Personal Injury

Tips for Drivers to Avoid Smartphone Distractions 

California drivers need to watch out for distractions. Not only can they lead to dangerous accidents, but even if you manage to avoid an accident while driving distracted, you could still get a ticket if you are breaking the law. For example, California has a number of regulations regarding smartphone use while driving. Here are some tips to help you avoid smartphone distractions while you are behind the wheel.

• Turn it off/silence your phone – If you don’t know messages or calls are coming in, you won’t be tempted to look at your phone until you reach your destination.
• Have your passenger navigate – If you need to use GPS, make sure you have the volume up so you don’t have to look at the phone. If you have a passenger, let them be the navigator.
• Use hands-free or Bluetooth – If you are 18 and over, you can still make calls in a hands-free manner. If your car has Bluetooth, this feature can allow you to reduce distraction and obey the law. If you are under 18, you can’t use a smartphone for any reason while driving, even hands-free, so don’t even bother connecting your phone to the car’s Bluetooth. Refer to the first suggestion on our list.

Car Accident Attorneys in San Diego

If you have been in an automobile accident, especially if the other driver was distracted, you may be able to receive compensation for your medical bills and other losses. Contact Petrov Law Firm at 619.344.0360 to get in touch with an experienced personal injury attorney today.

How to Handle Personal Injury Medical Expenses

You have been injured in an accident due to someone else’s fault or negligence. Now you see medical bills adding up. This can ruin you financially. What can you do about it? Here are some tips to help you seek the compensation that you deserve for your losses.

• Keep track of all medical bills related to the incident. If someone else was at fault, you might be able to receive compensation through their insurance.
• Don’t sign anything without a lawyer. You may be taking a settlement that won’t even cover your basic expenses. A personal injury attorney can help you understand what you actually deserve.
• Medical bills are not your only loss, so don’t settle for the exact amount of your healthcare costs alone. You may have missed time from work, experienced material loss, or endured additional pain and suffering that you should be compensated for.
• Remember that you can see any doctor you want. You don’t have to stick to in-network doctors to receive compensation. Get the best care you can.
• Be prepared to go to court. While the best option is to seek a settlement, some insurance companies can be unreasonable. In such situations, you may need to go to court to get the compensation you truly deserve. Fortunately, most insurance companies are reasonable once they see you have taken the step of hiring an attorney.

Trustworthy Personal Injury Lawyers in San Diego

To get your case started today, call 619.344.0360 and speak with a personal injury lawyer at Petrov Law Firm. We can help you to know the next step to take to receive the reimbursement you need and deserve.

Wrongful Death Suits in Southern California

One of the worst tragedies a family can face is when a loved one’s life is suddenly ended in an avoidable accident. If your family is experiencing such an injustice, we want to express our sympathies. Please, know that you are not alone and that your family may be able to receive compensation for your loss. Just a few of the ways that wrongful deaths occur include:

• Medical malpractice – Doctors and medical facilities must meet a minimum standard of care for patients.
• Defective products – Products must include instructions for safe use and must be recalled if the manufacturer learns of a danger to consumers.
• Workplace accidents – Workplace deaths can be avoided by proper training and safety equipment. However, not all employers provide these necessary things.
• Motor vehicle accident – Lives are ended every day by drivers who are involved in unsafe practices such as driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol or by driving while distracted due to mobile devices and other factors.

While money cannot heal the wounds your family is dealing with, proper compensation can help you to cope with the financial loss. Gaining justice can also begin the healing of emotional wounds, knowing that the court system recognizes that your family was wronged by what happed.

Compassionate Wrongful Death Suit Assistance in San Diego

Don’t allow grief to result in your family being cheated by a low settlement. Before you sign anything, call Petrov Law Firm at 619.344.0360 to speak with a compassionate and experienced attorney to help you maximize any compensation that your family may be due.

On the Job Injury Claims in California

One of the places that personal injuries are likely to occur is in the workplace. If you did not receive the proper training or safety equipment from your company, they might need to compensate you for losses, including your medical bills and missed work. What are some of the jobs that lead to the most injury claims in California?

