If you slip and fall on another person’s property and the result is a serious personal injury, contact an experienced personal injury attorney at once. When you’ve been injured by someone else’s negligence, don’t lose out on the damage award you deserve. However, several elements of a slip-and-fall case must be proven in court; a good personal injury lawyer can help.

If you slip, fall, and become injured, the first step in establishing liability is to demonstrate that the defendant was legally responsible for maintaining the property safely and for eliminating any potential dangers there. Injured victims must then prove that the defendant failed in that responsibility through either negligence or improper action. If a defendant had an opportunity to discover and fix a dangerous condition on the property, and failed to do so, the defendant is guilty of a breach of duty. Finally, an injured victim must demonstrate that the breach of duty was the precise cause of the personal injury.

The defendant’s attorney will usually attempt to discredit your claim by asserting that your injury had some other, unrelated cause. The injured victim may introduce witnesses or physical evidence demonstrating a direct link from the dangerous condition to the injury. However, if a victim was trespassing or was in a restricted-access area of the property, or if a victim could reasonably expect to confront a dangerous condition, even a good personal injury lawyer may not be able to establish your case.

If you are injured in a slip-and-fall, and if you believe you have a genuine personal injury claim, speak with an experienced personal injury attorney immediately. A good personal injury lawyer will assess your case, explain your options, and help you gather the witnesses and evidence you’ll need to prevail in court and win compensation. If you’ve suffered any slip-and-fall injury due to the negligence of another person, speak to an experienced personal injury attorney immediately. In the San Diego area, if you or a member of your family has been injured in a slip-and-fall accident, contact personal injury attorney Gary Sernaker at (858) 509-0188, or email him at Gsernaker@gmail.com to discuss your rights and options under California Law.

When a consumer suffers a personal injury from using a commercially-sold product, the consumer may file a product liability suit. If the victim used the product as intended and was injured, it’s probable that a product liability claim will succeed, but you’ll need legal help from an experienced personal injury attorney. In most product liability cases, either a manufacturer is liable for producing the defective item, or marketers or sellers are liable for deceiving users about the product or failing to provide warnings.

Most manufacturers will recall a product when it’s obvious that the item is defective. Recalls are normally announced by whatever federal agency has jurisdiction over the particular industry affected. The Food and Drug Administration, for example, publicizes recalls of prescription and over-the-counter medications; recalls of cars and auto parts are announced by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Agencies that announce recalls usually list on their websites any products currently being recalled. Most local TV and radio stations offer the same information on their websites. Consumers may also sign up for online alerts to receive recall information from agencies as quickly as it becomes available.

See a good personal injury lawyer right away if you’ve been injured by using a consumer product. You may be awarded compensation for your medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and more. Statutes of limitations restrict the amount of time you have to file a claim, so act promptly. An experienced personal injury attorney will fight for your rights and give you the advice and legal representation you need. In the San Diego area, if you or a member of your family has been injured using a defective product, contact personal injury attorney Gary Sernaker at (858) 509-0188, or email him at Gsernaker@gmail.com to discuss your rights and options under California Law.

The number of Americans riding bicycles has jumped by 40 percent in just the last ten years. While bicycling is healthy, it can also be perilous. Obviously, a bicyclist is exposed, and bicycles do not have the safety features that automatically come with a car or truck. Nearly 38,000 riders were injured in bike accidents in 2011, and 677 bicyclists died in those accidents.

If you’re a bicyclist or if you are considering more bicycling, ride safely. Here are some tips:

1. In most states, bicyclists must adhere to the same rules that apply to automobiles: stopping at red lights, obeying signs, yielding to pedestrians, etc.
2. Worn properly, helmets substantially reduce the chance of a head injury.
3. Wear bright clothing, and make sure your bicycle has headlights, tail lights, and reflectors.
4. Signal your lane changes and ride with traffic.
5. Don’t drink and ride; 20 percent of bicyclists killed in accidents in 2010 were at or over the legal limit.

If you suffer a personal injury in a bicycle accident, follow these steps. Do not admit any fault or sign any insurance papers prior to talking with an experienced personal injury attorney. If it’s possible, take pictures of your injuries both before and after medical treatment. Keep copies of any medical, police, or insurance paperwork generated by the accident.

These tips will help if you file a personal injury lawsuit; don’t wait to speak with a good personal injury lawyer because there’s a limit on the time have to file a suit. If you or a member of your family has been injured in a bike mishap, or if you are the survivor of a loved one killed in a bicycle crash, please speak to an experienced personal injury attorney promptly. You may be compensated for medical expenses, lost wages, and more. In the San Diego area, if you or a member of your family has been injured in a bicycle accident, contact personal injury attorney Gary Sernaker at (858) 509-0188, or email him at Gsernaker@gmail.com to discuss your rights and options under California Law.

The U.S. Department of Labor reports that a worker is injured on the job in the United States every seven seconds. After making payroll, workers’ compensation claims are the most costly expenditure that a business makes. Employers can safeguard both their workers and their bottom line by debunking these myths about workplace accidents and personal injuries.

