Personal Injury

Don’t Get Distracted While Driving: Three Tips to Help

California drivers could get a ticket if they fall prey to certain driving distractions, like checking and replying to a text message. Other distractions may not necessarily be a violation but could certainly result in an accident. Here are a few tips to help you avoid distractions while behind the wheel.

• Put your phone on Do Not Disturb mode – Most phones or operating systems have a Do Not Disturb mode that you can easily set when you get in the car and turn off when you arrive at your destination. Some devices can even send an automated message to people who call or text while you are behind the wheel. Just remember that your phone can’t tell the difference between you being a driver or passenger.
• Let your passenger have control – If someone else is in the car with you, let them navigate and DJ for your trip. This will keep you from being distracted by the GPS or the radio.
• When you drive, just drive – From eating to applying makeup, there are so many things that people do behind the wheel that take away attention from the road. No matter how many times you may have done it in the past, don’t let this be the time it results in an accident.

San Diego Personal Injury Attorneys

If you have been injured in a motor vehicle accident by a distracted driver, you deserve compensation for medical bills, lost work, and more. Let the personal injury attorneys at Petrov Law Firm help you to maximize your settlement. Just call 619.344.0360 today to get started.

5 Tips to Help Your Child Avoid Dog Bites

When a dog bite occurs, it leads to medical care about one in five times. However, the odds are far more likely for a child to need medical assistance after a dog attack. The reason is that a child’s head, face, and neck are closer to a dog’s mouth, so the bites are more likely to take place in a dangerous area. Here are five tips to help prevent dog bites for your family.

1. Teach your child to let the dog sniff them before petting.
2. Teach your child to avoid dogs that are caring for pups, sleeping, or eating – Dogs are more likely to attack during these vulnerable times.
3. Encourage your child to ask the dog’s owner for permission before attempting to pet it – Even if the dog seems friendly, the owner can alert you if it is prone to snap at strangers.
4. Don’t leave your child alone with a dog, even if it is your family pet.
5. Help your child know what to do around a threatening dog – If a child gets scared when a dog growls, this will only encourage the animal to get more aggressive. It is important to remain calm, back away, and avoid eye contact.

Help if a Member of Your Family Has Been Bitten

If you are accumulating medical bills due to a dog bitting a member of your family, Petrov Law Firm can help. This is one of the forms of personal injury law that we specialize in. Just call 619.344.0360 to speak with one of our San Diego based lawyers, and we can get your California injury settlement started today.

What to Do About Medical Expenses After an Injury

When someone else causes you to be injured or is negligent of circumstances that result in an accident, you may be eligible for compensation. This compensation would, of course, include any medical expenses that accumulate due to the injury. What should you do in order to get those medical expenses covered? Here are three tips:

• Get sufficient medical assistance – Don’t shy away from getting proper medical care due to the expense. You want to get the best care and worry about the bills later. Hopefully, all of your medical expenses will be covered by the guilty party’s insurance.
• Save your medical bills – Keep track of how much the accident or injury has cost you in medical expenses. You can get compensation for other things too (missed work, for example), but this is a tangible and direct expense, so it is easy to calculate.
• Hire a lawyer – Don’t go up against some big insurance company on your own and think you will walk away with a fair settlement. The number they offer you without an attorney will be calculated to convince you to walk away without getting everything you are due. Don’t sign anything that may prevent you from pursuing further damages.

San Diego’s Personal Injury Attorneys

Petrov Law Firm has the experts that you want in your corner when you are seeking a claim following an injury. Let us help you receive the full compensation that you deserve. Call 619.344.0360 to get started now!

Four Types of Wrongful Death Lawsuits

A wrongful death is a terrible tragedy that can cause untold grief to a family. One minute, a member of your family seems like they will be with you for years to come, and the next, they are gone without any good reason. We are so sorry if your family is dealing with this sort of horrific tragedy.

Unfortunately, you are far from alone. Disasters like this occur every day in southern California. Here are just four of the many types of wrongful death cases that we see all too often, right here in our area.

