Personal Injury

“How Do I Know if My Slip and Fall Injury Is the Store’s Fault?”

This is an important question to answer because you need to know if you are going to be responsible for your medical bills and any work you may miss or if you are eligible to receive some compensation to help you out financially while recovering from your injury. Here are a few factors to consider:

• Your safety is your own responsibility – That having been said, the store owner does have to provide reasonable care. The difference in opinion may be over what is considered reasonable.
• You need proof – Take photographic evidence at the scene, even if you aren’t sure anything will come from your injuries. If the store has injury report paperwork to fill out, do so. Get checked out by a doctor so you have a medical record of your injuries.
• Time usually has to pass to prove negligence – If the person walking in front of you drops a soda and you slip on it, that isn’t the store’s fault. If someone spilled a soda an hour ago and no one has bothered to clean it up, that makes a better case for you.

Get Legal Advice for Your Slip and Fall Injury Case

Before you sign any sort of settlement, be sure to contact Petrov Law Firm at 619-344-0360. The insurance company is going to want to pay as little as possible. Having an experienced personal injury lawyer on your side is the only way to ensure that you get the full compensation you deserve. Schedule a consultation today.

Car Accident Aftermath – Symptoms to Beware

If you have been in a car accident, you may be tempted to assume your injuries are not that bad and there is no reason to go to the doctor. However, there are a few things you should watch out for in the weeks and months following an accident that could indicate an injury occurred.

• Vertigo – Vertigo is a false sensation of movement. Most people say it feels like the room is spinning. This can be an indicator that you are suffering from post-concussion syndrome.
• Headaches or migraines – Another indicator of post-concussion syndrome, this symptom usually means that you suffered either head or neck trauma.
• Brain fog – Confusion, inability to focus, and short-term memory loss are all indicators of head or neck trauma.
• Insomnia – Difficulty sleeping can indicate post-concussion syndrome, although it may also be linked to post-traumatic stress, especially if you are also having nightmares about the accident.
• Irritability and mood swings – If may be your coworkers or family members who alert you to this symptom. Take it seriously because it can be yet another indicator that an injury has occurred.

Whether it is a few days, weeks, or even months after your car accident, be sure to head to your doctor if these symptoms arise.

Personal Injury Attorneys in San Diego, CA

If you have suffered an injury in a car accident, even if the symptoms didn’t display right away, you deserve compensation from the party at fault. To deal with car insurance companies that want to pay out as little as possible, you need the help of the experienced personal injury attorneys at Petrov Law Firm. Contact us today at 619-344-0360 to schedule a consultation.

What to Do After a Dog Bite in California

In the US, there are about 90 million dogs in peoples’ homes as pets. So with that many dogs around people all of the time, you may not be surprised to find out that there are about 4.5 million dog bites each year. While most people do not require medical attention following a bite, about 1 in 5 will.

If you are bitten by a dog, here is a quick guide to getting the proper help:

1. Acquire contact info from the owner. If you cannot verify that the dog has received the proper vaccinations, you will require rabies inoculation.
2. Use soap and water to clean the bite area thoroughly. This will help to prevent an infection from occurring.
3. If a serious injury has occurred and you cannot care for your own injuries or reach a medical facility on your own, call 911. For less serious injuries, you may call your doctor and ask for advice on whether a trip to the ER is needed.
4. Contact the veterinarian who treats the dog directly. Don’t take the owner’s word for it that the pet is up to date on immunizations.
5. Keep track of any medical bills you accrue or work you may have missed due to the injury and bring this information with you to your personal injury lawyer.

Dog Bite Attorney in San Diego, California

The attorneys at Petrov Law Firm are experts in the law when it comes to injuries due to dog attacks. If you have been injured by a dog bite, contact us today at 619-344-0360 to schedule a consultation.

Road Debris and Accident Fault in California

In California, compensation for motor vehicle accidents depends on fault. In most cases, it is easy to determine who is at fault in an accident if one driver was distracted or breaking the law and the other was not. However, there are other times when assigning fault is a little more complicated. For example, what if the accident was caused by road debris?

