Jan 24 by Andy Gillin

What is my role as a plaintiff in a personal injury case?

Getting hurt in an accident can be confusing and frustrating, especially when you need to file a lawsuit in order to seek compensation for your losses. At GJEL Accident Attorneys, we are here to help injured plaintiffs through every stage of the litigation process.

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Dec 30 by Andy Gillin

Should Bay Area carpool lanes be enforced 24/7?

Carpool lanes are an essential part of the Bay Area’s transportation infrastructure, designed to encourage carpooling, reduce traffic congestion, and improve air quality. As the population continues to…

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Nov 10 by Andy Gillin

The Most Common Holiday Injuries to Watch Out For

Each year, the holiday season brings excitement about seeing family, eating delicious meals, and even opening a few presents. For some, the season marks a series of events complete with dinner parties and elaborate decorations. In addition to this seasonal mirth, families must consider safety issues related to driving long distances in rough conditions, the potential for shopping mall mishaps, and dangers associated with holiday decorations and lights. To help navigate those additional considerations, we’ve developed a list of some of the most common holiday-related injuries and some precautions families can take to avoid trips to the emergency room this winter.

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Nov 06 by Andy Gillin

Lionel Hutz Lawsuits In The Simpsons

On the air for more than 20 years, the iconic family cartoon sitcom “The Simpsons” has covered just about every topic you can think of. So it’s no surprise that the show has addressed – and mocked – many legal issues. In fact, The Simpsons has managed to cover personal injury law, sexual harassment, false advertising, criminal law, food safety, copyright law, and more. While the plots of these episodes themselves are hilarious, they wouldn’t be quite as great without shuckster attorney Lionel Hutz (Phil Hartman). We’ve compiled a list of our favorite lawsuits in the Simpsons, in chronological order.

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Jun 20 by Andy Gillin

10 Biggest Personal Injury Settlements Ever

The average personal injury settlement is $52,900, according to Martindale-Nolo Research, but the settlement range is $3,000 to $75,000. Thirty percent of claimants receive nothing, while a good…

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May 26 by Andy Gillin

How Long Can I Wait to File a Lawsuit?

If you’ve been injured due to negligence, then you are entitled to receive compensation from the guilty party. However, the State of California imposes a strict deadline known as a statue of limitations that limits the amount of time following an accident in which you are allowed to file a claim.

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May 24 by Andy Gillin

Is it legal to ride my bike in a crosswalk?

Many bicyclists in the Bay Area wonder: Do I have to walk my bike across the crosswalks in California? Technically, in the state you are supposed to walk your bike whenever you are in a crosswalk. Indeed, under California Vehicle Code 21200, which governs the operation of bicycles in the state, it is unlawful to ride across a crosswalk. For your own health and safety, the best thing you can do is to get off your bike when crossing the street. That being said, if a serious bicycle accident does occur while you are riding in a crosswalk, do not automatically assume that you are the party at fault.

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May 24 by Andy Gillin

Do I need to hire a personal injury attorney?

A lot of people ask, “Do I even need a lawyer for my accident case?” Very often, the answer is no. However, if you were seriously injured in an accident, you should always work with an experienced San Jose personal injury attorney.

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May 24 by Andy Gillin

Questions You Should Ask Before Hiring a Personal Injury Attorney

Many people ask, what are the questions they want answered when they’re interviewing a lawyer. This is a great initial question, as you will not be able to select the best lawyer to handle your case unless you know what questions you need to ask in order to research the issue. Here, our experienced San Jose personal injury attorneys have put together a list of seven important questions that you should consider asking a lawyer before hiring them to handle your case.

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May 24 by Andy Gillin

If I’m rear-ended in a car accident, is it always the other person’s fault?

Rear end collisions are one of the most common – but luckily one of the least serious – accident types. What is often most complex about these accidents, however, is not the extent of the injuries that they cause, but is determining who is to be held liable for damages. Because California is an at-fault, or tort liability state for car accidents, determining fault in all crashes that result in damages, even if those damages are minor, is important. It should also be noted, of course, that while most rear-end collisions are not serious, those that occur at high speeds have the potential to be very severe, and could even be fatal.

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May 24 by Andy Gillin

What if I didn’t realize I was injured until weeks after my accident?

What happens if you got hurt in a car accident but did not realize the extent of your injuries until days or weeks later? What if your decision to delay seeking medical treatment exacerbated your injuries, resulting in the need for more extensive and costly medical treatment? Regardless of when you decided to seek medical treatment after the crash, an Oakland car accident lawyer can help.

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May 24 by Andy Gillin

What is uninsured motorist coverage [UM/UIM]?

If you live in California and you are involved in a car accident, the driver who caused the accident is responsible for paying for it. However, drivers rarely pay for accidents that they cause out of pocket – instead, they turn to their auto insurance liability policies to pay for damages.

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May 24 by Andy Gillin

What is the role of the private investigator in a personal injury case?

What is the role of a private investigator? In short, the private investigator helps to determine the series of events that led to the car accident in which you sustained your injuries. You might be asking yourself: why do I need to work with a private investigator? Law firms across Northern California, and indeed across the country, rely on the services of private investigators to obtain specific information about an accident and to help determine who may be liable for injuries that occurred.

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May 24 by Andy Gillin

Post Concussion Syndrome Attorney

At GJEL Accident Attorneys we have recovered over $10 Million Dollars for our clients suffering from Post Concussion Syndrome in California. If you or someone you love is…

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May 18 by Andy Gillin

The Dangers of Texting and Driving

It seems hardly a day goes by without hearing something in the news about an accident caused by texting and driving, in California and throughout the US.

