Personal Injury Lawyer Tag

Dog Bite Prevention for Delivery Persons

Delivery persons have always been a target for dog attacks, and with more deliveries than ever before, thanks to the pandemic, you need to know how to stay safe. Whether you are a long-time delivery person or starting a new job, here are some tips to help.

• Don’t make deliveries with headphones on – We understand that music can help the day go faster, but stick to listening while in the truck. When you are approaching a door, you need to be aware of your surroundings.
• Be wary of interactions with the owner – Handing a package to the owner in the presence of a dog may be seen as an aggressive act. Be careful not to make any sudden moves toward a pet owner in the presence of the animal. Plus, during the pandemic, you want to keep your distance anyway.
• Don’t try to interact with the dog – Even if a dog seems friendly, that may change when you make an approach. Even if you really like dogs, it is best not to try and pet dogs you meet on your route.
• Back away – If a dog seems threatened, don’t turn your back on it. It is always best to back away. If you feel it is not safe to make a delivery, you can report it.

Help for Victims of Dog Bites in California

If you do end up experiencing a dog bite, medical bills, missed workdays, and other expenses can add up quickly. Petrov Law Firm can help you to receive the settlement you deserve from the owner’s insurance. Contact us today at 619.344.0360 to learn more.

6-Year-Old Boy Recovers After Saving His Sister from a Dog

You may have heard the reports last summer of a 6-year-old boy in Cheyenne, Wyoming, who became a hero when he protected his sister from a German shepherd. In the boy’s own words, he just put himself between the dog and his sister and kept moving to keep himself in between. Unfortunately, the dog eventually attacked, biting the young boy’s face.

Fortunately, Bridger is recovering well and recently thanked doctors and nurses in a heart-warming video on the news. Just a word of caution before you go and try to find the video – Bridger’s injuries from the attack were extensive, and seeing the before and after (including 90 stitches) will be disturbing for most people.

The fact is that dog attacks occur every day, and many children don’t have a hero like young Bridger to take the bite for them. Since a child’s face is often at bite level for dogs, injuries are far more severe than when a dog attacks an adult. This leads to extensive medical bills. If you or a loved one has been injured in a dog attack, you may wonder how you will be able to pay for the mounting medical expenses. If you live in California, Petrov Law Firm can help.

Dog Bite Attorneys in San Diego

If you are in need of an attorney to help your family maximize your dog bite settlement in California, Petrov Law Firm is here for you. Get in touch with an experienced attorney today by calling 619.344.0360.

The Best Tips for ATV Safety

An all-terrain vehicle can be a great way to have some fun on the weekend, especially since you should always be on it alone anyway (if it is a single-rider ATV). That makes it great from of recreation when social distancing. However, a shocking number of accidents lead to injuries every year on ATVs. Here are the best prevention tips so you can enjoy your weekend without an incident.

• Use designated trails rather than taking off into the forest
• Ride at a safe speed
• Use an ATV that is right for your size – this is especially important for families when riding with youths
• Never ride under the influence of drugs or alcohol, and be careful with prescription medications that may make you drowsy or reduce your reaction speed
• Never take someone with you on an ATV built for one – they make two-seaters for a reason
• Don’t let kids ride without proper supervision
• Take a safe ATV riding course
• Follow the guidelines from the ATV manufacturer
• Always wear a helmet and other appropriate safety gear when riding – this may include a face shield, eye protection, sturdy shoes or boots, gloves, and long sleeves

If You Have Been Injured Riding an ATV…

Petrov Law Firm is the San Diego law office here to help when your personal injury case involves riding an ATV in California. Our lawyers are experienced, especially when it comes to dealing with insurance companies to maximize settlements. Give us a call today at 619.344.0360 to get your case started.

Are Dog Bites Covered By Rental Insurance?

If you are bit by someone else’s dog, your medical expenses and other losses should be covered by that person’s homeowner’s insurance (unless you were trespassing or provoking the attack). However, more and more people are renting instead of owning the place in which they live. So if the owner of the dog has renter’s insurance, will that cover your losses? Here is what you need to know.

