Law Office of Michael D. Waks

Drivers on the roads of California must follow all laws in the California Vehicle Code.  These laws are designed to reduce high-risk behavior, thereby reducing the chance of an auto accident.  Motorists are expected to drive safely and not engage in careless or negligent behavior.  As a car accident lawyer, I can say that does not always happen. California's car accident laws are called fault laws because if a driver is careless or does not follow safety rules and causes an accident, he or … [Read more...]

According to the Mayo Clinic, "Collisions involving cars, motorcycles or bicycles — and pedestrians involved in such accidents — are a common cause of traumatic brain injury."  As a car accident lawyer, I see many accident victims who have sustained some type of brain injury. Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) can range in severity from mild to moderate to severe.  A concussion is the most common type of traumatic brain injury, and many car accident victims sustain concussions each … [Read more...]

Recently, in California, a car was pulled over for traveling just 24 miles per hour in a 35 mile per hour zone.  CNN reported that traffic was backing up behind the vehicle and it was impeding traffic.  When the officer approached the slow moving vehicle, he realized the car was a Google Autonomous vehicle.  In an online post, Google said it capped the speed of its prototype cars at 25 miles an hour for safety reasons and so the vehicles would seem approachable and … [Read more...]

Drivers in California are legally required to have liability insurance coverage in case they injure someone in a car accident.  For a variety of reasons, however, some motorists fail to comply with this insurance requirement.  If you are hurt in a car accident while driving without insurance, it will affect your right to receive compensation for your injuries. What Happens If You're In An Accident While Driving Without Insurance? California law penalizes uninsured … [Read more...]

What Is A Release of Liability Related To A Car Accident? by Michael Waks A release of liability is a document you sign giving up the right to make future claims related to an accident. Before you sign a release of liability, it is important to make sure you are getting the right settlement amount in exchange for signing. … [Read more...]

Side impact collisions are often caused by negligence or carelessness on the part of motorists.  These types of crashes are some of the most dangerous collisions that occur.  The side of a vehicle, unlike the hood, is not able to absorb much of the impact from a collision. Victims can be badly hurt or killed, and compensation is necessary to provide for treatment or to take care of family members left behind. To determine if it is appropriate to pursue a case for … [Read more...]

Car accidents are usually caused by a driver making a careless or negligent choice.  Sometimes, however, a crash happens because a driver has a medical episode like a heart attack or a seizure. When this occurs, it is imperative to determine if the incident was simply an unavoidable Act of God for which no one was to blame, or if the driver was negligent for  driving despite having a high-risk medical condition. Cases involving car accidents caused by medical emergency can be complicated.  A … [Read more...]

A car accident lawyer helps crash victims obtain full and fair compensation for all their losses.  While attorneys can and do take cases to court on behalf of clients, most car accident claims don't proceed all the way through the litigation process.  Most cases settle outside of court with an insurer paying a negotiated amount to accident victims, and the victims signing a release of liability as a condition of the settlement. Fair Claims Settlement Practices … [Read more...]

Drivers have many obligations on the road.  As the California Driver Handbook makes clear, one of the duties drivers have is to “not drive a vehicle so loaded, either with property or people, that you cannot control it, or see ahead or to the sides of your vehicle.”  Driving with an unsecured load is both a safety hazard and illegal under California Vehicle Code section 24002(a).  These rules about the safe transport of cargo apply to passenger cars.  There are … [Read more...]

Drivers involved in collisions in California are expected to stop and exchange insurance and contact information with other involved motorists.  In cases where an injury or death occurs if a driver fails to stop, that driver may face criminal charges for a hit-and-run accident. Victims of a hit-and-run accident can face many challenges in seeking compensation for crash related losses. First and foremost, the accident victim may be unable to find and/or identify the … [Read more...]