Car accidents are a common occurrence on California's busy roads and highways. With over 38 million residents, California has the largest population in the United States.  As a result, California has a large number of vehicles on the road. According to the California Office of Traffic Safety, there were over 220,000 injuries and 3,600 fatalities from car accidents in 2019. Injured victims of car accidents often seek compensation for their damages, including medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering. However, seeking compensation is not always a straightforward process, and the California statute of limitations can have a significant impact on an individual's ability to recover [...]

The Ultimate Guide on What to Do After A Car Accident After a car accident, it's normal to feel shaken up and uncertain of what to do next. But don't worry, Vititoe Law Group, a Westlake Village car accident lawyer, has you covered. This ultimate guide will tell you everything you need to know about what to do after a car accident. Everything from dealing with the police to filing an insurance claim. Keep reading to learn more about what to do after a car accident. Assess Your Injuries Assessing injuries and getting to a safe location after a car accident is one of the most [...]

How Is a Settlement for a Personal Injury Claim Calculated? Personal injury settlements are usually calculated by looking at various factors. A personal injury claim is typically settled prior to court, but may also make its way in front of a jury. There are several factors that go into the consideration of your settlement amount. Factors such as the severity of the victim's injuries, the amount of economic damages incurred, and the victim's pain and suffering. In this blog post, we'll take a look at how these different factors are considered when calculating a personal injury settlement. Cost of Medical Treatment after an Injury Cost of [...]

It's no surprise that large trucks cause major damage in accidents.  Many truck accidents are a direct result of negligence from the truck driver. Like car accidents, most truck accidents are preventable.  Truck drivers have a set of trucking regulations they must follow. These are referred as Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations. These trucking regulations are in place to help prevent truck accidents from happening. Unfortunately, there are still California truck accidents weekly. In fact, California sees almost 120 fatal truck accidents per year. Additionally there are thousands more truck accidents that cause severe injuries to both parties involved. Understanding Trucking Regulations California truck drivers  follow [...]

When you are involved in an accident and injured due to somebody else’s negligence, you deserve to be compensated fairly so that you can focus on recovering from your injuries. However, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has made this difficult for many people. Those who may be entitled to compensation may not be sure how to proceed with a personal injury lawsuit as they don’t want to take unnecessary risks during these times. But you shouldn’t let the pandemic get in the way of your recovery. Let’s take a look at the most common mistakes you should avoid when filing a personal injury lawsuit during a pandemic. [...]

The aftermath of a car accident can be very difficult to deal with, and unless you’ve been through it yourself, you probably don’t completely understand how trying it can be. Not only do you have to worry about fixing your car and dealing with insurance companies, but you also have to focus on recovering from your injuries — a process that can take a frustrating amount of time and effort.  You might have to miss work because of your injuries and the recovery process. These obstacles are only made worse by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Public health measures, business closures, and safety concerns have complicated things, [...]

It is widely accepted fact that even moderate exercise on a regular basis yields many health benefits. That is why people who have spinal cord injury (SCI) are more prone to negative health issues such as elevated cholesterol and blood sugar as well as weight gain. They are also at a greater risk of cardiovascular disease.  Inactivity may play a significant role in these problems according to the Spinal Cord Injury Model Systems Knowledge Translation Center. Regular physical activity along with proper health precautions and professional guidance can create vast improvements in the overall quality of life for people with SCI.  The good news is there [...]

Motorcycle lane splitting has been a contentious practice in California since the vehicle code 21658.1 became effective Jan. 1, 2017.  The practice of “driving a motorcycle between rows of stopped or moving vehicles in the same lane including on both divided and undivided streets, roads and highways” is intended to improve the safety of motorcycle riders, although there have been three local lane splitting fatalities in the past year. The California Highway Patrol (CHP), who interprets the lane splitting law as neither authorizing nor prohibiting lane splitting, was empowered to create guidelines to be followed.  Motorcyclists who are involved in a serious crash while lane splitting [...]

Big rig drivers are in one of the deadliest occupations, as truck driver on-the-job deaths rise to set a new record in 2017. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported a 6.6 percent increase in truck driver deaths, with 840 heavy-duty trucking fatalities being recorded, compared to 786 the previous year. Since 2011 the industry has seen the fatality rate increase by a staggering 25 percent. The data provided by the labor bureau concurs with other data from a National Highway Safety Administration Report in October of 2018 that indicated a 9 percent year over year increase in trucker fatalities to the highest level in 29 years. [...]