Rancho Cucamonga, Rancho Mirage, Rancho Palos Verdes, Rancho Santa Margarita, Red Bluff, Redding, Redlands, Redondo Beach, Redwood City, Reedley, Reseda, Rialto, Richmond, Ridgecrest, Rio Dell, Rio Vista, Ripon, Riverbank, Riverside, Rocklin, Rohnert Park, Rolling Hills, Rolling Hills Estates, Rosemead, Roseville, Ross, Sacramento, Salinas, San Anselmo, San Bernardino, San Bruno, San Buenaventura, San Carlos, San Clemente, San Diego, San Dimas, San Fernando, San Fernando Valley, San Francisco, San Gabriel, San Gabriel Valley, San Jacinto, San Joaquin, San Jose, San Juan Bautista, San Juan Capistrano, San Leandro, San Luis Obispo, San Marcos, San Marino, San Mateo, San Pablo, San Rafael, San Ramon, Sand City, Sanger, Santa Ana, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara, Santa Clarita, Santa Cruz, Santa Fe Springs, Santa Maria, Santa Monica, Santa Paula, Santa Rosa, Santee, Saratoga, Sausalito, Scotts Valley, Seal Beach, Seaside, Sebastopol, Selma, Shafter, Shasta Lake, Sierra Madre, Signal Hill, Simi Valley, Solana Beach, Soledad, Solvang, Sonoma, Sonora, South El Monte, South Gate, South Lake Tahoe, South Los Angeles, South Pasadena, South San Francisco, St. Helena, Stanton, Stockton, Studio City, Suisun City, Sunnyvale, Susanville, Sutter Creek, Taft, Tarzana, Tehachapi, Tehama, Temecula, Temple City, Thousand Oaks, Tiburon, Torrance, Tracy, Trinidad, Truckee, Tulare, Tulelake, Toluca Lake, Turlock, Tustin, Twentynine Palms, Ukiah, Union City, Upland, Vallejo, Valley Village, Van Nuys, Ventura, Vernon, Victorville, Villa Park, Visalia, Vista, Walnut, Walnut Creek, Wasco, Waterford, Watsonville, Weed, West Covina, West Hills, West Hollywood, West Sacramento, West Carson, West Los Angeles, Westlake Village, Westminster, Westmorland, Wheatland, Whittier, Williams, Willits, Willows, Windsor, Winnetka, Winters, Woodlake, Woodland, Woodland Hills, Woodside, Yorba Linda, Yountville, Yreka, Yuba City, Yucaipa, Yucca Valley, Alameda County, Alpine County, Amador County, Butte County, Calaveras County, Colusa County, Contra Costa County, Del Norte County, El Dorado County, Fresno County, Glenn County, Humboldt County, Imperial County, Inyo County, Kern County, Kings County, Lake County, Lassen County, Los Angeles County, Madera County, Marin County, Mariposa County, Mendocino County, Merced County, Modoc County, Mono County, Monterey County, Napa County, Nevada County, Orange County, Placer County, Plumas County, Riverside County, Sacramento County, San Benito County, San Bernardino County, San Diego County, San Francisco County, San Joaquin County, San Luis Obispo County, San Mateo County, Santa Barbara County, Santa Clara County, Santa Cruz County, Shasta County, and Sierra County.

California is a very big State with many different cities and counties as you can see. If you have been the victim of a personal injury in any of the above cities or counties, give me a call at 800-816-1529 for a free consultation!

By Norman Gregory Fernandez, Esq., © 2008

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Types of Personal Injury Cases We Handle In California.

The Law Offices of Norman Gregory Fernandez handles many types of personal injury cases throughout CaliforniaMy law firm handles most types of personal injury cases throughout the State of California.

We have offices in Southern California and Northern California, and can come to you to sign you up for most personal injury cases, so that you do not have to waste gas driving to our office.

We like to make things convenient for our clients.

If you have had a California Personal Injury including but not limited to: Car Accidents, Motorcycle Accidents, Dog Bites, Wrongful Death, Product Liability, Truck Accident, Brain Injury Lawyers in California, CA Motorcycle Accident Law Firm, California Seat Belt Injury Attorneys, California Food borne Illness Lawyers, Truck Accident in California, 15 Passenger Van Rollover in California, CA Auto Product Liability Law, Auto Accidents in California, California Bus Accidents, California Train Accidents, Pedestrian Accidents in California, Seatback Failure, Roof Crush, Dog Bites, Nursing Home Abuse, On-the-job Injuries in CA, California Swimming Pool Accidents, California Slip, Trip and Fall, Wrongful Death, CA Aviation Accidents, Watercraft Injury in California, Toxic Chemicals, Asbestos Poisoning, California Premises Liability, Products Liability in California, CA Failure to Warn of Dangers, California Amusement Park Accidents, California Medical Malpractice, Legal Malpractice in California, California Child Car Seat Injury, Construction Accidents, Catastrophic Injuries, Funeral Home Abuse, California Wrongful Death, give us a call now.

