Recent Blog Posts

How Defective Product Litigation Has Led to Safer Vehicles

Orange County Personal Injury Attorney — Thu, 10 May 2012 21:00:00 GMT

Defective Product Lawsuits Have Benefitted Drivers Everywhere

When people are injured by defective products, it is not only their right to legal redress against liable manufacturers or distributors for failing to uphold reasonable safety standards—it should also be considered their duty. Consider the recent high-profile case of Toyota, the car manufacturer who was recently forced to recall hundreds of thousands of vehicles due to faulty brake systems that ended up injuring thousands of consumers who had trusted that their brakes would function properly to stop their vehicles. Had consumers not reported the faulty brakes and sought legal action against Toyota, the auto maker would have been unlikely to recall its cars, and many more divers could have potentially been injured or killed as a result of their defective automobiles.

Until the 1960s, auto manufacturers were not held responsible for accidents caused by defects in their products' design. It was not until consumers began filing lawsuits against companies such as GM, Chevrolet, and Ford that the automobile industry started to be held accountable to produce vehicles that were safer for consumers everywhere to drive. Since the 1960s, a slough of court cases involving gas tanks, side impact design, seat bet design, rollover bars, tire treads and inflation, electronic stability controls, door latches, transmissions, air bags, windows, and seats have led manufacturers to improve their vehicles' safety in order to protect drivers, passengers, and other occupants of the road.

Defective Product Attorneys Have Played a Crucial Role

These safety changes would not have been possible without the assistance of the attorneys who advocated on consumers' behalves when defective products raised trouble. Defective product lawyers, commonly referred to as personal injury lawyers, are experts in tort law that help victims injured by faulty, ill-designed, or malfunctioning products fight for justice and put negligent manufacturers in their place. When consumers are injured by defective products, they can trust that personal injury attorneys will utilize their knowledge and experience in tort litigation to help victims obtain financial compensation for any injuries, medical procedures and treatments, ongoing long-term care, and even any psychological or emotional trauma they suffer as a result of defective products.

If You or a Loved One Have Been Injured by a Defective Product

Victims of defective products in the Southern California area can trust personal injury attorneys at the Pacific Attorney Group to help them seek compensation and attempt to get dangerous products changed for the better or even taken off the market. Our lawyers have been successfully negotiating settlements for clients for over 35 years, and because of their persistence, hundreds of people have been able to receive the monetary compensation rightfully owed to them by the product makers responsible for their injuries. If you or a loved one have suffered serious injury or harm through the use of a defective product, it would be wise to contact an attorney from the Pacific Attorney Group who will evaluate your case for you and give you important legal advice that will help you obtain the restitution you and your family deserve. Contact our firm today to set up a free, confidential case evaluation.

Medical Malpractice Often Goes Unreported

Orange County Personal Injury Lawyer — Fri, 04 May 2012 21:00:00 GMT

Medical malpractice is a form of professional negligence that occurs when a health care professional provides treatment that does not meet the accepted medical standard of practice and that causes serious injury, harm, or death to the patient. There are thousands of situations in which a medical professional might make an error, fail to act in a timely or appropriate manner, or fail to diagnose a particular problem. Common examples of medical malpractice can include errors made during the delivery of anesthesia to a patient, failure to diagnose heart disease in a patient complaining of chest pain, or misdiagnosis that leads to unnecessary medical treatment or failure to address the real medical problem.

2011 Medical Malpractice Statistics

According to a statistics provided by the American Association for Justice, approximately 98,000 United States patients were killed in 2011 due to a medical error. In the same year, over 2 million individuals contracted infections inside hospitals. Doctors left 1,500 surgical tools inside their patients, and 7,000 patients died because they were prescribed the wrong medication by their doctors. Sadly, thousands of victims suffered from other types of injuries due to the negligence of a medical professional; many of these patients never report their doctors' mistakes.

Victims who have suffered any types of injuries because of a medical professional's failure to comply with American Medical Association standards should not hesitate to report medical mistakes. Doctors see dozens of patients a day, and if they are not performing up to professional protocol, they should be held accountable for their actions. Medical professionals may be held liable for any injuries they inflict upon patients through negligence. In order for a victim to have a medical malpractice case under tort law, the following three things must be proven:

1. The patient suffered a significant injury.

2. The responsible medical staff performed in a way that did not meet the standard of care expected from a medical professional.

3. The patient's injury was caused as a direct result of the medical staff's negligence or mistake.

Orange County individuals who have suffered serious injury at the hands of a medical professional should seek legal counsel in order to determine whether they might have grounds for a medical malpractice lawsuit. A medical malpractice lawyer from the Pacific Attorney Group may be able to assist patients by fully evaluating their cases, investigating the events leading up to the medical mistake (as well as the consequences stemming from the mistake), and advocating on patients' behalf so that victims can obtain the redress they seek and deserve.