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Mar 15 by Andy Gillin

Top 10 Powerful Legal Documentary Films

People who follow the news in the United States are not strangers to disturbing legal stories that often dominate the headlines. From the Casey Anthony trial that concluded last month, to the Scott Peterson verdict years before, and even the controversial O.J. Simpson murder case nearly 20 years ago, it’s often difficult to avoid the day’s most followed legal stories. But there are thousands of legal stories that go unnoticed each year by much of the general public, or are nearly forgotten years later. In the four following examples, documentary film makers have exposed and revitalized those stories to create powerful documentary films discussing a variety of troubling legal issues. We’ve compiled the trailers for the films Hot Coffee, Capturing the Friedmans, Deliver Us From Evil, and Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father, along with short descriptions and reviews.

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Mar 01 by Andy Gillin

The Top 20 Best TV Lawyers

The film industry is loaded with movies throughout history that have a focus on lawyers and the drama that takes place in the courtroom. This list contains the…

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Jan 30 by Andy Gillin

Safest Cars for Teenage Drivers in 2022

There are so many safety factors to consider when your teenager begins driving. When it comes to teen brain development, distracted driving, and graduated license laws, parents have a strong role in assuring that their children stay safe behind the wheel. Great safety strategies include educating your teen about the dangers of distracted driving, and creating a teen-parent safe driving contract that rewards safe driving behavior. But there’s one aspect for new teen drivers that parents have complete control over: what car (if any) they will drive.

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Jan 24 by Andy Gillin

Here Are The Top Causes of Distracted Driving

These 15 Driving Distractions Could Ruin Your Day. Wouldn’t it be nice to settle in to your morning commute in total relaxation, catching up with a friend in the passenger seat next to you, or with hundreds of friends all at once on social media?

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Jan 06 by Andy Gillin

America’s Clumsiest Names of 2022

‘Clumsy’ is a word many people use to describe themselves, especially if they’re somewhat accident-prone and have a habit of tripping over, knocking into things, or dropping stuff….

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Oct 24 by Andy Gillin

What to do After an Accident

There are 5 important steps to take after an accident: Seek Medical Assistance, Exchange Contact and Insurance Information, Gather and Secure Evidence, Be Wary of Insurance Adjusters, and Contact a Qualified Attorney

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Jul 01 by Andy Gillin

4 Real and 5 Fictional Seinfeld Lawsuits

Gearing up for the holiday weekend, we thought it necessary to revive GJEL Accident Attorneys’ legal humor category. With that, we’ve compiled 9 Seinfeld-related lawsuits, five fictional and four real, to commemorate the 9 years the 90’s mega-sitcom fantastically mocked most aspects, significant and mundane, of real life. And the show’s take on the legal industry was no different. Check out our list.

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May 24 by Andy Gillin

What if there’s no police report for my accident?

Anytime that you are involved in a car accident, or any other serious accident type that necessitates emergency medical care, you should make sure that an accident report is filed with the police (in fact, in the event of a car accident, California law requires that you report the accident if anyone is injured or killed, or damages total more than $750).

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Nov 19 by Andy Gillin

California Minimum Auto Insurance Requirements

When an accident occurs in California, whether an automobile accident or an accident such as a slip and fall on someone else’s property, the way that injuries are almost always paid for is through liability insurance. Because California is an at-fault state, the insurance company of the person whose negligence caused the accident and related injuries is responsible for paying for the injured party’s damages.

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Aug 08 by Andy Gillin

6 Important California Bike Accident Lawsuits

Getting hit by a car while walking or riding your bicycle is an awful thought. So the image of a pack of cyclists being run over by a SUV is nothing short of terrifying. Last year, four cyclists were injured in San Francisco’s Mission District after a man in an SUV allegedly ran them down in what the San Francisco Chronicle calls a “six-minute rampage.” The driver, David Mark Clark, now faces four counts of attempted murder, and his attorney has unofficially said Clark will seek an insanity plea. Click through for five more important California bike accident lawsuits.

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Jan 18 by Andy Gillin

The Top Reasons to Go To Law School

The attorneys at GJEL recently hosted a scholarship program and asked incoming law students why they wanted to go to law school. As a part of this contest,…

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Oct 10 by Andy Gillin

Most Unlikely Courtroom Comedies

Last week, we brought you some of the most absurd attempts of replicating judicial in the most unlikely courtroom dramas. Ranging from Chicago to Miracle on 34th Street, it was clear that film writers are comfortable fudging the facts and realities when it comes to telling a compelling story. Not surprisingly, the same is true for legal comedies… to an even more outlandish extent. But since comedies typically aren’t bound by realism or attention to detail, the freedoms taken in the films described below are perhaps more forgivable than those taken in courtroom dramas. Take a look at our list, ranging all the way from Legally Blonde to Ghostbusters II.

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Jan 05 by Andy Gillin

State Driving Laws Across The Nation

The details of your state’s driving laws might not be a major influence on the events of your daily life, but if you or your teenager is getting a license, you want to make calls or text while behind the wheel, or your elderly parents are losing their motor skills, knowledge of the relevant regulations becomes essential. Looking at driver laws nationwide, the trend is moving toward stricter graduated license laws for teen drivers, and heightened regulations against distracted driving. Scroll over this interactive map to see the details of your state’s driving laws and how they compare to others.

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Sep 05 by Andy Gillin

Are Insurance Company Deadlines Important?

To be sure, the insurance company’s goal is to pay as little as possible for claims. As such, it may try to tell you that you have missed a deadline for filing your claim or to convince you to take a settlement with a specific deadline.

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