• Animal handling – Whether you work for a vet or walk the dogs of other people, you need to use extra caution because these are some of the highest risk jobs in the state.
• Private courier – From watchdogs to people receiving documents they are not happy about, being a private courier can come with its challenges.
• Wooden item assembly – Using power tools without the proper instruction or safety equipment can be extremely dangerous. Assembling wooden items comes with much greater risks than getting a splinter.
• Caregiving for the elderly – Whether it is in a nursing home or a private residence, caring for older ones can lead to many dangerous situations. In fact, caregivers are at a higher risk for on the job injury than any other part of the workforce in California.

Workplace Accidents and Compensation in California

If you have experienced an injury at one of these or any other type of job in southern California, then contact the personal injury attorneys at Petrov Law Firm. We have the experience that you want on your side and when trying to reach a settlement regarding employment injuries. Call 619.344.0360 to speak with an experienced lawyer today.

Safety Tips for Pedestrians in Southern California

The weather in southern California is great for pedestrians just about any time of year. Unfortunately, drivers can make going for a walk an extremely dangerous activity. As a pedestrian, you need to be your own advocate and keep yourself safe. Here are a few tips:

• Always look both ways when crossing – You learned this in school. You heard it from your parents. It is still the number one safety tip for walking. Don’t assume drivers are looking for you. You have to look for them.
• Use a crosswalk when available – Sometimes, in rural areas, you may not have his option, but in a city, you always have to use the crosswalk. Drivers are more likely to be looking out for pedestrians when they cross at designated areas. Plus, it will help your case if you are injured in an accident.
• Avoid distractions while walking – Just like drivers get into trouble when they are looking at a phone while in motion, pedestrians can have the same problem. There are no laws about texting and walking, but you better believe an insurance company is going to bring it up if you try and sue their client for hitting you.

Personal Injury Attorneys in Southern California

If you have been injured in a motor vehicle accident as a pedestrian, then you need the help of qualified personal injury attorneys to get what you deserve from the insurance company. Call 619.344.0360 and speak with an experienced lawyer from Petrov Law Firm today.

Please Don’t Drive Drowsy San Diego

The CDC has estimated that about 6,000 fatal accidents occur each year due to drowsy drivers. This is a huge increase from a 2013 report that stated 800 deaths and 44,000 injuries occurred in that one year alone. Up to 3% of all motor vehicle accidents may involve a driver who is too tired to be behind the wheel. Consider the following reasons to pull over and take a nap if you are sleepy.

• Lack of sleep affects attention span – While drowsy driving makes up a small percentage of accidents, distracted driving leads to far more. If you are tired, you are more likely to let yourself get distracted in an effort to remain alert.
• Diminished cognitive ability – You just can’t make good decisions when you are beginning to fall asleep. Therefore, you may pull in front of a car that is driving to fast or is too close, or in other ways make a disastrous driving decision.
• Reduced reaction time – Being sleepy slows your reaction time, just like driving intoxicated would. If you don’t hit your breaks, swerve, or speed up in time, you may end up having an accident that an awake and alert driver could have avoided.

San Diego’s Motor Vehicle Accident Attorneys

If you have been injured in a car accident, especially if the other driver was drowsy, distracted, or otherwise at fault, Petrov Law Firm can help. Our experienced attorneys are ready to fight to help you get the settlement you deserve. Call 619.344.0360 to get started.

Prepping for Your Personal Injury Case in California

Depending on the type of personal injury settlement you are seeking, you may need to gather different information. Here’s a short guide to three of the most common types of personal injury cases in California.

• Slip and fall – Through negligence or fault, you need to show that the owner of the property caused your injury. If you have pictures of the site where the injury occurred, this can be beneficial. Be sure to get a copy of any injury report you filled out at the scene.
• Dog attack – Insurance companies pay out millions every year to people who get bit by someone else’s dog. Be sure to keep track of your medical bills or any missed work in connection with the injury.
• Motor vehicle accident – In California, the amount of compensation a person receives is congruent to the degree of fault. If the other driver is 100% at fault, you should be compensated for any and all losses you sustained. However, even if you are 20% at fault, you should still receive 80% from the other driver’s insurance company.