The worst thing about medical malpractice injuries is that they are completely avoidable. Society trusts that medical professionals will provide people with the highest level of health care possible, and doctors, nurses, and hospital staff that breach that trust should be held responsible for the harm they cause to victims. If you or a loved one has suffered injury due to medical malpractice, contact the Pacific Attorney Group today to set up a case evaluation with one of our trusted personal injury attorneys in Orange County.

Orange County Accident Attorneys Help Victims Injured by Unsafe Lane Changes

PacificBlog — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 12:20:00 GMT

Understanding Unsafe Lane Changes

Countless car accidents occur due to the fact that drivers of vehicles merely fall into a pattern of laziness and fail to follow essential safety measures before performing certain driving moves on the road. One of the most frequently-executed instances in which drivers make errors out of laziness is when they change lanes in an unsafe manner. Commonly referred to as an "unsafe lane change," this error can immediately create a hazardous situation not only for the driver him or herself, but for everyone else who is driving in the nearby vicinity. Unsafe lane changes, as commonly as they occur, should be avoided by motorists at all times and at all costs.

Statistics: California Unsafe Lane Changes

California is home to a disproportionately high amount of car accidents every year when compared to the national average. Unsafe lane changes seem to be a particularly prevalent cause of these auto accidents. Statistics show that over 7,000 California auto accidents in which at least one party is seriously injured are caused each year as a result of drivers making unsafe lane changes. Of these 7,000, almost 100 unsafe lane change-related accidents result in at least one death. Clearly, unsafe lane changes pose a real risk to drivers throughout the state of California.

Situations in Which Unsafe Lane Changes are Likely to Occur

A driver may execute an unsafe lane change in nearly any driving situation where a road is divided into more than one lane going in a single direction. The problem with unsafe lane changes is that they are usually sudden or ill-prepared for, and they leave little to no time for other drivers to react in order to avoid a collision. In most cases, a driver who mistakenly conducts an unsafe lane change unexpectedly decides to switch lanes in order to make a last-minute turn or to pass another vehicle, usually without signaling to other drivers their intent to do so. This results in other drivers being cut off or forced to maneuver out of the faulty motorist's way. When other motorists do not have enough time to appropriately respond, the involved vehicles can sideswipe, rear-end, or otherwise collide with each other.

Consult With an Orange County Personal Injury Attorney

Unsafe lane changes are an avoidable danger that our roads would be much safer without. If anyone you know has been injured or fatally harmed due to an Orange County unsafe lane change-related accident, the best course of action to take is to consult with a trusted Orange County accident attorney. Personal injury lawyers in Orange County have the knowledge and experience to help victims and their families file personal injury claims that can help victims regain some financial compensation for the injuries, pain, and suffering they have endured after an accident. In the case of those who have been killed in this type of accident, surviving family members can file a wrongful death lawsuit to seek similar justice and emotional closure. Contact the Pacific Attorney Group, serving Orange County and the larger Southern California area, today to learn more about your options as a victim of an unsafe lane change accident.

Understanding the Dangers of Lead Poisoning

PacificBlog — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 02:15:00 GMT

Lead Poisoning: Causes and Symptoms

Lead poisoning is a medical condition that occurs when there are increased levels of heavy metal lead present within the body. Lead is a toxic substance to the human body and can cause severe damage to the body's organs and tissues, including the heart, kidneys, and digestive, reproductive, and nervous systems. Elevated lead levels in the body can lead to permanent, irreversible bodily damage. The most common symptoms a person may experience due to high lead levels in his or her body include headaches, abdominal pain, reproductive problems, kidney failure, muscle pain in the limbs, and vomiting and weight loss. Symptoms may be subtle at first, but can develop over time as an individual experiences increased lead exposure.

Lead poisoning can occur in two ways: either from acute exposure, in which a person is exposed to extremely high levels of lead for a brief period of time, or from consistent but low-intensity exposure to lead. Both types of exposure can result in dangerous consequences, such as brain inflammation, dizziness, gastrointestinal issues, anemia, depression, or even a lead-colored hue in individuals' skin and gums. If you or a loved one are experiencing any combination of these symptoms, it would be best to have a medical practitioner test your blood for the presence of lead. The CDC states that having over 10 micrograms of lead per deciliter of blood can be a cause for concern, although any amount of lead in the bloodstream can be dangerous. No threshold for "safe" exposure to lead has been found to date, so individuals should try to avoid exposure to lead at all costs.