We are aggressive personal injury lawyers located in California. We will see to it that you get quality medical care, and work aggressively to get you the highest possible monetary compensation via settlement or by judgment at trial.
Call us 7 days per week, 24 hours per day at 800-816-1529 ext. 1.

By Norman Gregory Fernandez, Esq., © 2008

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Sorry for the Problems; We are Now Back Up!

The California Personal Injury Law Blog is back up!The California Personal Injury Law Blog was down for some time as you all know. After software upgrades in the server that hosts the Blog, the software that runs the California Personal Injury Law Blog crashed because of compatibility problems with the software in the server. Unfortunately, recent backups contained the incompatibility! Geez……

We finally had to restore the Blog on a backup from December. Due to this fact we lost some articles.

I will diligently write more articles as time permits, however, some were lost forever. You may contact me though the system with suggestions for articles.

Thanks,

Norman Gregory Fernandez, Esq.

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How Much Money is Your Personal Injury Case Worth?

California Personal Injury Lawyer Norman Gregory Fernandez discusses case valuations.As a personal Injury Lawyer the number one question I get from every prospective or existing client is; how much money will I get for my personal injury case?

The actual answer to the question is that no personal injury lawyer can honestly tell you the answer to the question unless they have E.S.P. or are clairvoyant.

Not only is each case is different, but an attorney would have to be a clairvoyant to be able to predict the outcome of your case. If you do find a personal injury lawyer who promises he will get you a million dollars in a rear ender soft tissue injury case, ask him to put it in writing and then sign up with him or her! They would be contractually obligated to get you what they promised if they put their promise in writing! I know of NO Reputable Personal Injury Lawyer who would make such promises, or put such promises in writing! All we as personal injury lawyers can promise to do is our best to get you what you are entitled to. Anyway…………..

I have heard stories of some shysters out there promising the world to potential new personal injury clients, just to get them to sign up with their office. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is! A good and reputable personal injury lawyer cannot, and will not predict the outcome of a case during an initial consultation where the damages that have been incurred are not even known yet.

With that being said a good personal injury lawyer can look at the many factors that come into play in your particular personal injury case to determine what a case may be worth with regards to settlement value. There is a huge difference between a lawyer telling you what you case may be worth without knowing your damages, and a lawyer telling you what the settlement value of your case may be after a through examination of the facts and damages in your case once they are ascertained.

Did you pick up on how I talk about settlement value? You see there is a huge difference between the settlement value of a case, and a potential jury verdict! Once a case goes before a jury, all bets are off. The value of your case is what they jury decides it is worth no matter what is argued. They can decide to not give you anything at all. Jury awards in California depend on 9 out of 12 jurors reaching a consensus on your case. Some courthouses and counties are known to be more liberal or conservative than others which is also a factor in what a jury may do. It is therefore impossible for any personal injury lawyer to predict what a jury will do with a case once they get it.

Experienced personal injury lawyers such as myself, have formulas that we use to determine what a good settlement value of a case may be both before and/or during litigation. After doing so many cases for so many years, I have a very good idea of what the settlement value of a particular case may be.

Personal injury case valuations depend on many things such as; nature and extent of injuries; medical bills; future medical bills; permanent bodily damage; out of pocket expenses, etc. Obviously a person who tries to work their own personal injury case without a lawyer has no clue what they are entitled to, and will end up getting little or nothing if they go at it on their own.

So going back to the original question; what is your personal injury case worth? The answer is that it all depends! Your first step should be to retain a competent personal injury lawyer and then go from there.

If you, your family, or your friends have been injured anywhere in the State of California, you may call my office for a free consultation at 800-816-1529.

By Norman Gregory Fernandez, Esq., © 2007

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Happy Thanksgiving from the California Personal Injury Law Blog

California Personal Injury Lawyer Norman Gregory Fernandez wishes everyone a great Thanksgiving for 2007Well it is that time of year again; the holiday season. Thanksgiving is a time to get together with your family and friends to share a traditional Thanksgiving Turkey feast, and to give thanks for all that this great nation has given us.

