What Should Be In Your Insurance Policy?

We wrote recently about the devastating impact of not having sufficient automobile insurance and how critical that becomes when you’re involved in an accident with an uninsured or underinsured motorist. These days it comes down to the idea of buying sufficient insurance to cover yourself in the event the person hitting you doesn’t carry enough or any insurance.  By doing this you accept that if you are in an accident the other driver will be uninsured.  In California the Insurance Resource Council estimates there are more than 4 million drivers without insurance.  Better covered than sorry!

With that said what coverage limits should you have in place to adequately cover yourself against an uninsured/underinsured driver?  In reality you should purchase as much insurance as you can up to a point.  A minimum level of coverage of $100,000/$300,000 for Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist is reasonable… buy more if you can afford it.  Having medical payments coverage is extremely affordable and allows you to direct your care and enlist the services of Chiropractors and other allied health care professionals of your choice.  Many insurance agents will steer you away from medical payments coverage by telling you that you already have health insurance and based on our experience this is almost always bad advice.

Another aspect of insurance that often goes unexplored is listing all licensed drivers in your home on your policy.  Some insurance companies will not cover drivers that live in your home if they aren’t listed on the policy.  The last and possibly most important thing you should do is actually read and understand your policy.  Your agent wants to sell you insurance and it’s up to you to know what you’re actually buying and then be certain that it’s want you want and need.

We help with serious issues that require serious representation. We are the Law Offices of Guenard & Bozarth.  We have over 70 years of experience on our legal team and we also have a former insurance company defense attorney in our plaintiff’s only law firm.  Call GB Legal 24/7/365 at 888-809-1075 or visit www.gblegal.com  We Can Help!

 

For some unexplainable reason there has been a recent increase in dog attacks..  This is a trend we are seeing not only in California but Nationally as well.  Again, the reasons are unclear but the impact on the victims often lasts a lifetime.

As a society we love our dogs.  They are an integral part of many families and life is better with them than without.  Having said that there are realities we have to face.  Pit Bulls are responsible for more deaths than all other breeds combined and this is a case where the owner of the dog may contribute to the aggressive nature of the breed it is also a factor in the breed of dog.  I suppose there are aggressive Labradors and yet they are seldom encountered.

While dog attacks on children in California are fairly rare they happen with far too much frequency and with horrible consequences.  When an attack happens it will often negate the companionship that a dog can provide forever. Most people have grown up with dogs, either in their home of the home of a loved one and never have a problem. Even a previously friendly dog can turn violent without warning and in these cases, children and infants are the most common victims. Kids are attracted to animals but don’t necessarily have experience interacting with them. Children are especially susceptible to injuries and they don’t always understand the power of a dog’s jaws, sharp teeth and muscular body. The reality is that often the behavior of kids and dogs doesn’t mix.

There are approximately 68 million dogs that are kept as pets in the United States and every year there are nearly 5 million attacks by domesticated dogs, according to the CDC . Almost half of these attacks are on victims between the ages of 5 and 10.  A sobering fact is that most of people are bitten by a dog that they have interacted with previously. Injuries can happen at your own home, in the park, in a backyard or at the home of a friend or relative.

Victims under the age of 5 are much more likely to have head, neck or face injuries than any other group. Late teenage and adult victims are more likely to get bit on the hand, arm, leg or foot. Dogs inflict deep puncture wounds and lacerations and when the victim is a child you may be looking at the potential for amputations and crushing injuries due to the power and ferocity and often dog bite victims require reconstructive surgery to repair disfiguring injuries. Also, a mauling from a dog is a physically and emotionally traumatic experience and can leave the victim with permanent injuries, severe scarring, long term medical expenses and a lifetime of pain and fear.

California has unique problems with dog bites and fatalities. In the past several years there have been both infants and youngsters that have died after being attacked by family dogs. Dog ownership rates in California are about average for the nation, but the Golden State has more home insurance claims for dog bites than any other. In 2013, California led the nation in fatal dog attacks. All deaths were attributed to pit bulls.

In most cases severe bites are inflicted by unneutered male dogs that have been bred for their aggressive behavior. California does not permit breed-specific legislation although it does support mandatory neutering programs for certain breeds.

If you or a loved one was injured in a dog attack, contact the Law Office of Guenard & Bozarth today.  You need an experienced advocate on your side to help you recover compensation for medical expenses, emotional trauma and any additional losses.  We will investigate the attack, look into the behavioral history of the animal and help prove your case.  Our lawyers have represented many children and adults who have been attacked by a dog need medical help.  Call our 24/7/365 injury hotline at 888-809-1075 or by visiting http://www.gblegal.com/dogbite.php

Medical Privacy May Have Led To Lufthansa Crash

As a society we demand the privacy that is guaranteed by the United States Constitution.  As lawyers we wholeheartedly support everyone’s right to privacy until such time as people are injured or die as a result of that right.  Privacy concerns appear to have contributed to or led to the crash of the Lufthansa jet in France.

