DUI: Still a Year Long Concern

Now that the holidays are over, we're going to hear slightly less about the dangers of drunk driving. While that may be somewhat inevitable, anyone who's worked as, or with, a vehicle accident lawyer knows that these kind of accidents happen seven days a week, 365 days a year.

We were thinking about this while reading about the tragic case of 21 year-old Lyft driver Thor Anderson, who was killed in Hawthorne at roughly 3:00 in the morning on New Year's Day in an accident involving another driver of the same age. A DUI is suspected in the case. The young driver's father said that he was working for Lyft to help his family and was excited about the money he could make by working on New Year's Eve.

Personal injury attorneys see these kind of cases more than anyone would like to, and they happen every day. However, that doesn't mean we aren't moved by the loss of families impacted by this type of tragic DUI accident. Indeed, the devastation in these cases can be overwhelming at times. Oftentimes, the saddest realization of all is how easily they could have been prevented. In this case, ironically, all it might have taken to save Thor Anderson's life was one more call to Lyft or Uber on the part of the other driver in the case.

Meanwhile, if you are dealing with a personal injury due to a DUI or another type of accident where the other driver was at fault, and you're family is not receiving due compensation, we're here to help. And, very obviously, if you find yourself out and drinking, remember that, as the ads say, buzzed driving is drunk driving. If there's any question at all that you might be impaired, call a cab or one of the ride-sharing services. You don't belong behind the wheel.

Make Safety Your New Year’s Priority

As the calendar flips, and the start of a New Year has people looking for a fresh start, a variety of goals and resolutions will be made around the country. While many of these goals are important, it is always true that there is nothing more important than the health and wellness of ourselves and those around us. For individuals, this means practicing necessary caution when driving, and for business owners, this means ensuring that your premises, products, and policies are all aligned with the best practices for safety.

Far too often, the safety policies of businesses are reactive, only changing after an accident or a personal injury has occurred. While any efforts toward increased safety should be lauded, it is frustrating when these steps are only taken after an incident. At the Law Offices of Burg & Brock, we encourage business owners and individuals to make 2016 the year to examine any unsafe practices, and make the changes needed to prevent an accident. Of course, there will never be a world that is 100 percent free of accidents, and anyone needing the assistance of personal injury attorneys can contact us whenever they are in need.

A Time for Gratitude

As Los Angeles personal injury attorneys, we obviously spend a great deal of time dealing with people in unfortunate situations. Even so, it may not always sink us for us how important it is to take a moment to be thankful for all that we more fortunate people have.

Oddly enough, what started us thinking about this is the ongoing situation in Porter Ranch, where noxious smells from a Southern California Gas Company leak are driving some people from their homes. If you're a personal injury lawyer, the obvious thing is to consider the legal implications posed by an invasive bad smell, which is never good for a person's physical or mental health. On the other hand, it's also important to take a moment to be thankful for something as basic as having reasonably fresh air to breathe.

Aside from the air, living in what is, after all, a highly prosperous society, many of us take for granted that we have clean water to drink as close as the nearest tap, a roof over our heads, and enough food...actually much more than enough. At the same time, of course, not everyone has it so good.

So, it's good to be grateful for all the things we do have, like a good job at a personal injury law firm, for example. It's also, however, perhaps even more important to help spread some of that good fortune around by helping others who are in need by doing whatever we can, perhaps volunteering or giving to our favorite charities -- and, if you don't have a personal favorite, there are countless important causes out there, all of whom could use more help. It's also, of course, just as important to simply be kind to those around us, from our closest family and friends to strangers we encounter as we go about our business. Not just around the holidays but always.

Happy holidays, everyone!

Stay Safe during Holiday Travels!

Holidays are a joyous time for celebration and spending time with family, yet the bump in travel to unfamiliar locations often leads to an increase in injuries during this time. As a vehicle accident lawyer, Cameron Yadidi Brock and the rest of his team at the Law Offices of Burg & Brock know all too well what can happen when drivers are distracted while trying to traverse crowded roadways. Especially in any extraordinary roadway conditions, we remind all drivers to always practice defensive driving and never sacrifice safety in order to get to a destination just a little bit sooner. It is rushing like this that often makes it difficult to see hazardous conditions that may lead to a personal injury.