I would like to wish all of the readers of the California Personal Injury Law Blog a happy Thanksgiving. Remember it’s the small things in life such as family and friends that make life great.

You never know how much time you will have on this earth so make every day count. With this in mind, take it easy out there on the road whether it be on your motorcycle, your car, truck, SUV, or other motor vehicle. There is no need to speed and create danger to others.

Above all, do not drink and drive, no matter what! I want to see you all around after the holidays.

Take Care,

Norman Gregory Fernandez, Esq., © 2007

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You may have a Black Box Data Recorder in your Car and Not Even Know it.

California Personal Injury Lawyer Attorney Norman Gregory Fernandez EditorialI am sure that many of you have heard the term “Black Box” data recorders which are usually associated with airplanes and airplane accidents.

Did you know that many manufacturers are now installing Black Box Data Recorders in Cars? probably not. Black Box data recorders have been put into cars for years now and nobody knows it, or it has been kept very low key; now you know.

Black Box data recorders in cars can give data such as speed at the time of an accident, gear position, braking position, direction of car, whether seatbelts were being worn, etc.

Obviously this type of data is huge for personal injury lawyers such as me. It can help get around the he said, she said, arguments for who as at fault in an auto accident, and get right to the root of actual fault. Many Personal Injury lawyers do not even know about Black Boxes being installed in cars.

There is one dilemma when it comes to Black Boxes in cars; your right to privacy is out the window. It can be predicted in the future that GPS enabled black boxes will allow Big Brother to track your movements, and potentially even disable your car.

You can read a couple of stories about Black Boxes in cars by clicking here, and by clicking here.

Technology can be good and bad. In the hands of the wrong people, it can be used to usurp the freedoms we so love in the United States. I say cast a weary eye on anyone who wants to use fear as a motive to get us as Americans to give up the freedoms that generations of us have fought and died for.

The least the car companies could do is to let us know if a Black Box is installed in our car, and to let us know what its capabilities are. As a matter of fact I think it should be legally mandated that we as consumers be notified by car manufactures if a Black Box is installed in our car.

Like I said above, the technology can be good, and it can be bad if misused by those who would seek to take our freedoms and right to privacy away. Let us have the choice.

By Norman Gregory Fernandez, Esq., © 2007

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Welcome to the California Personal Injury Law Blog.

Califonria Personal Injury Lawyer Norman Gregory Fernandez, Esq.I wish to welcome everyone to the California Personal Injury Law Blog. Like the name infers, this Blog is about Personal Injury Law, and everything related thereto.

I will write articles related to Personal Injury Law which will be primarily geared towards California Law. However, I might offer commentary, or post links to Personal Injury subjects outside of the State of California. On some occasions I may post articles that are totally off topic. I will try to mix things up and make this blog interesting.

I am a California Personal Injury Lawyer, licensed to practice law in the State of California, and before the United States Court, Central District.

My firm has offices in Southern California and Northern California. We handle personal injury cases throughout the great State of California.

If you want a free consultation on a California Personal Injury case, you may call my office at 818-584-8831, you may contact me through this blog by clicking the contact button on the top of the blog or by Clicking Here, or you may go to my Personal Injury Website at www.thepersonalinjury.com . If you have a non California Personal Injury Case and you need a lawyer, I may be able to find someone for you in your State. Use the contact button at the top of the Blog to contact me and I will see what I can do.

I am requesting that everyone read the Legal Disclaimer, by clicking on the Legal Disclaimer button on the top of the Blog, or by Clicking Here Now.

I invite everyone to register as members of the California Personal Injury Law Blog by Clicking Here Now, or by clicking the register button on the left sidebar. The advantage of being a member is that you will be notified of new articles that I write, and can more easily post comments once you are logged in.

I also invite everyone to post comments about the articles that you read on the California Personal Injury Law Blog whether you are a registered user or not. Just click on the comments text below each post that you want to comment on.

Finally, you may contact me by using the contact button on the top of the Blog, to suggest article ideas to me, or to suggest that I write an article on a Personal Injury Law subject that you might be interested in. I offer no guarantees that I will write a specific article, but I will try to accommodate my readers.

I recommend that you bookmark this blog in your browser, read all of the articles, and keep coming back. You never know when the day will come that you or your loved ones or friends may be the victim of a personal injury. What you read here may help you

By Norman Gregory Fernandez, Esq., © 2007

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