According to the CDC, there are more than four million dog bites that occur each year in the United States. The Insurance Information Institute provides another revealing fact. When the attack is covered by insurance, the average payout is more than $40,000. It is important to realize that only about 20% of people who are attacked by a dog require medical care. So most of the time, there are no significant losses incurred.

As far as renter’s insurance is concerned, it should cover a dog bite, just as homeowner’s insurance would. However, it is up to the owner to know what the policy covers. Some policies do not cover larger dogs (which are likely to do more damage), or they may exclude certain breeds.

Getting the Help You Need Following a Dog Attack

If the owner of the dog is liable for the attack, you may be due compensation for medical bills, missed workdays, emotional distress, and more. However, whether the owner is insured or not, you need the help of a personal injury attorney. If you live in southern California, then Petrov Law Firm can help. Call us today at 619.344.0360 to get your case started.

Compensation When an Accident Makes an Existing Injury Worse

Imagine this scenario. You hurt your back at work years ago and have sought treatment from doctors and chiropractors. Now, you get into a car accident, and your back is worse than ever. What will this mean for your settlement? Is it going to be less because you had a preexisting condition?

That shouldn’t be the case, especially if the injury occurs in California. Here is a trick that insurance companies or lawyers try to pull along with the regulations that California has put in place to block it.

The “Eggshell Plaintiff” Approach

Eggshells are fragile and break easily. If you have a preexisting condition, the defense may claim you are an eggshell plaintiff. In other words, they argue your preexisting condition could be the real reason you got hurt or that you are just more prone to injury than others. Here’s an example.

Let’s say that you injured your neck skiing a few years ago. Now, you get whiplash in a car accident. The insurance company offers a lowball settlement claiming that you were already injured or that maybe you injure easily and that’s why your neck has been hurt multiple times.

California doesn’t allow this type of reasoning and has demonstrated this in previous rulings. Thus, a personal injury attorney can go to bat for you and remind the insurance company they can’t make claims based on preexisting conditions or the idea that certain people are just more susceptible to injury.

The San Diego Personal Injury Attorneys for You

Petrov Law Firm has the experience to help you maximize settlements or win your case in court if need be. Contact us today at 619.344.0360 to get your case started right away.

Why Don’t Dogs Like Me?

Are you the type of person who would love to pet every dog you pass on the sidewalk, but you can’t because they always seem to get aggressive with you on sight? Here are a few things that may be at the root of the problem if most dogs are immediately on guard in your presence.

• Your voice – Dogs care more about the tone of your voice than the actual words you are using. They interpret high-pitched voices as happy but may have a negative reaction to a deeper voice, which comes across as angry.
• Your actions – Dogs feel threatened when you hold their gaze for too long or when you lean in over them.
• Your interaction with the owner – Dogs seem to be able to recognize if you have a pleasant interaction with their owner or if you are perceived as rude. The dog is always going to side with their owner, so start by greeting them with a big smile.
• Your scent – If you smell like a dog they don’t know (perhaps because you have a dog at home or were just petting another dog), that can put a canine on edge.
• The dog’s history – If a dog has been abused, anyone who reminds them of the abuser will cause instant anxiety. If the abuser was a male, the dog might be wary around any unknown man.

If You Have Been Injured By a Dog Bite

Sometimes a dog will become so agitated that it attacks despite being unprovoked. If this has happened to you, the owner’s insurance should cover your medical expenses or other losses. Contact Petrov Law Firm today to get the assistance that you need by calling 619.344.0360.

Myths About Rabies You Need to Know

Unless a dog attack causes a serious injury, the next immediate concern after a bite is rabies. Unfortunately, many people in the United States believe various myths about this condition. We will dispel just a few in our article today.

• Myth 1: The is no rabies in the US – This is definitely not true. In fact, Hawaii is the only state that is completely rabies-free. However, 95% of deaths from rabies occur in Africa or Asia because death from rabies is highly preventable if you can get to a medical facility immediately after a bite.
• Myth 2: You can wait until you see signs of rabies to seek medical attention – Again, this is absolutely false. Once symptoms appear, it is too late to treat this disease. There are fewer than 10 cases on record where a human survives rabies after showing symptoms. This is why you need immediate treatment after a bite.
• Myth 3: If the dog isn’t foaming at the mouth, it doesn’t have rabies – Foaming at the mouth is possible, but not all animals will have this symptom. More likely, symptoms are those similar to a flu virus.

