Los Angeles Property Injury Law Blog

Falling merchandise and collapsing shelves are serious hazards

On behalf of Law Offices of Carl D. Barnes posted in big box retail outlet injuries on Thursday, September 12, 2019.

Stores want to ensure that they have the merchandise that its customers want. Unfortunately, some of these retailers don't keep safety in mind when they are planning the storage of products. They may overload shelves, which can lead to very serious injuries to customers and employees alike.

There are three specific dangers that must be addressed when stocking shelves. One of the more common is that items can fall off the shelves and hit customers. When things are on higher shelves, this might lead to head injuries.

Know your options for dealing with catastrophic injuries

On behalf of Law Offices of Carl D. Barnes posted in catastrophic injuries on Thursday, August 29, 2019.

A catastrophic injury can change the course of your life. It will impact your ability to live as you always have. It might even mean that you are unable to work. Because of this, you might choose to seek compensation after the accident. Compensation can help you to recover the money you had to spend because of the accident. It can also give you the financial backing to live your best life going forward.

Common types of catastrophic injuries include trauma to the brain and spinal cord. Traumatic amputations and near-amputations can also be catastrophic. These injuries require immediate medical care, so be sure you get it.

Three hidden dangers could risk your child’s safety in pools

On behalf of Law Offices of Carl D. Barnes on Monday, August 26, 2019.

Most children love swimming and will play in the water with friends and neighbors whenever they get the chance. Parents of young children may enforce rules for swimming, such as requiring the children to wear life jackets or swim only when supervised.

Rules like these can be important steps to help prevent a child from accidentally drowning while in the pool. However, it may also be advantageous for parents to pay close attention to the pools that their children are swimming in because there can be hidden risks if the pool itself is poorly maintained.

Third-party claims can arise from construction accidents

On behalf of Law Offices of Carl D. Barnes posted in construction site accident injuries on Friday, August 16, 2019.

Construction workers count on specific tools to do their jobs every day. They should be able to use them without having to worry about the tools being defective. Unfortunately, there are times when a defective tool causes an injury on the job site. The interesting thing that differentiates these accidents from others is that the worker has the right to file a third-party claim.

A third-party lawsuit seeks to hold the manufacturer of the tool accountable for its negligence through the civil court system. Some workers dismiss this right out of hand because they assume that they can't do anything outside of the workers' compensation system. The difference is that when you are hurt on the job and there isn't a defective product, you can't sure your employer. That's why the employers carry workers' compensation coverage.

Type of spinal cord injury can impact recovery

On behalf of Law Offices of Carl D. Barnes posted in catastrophic injuries on Friday, August 2, 2019.

A spinal cord injury must be taken seriously so that you don't make it any worse. You have to find out as much as you can about the injury you have because you might need the information in the future. One instance in which this might be helpful is if you are working on a rehabilitation program to help you regain function or learn how to adapt to the abilities you have now.

The type of injury you have is one of the most important things that you have to think about. For the most part, an incomplete injury is associated with a greater possibility of regaining function below the level of the injury than what is possible with a complete injury.

Big box stores should do more to protect customers

On behalf of Law Offices of Carl D. Barnes posted in big box retail outlet injuries on Thursday, July 25, 2019.

People who shop at stores think that the stores will work to ensure that they have a safe environment. While it is true that they will try to do some preventative measures, there are many they might miss. When a customer suffers an injury at a store, they might choose to seek compensation. Showing what happened and that the store representatives were negligent will be key points in their case.

There are many hazards that can occur in a big box store. From the moment you step out of your vehicle, you are facing risks. In the parking lot, you might have to deal with broken and uneven pavement. Even loose gravel can lead to problems. Improper lighting and lax security can also put you at risk.

Why do little dogs seem more aggressive?

On behalf of Law Offices of Carl D. Barnes posted in dog & animal bites on Friday, July 5, 2019.

While large-breed dogs certainly can be aggressive, do you ever feel like it's the small breeds that seem the most like they want to harm you? Do they show you these signs of aggressive behavior far more often than their larger counterparts?

Some of it may have to do with their small size. People often comment that dogs forget how big or small they are, but perhaps small dogs actually just know that their small size leaves them vulnerable. They have to act more aggressively to make up for it.

Do you avoid risky behaviors when driving near semitrailers?

On behalf of Law Offices of Carl D. Barnes on Tuesday, July 2, 2019.

Collisions between semitrailers and passenger vehicles can cause significant damage and often result in the occupants of the smaller vehicle being severely injured. Truck drivers are held to high standards to help prevent these collisions. However, some collisions are unintentionally caused by other motorists who do not know that certain actions are more dangerous around semitrailers than they are around other vehicles.

Semitrailers present some challenges that passenger vehicles do not. Understanding these challenges can help you identify and avoid actions that may be especially risky around semitrailers.

Function recovery is possible in some spinal cord injuries

On behalf of Law Offices of Carl D. Barnes posted in catastrophic injuries on Friday, June 21, 2019.

Spinal cord injuries are serious matters, but they aren't all the same. There are two classifications of this type of injury that all damage falls into. The first is that you have a complete spinal cord injury. This means that the spinal cord is damaged in a way that is preventing signals from traveling down it. You will have a loss of function because of the injury.

The second type is the incomplete injury. This one is usually associated with only a partial loss of feeling or movement in the part of the body affected by the injury. An incomplete injury is more likely to have a better recovery than a complete one.

Safety protocol must be followed at construction sites

On behalf of Law Offices of Carl D. Barnes posted in construction site accident injuries on Wednesday, June 12, 2019.

There are many different accidents that can come with construction work. One of the top priorities of construction companies must be reducing the risk of these hazards. It is imperative that they develop protocol and procedures that are clearly conveyed to the workers. This can prove challenging for a variety of reasons, but a plan must be made to address each one.

Because many construction workers never interact with the higher-ups who create these plans, there has to be a way that the plans are conveyed so that the true intent of them is passed down to the workers who are potentially in harm's way.