In March 2013, a San Jose bicyclist was struck by a car, sustaining severe injuries. After being released from the hospital, he spent his remaining years in a long-term care facility until his death on October 22. The injuries he sustained 11 years ago are the presumed cause of death. If you doubt that bicycle accidents can have catastrophic consequences, this tragic case proves otherwise.
Why are bicycle accidents likely to cause severe injuries? What damages are available? A compassionate lawyer from Fuller Law Firm can help victims and their families recover the compensation they deserve.
Even if cyclists wear helmets, they have minimal protection against the impact of a car hitting them. The zone of the initial impact is likely the hips, legs, and knees, with secondary injuries potentially occurring when the cyclist is thrown onto the car’s hood or the ground. Unfortunately, some bicyclists are thrown directly into the path of a vehicle’s tires. Even at slower speeds, the injuries sustained can be life-threatening, such as:
Amusement park rides and other attractions offer all-day fun for children and adults, and California has many parks. Accidents can injure patrons, leaving them wondering if they can receive compensation and who will pay. Many of these cases could give you grounds for a premises liability claim against the park’s manager or owner. However, the specific circumstances surrounding your accident could also point to other liable parties.
How do you know if you are eligible for compensation, and how do you know who should pay you? Call our knowledgeable lawyer from Fuller Law Firm to discuss your case, and let us explain your legal options.
Various attractions have different risks. Common injury-producing accidents include:
Sometimes, poor judgment or a simple mistake can result in criminal charges. California lawmakers do not want state residents to pay too heavy a price for some crimes, offering qualifying individuals diversion programs as an alternative to other forms of punishment.
How do you know if you qualify? What types of diversion programs does California have? Your knowledgeable San Jose, CA attorney from Fuller Law Firm can discuss your options during your free consultation.
Many people charged with a misdemeanor crime are eligible for one of several state or federal diversion programs. These programs are intended to help defendants understand and correct the causes of their behaviors, making it less likely for them to be repeat offenders. California has diversion programs for:
Car accidents can have multiple contributing factors, with several parties sharing the fault for causing them. If you are injured in a collision, some of the first questions you probably have are whether you can get compensation and how much your settlement might be. The answers to those questions depend on the state where your crash happened and case-specific factors.
Every state has negligence laws that govern your eligibility for compensation and potential restrictions that can affect your settlement amount. Liable insurers often try to manipulate your fault determination to lower your payout amount. When you choose a lawyer from Fuller Law Firm, we will ensure that fault is assigned accurately to help you recover the highest possible compensation.
California is one of only a few states that uses pure comparative negligence in personal injury cases. Under this law, you can seek compensation from other at-fault parties even if you are 99 percent responsible for causing your car crash, but there is a catch. The amount of compensation you can receive will be reduced by your percentage of fault.
Since 2018, e-scooters have provided convenient transportation in San Jose. Several approved vendors in the city let you rent bikes and e-scooters, encouraging more people to utilize these micro-mobility options. Riders are prohibited from using sidewalks; instead, they must use streets and bike lanes, if available.
Sharing the roads with motor vehicles means there is a higher chance of e-scooter riders being involved in collisions. E-scooter accidents can seriously injure riders, especially if cars are traveling at higher speeds. Determining who is responsible for these collisions is often complicated, but you do not have to do it alone. Call an experienced lawyer from Fuller Law Firm for your free consultation so we can discuss your case and explain how we can help.
Sunny California is home to millions of residents, with millions more tourists visiting the state yearly. Various businesses, tourist attractions, beautiful beaches, majestic mountains, and public spaces inspire pedestrians to explore many areas on foot. Unfortunately, California ranks among the worst states in the nation for pedestrian accidents. In 2022, 40 pedestrians lost their lives in accidents in Santa Clara County alone.
Why do these accidents typically cause severe or fatal injuries? What can you do if you or a loved one are a victim of a pedestrian accident? A compassionate lawyer from Fuller Law Firm can answer those questions and help you obtain the compensation you deserve.
Property owners, businesses, and other responsible parties are legally obligated to keep their premises safe for customers, employees, and invited guests. This obligation holds true for restaurants, bars, nightclubs, retail stores, offices, public parks, apartment complexes, and a multitude of other properties.
If you are injured because the responsible party did not meet this requirement, you may be able to obtain compensation through a premises liability claim, even if your injury is the result of an assault or attack due to negligent security. Contact Fuller Law Firm to speak with a dedicated personal injury lawyer who can help you hold all liable parties accountable.
Under California’s premises liability laws, various parties who are responsible for a property have to use reasonable care to minimize the risks of injury to people who are on their premises. This duty to protect others may differ depending on the kind of business or property; for example, this obligation typically does not extend to trespassers.
Despite the recent appearance of a street sign in California mocking the state’s retail theft laws, being charged with this offense is no joke. The sign appeared in late June outside a Louis Vuitton store in downtown San Francisco, reading "NOTICE: Stolen goods must remain under $950." The sign refers to Proposition 47, which California voters approved in 2014, which made any retail theft under $950 a misdemeanor offense. Some other criminal offenses were also downgraded to misdemeanors under Proposition 47, including bad check writing, petty theft with priors, certain forgeries, commercial burglaries, and possession of stolen property (so long as they were under the $950 threshold).
The law also changed some simple drug possessions into misdemeanors and provided that past convictions for these charges could be reduced to a misdemeanor by a court. Critics of the law say it has contributed to a surge in smash-and-grab robberies across the state. Some of Proposition 47’s provisions will be on the ballot in November in an attempt to roll them back. If you have been charged with a theft crime, it is essential that you speak to a San Jose theft lawyer who can build a solid defense on your behalf.
When someone is arrested for corporal injury to a spouse or cohabitant, one of the first things that happens is that an Order of Protection is automatically issued. A criminal Order of Protection requires the accused offender to stay away from and refrain from contacting the victim. If you and the alleged domestic violence victim lived together, this usually means that you cannot return to your home. This can leave you in an extremely difficult position. Before you are released from jail on bond, you will need to tell the court where you will be staying, and that cannot be your home address. This means that you will need to very quickly find alternate living arrangements. A San Jose domestic violence lawyer can help you navigate the requirements of the protection order while preparing to defend you against your domestic battery charges.
Everyone knows someone who has been injured or killed in a serious car crash, but it is still a terrible shock when it happens to you. Knowing what to do after a car crash can seem obvious until you are in the situation yourself.
If you have been hurt in a car crash, stop and think before taking action. Remember that you do not have to handle this situation by yourself. There are many good reasons for working with a San Jose, CA personal injury lawyer, and here are four of the most important.
In the best of circumstances, spending time researching California personal injury law, how much money you should ask for in compensation, and how judges in your area tend to rule in personal injury cases is a daunting task indeed. After a bad car crash, when you may be struggling with injuries, missing work and income, or grieving the loss of someone you love, getting the information you need for handling a personal injury suit may feel impossible. But you do not have to do this alone. A personal injury attorney can do the heavy lifting and let you focus on getting back on your feet.