It is also important to be cautious and diligent when traversing crowded airports or other unfamiliar areas where a fall or other injury could occur. Typically, those who manage these high traffic buildings and areas tend to take extra precautions to account for the increased foot traffic and potential distractions. Yet, it is certainly true that not all stores and public buildings take these precautions, and many injuries still do occur. If you or someone you love has been injured in an accident that resulted from the negligence of another party, contact the personal injury attorneys at the Law Offices of Burg & Brock today.

A Train of Thought

Just over the last couple of days we've seen two notable local news stories about vehicle collisions involving local commuter trains. One was a fatal collision involving a pedestrian and a Blue Line train in Vernon; the other was a much less serious incident involving a test of the an extension to the Expo Line which led to a incident involving a semi big-rig and a light rail train in Santa Monica. As  Los Angeles personal injury attorneys, we obviously work a great deal with the victims of accidents and their families, so this is obviously a matter of direct concern.

Serious train injuries and fatalities can have a number of causes, but it seems as if most of the worst ones could have prevented by a little common sense on the part of either a member of the public or a rapid transit employee. The most egregious example of the latter might be the 2008 texting-related crash of Metrolink and Union Pacific trains in Chatsworth, which killed 25 and injured many more. More commonly, we hear about cases nationwide where individuals seem to find themselves at railway crossings in circumstances that seem hard to understand. As personal injury attorneys, we know there are cases where people are clearly foolishly putting themselves in harm's way, with the result often being a fatality. However, there may also be times when confusing signage and other issues may actually be at least partially responsible for drivers and others being in places where they clearly have no business being.

Personal injury law can be a highly complex matter but one thing is clear -- if drivers, pedestrians, and rapid transit employees all thought through their actions in a careful manner, far fewer of these often tragic train collisions would pop up on our daily news feeds.

The Paths to a Successful Outcome

In a personal injury case, what’s often more important than how the case is decided is that the injured party receives the compensation and justice they need to help them become whole again. What’s important to understand that there are two ways to accomplish a successful outcome, both of which have their advantages and disadvantages.

The first, and more traditional way to achieve a successful outcome is through litigation in court. Unlike many lawyers that may only take cases that they can easily settle, the Los Angeles personal injury attorneys at The Law Offices of Burg & Brock have extensive experience arguing on behalf of their clients in court, to ensure that they get the biggest compensation package possible.

Yet, it is true that some risk-averse clients may feel more comfortable going with the certainty of an out-of-court settlement rather than leaving it up to a judge to decide. Cameron Yadidi Brock, the firm’s head litigator, explains that their lawyers are there to do what is best for each individual client, and that may mean settling in some cases. Ultimately, it is the decision of the client as to which path they want to pursue, and our team will fight for them however they wish to proceed.

Rules of the Holiday Road

Thanks to low gas prices, this weekend looks to be a historically busy one on our nation's highways and, you can bet, that will almost certainly go double here in car-heavy Southern California. As Los Angeles personal injury attorneys, the thought that naturally occurs to us is that, with all of those cars on the road, more injury accidents than usual are an inevitability.

So, yes, once again we're advising you to be extra safe when driving this holiday weekend. Of course, if you're planning a long road trip to visit family or a relatively nearby vacation spot like Las Vegas, the Bay Area, or San Diego today or tomorrow, you need to pay extra attention while driving. Especially if you're driving late at night, be on the lookout for drivers who are too tired -- or too chemically altered -- to drive safely. Large trucks and other vehicles also need to be paid their due respect.

On the other hand, your risk of a serious personal injury does not disappear should you spend the weekend in town. Notably, Time Magazine has reported that a study by Progressive Insurance also notes a fairly large spike in accidents on Black Friday. Admittedly, many of these are minor parking lot dents and fender-benders, but -- especially in parking lots -- there's always the threat of a serious collision, particularly if pedestrians are involved.

Even as people who are in the business, we can tell you for sure that the last thing anyone wants to do over the holidays is to spend time in the office of a personal injury lawyer. So, please, be careful out there, wherever "there" may be.