The most common sources of lead exposure are workplace environments, paint, soil, and tainted water. Occupational exposure usually occurs in industrial settings, such as in coal mines or manufacturing plants that deal with great amounts of heavy metals. While legislation in the United States has for the most part outlawed the use of lead in most materials, some paint in older buildings may still pose a danger to those who are exposed to it on a regular basis. Therefore, it is important to take note of warning labels or signs that notify individuals of the presence of lead in paint or buildings. Soil, particularly that found in urban areas, often absorbs lead from decaying materials or from polluted air. This can lead to lead being present in fruits and vegetables that are grown in contaminated soil. Water that is collected from underground sources or that is piped through plumbing fixtures containing lead can also contain dangerous lead levels, although cities across the U.S. are starting to pay more attention to how their water is cleaned and filtered for drinking purposes.

Get Help from a Lead Poisoning Attorney

Lead poisoning is a serious issue and should not be ignored or treated lightly. If you have experienced any of these symptoms or if you have been exposed to materials or environments that you believe may contain high lead levels, you should seek medical attention at once. You may also benefit from consulting with a personal injury attorney who can help you determine whether you may have legal grounds to pursue a lawsuit. You may be eligible to receive compensation for any damages, pain, or suffering you have endured as a result of lead poisoning. Contact the Pacific Attorney Group today to speak with a professional personal injury lawyer who can discuss your case with you and help you determine what steps to take next.

Slip-and-Fall Accidents in Orange County

PacificBlog — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 23:10:00 GMT

Slip and Fall Accidents

Each year, many people are injured in Orange County slip and fall accidents. Falling down on the premises of locations such as grocery stores, parking lots, or even private driveways can cause major or minor injuries, and, in the most unfortunate cases, death. In fact, fall accidents have shown over time to be one of the top contributors of national numbers of injury fatalities.

In 2010, fall accidents caused 9 million people to be hospitalized in emergency rooms for non-fatal injuries. Typical injuries sustained by fall victims range from harmless to severe but can include cuts, scrapes, gashes, broken or fractured bones, spinal cord injuries, or even brain trauma. Recovery can be quick or endless, as some victims are unfortunate enough to suffer from permanent harm to the brain and body.

Responsibilities of Property Owners

Property owners are required by law to maintain safe conditions on their premises to a reasonable extent. They are expected to either fix or warn others about any potential safety risks on their property. When property owners fail to do either of these things, they become liable for any injuries and expenses incurred by an individual who falls and is injured on their property. Victims of such accidents can then file to claim compensation for damages such as injuries, pain and suffering, medical costs, lost wages due to missed work time, lessened quality of life, and missed opportunities.

Slip and Fall Victims

However, individuals also have an obligation to use caution and be alert to any dangerous conditions they may encounter while on others' property. A court can decide that the victim in a slip and fall accident is somewhat at fault for not paying attention or failing to using proper care at the time of the fall. The victim would then have his or her compensation lowered by an amount proportional to the degree of fault they showed in the accident. This is why victims of slip and fall accidents should consult with a trusted Orange County personal injury attorney who can provide invaluable information and advice for filing a slip and fall claim. At the Pacific Attorney Group, our personal injury lawyers have dealt with personal injury cases for over three decades and will skillfully ensure every victim receives his or her rightful compensation.

What to Provide to Your Bicycle Accident Attorney

PacificBlog — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 06:00:00 GMT

If you have ever been seriously injured in an Orange County bicycle accident for which you were not at fault, you have the right to pursue a lawsuit against the party who is responsible for the accident. If you are considering such a lawsuit, you should speak with an Orange County bicycle accident lawyer at once. Our attorneys have over 35 years of experience in personal injury litigations, include those relating to bicycle accidents. However, in order to have your case evaluated, you will likely need to provide your attorney with some pertinent information about the collision and any injuries you sustained.

Documentation of A Bicycle Accident

There are several pieces of documentation you may need to provide to your bicycle accident attorney.

The first of these is medical documentation of your injuries. It may be more difficult for accident victims to seek a lawsuit if they do not have or provide proper medical records that document any medical care the may have required due to a bicycle accident. It is for this reason that people who are injured in a bicycle accident should call for medical assistance right away.

You should also obtain from your employer a record of any work your injuries may have caused you to miss. Keep a journal detailing what kinds of effects your injuries may have had on your mental, physical, and financial well-being. Have you or your family had to significantly alter your lifestyle as a result of the accident? Provide this type of information to your Orange County attorney so that he or she can get a full understanding of how your injuries have affected you.