Southern California’s Premier Injury Lawyers

If you have been injured in any of the aforementioned ways, then Petrov Law Firm has an attorney who specializes in providing the help you need. To learn more, contact our offices today at 619.344.0360. We have convenient locations in San Diego, North County, and Chula Vista to schedule your appointments in person. Don’t battle an insurance company on your own – help is just a phone call away.

Personal Injury Settlements and Pre-Existing Health Problems

If you are preparing for a personal injury suit, you may wonder how your pre-existing health problems may affect your case. For example, what if you were in a car accident and hurt your neck, but you’ve already been seeing a chiropractor for neck pain? Will that reduce the size of your settlement? It doesn’t have to! Here are a couple of helpful tips:

• Don’t hide your condition – If it is discovered (and it will be), that will definitely affect your case. You just have to reveal your pre-existing condition in the right way so that it helps your case instead of hindering it.
• Do compare your medical records – Your doctor can show that your condition has grown worse or that something new has developed since your injury. This will show that your current medical bills, missed work, and other losses are related to the accident and not your health condition.
• Do hire a personal injury attorney – An insurance company is going to try to use your condition as an excuse for a lowball settlement. Don’t sign anything without consulting an experienced attorney. Insurance companies rely on the fact that you will be tempted to take a quick handout and go away.

San Diego’s Personal Injury Law Experts

The more factors that can complicate your case, the more important a personal injury attorney becomes. Call Petrov Law Firm today at 619.344.0360 to set up a consultation. We can help you to prepare so that you receive the best settlement possible.

Sharing the Right Information with Your Lawyer After an Injury

A personal injury attorney can help you to reach a better settlement with a corporation or insurance company. However, you have to share the right information with your lawyer to help the case move along quickly and favorably for you. Here are some important questions to answer:

• How were you injured? – From dog attacks to motor vehicle accidents, people suffer injuries in all sorts of ways that entitle them to compensation. The cause of the injury is necessary in order to understand what information will be required to make your case.
• When did it happen? – There are also matters of statute of limitations to consider. Depending on how the injury occurred or even where it happened, you may have a different length of time to make your case. The smart thing to do is always to consult a lawyer right away.
• Was negligence involved? – Whether it was a car accident or a slip and fall, determining fault or negligence is a key to receiving compensation. If it was your mistake, you can’t expect someone else to payout (although in some cases, your insurance will cover your own injuries).

San Diego’s Premier Injury Attorneys

If you have been injured in southern California, contact the professionals at Petrov Law Firm to get the assistance you require. Just call 619.344.0360 to schedule a consultation with an experienced personal injury attorney. We can help you to learn if you have a valid cause for compensation and help you gather the needed evidence for your case.

Cycling Safely in Southern California

The US experiences a shocking amount of loss due to motor vehicle accidents involving bicycles. The fact is that when someone on a bike is struck by a car, there are almost always going to be major medical expenses as well as missed workdays. We’ve compiled a few of the best safe riding tips to help you bike safely around southern California.

• Always assume drivers won’t see you – A person operating a car should always be looking for pedestrians, bicycles, and motorbikes. Unfortunately, most people are too distracted, either by their own thoughts or something external. Therefore, you have to advocate for yourself and yield the right of way to oncoming traffic.
• Use hand signals – While some drivers may not know what they mean, you should still always use hand signals when turning. Of course, it is even safer to invest in some turn signal lights for your bike, especially if you ride a lot or at night.
• Wear something reflective – You need to have lights on your bike (some are required by law in California), but you should also wear reflective clothing to increase your visibility to other drivers after dark.

Help for Injured Cyclists in San Diego

If you have been injured by a driver while riding your bike in southern California, you need the help of an experienced personal injury attorney to get the full compensation that you deserve from the insurance company. Call Petrov Law Firm at 619.344.0360 to learn how we can help.