It seems that Lufthansa put the young German pilot through it’s standard applicant screening process and the typical medical tests and yet they did not pursue any plan to ensure that he was getting the appropriate treatment from the acknowledged bouts of severe depression he had previously suffered.  Not only was the appropriate treatment aspect ignored, the company also ignored any special monitoring that was required for any pilot who had a flagged health issue.  The pilot Andreas Lubitz made his way through the company training program and was entrusted as a co-pilot in the Airbus A320 for Lufthansa’s low cost airline German Wings.  As we know now, the results were tragic.

The company and its medical staff assert that they had no idea he was having issues and even Lufthansa Chief Executive pronounced that Lubitz had been pronounced “100 percent” fit to fly showing how unaware the airline was regarding the extent of the pilot’s psychological troubles.  It even appears that before that final flight Lubitz likely methodically plotted his demise and that of his passengers.  It was learned later that he had passed a standard medical exam by a flight doctor, but that more recent notes from specialists declared him unfit to work.  That information never made it to the airline.

With as much as we value privacy the traveling public is owed a greater level of safety when their safety is placed in the hands of these professionals.  This pertains to a bus driver, cab driver, train operator and even an airline pilot.  These professions fall into a special category and any injury where one of the professions is involved demands additional scrutiny for just these reasons.  Our office has the experience to investigate these accidents and uncover the facts that may have put you in harm’s way.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a cab, train, bus, boat or airplane you should call the Law Office of Guenard & Bozarth at 888-809-1075.  We have the resources and experience you need to have your day in court.  You can also visit http://www.gblegal.com/bus.php  We Listen, We Care & We Get Results!

Mom Crushed By Gravel Truck… Cal/OSHA & City To Investigate

A 32 year old pregnant mom was crushed to death by a gravel trailer in her driveway and she was scheduled to have her first ultrasound the following week.  In what was described as a totally avoidable accident, a pregnant hairstylist was asked to move her car after the contractor had his loaded gravel truck in place when something went horribly wrong.

When Lindsey Combs got in to move her car the gravel truck tipped on top of her as her 4 year old daughter looked on.  While the accident is under investigation by Cal/OSHA and City of Martinez authorities, we know that is seldom sufficient for the purposes of the family and especially her 4 year old daughter.  While Cal/OSHA and City officials are no doubt working hard to determine the answers to why this happened and how to keep it from happening again (as they should) common sense dictates that a portion of the ongoing investigation must include both the liability and financial responsibilities of an accident such as this.

As a result of the actions of this crew there is a 4 year old girl who will grow up without her mother and a father who will grow old without his life partner.  Their lives will never be the same and while nothing can bring Lindsey back there are other ways to support them.  Cal/OSHA will interview witnesses and construction employees to figure out what went wrong and why, there are other questions that demand answers.

What pictures were taken at the accident scene, what blood tests were done on those involved to check for staff that may be under the influence, is the equipment maintained and what is the track record of those that maintain the equipment, construction staff training of those involved and the results of this investigation determines what is looked at next.  Having a legal representative involved with the State and City investigators is crucial and could yield dramatic and valuable information.

At the Law Offices of Guenard & Bozarth we are proactive with investigations like this.  The sooner we have the relevant information to more thoroughly we can represent your interests and have a positive outcome.  Call on us anytime 24/7/365 at 888-809-1075 or by visiting www.gblegal.com  We Can Help!

Banana Peel Fraud?

There are more ways of getting injured than there is time to list them. One of the more common ways is the slip and fall type of injury. What we typically see is someone who has fallen due to uneven surfaces that have been that way for some time and the other is a fall because something on a surface that someone was aware of and chose to ignore. Another way this happens is slipping on a banana peel!
In Maryland a man is accused of staging a slip and fall on a banana peel in a transit station and then suing the transit agency for $15,000 for his injuries. The report says that 42 year old local resident Maurice Owens injured his left leg and hip in the fall and was demanding compensation. Thankfully, he was NOT represented by an attorney and this became critical in court when the transit agency produced video of the fall. It is reported that Mr. Owens looks into the direction of the camera he did not know was there and as the elevator door opens the video shows him appearing to thrust himself forward and then falling to the ground.
The court was able to see through this fraud and act in an appropriate manner and fine the would-be litigant. Cases such as this slow down the judicial process and increase the burden of proof for anyone who is truly injured due to the negligence of someone else. We applaud this result and the publicity surrounding it.
At the Law Office of Guenard & Bozarth we have investigators that look for things like video surveillance and witnesses because when you get your day in court and we have video that proves you were injured through no fault of your own you get the compensation you deserve.
Got questions about your case? Feel free to call The Law Office of Guenard & Bozarth at 888-809-1075 and speak to an attorney 24/7/365. We know how the law works for you and against you or just visit http://www.gblegal.com We Can Help!

