Law Office of Michael D. Waks

Expert testimony can make or break an auto accident case.  Experts are not always required in car accident lawsuits.  However, experts are helpful in complex cases, those involving multiple parties, and/or when liability is not clear.  As a car accident lawyer I use experts who help jurors understand the impact of injuries on accident victims and their families. Expert witnesses analyze complicated issues, draw conclusions, and explain their opinions to … [Read more...]

How Are Truck-Car Accidents Different from Car-Car Accidents by Michael Waks   Because trucks are larger and heavier than cars, a truck-auto accident will have a greater impact on the car than a car-car accident. And therefore there is a greater risk victims will suffer serious injuries in a truck accident. A Long Beach auto accident attorney explains. … [Read more...]

The Basic Speed Law in California states drivers may not drive faster than is "reasonable and prudent and in no event at a speed which endangers the safety of persons or property."  So how do you know what is "reasonable and prudent?"  As a car accident lawyer, this can be a crucial question in determining who is at-fault for an auto accident. How CA Speed Limits Are Set The state's Vehicle Code establishes "reasonable and prudent" speed limits based on the type of road. … [Read more...]

  Foot, ankle and knee injuries are becoming more common in auto accidents.  In fact, lower extremity injuries (LEI) have become the second most common occurring injury in passenger car accidents.  This is happening not because cars are less safe, but because cars have become safer.  As a car accident lawyer, I have seen people survive high-impact crashes that in the past would have died from severe brain injury, spinal cord injury or abdominal injury. During the last … [Read more...]

Using hands-free devices gives drivers a false sense of safety.  When you ask Siri, or your car's voice-activated system, to do something, no California laws are being broken, your eyes are on the road and your hands are on the wheel.  But in fact, using hands-free devices while driving, creates a significant danger. As a car accident lawyer, I have seen a spike in distracted driving accidents. A recent study conducted by AAA California shows the use of hands-free … [Read more...]

Fibromyalgia is an incurable medical condition that causes sufferers to experience widespread musculoskeletal pain.  According to the Mayo Clinic, fibromyalgia affects the way pain signals in the brain are processed, amplifying painful sensations.  Fibromyalgia symptoms commonly begin after someone experiences a trauma, such as the physical trauma caused by an auto accident.  As a car accident lawyer, I have seen some of my clients struggle to contend with this terrible … [Read more...]

One of the most common types of auto accidents in California is a rear-end collision.  When a rear-end crash happens, the driver in the rear vehicle is usually presumed to be at fault and therefore his or her  insurance company pays for losses of the people in the car that was hit.  As a car accident lawyer I help the driver and passengers in the vehicle that was rear-ended get compensated for their economic and non-financial losses. But occupants of the … [Read more...]

Auto accidents can cause fractures and tissue injuries that increase a victim's risk of developing complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS).  CRPS is a chronic nerve condition that can cause a lifetime of discomfort, health issues, and functional limitations.  As a car accident lawyer I know that not all accident related injuries are apparent right after the incident, especially when a nerve is damaged.  Just because CRPS may not become evident until several months after the actual injury has … [Read more...]