Spinal injuries can occur in any number of ways.  You may have been involved in a car accident that left you injured, a slip and fall in which dangerous or slippery floors were not marked as such by the owner of the property, a boating accident or some other mishap.  No matter how it occurred, if someone else is at fault you deserve justice.  A highly respected Kansas City spinal injury lawyer will work hard to make sure that you get compensated for those injuries.  Mounting medical bills and other costs may be depleting your bank account, but those responsible will pay.

All too often, many attorneys are quick to settle a case out of court and not take the current and future needs of the client in to consideration.  A compassionate Kansas City spinal injury lawyer will make certain that your long-term needs are taken care of, and that all aspects of your accident and injuries are investigated thoroughly so that those responsible cannot worm their way out of the charges.

Your entire life may be altered when you suffer spinal injuries; you may not be able to walk, or you may have problems sitting or lying down for extended periods of time.  You may never be able to work again.  When someone else’s negligence changes your life forever, an aggressive Kansas City spinal injury lawyer will make certain they pay for their careless actions.

An attorney who genuinely cares about your needs and your future will interview witnesses, preserve evidence, work with law enforcement, and take any other necessary steps to ensure that you get total justice.  When your livelihood and your future are affected because someone else was negligent, put it in the hands of a Kansas City spinal injury lawyer who will go the extra mile to make sure you get the compensation you deserve.  Don’t let those who have changed your life forever get away with it!

The companies Wyeth and Pharmacia were acquired by Pfizer at an earlier date.  Wyeth is the maker of Premarin, an estrogen drug, and Prempro, a combination of estrogen and progestin.  Provera is a hormone drug that is made by Pharmacia.  These lawsuits were brought against Pfizer after the acquisition.

Hormonal drugs have been used for years to treat menopausal symptoms in women, and in 2002 the FDA mandated black box warnings on the labeling of these drugs that they were intended to be used in the “smallest possible doses for the shortest possible time.”  Since then, fears have risen about the long term effects and possible cancer caused by these drugs.  These lawsuits are only the beginning in a long line, and Pfizer has at a minimum 1,500 product liability lawsuits facing them, which are all filed in a Philadelphia court, and all pertain to the hormone treatment drug.  Philadelphia is Wyeth’s headquarters, which is the reason that the lawsuits have been filed there.  Across the country, lawyers state that more than 10,000 lawsuits are being filed.

Statistics show that women who have developed breast cancer and gone to trial before a jury have been the victor in 10 out of 12 cases.  Many of these were won when the verdict was appealed.  In the case of the first woman , a $27 million award was overturned by the court because of testimony given by experts that was found to be improper.  A new trial on punitive damages was ordered by the court because there was reason to believe that a jury may find that Wyeth acted with careless disregard in the making of the drug.  Pfizer is wasting no time, and requesting this decision be reviewed by the panel.

Millions of women continue to use hormonal drugs, even after the 2002 study that proved that estrogen therapy could be a factor in breast cancer.  Prior to this study, hormone treatment drugs brought in a staggering $2 billion in sales, but decreased significantly after the warning by the Food and Drug Administration.  It seems that after the initial shock, sales have risen quite a bit which means that millions of women are putting themselves at risk of developing breast cancer by using these drugs.

It is usually exceptional circumstances that call for punitive damages to be awarded, such as when a Los Angeles California injury lawyer has the ability to prove that the defendant acted with careless disregard.  Sometimes these types of damages are referred to as exemplary damages, due to the fact that they are often awarded more to make an example of the defendant rather than to compensate the victim. It is the hope of attorneys that by awarding punitive damages to victims, other companies will be deterred from reckless behavior in the manufacture of drugs and other products.

The Reeves Law Group has offices across California, and is dedicated to representing personal injury victims, including victims of product liability.  Please contact us for a free consultation at (800) 644-8000.

In 2008, two bicyclists who were riding on a two-lane road in Brentwood were injured when Christopher Thomas supposedly pulled out in front of them in his car.  This resulted in one of the riders going through Thompson’s windshield, and the other being slammed into the ground after being tossed several feet into the air.  The cyclists claim that Thompson yelled at them, then proceeded to pull out in their path and slam on his brakes.  Thompson’s attorney alleges that the accident was caused because the bicyclists yelled profanities at the doctor, who faces four felony charges.

