Category: Injuries

Burns are not only one of the most painful injuries a person can have, but they can leave behind emotional and physical scars. If you have been the victim of a burn injury in the Los Angeles area as a result of a car accident, a dangerous product, a workplace accident, or a home fire, you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries. A personal injury attorney can help you prove your claim and can fight against the insurance companies involved.

After a painful burn, you will need to determine whether or not your burn was the fault of another party, such as a negligent individual or company. In order to recover damages after your burn, you must prove that your injuries were caused by the negligence of another business or individual. Fires are very common and can happen almost anywhere, so it’s important to determine the cause of the fire to recover compensation.

The most common causes of burn injuries in fires are malfunctioning smoke or fire detectors, accidents or explosions in the workplace, automobile accidents, and fires in homes or businesses. In each of those cases, an individual or a business may be held liable for damages. Individuals and businesses have a duty to keep visitors safe from injuries. Businesses must keep their employees safe, as well as manufacture safe products that do not pose a risk of fire. Drivers have a duty to other drivers on the roads to driver in a safe manner in order to avoid injuries.

If you have been harmed in a fire in the Los Angeles area, call me, Conal Doyle, Los Angeles personal injury attorney at 310-852-6272. My team can help. Call today to learn more or to schedule your free consultation.

More people are cycling today than ever before. Many cities, including Los Angeles, have put in more bicycle lanes on the roads, as well as bicycle paths. These bicycle lanes are designed to increase safety, but bicyclists and automobile drivers are always at risk of accidents when sharing the roadways.

Bicycle lanes are definitely a safer alternative to bicycles directly sharing lanes with automobiles, but they are not without risk. The bicycle lanes are normally directly beside roads, so there is still a high risk of accidents. Motorists may fail to see bicyclists in bike lanes, which can be particularly dangerous at intersections or turns. Some of the most common types of accidents involving bicycle lanes include vehicles turning, dooring accidents, and accidents at intersections.

If you are a bicycle rider who has been involved in a collision with an automobile, you likely have very serious injuries. Bicycle riders can suffer head injuries, broken bones, and soft tissue injuries. You may be unable to work and could need extensive physical therapy. Victims of bicycle accidents deserve to be compensated for their injuries, including money for medical expenses, lost income, and pain and suffering, if those injuries were caused by the actions of the other driver.

Call me, Conal Doyle, Los Angeles bicycle accident attorney at 310-385-0567. My legal team can help. Call today to learn more or to schedule a free consultation on your case.

No two personal injury cases are exactly the same. Some complex cases can be settled rather quickly, while in other cases what appears to be a very minor automobile accident case may drag on for years. In most cases, however, there are some standard steps that must be met for the case to go forward.

The first step is for the injured accident victim to choose an attorney to help with the case. The accident victim may choose to handle the case on his or her own, but in most cases will hire an attorney. After the attorney is hired, he or she will begin to gather documentation related to the accident, including police reports, medical bills, medical records, and other documentation.

After the attorney has reviewed the documentation, he or she will file a lawsuit if there is a strong case. In many cases, the lawsuit may not be filed until after the victim has had a chance to recover as much as possible from the injuries, so that the full extent of damages is known before the case begins.

Once the lawsuit begins, there is a discovery period during which both sides have a chance to investigate the other side’s case. Evidence is gathered during the discovery period, including documentation, and depositions may be taken. It’s common for cases to settle during the discovery period.

If the case is not settled, it goes to trial. The trial could last for a day or less, or could take weeks or even months, depending upon how complex the case is. When the trial is over, the judge or jury will announce a verdict. Both sides could choose to appeal after the verdict is handed down.

As I said, every case is different, so it’s tough to guess exactly how long any one case will take. If you would like to talk more about your legal options in a personal injury case, call me, Conal Doyle, Los Angeles personal injury attorney, at 310-385-0567. My team can help. Call today to learn more or to schedule a free consultation.

Negligence must be proven in most personal injury cases. Negligence is defined as the failure to use proper care. Most personal injury accidents involve negligence. If a person is negligent and another person is harmed, the victim can seek monetary compensation through the court system for his or her injuries. Negligence is a factor in most personal injury cases, such as car accidents, slip and fall accidents, and medical malpractice.

In order to prove negligence, four elements must be shown. The plaintiff must prove that the defendant had a duty to act or refrain from acting in a certain manner. For example, drivers have a duty to obey the rules of the road. The plaintiff must also prove that the duty has been breached. That can in some cases be easy to prove, but in others can be more difficult.

If the first two elements can be shown, the victim must next prove that the breach of the duty was the cause of the victim’s injuries. The victim must finally prove that he or she was harmed as a result of the breach of the duty. This can be proven through medical bills, documentation regarding time taken off work, and other documentation regarding expenses. The plaintiff may also recover non-economic damages for pain and suffering, disfigurement, and more.

If you have been injured in an accident caused by someone else’s carelessness or recklessness, and you can prove those actions caused your injuries, you are likely to succeed on your personal injury case. If you are in southern California, call me, Conal Doyle, Los Angeles negligence attorney at 310-385-0567. Call today to learn more or to schedule a free consultation on your case.

Hot water heater explosions are unusual, but do occur from time to time. Hot water heater explosions can have a number of causes. Typically, they are caused by a defective hot water heater, the hot water heater being improperly installed, or a failure to maintain the hot water heater.

One reason hot water heaters can be so dangerous is they are designed to hold a large amount of hot water under pressure. When a system fails, it can explode and send not only scalding hot water flying, but also metal, which can harm anyone around the hot water heater. Hot water heaters also require large amounts of electricity. Some hot water heaters also have a steady flow of gas and a pilot light. If either of those systems fails, there may be an explosion.

