Truck Accidents | California Personal Injury Lawyer Blog

Category Archives: Truck Accidents

Illegal U Turn By Truck Causes a Fatal Car Accident.

Written on June 25, 2009 by Norman Gregory Fernandez, Esq. in Car Accidents, Editorial, News, Personal Injury, Truck Accidents, Vehicle Passenger Accidents, Wrongful Death

fatal-car-accident-kills-18-year-old California

The Santa Clara County Coroner’s Office has released the identity of the Turlock man killed in Thursday’s accident on Highway 152, while a California Highway Patrol spokeswoman noted how the involved big-rig driver had been making an illegal U-turn as the car with the victims approached at a high rate of speed.

The man killed was Simardeep Bhatia, 18, according to the coroner’s office. Earlier today, the CHP released identities of a man and woman who have survived the accident. The female driver of the 2006 Dodge Charger that slammed through a big-rig’s trailer was Gurvinder Chamal, 19, of Ceres, while the other passenger was Jasbir Singh, 18, of Hughson, said Matt Peters with the Hollister-Gilroy office of the CHP. Both remained in critical condition at Regional Medical Center of San Jose as of this morning, he said.

Bhatia’s sister spoke briefly today about the accident.

“I just really miss him,” Rinku Bhatia said. “I can’t believe that it happened. He was really a nice person. He was really friendly to everyone, and we love him a lot. And we just want everybody to pray for us.”

The truck driver, 57-year-old David Jones of Hayward, attempted an illegal U-turn, entered the dirt median with the vehicle’s front end and blocked the eastbound lanes with the trailer, CHP spokeswoman Erica Elias said. The driver of the Charger traveled at a “high rate of speed” and did not react quickly enough to avoid it and the car “collided into and drove underneath the semi-trailer,” Elias said.

The car’s roof “was completely sheared off,” Elias said. She said Calfire pronounced Bhatia dead upon arrival.

The truck driver was not immediately arrested or cited, Peters said at the accident scene.

This is a terrible accident that caused the wrongful death of an 18 year old passenger, and critical injuires to another passenger and driver.

If you or your family have been the victims of a wrongful death or car accident in California you may call our office for a free consultation 7 days a week, 24 hours per day at 800-816-1529 ext. 1.

California Car Accident and Wrongful Death Attorney.

0 Comments - Leave a comment!

Pedestrian hit when truck swerves off road.

Written on June 3, 2009 by Norman Gregory Fernandez, Esq. in Damages, Editorial, News, Pedestrian Accidents, Personal Injury, Truck Accidents

Valley Center California Pedestrian accident atorney VALLEY CENTER , California

A 30-year-old man was flown to a local hospital with major injuries after he was hit by a truck that swerved off the road Tuesday morning, authorities said.

The incident took place shortly before 10:15 a.m. on Cole Grade Road just south of Cool Valley Road, about five miles north of Valley Center, according to the California Highway Patrol.

The truck also hit a light pole after driving off the road, CHP Officer Larry Chase said. The driver, a man whose name and city of residence were not available, was arrested, the officer said. He faces charges including reckless driving causing bodily injury and driving while intoxicated, Chase said.

The injured man was in critical condition at a local hospital Tuesday afternoon, Chase said. Additional information about the victim was not available.

I sincerly hope that the man that was hit recovers from this horrendous accident. If he does he will have one hell of a personal injury case against the man that hit him.

Valley Center California Pedestrian Accident Attorney

0 Comments - Leave a comment!

Tags: attorney, california highway patrol, car accident attorney, catastrophic injuries, Damages, lawyer, motor vehicle accident, norman gregory fernandez, Personal Injury, personal injury case, Truck Accident, valley center california

The Importance of Keeping Your Liability Insurance Even in Tough Economic Times.

Written on May 30, 2009 by Norman Gregory Fernandez, Esq. in Bus Accidents, Car Accidents, Damages, Editorial, Insurance, Motorcycle Accidents, News, Off Topic Articles, Other Motor Vehicle Accidents, Personal Injury, Train Accidents, Truck Accidents

California Personal Injury Attorney Norman Gregory Fernandez discusses the importance of maintaining liability insurance in tough economic times My office has been swamped with accident victims who are not at fault in motorcycle, car, truck and other motor vehicle accidents, yet had no liability insurance at the time of the accident.