With an increase in the number of bicyclists over the last several years, it seems that conflicts between motorists and those who ride bikes is increasing.  More people are riding bicycles all over the United States, including California.  Between 2000 and 2008, according to statistics, bicycling across the country has risen by 43 percent.  The increased awareness of the environment has also contributed to this rise, as more people view bicycling as a “green” method to travel.  Not only that, bicycling is cheap, and is a very effective activity for better fitness.

Many cities in California have experienced an increase in those who ride bicycles, but have not seen a rise in accidents that involve bicyclists.  This is thought to be due to the fact that because so many people are riding, motorists have become more aware of them and drive safely.  In fact, bicycling increased by 66% in Marin County between 1998 and 2008, but accidents between motorists and bicyclists in this county decreased by 34%.

Although many people are using bicycles as a mode of transportation, the accident rates still haven’t risen nearly at the rate that fatal motorcycle accidents have.  In 2008, the NHTSA showed that 716 fatal bicycle accidents occurred, which was a drop of 6% when compared to 1998.  While this is good news, Los Angeles personal injury lawyers are still concerned about bicycle accidents, and the rising number of severe injuries that result when a crash occurs.

The Reeves Law Group has offices across California, and is dedicated to representing Los Angeles bicycle accident victims, including victims of bicycle accidents.  Please contact us for a free consultation at (800) 644-8000.

Ms. Petelski, according to the Los Angeles Times, was driving her vehicle on Glyndon Avenue after finishing her shift at work at a counseling center and was stopped at a stop sign.  This was around midnight, and according to a representative of the Los Angeles Police Department she pulled out in front of the cruiser. Two police officers who were inside of the cruiser were treated at the hospital for minor to moderate injuries.  Petelski died one day after the accident from her injuries.  Individuals in related accidents should contact a car accident attorney in Los Angeles.

The two officers have stated that they were not responding to a call at the time the accident occurred, according to the LAPD, and questions have been raised regarding the speed of the cruiser and whether negligence may have been involved.  The accident is still being investigated, and the cause of the crash is still uncertain at this time.

Residents who live near the scene of the crash suggest that the cruiser had no lights or sirens in use, and seemed to be traveling at a rate of speed between 50 and 70 mph.  Other witnesses seem to agree with these reports, and Captain Paul West had already admitted to reporters that as far as he knew, lights or sirens were not in use at the time.

Those near the area when the accident occurred reported that they heard no brakes screeching or sirens just before the crash took place.  These witnesses say that within a few short moments of the time that the cruiser hit Petelski’s car on the driver’s side, 10 more cruisers arrived at the scene and began blocking off the crime scene.  They also stated that emergency vehicles arrived more than 15 minutes after the crash took place.

Witnesses who saw the entire event unfold claim that the officers were indeed speeding without the use of lights or sirens, and that they are clearly at fault in the accidents.  Naturally, emotions are running rampant over this incident, and is very upsetting to Los Angeles wrongful death lawyers who respect law enforcement officials at the LAPD immensely.

The Reeves Law Group has offices across California and are dedicated to representing personal injury victims, including victims of car accidents.  Please contact us for a free consultation at (800) 644-8000.

At the time of the Ventura truck accident, it was not clearly evident who was at fault in the accident.  Since that time, it has been determined by investigators that the pedestrian, Herman, did indeed have the right of way, and that the teen driver was not paying close attention to his actions.  It is a well known fact that teens, as well as other motorists, often eat, fiddle with radio stations and perform other tasks that are not inducive to safe driving practices.

Ventura pedestrian accident lawyers see these types of incidents frequently.  When motorists fail to pay attention to their surroundings, accidents occur.  Cell phones are another huge cause of accidents, and in this particular tragedy there is no information on whether a cell phone was in use at the time.  Recently, driving while talking on cell phones or texting has been a popular subject in the news and other media.

A study was conducted in July by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute which strongly connected the use of cell phones for text messaging while driving and the incidence of accidents.  The study concluded that texting while at the wheel increased the likelihood of an accident by 23 times.  At the end of this month, US Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood will be heading a summit to determine how to effectively deal with the dangers of texting while behind the wheel.

Other than lack of attention by drivers, other things that may cause an accident involving a pedestrian are speeding, driving while under the influence, failing to consider poor weather conditions and failure to yield the right of way.  Drivers, including teen drivers, must make the decision to drive safely, be cautious when nearing an intersection or crosswalk, and be extremely watchful at night or during inclement weather.  Tragic accidents like those in the case of Ms. Herman can often be avoided by taking extra precautions.

The Reeves Law Group has offices across California, and is dedicated to representing Ventura personal injury victims, including victims of pedestrian accidents.  Please contact us for a free consultation at (800) 644-8000.