Finally, do not get rid of any evidence from the scene of the accident, such as your bike, helmet, or clothing. These items might prove to be crucial in trial and should thus be given to a reputable accident attorney for proper logging and storage safety.

If You Have Been Involved in a Bicycle Accident

If you have been involved in a bicycle accident for which you are not at fault, you may be eligible to recover damages for serious physical injuries, incurred medical expenses, loss of income due to work missed, and mental stress created by the accident. Contact our firm today to have an experienced Orange County bicycle accident lawyer speak with you about your case and answer any of your questions.

Three-Vehicle Collision on Brea Canyon Kills One

PacificBlog — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 21:25:00 GMT

Early this morning, a driver was killed in a three-vehicle collision in Rowland Heights, California. According to news reports, a woman in a Chevrolet pickup truck was driving around a bend on Brea Canyon when she hit the road's right guardrail. The impact deflected her vehicle back into the middle of the road, where she sideswiped an oncoming sedan and then hit another oncoming car, a Honda Civic, head-on.

Both the woman driving the pickup and the male driver of the Civic were sent to the hospital after crews removed them from their totaled vehicles. Unfortunately, the Civic driver did not survive his injuries and was pronounced dead in the hospital. Officials are currently investigating the cause of the accident.

If you have ever been injured in a car accident, you should speak with an Orange County personal injury attorney from our firm right away. Pacific Attorney Group specializes in personal injury, and our lawyers have over three decades of aggregate experience in the subject. Contact Pacific Attorney Group today to have one of our qualified injury lawyers evaluate your case and walk you through the process of filing a claim. Our highest priority is to get you the compensation you deserve for your pain and suffering.

Personal Injury Cases and What to Do

PacificBlog — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 14:50:00 GMT

Chances are if you are involved in an accident then you have suffered what is known as a personal injury. If this is the case, you must contact a Orange Country personal injury attorney today and consult them as to what you can do to be properly compensated for your losses. Remember accidents do not just happen in cars, on motorcycles, or even boats. But instead they can happen anywhere from the grocery store to the mall, and even at your workplace. the phrase personal injuries encompasses all kinds of injuries ranging from physical injury caused by another individuals negligence to that caused by a malfunctioning product. If you become a victim of a personal injury you must immediately seek the help of a personal injury lawyer to see what type of accident you have and see how you can receive compensation for your losses.
Remember personal injuries can happen at anytime. In the morning on the way to work for example, you might find yourself becoming the victim of a car accident. Another unexpected example of a personal injury can occur is at the grocery store where often times people become victims of slip and fall accidents due to another person’s negligence. Regardless of the type of accident, individuals become victims of pain and suffering. With pain and suffering comes the need for therapy, whether it be physical or emotional, and even sometimes both. This therapy is never free and not only that, but in addition you often times face loss of wages to attend such therapy. All of these losses are what are known damages. You are entitled to be compensated for such damages. That is why you need to hire an Orange Country personal injury attorney to help represent you in your personal injury claim. Contact us today and see how the legal team at Pacific Attorney Group can help get you compensated for the losses you have faced.

How an Auto Accident attorney Can Protect Your Rights

PacificBlog — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 20:55:00 GMT

It is not surprising that the state of California has the highest rate of car accidents, after all with it having the largest population and the most motorists on the road there is bound to be an in crease in accidents. Thats why Orange county personal injury lawyers are here to help. Whether your driving a entry level vehicle or even a high end luxury car, your still at risk to be involved in an auto accident. In the unfortunate event in which this occurs you must hire the right personal injury lawyer to help. Personal injury attorney's like the ones at Pacific Attorney Group can help you receive compensation and recovery for all of the damages which you face. Remember if you have been inured because of another drivers negligence you must take into account a few impoortant things.

First, hire an Orange county personal injury lawyer to help you correspond with the insurance companies. The insurance companies will take advantage of you! However with a great attorney like the ones at Pacific Attorney Group, you can have the peace of mind that your rights will be protected. The insurance companies are notorious for taking advantage of individuals whom lack a legal counsel and thus push out hundreds of under-priced settlements a year.

Finally keep in mind, not to sign ANYTHING! Seek legal help from a personal injury attorney to assure you are properly compensated for not only damages to your vehicle but also any other potential brain trauma or other medical injuries you may face as a result of your automobile accident. So contact us today at Pacific Attorney Group and let our Orange County injury lawyers help you protect your rights.

Welcome to our Orange County Personal Injury Blog

Orange County Personal Injury Attorney — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 00:07:00 GMT

We are pleased to announce the launch of our Orange County Personal Injury Blog.