Author Archives: Jay Butchko
What Causes Bus Accidents?
The leading cause of bus accidents may be driver fatigue, or more specifically circadian rhythm fatigue. Many school, municipal, intercity, and tour bus drivers are behind the wheel early in the morning or late at night. Most people are naturally drowsy at these times, regardless of how much sleep they had the night before…. Read More »
Birth Injuries Before, During, and After L&D
Some birth injuries instantly transform the most joyful time in a family’s life into the most tragic time. Newborns are incredibly fragile. Other birth injuries don’t become apparent for months or years later. When children repeatedly miss developmental milestones, something is obviously amiss. Medical malpractice, before, during, or after delivery, usually causes such injuries…. Read More »
How Large Are Boat Accident Settlements?
The size of a boat accident settlement, like all other personal injury settlements, usually begins with the medical bills in the case. The average cost of a three-day hospital stay exceeds $30,000. This total doesn’t include future medical expenses. Nor does it include other economic losses, such as lost wages. It certainly doesn’t include… Read More »
The Five Kinds of PTSD
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, in one form or another, may be the most common car crash injury. About 60 percent of these victims struggle with extreme symptoms like hypervigilance, flashbacks, anger, and depression. A San Marcos personal injury lawyer can obtain substantial compensation for these victims. This compensation usually includes money for economic losses,… Read More »
How Long Does It Take to Get a Bicycle Accident Settlement?
If key issues in the case, mostly liability (legal responsibility for injury) and damages (amount of compensation) are crystal clear, most insurance companies have a legal duty to settle most bicycle accidents claims in a few weeks. But these issues are rarely crystal clear. The at-fault driver isn’t always legally responsible for all damages,… Read More »
What Evidence is Needed to Convict a Hit and Run in California?
As outlined below, criminal court prosecutors need almost overwhelming evidence to convict alleged hit-and-run drivers in criminal court. The amount of evidence must overcome the presumption of innocence and establish guilt beyond all reasonable doubt. This evidence usually includes witness statements, mostly eyewitness statements, physical evidence, such as crash damage, and electronic evidence, such… Read More »
Nonsubscriber Job Injury Cases in SoCal
Nonsubscriber is Legalese for an employer that doesn’t have a valid workers’ compensation policy or a situation in which workers’ compensation is inapplicable. Although California law requires most employers to buy workers’ compensation insurance, not all employers do so. Furthermore, by design, workers’ compensation only applies to unintentional job-related injuries. More on these things… Read More »
Breaking Down Car Accident Claims in California
You break it, you buy it. This simple principle is the foundation of negligence, the most common legal claim in car crash cases. In this context, negligence is more than an “accident.” Negligence is a lack of care. If Joe was speeding 5mph over the limit, he probably didn’t breach his duty of care,… Read More »
What is the Dog Bite Defense in California?
The two main dog bite defenses in California, assumption of the risk and provocation, essentially shift blame for a dog bite attack from the owner to the victim. The Golden State is ground zero for animal attacks. California has the highest number of dog bite claims and bite-related ER visits in the country. California… Read More »
What Does It Mean When Pedestrians Cross with the Light?
Pedestrians “cross with the light” when they have the right of way. Since California is a comparative fault state, pedestrians almost always have the right of way, at least to an extent. California’s comparative fault law recognizes that both pedestrians and motorists have a legal duty to avoid accidents if possible, and both parties… Read More »