Dog Bite Attorneys in San Diego

Following a dog bite, the number one priority is making sure that you are safe. After you have received the proper medical attention, then it is time to contact a personal injury attorney so that you can determine if you deserve compensation due to the negligence of the owner. Petrov Law Firm has experienced dog bite attorneys at our San Diego office. Call 619.344.0360 to get your case started today.

Facts You Need to Know About Dog Bites in California

As a nation, Americans are estimated to own nearly 77 million dogs! More than one out of every three US households has at least one dog, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association. It shouldn’t be a surprise that about 4.5 million dog bites occur annually (according to the CDC). Dog bite settlements are usually handled by the owner’s homeowners or renters insurance. Here are three things you should know about dog bites in California.

• There is a dog bite statute in the state of California – This means that as long as you were not trespassing or intentionally provoking the dog, the owner is always liable for the attack.
• California does not go by the “one bite rule” that some other states use. Such a rule would mean that the owner is only liable for an attack if the dog has bitten someone in the past. In California, the owner is potentially liable from the very first attack.
• California law does not require proof of negligence on the part of the owner. However, if you can prove that the owner was negligent when it came to protecting others from being attacked, this may provide you with a basis for requesting a larger settlement.

Help for Dog Bite Victims in Southern California

Insurance companies always want to pay as little as possible on a claim, so you need the help of an experienced personal injury attorney to make sure that you don’t get stuck covering your own medical bills or any other losses. Contact Petrov Law Firm today at 619.344.0360 to speak with an experienced attorney in San Diego.

California Motorcycle Safety Continues to Improve

Motorcycle safety is an essential topic across America, and you will be happy to know that the lives of riders in California were a little safer in 2018 than they were in 2017. Let’s look at a couple of statistics that show how California is improving when it comes to motorcycle safety.

• From 2017 to 2018, motorcycle fatalities on California roadways dropped by 15.57%.
• Over the same time period, helmetless deaths dropped by 33%. That shows riders are taking the responsibility to wear the proper safety gear seriously, and this may have contributed to the improvement in the statistics.

Regardless of the reason that the statistics have improved, we are happy that motorcyclists are safer on California roads. However, hundreds are still killed or injured each year, so now is not the time for the state to grow complacent. Drivers need to stay aware and share the road. And if you ride a motorcycle, please ride safely and always wear your helmet.

Personal Injury Attorneys in Southern California

What can you do if you have been injured in an accident while riding your motorcycle? Petrov Law Firm can help. Our attorneys have the experience that you want in your corner when it comes to maximizing your settlement from the insurance company. From medical expenses and missed workdays to compensation for pain and suffering, we can help you to get what you deserve. Give us a call today at 619.344.0360 to learn what our compassionate lawyers can do for you and your family.

California Pedestrian and Bicycle Fatalities in 2018

California has released traffic safety statistics for 2018 on the government website. These stats give us an insight into how safe (or unsafe) the roads are across the state. A couple of statistics stand out that are not strictly directed at drivers.

• Pedestrian fatalities actually decreased by 5% between 2017 and 2018.
• Bicycle fatalities went up by 6.89% during the same time period.

Whether pedestrians are using safer practices or drivers are being more conscious of sharing the road with those who are walking, it is good to see some improvement in the statistics. Unfortunately, those benefits are offset by the decline in safety for cyclists. Are cyclists failing to use proper precautions? Are distracted drivers just not seeing cyclists? It is important for bicycle riders and drivers alike to be educated about this trend.

For both walkers and bikers, visibility is crucial to safety—the more lights you have on your bicycle, the better. And reflective clothing at night is always a plus whether you are on a bike or going on foot. Don’t forget to wear the proper safety gear if you are riding your bicycle.

Help for Families Affected By Accidents in Southern California

From personal injury cases to wrongful death suits, Petrov Law Firm can help you to get the compensation you need if you or a loved one have been injured while walking or riding your bike in southern California. Get in touch with our experienced attorneys today by calling 619.344.0360.