Steps to Take After a Car Accident

After any accident, it is easy to panic and forget what steps to take.  This may be the best opportunity you have to preserve your rights and to protect your ability to recover important compensation for medical bills, lost wages and other expenses. It can be hard to think clearly and knowing what to do beforehand can help you make the right choices if you are ever involved in a car accident.

The Personal Injury lawyers at Guenard and Bozarth can advise you on your best options after an accident in the Sacramento, California, area. With our main office located in Elk Grove, we have more than 50 years of experience handling a wide range of personal injury and motor vehicle cases for our clients. Do not talk about your accident with the insurance company until you have talked to an attorney about your rights.

Contact us to schedule a free consultation and learn what to do after a car accident. Either send us an e-mail to ross@gblegal.com or call us at 888-809-1075. Remember – no recovery, no fee.

Checklist of Things to Do After an Accident

After an accident talk with an attorney and follow these steps:

• Determine the extent of any injuries to you or your passengers and get necessary medical attention.
• File an accident report with the police.
• Get names, addresses and phone numbers of everyone involved in the accident, including their insurance companies and vehicle identification numbers of their cars.
• Limit your discussion of the accident with your insurance company because you could inadvertently limit the amount of compensation you are eligible to receive.
• Contact the law firm of Guenard & Bozarth at 888-809-1075 on our 24 hour hotline.

Contact One of Our Attorneys Today

For more information regarding motor vehicle accident representation at Guenard & Bozarth, contact us today and schedule an appointment for a free initial consultation. Call us to talk with an experienced attorney.  You should also order our free report “10 Mistakes That Can Ruin Your California Vehicle Accident Case”.  This is loaded with the do’s and don’ts and the best time to learn about these is before the accident.  This report is available at http://www.gblegal.com

Wrongful Death, One Of Many Causing Toyota Trial In California

       A series of lawsuits against Toyota are scheduled to begin in California toward the end of this year and into 2013. Toyota will be defending claims concerning a sudden and unintended acceleration issue in many of its Camry models. These acceleration problems are said to have caused car accidents resulting in serious injuries and even wrongful death.  As a matter of fact, Toyota launched a recall of nearly 8 million vehicles across the U.S., starting in 2009.

       The recall prompted hundreds of personal injury and wrongful death claims linked to this sudden and unintended acceleration.  In one specific case, it is claimed that a woman’s Camry suddenly accelerated and caused the vehicle to leave the road and strike a telephone pole, resulting in the woman’s death.  Toyota has also been accused of causing danger to Camry drivers by intentionally selling vehicles with this alleged malfunction, although it is yet to be determined whether this was a true manufacturing error or if Toyota was aware of a problem at the time these vehicles were distributed and sold.

       Sometimes a car accident is simply an accident; however, some form of negligence is often involved in many collisions.  Such may be a possibility in the injury and wrongful death claims against Toyota for the acceleration issues.

       To think that a fatal accident took the lives of innocent people because of a possible manufacturing error is a sad and scary thought.  Those California residents owning or driving a Toyota Camry, or who know of someone using such a vehicle, would do well to learn the facts and take appropriate action in circumstances where the car may be suspected of having the acceleration problem.  In such instances, the problem must be addressed immediately and those affected may benefit from understanding the relevant law and procedures as it applies to their specific situation.

       If you have been involved in an accident with a Toyota Camry or any other type of car you should seek the guidance of a qualified California Personal Injury Attorney.  At Guenard and Bozarth all we do is represent victims of accidents.  Please call us at 888-809-1075 or visit us on the web at www.gblegal.com and an attorney will talk with you and explain your rights.

Almost 30% Of Teen Drivers Involved In Car accidents Suffer Some Type Of Head Injury

Researchers from State Farm and Children’s Hospital in Philadelphia studied injury data from over 50,000 teenage drivers and their passengers who had been in car accidents and discovered that almost 30% of them had received some sort of head injury as a result of the accident. The analysis recommends an emphasis on graduated driving laws across more states to allow young drivers to gain more driving experience while being safe and cautious.

Examples of graduated driving laws for minors include restricting cell phone usage (although California has banned the use of cell phones for texting and/or calling regardless of age), prohibiting or restricting nighttime driving, limiting the number of passengers present in the car with the young driver, “novice driver” decals (currently only one state that requires drivers under the age of 21 to put a decal on their vehicles identifying them as “newer” drivers), and requiring the driver to graduate from various driving stages (learner’s permit, a restricted stage, and a full privilege stage).