In California if you drive a motor vehicle such as a car, motorcycle, truck, etc., without basic liability insurance, you are precluded from recovering general damages such as pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, emotional distress, etc. (California Proposition 213)

In other words if you lose a leg, or become a quadriplegic, you will only be entitled to out of pocket expenses only if you drive without liability insurance. To add insult to injury, you could lose your license, have your car impounded, and face penalties from the State.

If you cannot afford liability insurance, there is a special program through the State of California to obtain cheap liability insurance. If you cannot get that, flat out don’t drive. It is not worth it.

My law firm is one of the few law firms that will represent accident victims throughout the State of California who did not have liability insurance at the time of the accident. We do not condone it, but we believe that everyone deserves a fair shake. We will do everything we can for you, even if you were an uninsured victim of a motor vehicle accident.

I am recommending that if you cannot afford liability insurance, you should use public transportation until you can. It is illegal to drive in the State of California without minimum liability insurance to cover you in case you are fault in an accident.

The flip side of the coin is that all California motorist should carry uninsured motorist coverage in an amount equal to what they would want to cover themselves for in case they are injured, to protect yourself from a person who is at fault in an accident against you, yet has no liability insurance.

Motorcycle riders should carry a minimum of $500,000.00, five hundred thousand dollars in uninsured motorist coverage because of the usually catastrophic injuries that result from motorcycle accidents.

0 Comments - Leave a comment!

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!

0 Comments - Leave a comment!

Two Car Accident’s Caused By a Possible Drunk Driver

Written on March 9, 2009 by Norman Gregory Fernandez, Esq. in Car Accidents, Crime, Drunk Driving, Personal Injury, Truck Accidents

Castaic California car accident atorney Castaic – California

Two traffic accidents involving five vehicles on the Interstate 5 early Saturday morning led to an arrest on suspicion of DUI, the transportation of four people to the hospital and lane closures, said California Highway Patrol Officer Ben Ellis.

A sedan and a tractor trailer collided on the southbound I-5 just south of Templin Highway near Castaic at 6:03 a.m., Ellis said.

About two minutes later, the first accident led to a second collision involving a pick-up truck, an SUV, another sedan and tractor trailer already at the site, according to Ellis.

Officers arrested the male driver of the sedan in the first collision on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol. The suspect was injured in the second collision because he stepped out of his vehicle after the first collision, Ellis said.

The suspect was transported to Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital, along with the driver of the second sedan and two passengers in that vehicle, Ellis said.

CHP officers shut down the third and fourth lanes for about an hour. The first and second lanes were closed only five to 10 minutes after the crash.

Authorities still do not know what directly caused the accident.

“We’re still investigating at this point,” Ellis said.

Castaic Car Accident Attorney

0 Comments - Leave a comment!

Man killed in highway crash with big rig Truck.

Written on March 3, 2009 by Norman Gregory Fernandez, Esq. in Car Accidents, Damages, Editorial, News, Personal Injury, Truck Accidents

Law Office of Norman Gregory Fernandez Personal Injury News YERMO – California

A passenger died Monday night after the pickup truck he was riding in crashed into the back of a tractor-trailer on Interstate 15 near Yermo, according to a report from the San Bernardino County Sheriff-Coroner’s Department.

County coroners have not yet released the man’s name pending notification of his family. He and the car’s driver were in a red pickup truck on northbound Interstate 15 at the First Street overcrossing near Yermo when it slammed into the back of a big rig at 9:23 p.m., the report stated.

The driver was airlifted to Loma Linda University Hospital where he is being treated for major injuries. Both men were from San Fernando, according to a California Highway Patrol report.

The California Highway Patrol is investigation the collision.

San Bernardino Truck Accident Attorney

0 Comments - Leave a comment!

Tags: Car Accident, Loma Linda, News, norman gregory fernandez, San Bernardino, San Fernando, Truck Accident, Wrongful Death, Yermo

What Do You Do When Your Motel or Hotel Has Bed Bugs? Don’t the let Bed Bugs Bite!

Written on July 13, 2008 by Norman Gregory Fernandez, Esq. in Assault and Battery, Car Accidents, Damages, Dangerous Conditions, Dog Bite, Editorial, Intentional Torts, Motorcycle Accidents, News, Other Motor Vehicle Accidents, Personal Injury, Premises Liability, Products Liability, Slip and Fall, Train Accidents, Trip and Fall, Truck Accidents, Wrongful Death

California Personal Injury Lawyer Norman Gregory Fernandez discusses an inkeepers duty not to allow bed bug infestations in hotel rooms, or motel rooms. Imagine you and your spouse have been traveling for many hours on a major interstate highway on your motorcycle or in your car, truck or other motor vehicle.