• Motor vehicle accidents – This can include car accidents, trucks, motorcycles, and even pedestrians or cyclists. Additionally, there are off-road vehicles like ATVs that may lead to a wrongful death.
• Defective products – If safety instructions are not included, or there is a defect in the product itself, the manufacturer may be at fault for a death caused by their product.
• Workplace accidents – Workers need to be properly trained and provided the necessary safety equipment for their job. If these minimum standards are not met, the company is at fault for any deaths that occur on the job.
• Medical malpractice – Patients deserve a particular standard of care. If the minimum standard is not met, compensation is necessary.

The Assistance You Need During Times of Tragedy

Money cannot bring your loved one back or fill the void of their sudden loss. However, you should still get what you deserve to help your family weather the loss, especially if you lost a primary breadwinner. The compassionate attorneys at Petrov Law Firm are here to help. Call 619.344.0360 to get your case started now.03

Basic Tips for Safer ATV Riding

Riding an ATV can be a fun way to spend an afternoon with family or friends. However, you don’t want your good times to be spoiled by an accident or injury. Unfortunately, ATVs become dangerous very quickly when someone treats it like a toy instead of a powerful vehicle. It is no wonder that between 2009 and 2018, it is estimated that at least 81,000 people per year were treated for injuries in the ER related to ATV accidents. In fact, in 2009, that number was over 130,000!

Here are a few tips to help you enjoy your ATV without adding to these shocking statistics.

• Always wear the proper safety gear – The proper helmet, boots, and gloves can reduce the risk of accident or injury.
• Don’t drink and ride – You wouldn’t get behind the wheel of a car while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, so don’t do this with an ATV either.
• Stay off the road – ATVs are not designed for street driving. Keep them off-road where they belong.
• Don’t overload the vehicle – If it is a single passenger ATV, never have a second person ride with you. Some ATVs are designed for two passengers. However, even in this case, no one under the age of 12 should ever be on an ATV, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).

Getting Help with Your ATV Injury Claim

Despite your best efforts to remain safe, accidents happen. If you have been injured while riding an ATV, you may be able to receive compensation from the insurance company. Contact Petrov Law Firm today by calling 619.344.0360 to learn how we can help you to get the settlement you deserve.

Walk Safely in Southern California’s Cities

If you live in southern California, you know that walking is a great way to avoid traffic. Plus, the weather is pretty much perfect for a stroll all year long. However, you want to be sure that you remain safe when you walk, and that can be tough with drivers being more distracted than ever before. Here are a few tips to help you stay safe.

• Don’t be distracted – We mentioned drivers being distracted, but we notice it with pedestrians as well. If you are glued to your mobile device while walking, it can be easy to step into the street at just the wrong moment or even to catch your foot on a damaged piece of the sidewalk.
• Always use the crosswalk – Depending on your location, there may not always be a crosswalk available, but if there is, use it. The fact is that drivers are more cognizant of walkers when there is a crosswalk. Plus, if you are injured by a vehicle in the crosswalk, you have a much better case for receiving compensation from the insurance company.
• Look both ways – This should go without saying. Your parents have probably said it to you since you are a child. However, it bears repeating. Look both ways any time you cross the road (even if the road is supposed to be a one way).

Southern California’s Premier Personal Injury Attorneys

Petrov Law Firm is here to help if you have been injured in an accident in southern California. To get the assistance you need in maximizing the settlement you receive from an insurance company, call 619.344.0360 today.

California Careers With Frequent Injury Claims

It is common to be injured in the workplace. If you sustain an injury due to unsafe working conditions, faulty equipment, or because you did not receive the proper training, you may be able to receive compensation for your losses, such as medical bills and missed days of work. There are some jobs that are more likely to result in an injury. Here are some of the jobs with the most claims in California.

• Animal handlers – Whether you are working at a zoo, a pet store, a kennel, or as a dog walker, working with animals often leads to injuries. Employment at a vet can also be dangerous since animals are most likely to attack when they don’t feel good.
• Caring for the elderly – Humans also act out when they don’t feel well, especially if they are dealing with a degree of senility or dementia. This makes working with the elderly another of the jobs with the most injury claims in the state.
• Private messenger – A messaging service is often used for sensitive deliveries that people don’t want to put in the regular mail. As a result, you may get sent into some unexpected situations. Plus, you are not the usual delivery person, so the family dog won’t recognize you. That can lead to an attack.