Road Hazards that can Cause an Accident

Here are a few examples of road hazards or debris that can contribute to a collision:

• Potholes – A driver may not see the pothole and could hit it, thereby damaging a tire. Or a driver may end up in an accident while trying to avoid a dangerous pothole.
• Road work – When road work has been performed, traffic cones, signs, or other debris may be left behind accidentally by workers.
• Dropped items – When a truck is being used to haul items, something may fly off the back without the driver noticing.

What Determines Fault?

Here are a few things that can determine who’s fault the accident is:

• Where was the road hazard and who is responsible for it ending up there?
• Whose jurisdiction is the road? There are federal, state, and locally maintained roadways.
• Was negligence involved in leaving the debris, or did it get dropped as you arrived?
• Was the road hazard the cause of the damages?

San Diego, CA Personal Injury Attorneys

If you have been injured in an accident involving a road hazard or debris, contact Petrov Law Firm to determine if you deserve compensation. We can help you to calculate your damages and to determine where the blame lies. Call 619-344-0360 to get started today.

Arrive Alive by Following This Cycling Safety Tip

What is the number one factor when it comes to staying safe while riding your bike around San Diego and the surrounding neighborhoods? Visibility! If a driver doesn’t see you, things can get dangerous very quickly. Here is the safety tip that may save your life.

Lights – The Most Important Bicycle Safety Feature

There’s no law in California that says you have to have lights on your bike day and night. You do have to have a headlight for the front of your bike at night. A rear reflector is also required (and must be red). But since prevention is the best medicine, you may want to invest in more lights for your bike than just the minimum requirements.

If you can install headlights and tail lights on your bike, and have them running both day and night, you significantly increase the likelihood of a driver seeing you. Installing turn signals for drivers who are unfamiliar with hand signals is also a good idea.

Bicycle Accident Injuries in Southern California

If you have been injured while riding your bike in the San Diego area, let the personal injury attorneys at Petrov Law Firm help you to get a fair settlement. Insurance companies may seek to reduce the payout by placing some of the blame on the cyclist. We can help you get the full compensation that you deserve.

Before you sign any sort of settlement, it is important to get help from a professional attorney. To learn more, call 619-344-0360 to schedule a consultation.

4 Types of Damages You Can Seek Following an Injury

If you have been hurt in a car accident or have suffered another type of injury due to negligence or intent, here are the types of compensation you may be eligible to receive:

• Medical bills – This is the most obvious. If you suffered an injury due to someone else’s fault, you shouldn’t get stuck with the medical expenses (even if you had to go to an out of network doctor).
• Property damage – The classic example would be a car accident. You should be able to receive compensation for the damage incurred by your car.
• Pain and suffering – This includes emotional damages that you may find it difficult to assign a specific numerical value to. As a result, this is often the largest portion of a settlement.
• Lost wages – If you miss work or are no longer able to work due to your injuries, you will need to be compensated for the present wages you have already lost and any future wages you may be unable to earn.

Compensation for Personal Injuries in California

If you have suffered a personal injury in California, Petrov Law Firm can help you to receive the full compensation that you deserve. Based in San Diego, our personal injury attorneys are the southern California compensation experts that you can trust. Don’t sign anything before you speak with an attorney. Insurance companies always want to get away with the minimum they can pay out. We can help you calculate what you really deserve for the ordeal you went through.

What You Need to Know About the Statute of Limitations If You Have Been Injured

When a person suffers an injury due to someone else’s intent or negligence, they may be able to receive compensation for losses that are suffered. This can include reimbursement for medical bills, property damage, and even general costs for pain and suffering that may have resulted from the experience. However, you only have a certain amount of time to bring your claim forward. Here is what you need to know about the statute of limitations in California.

Different Time Frames for Different Claims

Depending on the type of claim you wish to make, there are different amounts of time that you need to accomplish your claim during. Here are a few examples:

• Property damages – Let’s say someone damages your property along with the injury. For example, you are in a car accident. You have three years to make a claim on the damages to your car. Remember that you may not receive compensation on the day you make a claim, so you can’t wait until the end of the third year to report the damages.
• Personal injury – If you were to slip and fall due to negligence on the part of a business, you could make a claim for up to two years. However, because there are many steps involved, you will want to start the claim long before. And you should seek medical attention from day one of the injuries.
• Claims involving government agencies – If your claim involves damages caused by a government agency, you need to act fast. The statute of limitations is just six months.