You and your spouse are very tired, sleepy, and decide to get a hotel or motel for the evening. You stop at what you think is big name, trustworthy, reputable motel chain to get a room for the night.

As you are sleeping you start to feel itchy, and that something is wrong. Imagine waking up to find out that you have been bitten hundreds of time by bed bugs or other blood eating insects! You have got that right bed bugs! Imagine the bites becoming infected; for weeks you suffer not only with the infection, but when it goes away, you have permanent scarring. Here is a link to the Harvard School of Public Health which explains what bed bugs are in great detail.

What do you do?

Well the first thing that you should do under the circumstances is seek medical treatment as soon as possible. A few bites are one thing, but hundreds are a whole different matter. You could have an allergic reaction, they could become infected, you could suffer scarring, etc. Prompt medical treatment will most likely give you a better prognosis.

The next thing you should do is take pictures of your bites. If you do not have a digital camera, buy a disposable camera and take pictures.

You should then notify the hotel / motel owner or manager of what happened as soon as reasonably possible, preferably before you check out. Obviously you do not want to go back into the room unless you have to, and anything taken out of the room by you needs to be washed, scrubbed, thrown out, etc., or you risk taking the bed bugs with you.

You should then immediately call a California Personal Injury Attorney such as me if your incident occurred anywhere in the State of California or another personal injury attorney if your incident occurred outside of California. You should call a personal injury attorney within 24 to 48 hours of your incident because of all the things that need to be done in your case, and because of all of the things you can do to screw your case up on your own.

Motel / Hotel (“Innkeepers”) owners have a higher duty of due care than normal to ensure that their rooms are safe and habitable for paying guest. If they allow bedbug infestations, or other insect infestations to cause injuries to their guests, they are liable for all damages proximately caused for their failure to prevent such infestations.

Check out my California Personal Injury Website Here for valuable information about personal injury cases. Remember, only a fool has himself or herself for a client.

If you have been the victim of bed bugs in a hotel / motel, a car accident, a truck accident, a motorcycle accident, a dog bite, a slip and fall, or any other personal injury, anywhere in the State of California that you think may have been caused by someone else, or where you think someone else may be responsible for your injuries, give us a call 7 days a week, 24 hours a day at 800-816-1529, extension 1. We will give you a free consultation over the phone, and tell you what we think about your case.

If we believe that we can help you, you may retain our firm on a contingency basis (in most cases) which means that you will not have to pay any money out of your pocket, unless we recover for you.

If you do not feel like calling you can click here to submit your California case to us online. If we feel that we can help you, we will respond to you. Either way, you have nothing to lose, and potentially everything to gain.

Take care all and remember; don’t let the bed bugs bite!

0 Comments - Leave a comment!

Tags: attorney, Car Accident, Damages, law, lawyer, norman gregory fernandez, Personal Injury, Truck Accident

Highway 101 reopened after Big Rig Truck Crash in Redwood City, California

Written on June 11, 2008 by Norman Gregory Fernandez, Esq. in Car Accidents, Damages, News, Personal Injury, Truck Accidents

Law Office of Norman Gregory Fernandez Personal Injury News Four people were injured in a crash that closed all but one lane of northbound Highway 101 in Redwood City for about two hours this morning, causing traffic to back up for miles.

The accident involved a big-rig and six cars, according to CHP Officer Grace Castillo. She said those hurt were taken to Stanford Hospital with minor injuries.

The CHP said the crash occurred when the truck, traveling in the far right lane, cut across all five lanes of traffic and crashed at 9:54 a.m. between Marsh Road and Woodside Road.

As it sped across the lanes, the truck hit a gray van traveling in the far left lane. The van was then rear-ended by a Nissan Sentra, Castillo said.

At the same time, a brown Audi A4 in the next lane over rear-ended a gray pick-up truck that had slowed down to avoid the truck, Castillo said. A red Honda sedan that was also in the far left lane was rear-ended by a gold Mazda as the cars tried to avoid the wreck ahead, she said.

The collision left the cab of the truck facing northbound traffic; its two empty trailers sprawled across all but one lane of traffic and the other smashed cars littering the roadway.

About 30 gallons of diesel fuel spilled out of the truck but was cleaned up by Caltrans, Castillo said. The truck was towed away at about 11:45 p.m.

Traffic inched by in one northbound lane until about noon, when all lanes were re-opened. Northbound traffic was backed up as far as Mountain View and southbound rubber-neckers kept traffic slow through San Carlos.