There are a number of federal guidelines that must be met when designing, manufacturing, and assembling hot water heaters. Installers of hot water heaters must also meet specific regulations. If a hot water heater explodes, it is important to examine the accident to determine who was responsible.

In most hot water heater accidents, the manufacturer of the heater, the party in charge of installation or maintenance, or the homeowner is liable. If the hot water heater exploded because of a defect with the system, the manufacturer is most likely responsible. If the hot water heater was not properly maintained or installed, the plumber or service tech is responsible. If the landlord or homeowner did not maintain the hot water heater in a safe manner, the landlord could be liable.

I’m sorry you suffered those injuries. You should speak with an attorney who can help you evaluate your legal options. Call me, Conal Doyle, Los Angeles personal injury attorney at 310-385-0567 to learn more or to schedule a free consultation on your case.

As you can probably imagine, every single case involving a personal injury is different. Some very legitimate claims may result in very small payouts or no payout at all. In other situations, claims that are questionable at best may receive a large settlement or verdict. Some personal injury cases are settled in a matter of weeks, while others can drag on for years.

That being said, we can look at some national averages, which can help to give you some idea of what you are likely to expect. However, your case may be very different from the average case. In the U.S., the three most common types of personal injury claims are motor vehicle accidents, medical malpractice claims, and product liability cases.

In motor vehicle accident cases, about 60 percent of cases are successful for the accident victim. The average case lasts for 20 months, which is the fastest of personal injury cases. The median average settlement is $31,000, with about half of all plaintiffs receiving less than $24,000.

In medical malpractice cases, only 20 percent of plaintiffs are successful. On average, it takes 31 months to complete a medical malpractice case. However, if you are successful in a medical malpractice case, you are likely to receive a large payout – the average settlement or verdict is almost $750,000.

This may provide you some idea of what you are likely to expect if you have been injured in an accident or because of another party’s negligence. If you or a loved one has been injured due to a motor vehicle accident, a doctor’s negligence, or because of a defective product, call me, Conal Doyle, Los Angeles personal injury attorney at 310-385-0567. My team can help. Call today to learn more or to schedule a free consultation.

I’m so sorry to hear about your child’s dog bite and scarring. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over four million people are bitten by dogs every year. Many of these bites are minor and do not require medical treatment. Serious bites may require hospitalization and surgery, and some even result in death.

In many cases involving dog bites, the wounds are not only physical, they are also psychological. It can be terrifying to be attacked by a dog, and victims can suffer stress after the incident. In addition, those left with serious scars and wounds may suffer emotional trauma due to their appearance. Dog owners are required to take reasonable measures to control their dogs’ actions. If they fail to do so, they can be held liable for damages, including compensation for medical care, emotional and psychological trauma, and any scarring.

Fortunately, there are a number of medical procedures available today that can help minimize the appearance of scars. Skin and muscle grafts can help serious wounds by taking skin or muscle from one part of the body and transferring it to another area. Tissue can also be replanted from one area of the body to another. Dermabrasion can also help. It involves scraping the top layers of skin off, and can help reduce the presence of a scar.

If your child has suffered a serious dog bite in the Los Angeles area, you should speak with an attorney. Call me, Conal Doyle, Los Angeles personal injury attorney at 310-385-0567. My team can help. Call today to learn more or to schedule a free consultation on your case.

Electrocution can sometimes happen on construction projects. Electrocution can cause death, but a person can be electrocuted and still survive. The extent of the injuries typically depends on the voltage, the pathway the electricity takes through the body, and the amount of time the current passes through the body. Electrocutions can hurt the heart and the nervous system, as well as muscles and organs.

Electrocutions most commonly happen on worksites when power lines are not properly marked. On average, about one worker per day in the U.S. is killed because of an electrocution. Many more are injured, and some of those injuries can last a life time. For some workers, the injuries from an electrocution may prevent them from returning to the workplace.

Workers who are injured in the workplace because of an electrocution normally have a couple of options. First, workers’ compensation may be available. Workers’ compensation covers medical expenses and a portion of lost wages. If the worker is killed, death benefits may be available to survivors. If the worker is covered by workers’ compensation, typically the worker cannot sue his or her employer. However, there may be other negligent parties available that may be sued, including subcontractors or the electric company.

If you have been electrocuted while on a job site, call me, Conal Doyle, California personal injury attorney at 310-385-0567. My team can help. Call today to learn more or to schedule a free consultation on your case.

In 1920, Congress passed the Jones Act, which is also called the Merchant Marine Act of 1920. It was enacted in order to help merchant mariners and crew members who get hurt while working on water vessels.

Under the Jones Act, owners of vessels are required to provide well-maintained and safe vessels for employees. The vessel must be maintained in a seaworthy manner, and must be in proper working order. Working in the water transportation industry is very dangerous, as is commercial fishing and working on oil rigs.

In order to recover damages for injuries from the owner or operator of a vessel, a crew member must show that the injury was the employer’s fault. Although other workers who are injured in the course of their employment are covered under workers’ compensation, the only remedy for an injured seaman is to pursue a claim against his or her employer under the Jones Act.

If an injured seaman is able to prove liability, he or she is entitled to temporary benefits called maintenance and cure. Maintenance is a stipend paid to workers who are removed from work by a doctor because of an injury. Cure is a payment for medical expenses. In addition, the injured seaman may be able to recover for lost wages, pain and suffering, and more.

Call me, Conal Doyle, California personal injury attorney, if you have been injured while on a water vessel. You can reach my team at 310-385-0567. We can help. Call today to learn more or to schedule a free consultation.