In addition to strengthening graduated driving laws, researchers behind the study are strongly encouraging states to focus on seat belt laws to reduce the number of injuries and deaths committed by young drivers each year. Delaware’s graduated driving law has a seatbelt provision that requires teenage drivers as well as their passengers under the age of 18 to wear their seat belts or risk having their license suspended for two months.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention said that auto crashes are the leading cause of death for teenagers, so driving safety is a huge area of concern for minors. The number of 16- and 17-year-old driver deaths in the United States increased 11% between the first six months of 2010 and the first six months of 2011.

Although teen drivers won’t likely be thrilled with stricter graduated driving laws, the safety implications behind the laws might persuade some states to crack down and take a more aggressive stance with younger drivers. Not only will this keep teen drivers safer, it’ll make the roads safer for other motorists as well.

If you have a teen driver this is the best time to be aware of these statistics.  If your teen driver has been in any accident, no matter how minor, this is the perfect time to contact Guenard and Bozarth at 888-809-1075 or at www.gblegal.com and have them evaluated by a competent health care provider.  The pain from a head injury may subside with time and the damage will only get worse.

 

Insurance Bad Faith. What Obligations Actually Exist?

Insurance bad faith refers to a claim that an insured person has against an insurance company for bad acts.   Bad faith in an insurance claim implies that an insurer has failed to pay a claim for no good reason. Other bad faith insurance claims result because the insurers have taken a position that goes against the insurance coverage policy that is frequently their own.  In issues of bad faith insurance,  laws have been created to uphold a contract that has been breached.

Responsibility, Duty, Liability

• Your insurance company has a duty to treat you fairly, and to protect you from third-party claims, because you bought the liability insurance, whether on your home or on your automobile.
• The insurance company has a duty to protect your interest when settling your claim.
• The insurance company must negotiate the claim rather than just protecting the company’s own interest, or they can be liable to you for not protecting your interests.

If you bought a policy that says it is a 25/50 policy, and you injured someone and the damages exceed $25,000.00, the insurance company does not have to pay more than the $25,000.00 in coverage.

If the other party is willing to settle for the $25,000.00 and liability is reasonably clear, and the damages equal or exceed $25,000.00, the insurance company has to pay the $25,000.00.

Insurance Bad Faith Law Suit:

• If,  as in the referenced instance, the insurance company does not pay the $25,000.00, then you might be able to sue your insurance company for what is called First-Party Bad Faith in an insurance bad faith lawsuit.
•  Your insurance company must treat you fairly, and must not expose you to a judgment far in excess of the amount of the coverage when the insurance company could have settled the case within the coverage limits.
• Under these circumstances, you may be able to sue with an insurance bad faith lawsuit for not only the amount you are personally responsible for to the third-party, but you could also sue for your emotional distress and general damages, and for punitive damages to punish the insurance company for not treating you fairly.

For further information see the related sections on our web site www.gblegal.com:

• WRONGFUL DEATH
• NEGLIGENCE
• OUR RESULTS
• AREAS OF EXPERTISE

We are Guenard and Bozarth and we are an agressive personal injury litigation firm.  We can be reached at 888-809-1075 or via e-mail at ross@gblegal.com.

Recovering Attorneys Fees in California Insurance Litigation means Proving Bad Faith Damages

Clients often ask if it’s possible to recover attorney fees when they sue their own insurance company in California.  The short answer is yes.  After we have that out of the way I let them know it is possible to recover attorney fees, if bad faith is at issue and we can produce proof.

In California, the most important case that allows for attorney fees and litigation costs is Brandt v. Superior Court (Standard Ins. Co.), (1985) 37 Cal//.3d 813, 817.  In the Brandt case, the California Supreme Court established an exception to the general contract rule that each party bears its own attorney fees. Brandt allows recovery of attorney fees incurred in obtaining contract benefits when the insurer’s withholding of those benefits was in bad faith.  In other words, the damaged party does not have to come out of pocket after proving damages.

To recover attorney fees, a policyholder must prove:

1. Benefits were withheld in bad faith; and
2. The fees incurred by the policyholder to recover those benefits. The fees incurred to prove the bad faith are NOT recoverable; only fees incurred to prove coverage are recoverable. (Cassim v. Allstate Ins. Co., (2004) 33 Cal.4th 780, 811)

In White v. Western Title Ins. Co., (1985)// 40 Cal.3d 870, the Supreme Court extended its analysis in Brandt to recovery of litigation costs, including expert fees, incurred in proving coverage. Since coverage experts can be very expensive, this additional economic damage should not be overlooked. Attorney fee and litigation costs are normally a jury issue, but, as the Brandt court recommended, they are usually best determined by the court after the verdict.

If you have reason to believe that you have been the victim of Insurance Company Bad Faith don’t hesitate to call the Law Office of Guenard & Bozarth at 888-809-1075 or visit us online at www.gblegal.com for a free case analysis.