Redwood City Car Accident Lawyer

0 Comments - Leave a comment!

Tags: attorney, Car Accident, law, lawyer, News, norman gregory fernandez, Personal Injury

1 KILLED, 3 INJURED IN SANTEE CALIFORNIA CAR ACCIDENT

Written on June 8, 2008 by Norman Gregory Fernandez, Esq. in Car Accidents, Editorial, News, Personal Injury, Truck Accidents, Wrongful Death

Law Office of Norman Gregory Fernandez Personal Injury News SANTEE, CALIFORNIA – One person is dead and three others are injured after a crash that, witnesses say, may have been the result of street racing.

The crash happened Saturday morning in Santee at the intersection of Mast Boulevard and Halberns Boulevard. As a result, Mast Boulevard was closed in both directions for about two hours Saturday afternoon, while emergency crews cleaned up the site. The road has since opened, but investigators are still looking into how this tragic accident happened.

“I’m still trying to pull myself together, I do not wish that on anybody,” said Santee Resident Danielle Stratten.

Nineteen-year-old Danielle Stratten is still shaken over the accident that happened just feet from her Santee home Saturday morning.

Around 11 a.m., witnesses say two cars appeared to be racing on Westbound Mast Boulevard, when the red Dodge lost control, jumped over the median and crashed into a pick-up truck going the other direction.

Carla Stratten was one of the first people to call 911.

“The driver, I was looking at him trying to figure out if he was ok, but he was knocked out. And then I noticed in his lap that evidently another person was in the front and there was somebody in the back,” said Carla Stratten.

She also says the three people in the car appeared to be teenagers. One person was dead by the time emergency crews arrived and another was flown to Sharp Memorial Hospital. A third victim, as well as the driver of the truck, was taken by ambulance.

Neighbors say unfortunately this situation happens too often since Mast Boulevard, a major thoroughfare on the northern edge of town, is a magnet for speeders.

“There’s accidents…cars going into people’s homes, jumping curbs and sidewalks, today unfortunately, fatality,” said Santee Resident Kimberly Verdzco. “It’s troubling because that indicates there is nothing being done.”

Danielle just hopes that action is taken sooner than later.

“People need to keep in consideration this is a neighborhood, there’s kids here. You can’t do that. I’m 19-years-old and people think oh she’s young and dumb too. No I follow the rules because of this,” said Danielle Stratten.

Witnesses say the other vehicle that was allegedly racing with the Dodge Neon could have been a silver Mitsubishi Eclipse.

If you have any information, you’re asked to call the Santee Police Department.

Meanwhile, News 8 spoke with the brother of the driver in the pick-up truck.

The man says his brother was treated at a local hospital and is said to be in good condition.
If you have been injured in a car accident or truck accident in Santee, California call us now for a free consultation at 800-816-1529.

Santee Car Accident Lawyer

0 Comments - Leave a comment!

Tags: Car Accident, law, lawyer, News, norman gregory fernandez, Personal Injury, Truck Accident

7-vehicle crash stalls I-680 traffic for hours in Fremont, California

Written on June 6, 2008 by Norman Gregory Fernandez, Esq. in Car Accidents, Editorial, News, Other Motor Vehicle Accidents, Personal Injury, Truck Accidents

Law Office of Norman Gregory Fernandez Personal Injury News FREMONT, California —

Four people were hurt in a seven-vehicle crash on Interstate 680 early Thursday that involved three big rigs, one of which overturned and forced the closure of multiple lanes for several hours.

No one was seriously hurt in the pileup, which authorities say is still under investigation.

Neither drugs nor alcohol appear to be factors in the crash, which happened near Durham Road, said Officer Steve Creel of the California Highway Patrol.

Three lanes of the freeway were blocked for more than two hours after the crash. Traffic on southbound I-680 was backed up clear into Dublin.

All lanes reopened by 10:30 a.m. after emergency crews shoved the overturned rig into the center divide. It remained there for much of the day until another truck sent by the operator arrived to pick up 50,000 pounds of nonperishable food that was still in the trailer.

Crews were unloading the food by hand about 8:30 a.m. in an effort to turn the rig upright, but they stopped shortly thereafter when they realized there was nowhere to put all of the merchandise, Creel said.

The crash happened about 5 a.m. when a passenger car rear-ended a slow-moving big rig, the officer said.
A second rig swerved to avoid a collision but jackknifed. A third rig overturned as it tried to avoid hitting the passenger car involved in the initial collision, Creel said.