Compensation for Workplace Incidents in Southern California

If you have been injured at work in southern California, contact the personal injury attorneys at Petrov Law Firm. We can help ensure that your settlement properly compensates you for medical expenses, missed work, and other losses. Call 619.344.0360 to get started today.

Tractor-Trailer Accidents Can Lead to Serious Injury or Death

When a massive 18-wheeler gets into an accident with a much smaller motor vehicle, it never goes well for the other driver. Fortunately, there are governing organizations such as FMCSA that produce guidelines to help tractor-trailer drivers perform their duties as safely as possible. On the other hand, COVID-19 has placed a strain on the transport industry, with many deliveries falling behind schedule and many products being in short supply.

Therefore, the FMCSA has produced a waiver in response to the national health emergency. This allows drivers to take some liberties with the rules if they are transporting essential supplies. Unfortunately, that could lead to some potential dangers. The pros and cons of such an action have been weighed, and it was deemed necessary to make these temporary adjustments (which currently expire on September 30, 2020).

It is impossible to stop all truck accidents, no matter what rules are in place or how they are enforced. Thus, some drivers will need to take advantage of the compensation provided through insurance companies when accidents lead to injuries and other forms of loss. That is when you need the help of an experienced personal injury attorney from your state.

Personal Injury Attorneys in Southern California

The personal injury lawyers at Petrov Law Firm in San Diego are here to help if you have experienced an accident with a truck driver. Call 619.344.0360 today to get your case started, and let us help you to maximize your settlement.

Take Precautions to Avoid the Dangers of Driving While Sleepy

Over the past seven years, the number of drivers who are killed by drowsy driving has increased nearly ten times, according to the CDC. As much as 3% of all accidents may be related to a sleepy driver. It equates to tens of thousands of injuries on an annual basis. Why is it so dangerous to get or stay behind the wheel when your body needs sleep? Here are three reasons:

• Reaction Time – Being tired reduces how fast you can react to sudden changes in circumstances, a need that often arises when driving. In fact, being drowsey affects reaction time in a similar way to being under the influence of alcohol.
• Attention Span – Sleepiness affects attention span, and that is something that enough of us already have trouble with while driving. From talking with passengers to eating to smoking to checking a smartphone to putting on makeup, there are so many things that could potentially distract someone while driving a car (some less legal than others). You don’t need to shorten your attention span further by also being tired.
• Decision Making Ability – You can’t make good decisions when your body needs sleep. Sleeping is how the brain recovers. Since driving requires good decision making, being tired behind the wheel is extremely dangerous.

Motor Vehicle Accident Attorneys in San Diego

If you have been injured by a drowsy driver or anyone else who is at fault, then you need to get the right help so that you can receive compensation from the person’s insurance company. Before you sign anything, call the professionals at Petrov Law Firm. We can help you get what you really deserve from an insurance settlement. Dial 619.344.0360 to get started today.

Don’t Go Into a Personal Injury Case Without the Proper Preparation

The overwhelming majority of personal injury cases are settled out of court. This is because the insurance company realizes that money is owed. It is just a matter of agreeing on how much. If the insurance company can keep this number as low as possible, they are happy to settle. However, you have to prepare properly if you are going to maximize your settlement.

• Gather evidence of negligence – If you want to receive a settlement, you have to have some evidence that the insurance company’s client is in the wrong. This could take the form of a police report from the scene of a car accident or an accident report filled out at the scene of a slip and fall injury.
• Gather evidence of loss – Keep track of your medical expenses, missed work, and other losses that you experience as a direct or indirect result of the injury.
• Find a personal injury attorney – A personal injury attorney can help you to maximize your settlement by letting you know what types of losses should be included. Also, the insurance company will know that you are not willing to take the bare minimum settlement to walk away, but that you are seeking help to get what you really deserve.

San Diego’s Trusted Personal Injury Lawyers

If you have experienced a personal injury in the San Diego area, contact the attorneys at Petrov Law Firm by calling 619.344.0360. We can help to ensure that you receive the compensation that you are owed for your losses.