In California, an injured party may bring a personal injury lawsuit against any party that was responsible or partially responsible for causing their injury either through negligence or through a wrongful act. In order for their to be a valid personal injury case, the following elements must be present.

Elements of a California Personal Injury Lawsuit

-    Duty of defendant
The plaintiff must be able to prove that the defendant had an explicit or implied duty to prevent the injury in some way. “Duty” is a broad legal term which can extend to cover anything from the responsibility of a property owner to maintain safe conditions to the “duty of care” held by a physician who is charged with medical treatment for the plaintiff.

-    Actual loss or damage resulting from the action or negligence
There must be an actual injury or loss resulting from the negligence or wrongful act in order for a plaintiff to bring suit and recover damages in a personal injury case.

-    Causation
The plaintiff must prove that there is a link between the action or inaction of the defendant and the injury that he suffered. There are different degrees and types of causation under California personal injury law, including direct causation and proximate or legal causation. These can be extremely important in recovering damages in a personal injury case.

In addition, there are specific elements of personal injury lawsuits that exist for specific types of personal injury claims. The plaintiff in a product liability lawsuit, for instance, must prove that the product was actually defective, and that it was defective when it left the hands of the defendant in the case.

Statute of Limitations for Personal Injury Cases in California
California law also sets specific statutes of limitation – the period of time during which a lawsuit can be brought. The Statute of Limitations is different for different types of personal injury suits. In a wrongful death suit, for instance, the Statute of Limitations is two years in most cases, but there are exceptions based on the age of the plaintiff or in the case that the wrongful cause of death is delayed too late to file within the statute of limitations. Other personal injury lawsuits may have statutes of limitations ranging from one year after the injury to three years after discovery of injury.

If you have suffered an injury that was caused by the negligence or the wrongful acts of another, it’s important that you contact a Los Angeles personal injury lawyer as soon as possible. If the statute of limitations for filing a California personal injury suit has passed, you may have no recourse at all for recovering damages.

The husband of the woman driving the SUV has now filed a lawsuit against four of the railroad companies in the Stanislaus County for the California train accident, as well as the county itself. He claims that the railroads neglected to maintain the crossing at Claribel Road and Terminal Avenue, where the accident occurred, and failed to make it safe for vehicles and pedestrians. The man’s lawyers also point out that, although the California Public Utility Commission recommended that Stanislaus County remove the stop sign from this particular crossing in order to make it more safe, the county has failed to do so. In rebuttal, Amtrak has filed a lawsuit against this man, claiming that it was his wife who was entirely at fault in the accident.

For whatever reason, the number of deaths that are occurring in the East Bay area due to railroad crossing accidents in increasing all the time. These accidents involve vehicles much of the time, but pedestrians are becoming particularly prone to injuries and death in these circumstances. Although the accidents are typically the fault of the vehicles or pedestrians involved, there are a number of ways in which railroad companies can create safer crossing areas to avoid these types of accidents and the resultant injuries. One of the most significant ways in which railroad companies can accomplish this goal is by creating greater awareness of the potential danger at railroad crossings. They can also so more to teach residents, especially those in the East Bay area, how to conduct themselves safely while in an area with railroad crossings.

For those with loved ones that have been injured or killed at railroad crossings, it is important for you to seek a personal injury lawyer. It is often difficult and tedious to determine who is at fault when a person is injured or killed at a railroad crossing. The fault could lie with the railroad companies, the city or state governments, or the victim himself. Los Angeles Personal injury lawyers work on these types of cases regularly and are equipped with the experience necessary to determine who is at fault in an accident at a railroad crossing.

The young 19-year old female was from Ceres and was quickly airlifted to a nearby hospital in San Jose, along with another passenger from the Hughson area. According to the last police report, they both remain in critical condition, having sustained very severe injuries. An 18-year old man from Turlock that was a fellow passenger in the car was proclaimed dead at the scene of the accident. Up to date, the driver of the truck that made the illegal U-turn and was at fault for causing this tragic accident, and he has not been arrested or even cited by the police department.

Across California and in major cities like Los Angeles as well as other states that are home to many highways and freeways ideal for traveling, truck accidents are frightfully more common than one may know. Although many of these accidents don’t occur as often as vehicular accidents that involve smaller vehicles, they can cause tremendous injuries and be much more deadly than an accident involving smaller vehicles. Simply understanding the size of the truck involved, the accident has much to do with how severe the injuries of the victims will be, but it is almost guaranteed that a an accident involving a large truck will cause much more damage than a typical accident between economy-sized cars or even SUV’s.