In all, seven vehicles were involved in three separate crashes.

“If this had been a seven-car pileup, we would have been able to clear it off the road sooner,” Creel said, noting that the overturned rig presented a bigger problem.

Four motorists were taken by ambulance to local hospitals, but their injuries were considered minor, the officer said.

Fremont Califonrnia Car and Truck Accident Lawyer

0 Comments - Leave a comment!

Tags: law, lawyer, News, norman gregory fernandez, Personal Injury, Truck Accident

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

Written on June 2, 2008 by Norman Gregory Fernandez, Esq. in Bus Accidents, Car Accidents, Editorial, Insurance, Motorcycle Accidents, News, Off Topic Articles, Other Motor Vehicle Accidents, Personal Injury, Truck Accidents, Wrongful Death

california car accident lawyer discusses the new ban on driving while holding cell phones On 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

0 Comments - Leave a comment!

Tags: Car Accident, Cell Phone Ban, law, lawyer, New Laws

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!

0 Comments - Leave a comment!

Tags: attorney, law, lawyer, Loma Linda, norman gregory fernandez, Personal Injury, San Bernardino, San Fernando

Types of Personal Injury Cases We Handle In California.

The Law Offices of Norman Gregory Fernandez handles many types of personal injury cases throughout California My 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.

0 Comments - Leave a comment!

Tags: attorney, california medical malpractice, Car Accident, law, lawyer, norman gregory fernandez, Personal Injury, Truck Accident, Wrongful Death

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.

0 Comments - Leave a comment!

Tags: attorney, Damages, law, lawyer, norman gregory fernandez, Personal Injury

California is Cracking Down on Uninsured Motorist! How Being Uninsured Hurts your Personal Injury Case.

Written on December 4, 2007 by Norman Gregory Fernandez, Esq. in Car Accidents, Damages, Editorial, Insurance, Motorcycle Accidents, Other Motor Vehicle Accidents, Personal Injury, Truck Accidents

California Car Accident Lawyer Norman Gregory Fernandez discusses the harsh penalties in California for driving with no insurance Big brother is not playing games anymore. The State of California has implemented a system whereby as of October 1, 2006, the DMV begin a systematic review of the 22.4 million private cars, light trucks and motorcycles registered in the state.

If your motorcycle, car, truck or other motor vehicle is found to be uninsured you will get a 30 day warning letter. If you fail to get insurance after that the State will suspend you registration. If you are found to be driving without a proper registration, your car can be seized by the State, and you can face fines of up to $1,000.00.

This is no joke folks. If you are driving around without insurance you will eventually be dinged.

Furthermore, insurance providers are now required by the State to notify the DMV if your insurance is cancelled or expired.

What does this mean to you? It means if you are driving around with no insurance you are screwed. The State will eventually catch up to you. The days of buying insurance to get your registration and plates, only to cancel one month later are over.

If you get into a motorcycle, car or other motor vehicle accident and have no insurance, you face losing your drivers license for up to a year, fines of up to $2,000.00, and the possibility of being hit with a civil judgment which requires you to pay for the damage you have caused.

The minimum liability insurance requirements in the State are presently $10,000.00 for property damage, $15,000.00 per person, and $30,000.00 per occurrence.

The purpose of the law is to supposedly make it fair to the people that do pay for insurance, and to drive down insurance rates. I agree that it is not fair that law abiding citizens pay for insurance while 15% of the people in the State do not, however, and as usual, the insurance companies will make out like bandits with this new law. I doubt seriously that insurance rates will go down.

As a personal injury lawyer I can tell you that it pains me to see someone get hit by an uninsured motorist so it is good that the State is cracking down on this issue. However to be really fair the State should force the insurance companies to lower their rates in return for this law.

There is one other thing to note; if you are uninsured and you get into an accident that is not your fault, no will only be able to recover out of pocket losses and that is it! You will legally not be able to get compensation for pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, and emotional distress, otherwise known as General Damages!

To add insult to injury you could lose your drivers license for 1 year and have to pay up to $2,000.00 in fines for driving without insurance.

The bottom line; get liability insurance. The cost of not having insurance is much greater than the cost of getting insurance. If you cannot afford liability insurance; do not drive!

1 Comment - Leave a comment!

Tags: Car Accident, Damages, law, lawyer, norman gregory fernandez, Personal Injury

Category Archives: Truck Accidents

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT OUR LAW FIRM