Category Archives: Personal Injury

Parents and children using a school zone crosswalk with a crossing guard near Los Angeles school with stopped vehicles.

Child Hit by a Car Near a Los Angeles School? What Parents Should Do Next

The first few hours after a child is hit by a vehicle near a school are overwhelming. Parents are focused on medical treatment, while insurance companies begin investigating almost immediately. Knowing what to do—and what not to do—can protect both your child’s health and your family’s legal rights. Whether the accident occurred in a school …

Pedestrian mid-crossing at a marked crosswalk on Pacific Coast Highway near the Huntington Beach pier

Pedestrian Accidents at Crosswalks in Huntington Beach:  What the Data Says and What Victims Need to Know

Pedestrian accidents at crosswalks in Huntington Beach can happen in an instant, leaving victims with serious injuries, mounting medical bills, and difficult questions about who is responsible.  Recent traffic metrics show that 47% of Huntington Beach pedestrian crashes happen directly within crosswalks. The data highlights a persistent safety issue on major Huntington Beach roads like …

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Open and Obvious Doctrine in Premises Liability Cases

In premises liability law, the existence of a dangerous condition does not automatically establish a duty to warn. A recent California Court of Appeal decision underscores how the open and obvious doctrine operates as a limitation on that duty. Cohen v. Chandra Hospitality (2026). For attorneys handling premises liability claims, the decision provides useful guidance …

Client meeting with a California personal injury lawyer

Do You Really Need a Personal Injury Lawyer in California? Here’s What the Internet Gets Wrong.

If you’ve been injured in a California car accident and gone looking for answers online, you’ve probably landed on a forum where someone — sometimes a self-identified insurance adjuster — is telling you that hiring a personal injury attorney isn’t worth it. That the fees eat up your settlement. That your case is worth what …

traffic crash trends in california

Traffic Crash Trends in California (2021–2025): What the Latest Data Shows

Every year, thousands of traffic crashes happen across California—but the story behind those numbers is not always clear. Some trends may look like progress, while others raise new questions about risk on the road. What’s changing—and what does it actually mean if you were involved in a crash? Looking at traffic crash trends in California …

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Attorney Liens May Be Resolved Against Client and Competing Counsel in One Action

A recent California Court of Appeal decision addresses a recurring procedural issue in contingent-fee litigation: how attorneys enforce competing liens against settlement proceeds. In Jacobs v. Papez (2026), the Third District held that an attorney may pursue a single declaratory relief action against both the client and a competing attorney, without first litigating the lien …

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Ratifying Settlement After Firing Lawyers Still Obligates Client to Pay Contingency Fee

A recent decision from the California Court of Appeal highlights a critical principle in contingency-fee litigation: a client who later ratifies a settlement negotiated without prior authorization may still be obligated to pay the original attorneys their full contractual fee. In Chong v. Mardirossian Akaragian LLP (2025), Division Five of the Second District Court of …

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Court of Appeal Rejects Attorney Fee Award for Lawyer Representing Spouse

A recent California Court of Appeal decision clarifies an issue that occasionally arises in litigation involving attorney spouses: when can a party recover attorney fees if the legal work was performed by their husband or wife? In Honchariw v. PMF CA REIT (2025), the Court of Appeal held that the key question is not whether …

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The “Trojan Horse” Initiative: Why Uber’s 25% Fee Cap Threatens California Accident Victims

In the legal world, a name can be a powerful tool—or a clever disguise. Currently circulating for the November 2026 California ballot is a measure titled the “Protecting Automobile Accident Victims from Attorney Self-Dealing Act.” On its face, the initiative sounds like a win for consumers. It promises to ensure that accident victims retain at …

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