Personal Injury Assistance in the San Diego Area

If you have experienced a personal injury in the San Diego area, contact Petrov Law Firm today to get your case started before time runs out. Call 619-344-0360 to schedule a consultation with one of our experienced personal injury attorneys.

How Does California Being a Fault State Affect Personal Injury Claims?

California is a fault state. This means that when an accident occurs, a percentage of fault is assigned to each driver. How does this affect personal injury claims? It has to do with a term called pure comparative negligence.

How Pure Comparative Negligence Works

When someone is 100% at fault for an accident, the other party can receive compensation for medical bills, pain and suffering, vehicle damages, lost wages, and more. But what if the drivers share responsibility for what happened? Consider this example.

Let’s say you are driving down the road when a driver who was distracted by texting slams into you. That seems pretty cut and dry. It is illegal to text and drive. The other driver was distracted and hit you. But what if you were speeding at the time? Now you may share a percentage of blame. If you were driving the speed limit, the distracted driver might have missed you. Therefore, you may only get compensation for 70% or 80% of your losses instead of 100%.

Car Accident Attorneys in Southern California

If you have been in an accident, you need the best car accident attorneys in order to maximize your settlement, especially if you bear some fault. Petrov Law Firm – located in San Diego, North County, and Chula Vista – can help. Our expert personal injury attorneys can assist you to determine what your real losses are and how much of the blame can be placed on the other driver. To learn more, call 619-344-0360 today.

Runner Safety Tips for Dealing with Drivers

One of the biggest dangers to runners are drivers who are distracted. We’re going to give you a few tips for sharing the road with people who may not be on the lookout for runners.

• Be alert – Don’t assume that a driver sees you. You can jog in place while you wait for a light to change or for a visibly distracted driver to make a turn in front of you.
• Find a safe route – You may be able to plan your route so that you can stay on the sidewalk and make minimal road crossings. Or you may choose to run on roads that are not as busy.
• Always try to make eye contact – If you do have to cross the street in front of a driver, always try to make eye contact so that you are confident the driver sees you, even if they are at a stop sign or light.
• Watch the weather – Wet or slick roads can make it tougher for drivers to stop, even if they see you. They can also lead to a slip and fall. If you were to fall in the middle of the road when crossing in front of a vehicle when you had plenty of time, the gap can be closed quickly.

Personal Injury Lawyers in San Diego and the Surrounding Neighborhoods

If you have been injured while running, whether it is by a driver, a dog, a trip on a damaged sidewalk or any other cause, Petrov Law Firm can help. To see if you can recover losses in a personal injury suit, contact us today at 619-344-0360. We may be able to help you get compensation for medical bills, lost wages, or other expenses.

Factors to Keep in Mind for Medical Malpractice Victims

Have you been injured by medical malpractice? Here are a few things you should know before you try to seek compensation for your losses:

• Only the patient can claim malpractice – You can’t make a malpractice claim against a doctor you haven’t seen (even if your doctor consulted with someone else, which contributed to the problem).
• There is a minimum standard of care – Your medical staff doesn’t have to be flawless. There is some leeway, so malpractice is about more than you not being happy with a doctor.
• There has to be direct cause – In other words, you can’t hold a practitioner responsible for damage caused by your illness. It’s not the doctor’s fault that you became ill in the first place.
• You must be able to prove damages – If things are handled poorly but you eventually make a full recovery and you don’t lose out on income or other factors due to the negligence, there’s really nothing to claim. You have to have lost something in order to be eligible for compensation. Losses can include physical harm (e.g., the wrong limb gets amputated), lost wages (e.g., you can’t work for a time due to the malpractice), increased medical expenses due to the mistake, pain and suffering (e.g., it affects your relationship with your mate), or some other tangible damages.

Southern California’s Personal Injury Experts

Petrov Law Firm has the experienced personal injury attorneys that you want on your side when you need to be compensated for losses. To get the legal assistance you need, contact us today by calling our San Diego office at 619-344-0360.