Author Archives: Jay Butchko

How Does a Lawyer Handle a Nursing Home Fall Matter?
In many cases, falls are a double-whammy for nursing home residents. Falls are one of the top reasons for admission to a long-term care facility. Falls are also one of the most common nursing home injuries. Usually, because falls cause such severe physical and emotional injuries, these victims cannot ever live independently again. Physical… Read More »

What are the Factors Involved in Pedestrian Crashes?
Pedestrian crashes, and the serious injuries associated with these crashes, are more common than ever. In 2023, the number of pedestrian fatalities hit a forty-year high. Such crashes are especially common in SOCal, where the weather is relatively mild year round. Other contributing factors include the popularity of SUVs and other large vehicles that… Read More »

A Quick Look at Elevator Accidents
Twenty years ago, one of the worst elevator accidents in American history occurred in Houston, when a medical resident was decapitated in an elevator mishap. In 2003, as a 35-year-old surgical resident stepped into a second-floor elevator at Christus St. Joseph Hospital, the doors suddenly closed, pinning his shoulders. His head was severed when… Read More »

Electronic Evidence in Motorcycle Crash Cases
Motorcycle crash victims might need money worse than any other personal injury victims. The medical bills associated with motorcycle wrecks are often staggering, since the injuries are so serious. Because of these serious injuries, these victims have a very hard time moving forward with their lives. Substantial compensation is available, but only if a… Read More »

Wrong-Way Crash in Oceanside
Law enforcement investigators believe that alcohol impairment caused a deadly wreck on State Route 76 in Oceanside. Police said the man, who was in his 30s, was driving a tan Buick Century the wrong way on eastbound SR-76, west of Melrose Drive, when he collided with a white Honda Clarity shortly before 9:30 p.m…. Read More »

A Closer Look at PJP’s E-Scooter Crash
Several months after it occurred, new details continue to emerge about Pax Jolie Pitt’s e-scooter crash in the summer of 2024. The 20-year-old crashed his e-bike into a car during rush hour in late July, leaving him with head injuries that saw him rushed to the hospital. Two months earlier, he crashed a Tesla… Read More »

Legal Options After a Device Distraction Car Crash
Most small device use while driving, such as touchscreen control pad use, is legal. But many legal activities are unsafe. It’s legal, yet unsafe, to smoke cigarettes, eat fat-laden foods, own guns, and the list goes on. We can add using a device, any device, while driving to that list. According to several studies,… Read More »

The Different Degrees of Drunk Driving
Any way you slice it, the number of drunk driving accidents has increased significantly in recent years. Between about 1990 and 2020, a long-term drunk driver crackdown slightly reduced the number of these accidents. But during pandemic lockdowns, alcohol consumption increased and traffic enforcement dropped off. So, motorists reverted to a few bad driving… Read More »

Formal and Informal Defenses in Bicycle Crash Claims
The evolution of bicycle crash negligence defenses is one reason the plaintiffs’ winning percentage in civil claims has plummeted since the 1990s. As late as the early 1990s, even mediocre lawyers could obtain maximum compensation in these matters. After a cursory investigation, a lawyer made a “take it or leave it” settlement offer. Because… Read More »

What is the Punishment for a Hit-and-Run Accident?
For practical purposes, in criminal court, the punishment is usually nothing. Over 90 percent of these cases are closed unresolved, and in many cases, police investigators don’t try very hard to solve them. As far as most law enforcement investigators are concerned, any personal injury incidents, like a vehicle collision, is a civil matter,… Read More »