Many of the trucks accidents that occur every year in California occur because of negligent driving on the part of the truck driver. It has been discovered in past years that a number of the accidents caused by large trucks were a result of sleepy drivers that were working more hours than they were legally allowed to drive. Some of these accidents were also made worse because of the heavy loads carried by the trucks. Many of these loads were too heavy for the trucks to safely carry, but were transported anyway in order to save time and make extra money.

If you are ever injured in an accident in a major area of California, consider contacting a Los Angeles  car accident lawyer or consider a Los Angeles California personal injury attorney to help you with the expenses involved from injuries and additional damages such as lost wages.

Despite the large number of accidents each and every year by negligent semi drivers, there are also many truck accidents that are caused by the drivers of smaller vehicles. It is incredibly dangerous to tailgate any vehicle, particularly a large truck, and yet there are many drivers who do so recklessly each and every day. There are also many drivers who pass trucks without heeding the fact that these larger vehicles also have a larger blind spot than their economy-sized cars. Whatever the reason and circumstances, you should contact a personal injury attorney if you’ve been involved in a truck accident or any other type of automobile accident.

The young woman now filing the lawsuit against Nestlé reports that she ate approximately half of the container of Nestlé raw cookie dough right from the package. After a few days, she started to experience nausea and abdominal cramping. She didn’t link her symptoms to the potential for food poisoning in California, however, until she began to have bloody diarrhea. The young woman went to the hospital where a biopsy was performed and an infection caused by E.coli was found. Because of the potentially fatal results an E.coli infection can have, it was incredibly fortunate that the woman was able to be treated so quickly. If an E.coli infection goes unchecked, it can often lead to the kidney failure and death of its victim.

Investigators are still in the process of determining how Nestlé’s prepackaged cookie dough was contaminated with the E.coli bacteria. When E.coli infections break out, they can typically be linked to meat products that haven’t been cooked well. This is because E.coli bacteria live within the stomach and intestinal tract of cattle, goats, and several other types of farm animals. How and why the bacteria ended up in Nestlé Tollhouse prepackaged cookie dough remains a mystery that the FDA, along with Nestlé Food Corporation, is attempting to solve.

With the recent outbreak of Salmonellosis that was linked earlier this year to contaminated peanuts and pistachios, food safety has become the top priority of the FDA. These tainted nuts caused several deaths and hundreds of hospitalizations across the United States. If you or someone you love has contracted a serious illness from contaminated food products, you should call a San Carlos personal injury attorney in your area as soon as possible. Food manufacturers are responsible for selling their consumers safe food products. Therefore, when the food you purchase has been contaminated, the company manufacturing it has likely shirked its duty to provide safe groceries for you and your family. A personal injury attorney can help you reach the settlement you deserve from the injuries you’ve sustained from contaminated food products. The young woman who spent a week in the hospital with an E.coli infection will likely receive all the compensation she needs to cover her medical expenses, as well as compensation for the pain and suffering she had to suffer.

Prior to the accident that led to the death of these six victims, the guilty man had been to court more than once for alcohol-related problems, including driving while under the influence. Various courts had ordered him to seek counsel and help for his problem with alcoholism. However, the man did not simply neglect to seek help; he blatantly refused it. This man’s problematic addiction to alcohol ended up costing six people their lives. The accident robbed their remaining family members of the physical companionship and love of those who are now deceased. Although the man is now in prison for a long period of time with no opportunity for parole, this sentence will never be able to fully satisfy those who have been left to mourn the loss of his victims. In addition, filing a personal injury claim against the man for monetary compensation would also not be able to make the family feel entirely justified. However, filing a personal injury claim and receiving monetary compensation would likely help the family mourn over their losses more easily by covering any medical and funeral costs that could cause greater stress and worry in their lives.

Los Angeles Drunk driving accidents are one of the most hazardous types of car accidents that can occur. Although many are able to file criminal charges against the person or party who caused the drunk driving accident, most people do not think to file a civil suit with a Los Angeles personal injury lawyer for damages. When won, personal injury claims may be able to cover all of the medical and funeral costs that are often incurred as a result of drunk driving accidents. Again, although these types of claims do not necessarily provide the justification and peace a family is looking for when their loved ones are injured or killed in a drunk driving accident, the compensation can greatly reduce the stress, anxiety, and pressure they are likely to feel.