Personal Injury Resources

When it comes to the legal system, it’s important to understand the laws that govern our daily lives. One such law is Civil Code § 1714 CC, which…

Getting into a car accident is scary, confusing, and complicated. It’s even scarier to think about your teenager getting into a car accident. But it’s important that if you or your teenager is in that situation, everyone knows what to do. So while we hope you never have to use this form, we encourage you to download our Car Accident Preparedness PDF, and keep it in your glovebox, along with your insurance and vehicle registration info. Key pieces of the PDF include emergency supplies, the parties involved, witnesses, documenting the scene, and a step-by-step checklist.

In this document, we’ll address some of the more common things you can expect when filing a lawsuit. While we can’t tell you everything that might happen in any particular case, the steps below provide an overview of what you may generally expect. Keep in mind that each lawsuit takes a different path, and those paths are not always predictable.

Although the brain is 80 percent developed at adolescence, new research indicates that brain signals essential for motor skills and emotional maturity are the last to extend to the brain’s frontal lobe, which is responsible for many of the skills essential for driving. This research suggests that emotional immaturity, not inexperience, is the primary reason that teenage drivers are responsible for far more car accidents than any other age demographic. Click through for our animated brain development infographic.

Slowly but surely, technology has become an unavoidable part of our day. But fidgeting with cell phones and other technological devices while driving is enormously dangerous, contributing to more than 500,000 injuries and 6,000 deaths last year alone, according to the .National Highway Traffic Administration. With that in mind, we have compiled a list of devices that will help avoid the temptation to text, email, or dial friends while on the road. These devices can help make yourself and your teenager tech gurus, but more importantly, a safer drivers.

Everything that’s posted on social media is considered public, and even the most well meaning remarks about a personal injury claim could potentially be used against a plaintiff by the defense. For this reason, we’ve assembled the following social media guidelines for personal injury plaintiffs currently involved in litigation.

Every day, GJEL attorneys assist clients and prospective clients with their insurance claims regarding car accidents and other personal injury cases. In over 30 years of practicing personal injury law, we’ve seen just about every “trick in the book” from insurance companies, including asking people unfair or manipulative questions during a recorded conversation, requesting medical records that infringe on people’s privacy, and biased examinations by company doctors.

If you think your insurance company–or the insurance company of the person who injured you–may be using deceptive, fraudulent, or manipulative tactics against you or a loved one, we encourage you to file a complaint with the Insurance Department of your home state.

Safe driving behavior begins at the Department of Motor Vehicles. Teen drivers are tested by their local DMV before receiving their license, and all drivers must go through the DMV to renew their license or ask other important questions. California has made sure that residents don’t need to travel far to access DMV services. To help make this even easier, we’ve put together an interactive map of the DMV offices throughout California. Click the DMV office near you for its address and phone number.

One common attribute of the “gig economy,” particularly associated today with “high tech” companies, is the retaining entity’s (The Company’s) frequent reliance on a worker placed by an employment agency

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.

Below you will find the GJEL Personal Injury Legal Dictionary sorted in alphabetical order. These are common terms you might see used in a personal injury case. 3rd…

Teen drivers throughout the country are faced with countless dangers on city streets and highways. Teens are the demographic most likely to cause car a accident, technology poses the temptation for distracted driving, and scientific studies have even shown that the teen brain may not have developed the motor skills and emotional maturity to drive safely. As California teens hit the road more during the summer holiday, they should take precautions to stay safe and aware at all times. And since California teens receive their restricted license at 16 and their unrestricted license at 18, they can take the summer to boost their knowledge of state driver laws and practice safe driving techniques.

There are many factors senior drivers should consider before getting behind the wheel. The topic areas below are subject to each individual and may not apply to everyone. But for most people, age comes with an inevitable decline in eyesight and motor skills. With these concerns in mind, we’ve developed this safety checklist to be referenced by senior drivers prior to operating a motor vehicle. If any of these items portray your current health or situation, then speak with a family member or personal physician to learn more about safety options.

Fresh into the new year, it is common to make resolutions about attitudes or actions you would like to change this time around. These commonly relate to weight loss, financial responsibility, or interactions with family and friends. This year, we’d like to ask you to consider an additional resolution: to be safer on city streets to prevent car accidents. To keep track of dangerous driving days and safety-related events, we’ve created a calendar of motor caution days, complete with days and weekends that are often riddled with car accidents, and holidays and events related to bike and car safety for teens and parents.

While there is currently no federal law against drunk driving, it is illegal in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. But each state varies in its enforcement of DUI laws. Some states, for example, automatically suspend the driver’s license after he or she is first convicted for driving under the influence while some require no suspension at all. In addition, some states require ignition interlock devices to prevent drunk driving after the first DUI offense while others never require the breathalyzers. For more state-by-state information on DUI laws and statistics, check out our interactive map.

Teenagers are notoriously the most dangerous demographic of drivers. But there are dozens of factors that can influence car accidents that have nothing to do with inexperience and immaturity. In fact, older drivers can become a hazard as their eyesight, motor skills, and spatial recognition begins to fade, and a set of safety advocates are beginning to suggest laws to ensure that drivers stay safe on the road as they grow older. This guide lists some of the dangers associated with driving for older adults, and some possible alternatives to help drivers maintain their freedom once they put away the keys.

This contract is intended to help initiate conversation about roadway safety, especially for teen drivers and their passengers. The agreement covers six areas pertaining to distracted driving, driving under the influence, driving a vehicle with minors, speeding and other rules of the road, and auto accidents. Each section includes specific pledges to prompt family discussion, and we suggest parents and teens sign to seal the agreement.