One common myth is that employers don’t care about the safety of employees; that’s the exception, not the rule. Workplace injuries in the United States cost employers approximately $250 billion a year in medical costs and lost productivity. If an employer cares about profits, he or she also cares about safety. Safety awareness – on the part of owners, management, and labor – benefits any business and makes it a better place to work.

Another myth is that accidents in the workplace simply aren’t preventable. The fact is, if employers and employees both stay alert, most accidents are easily avoided. Encourage everyone at your workplace to pick up rubbish and report faulty equipment. With just a little diligence, everyone can spot and eliminate potential hazards. Make sure all employees use and wear personal safety equipment when needed.

If you’ve been injured at your place of work, speak promptly to an experienced personal injury attorney. A good personal injury lawyer can help you win compensation for your medical expenses, lost wages, and lost earning capacity. Injured victims may also receive pain and suffering damages, and in some cases, punitive damages. A good personal injury lawyer can evaluate your case, explain your options, and direct you through the complex legal landscape. Don’t hesitate; if you’ve suffered a workplace injury, protect yourself and contact an experienced personal injury attorney as quickly as possible. In the San Diego area, if you or a member of your family has been injured in a workplace accident, contact personal injury attorney Gary Sernaker at (858) 509-0188, or email him at Gsernaker@gmail.com to discuss your rights and options under California Law.

Fatalities due to motorcycle accidents in California and across the country are on the rise. Over 4,000 died in motorcycle mishaps in 2009, but the number rose to almost 5,000 – a 20 percent increase in just two years – in 2011. Data for 2012 indicates that motorcycle-related fatalities are continuing to climb. Unfortunately, many on motorcycles die due to the negligence of other drivers. If you are injured in a crash with a motorcycle, or if you’re a motorcyclist who’s been injured and the other driver was at fault, an experienced personal injury attorney can provide the legal help you need. Meanwhile, car, bus, and truck drivers can reduce their chances of crashing into a motorcycle with these safety tips:

1. Stopping a motorcycle is different from stopping a car or truck, and stopping distances can vary. Riders typically slow a motorcycle by downshifting rather than braking, so the brake light won’t turn on. Leave extra space in front of you.
2. Watch for lane-splitters; lane-splitting is allowed in many states including California. If an auto or truck driver is careless or negligent in a crash with a lane-splitting motorcyclist, the driver may be deemed liable.
3. A motorcycle requires its rider to deal with obstructions that other drivers don’t notice: trash, potholes, and other hindrances on the road. Give motorcyclists plenty of space.
4. Use your turn signals and look twice when turning. About a third of motorcycle crashes happen when a vehicle making a left turn cuts off a motorcyclist.

If you’re in an accident with a motorcycle, or if you are a motorcyclist in a crash, protect your rights. Don’t admit any fault or sign any insurance forms before consulting with a good personal injury lawyer, and do that as quickly as possible. In any crash, protecting your health and your legal rights must be your top priority. If you or a member of your family has been injured in a motorcycle accident, an experienced personal injury attorney can help you win compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, and more. In the San Diego area, contact personal injury attorney Gary Sernaker at (858) 509-0188, or email him at Gsernaker@gmail.com to discuss your rights and options under California Law.

Photo Credit: Mercy Health, Flickr.

Even the mildest brain injuries can be tragic and life-altering. Long-term post-concussion syndrome is increasingly understood as an alarming medical concern. Symptoms may include memory loss, blackouts, dizziness, and seizures. Often, a mild brain injury is forgotten until symptoms manifest themselves later, and that’s not good. When a brain injury is the result of an accident where another person was negligent, an experienced personal injury attorney can help.

What is good, however, is that specialists now conduct a variety of brain tests to look for brain injuries. Computerized screening, for example, directly observes the brain as it operates. Some of the recent research has focuses on a second head injury occurring before the first one has healed; neurologists call this “second impact syndrome.” Even when an initial brain injury seems to be entirely healed, the threat of long-term damage from a second brain injury substantially increases. Concussions may have compounding effects over a period of years. Brain injury victims suffer mentally, physically, and emotionally. Brain injuries also often lead to sleep disorders that cause anxiety, depression, and lethargy.

If you’ve suffered a brain injury in a traffic accident or in some other accident, and someone else’s negligence or reckless behavior was the cause of your injury, you may be able to recover medical costs, lost wages, and more with a personal injury lawsuit. An experienced personal injury attorney will work with doctors and other specialists to compile the evidence and witnesses you’ll need to win. If you are a brain injury victim, find a good personal injury lawyer who will represent you, and do it at once. Your health and your future are your top priorities. In the San Diego area, if you or a member of your family has suffered a brain injury in an accident, and another person was at fault, contact personal injury attorney Gary Sernaker at (858) 509-0188, or email him at Gsernaker@gmail.com to discuss your rights and options under California Law.