California Accident Attorneys Blog

Published on: September 15, 2025

Torn Rotator Cuff Injuries After Car Accidents or Falls in California: What You Need to Know

When most people think about injuries caused by car accidents or falls, they picture broken bones, concussions, or whiplash. But one of the most debilitating injuries that can occur—especially in collisions and slip-and-fall incidents—is a torn rotator cuff. This type of injury affects the shoulder, often leaving victims with long-term pain, limited mobility, and the need for surgery or extended physical therapy.

As a California personal injury attorney, I’ve seen firsthand how rotator cuff tears disrupt people’s lives, both physically and financially. Understanding the medical, legal, and practical aspects of these injuries is critical if you’ve been hurt in an accident caused by someone else’s negligence.

In this article, I’ll explain what rotator cuff injuries are, how trauma from accidents can cause them, the treatment process, and most importantly—your rights to compensation under California law.

Published on: September 9, 2025

Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) Scans and Traumatic Brain Injury: Understanding the Extent of Damage After an Accident

by Steven M. Sweat

Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) are among the most complex and devastating injuries a person can sustain in a motor vehicle collision, fall, or other traumatic event. While some brain injuries are obvious—such as bleeding inside the skull or skull fractures visible on CT scans—others are more subtle and difficult to detect. These “invisible” injuries often leave victims struggling with symptoms like headaches, memory loss, dizziness, fatigue, or changes in mood and personality, even when traditional imaging tests appear normal.

One advanced technology that has become increasingly important in diagnosing and understanding traumatic brain injuries is Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI). This specialized form of MRI looks beyond the structural picture of the brain to evaluate how the brain’s white matter pathways are functioning. In cases of personal injury, DTI can be a crucial tool in showing the full extent of harm suffered by accident victims.

What is a DTI Scan?

Published on: September 4, 2025

Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) After a Personal Injury in California

by Steven M. Sweat

Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) is one of the most devastating and misunderstood conditions that can develop after a traumatic injury. Often triggered by events such as auto accidents, slip and fall incidents, or other bodily trauma, CRPS can turn a relatively localized injury into a chronic and debilitating condition. For personal injury victims in California, understanding CRPS, its causes, symptoms, treatment, and legal implications is essential in pursuing fair compensation.

This article will explore the medical aspects of CRPS, how it relates to personal injury law in California, and what accident victims need to know if they are diagnosed with this life-changing disorder.

What is Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS)?

Published on: August 27, 2025

Cervical Strains, Sprains, and Fractures Caused by Motor Vehicle Accidents in California

by Steven M. Sweat

Motor vehicle accidents rank among the leading causes of cervical spine injuries in California. Even seemingly minor crashes—on L.A. freeways, local boulevards, or surface streets—can result in significant trauma to the neck. The cervical spine is vital but vulnerable: it supports the head, protects the spinal cord, and enables head mobility. Injuries like strains, sprains, or fractures can cause chronic pain, restricted motion, or debilitating disability.

For Californians who’ve suffered such injuries, understanding both the medical and legal landscape is essential. This article covers cervical spine anatomy, how car accidents cause injuries, differences between strains, sprains, and fractures, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, long-term effects, and legal remedies under California law. Plus, a new section lays out typical settlement and verdict ranges for neck injury cases—helpful for those searching “what is my neck injury case worth?”

Anatomy of the Cervical Spine

Published on: August 25, 2025

Understanding Mild Traumatic Brain Injury (mTBI) After a Motor Vehicle Accident: Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatment

by Steven M. Sweat

Motor vehicle accidents are one of the leading causes of traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) in the United States. While some TBIs are severe and immediately life-threatening, many accident victims suffer what doctors classify as a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). Despite the term “mild,” the consequences of an mTBI can be anything but minor. These injuries can significantly impact an individual’s health, daily functioning, and quality of life.

In this article, we will review the symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of mild traumatic brain injury following a car accident, along with considerations accident victims should be aware of when pursuing medical care and potential legal claims.

What is a Mild Traumatic Brain Injury?

Published on: August 22, 2025

Recovery of Damages for Exacerbation of a Lower Back Spinal Injury Following a Motor Vehicle Accident in California

by Steven M. Sweat

Motor vehicle accidents often cause serious and life-altering injuries. Among the most common and debilitating are lower back injuries, including herniated discs, spinal fractures, and nerve damage. For many victims, the accident does not create a brand-new injury but instead worsens a pre-existing spinal condition. California law recognizes the right of injured persons to recover compensation when a negligent driver exacerbates or aggravates a prior injury. This principle is vital in cases involving lower back injuries, as many people already suffer from degenerative disc disease or prior back problems before a crash.

In this article, we’ll explore how California law treats the recovery of damages for exacerbation of lower back spinal injuries, highlight the relevant California Civil Jury Instructions (CACI), and discuss strategies for proving and maximizing recovery in these complex cases.

The Legal Principle: “Take the Plaintiff as You Find Them”

Published on: August 19, 2025

Why You Should Hire an Attorney After Being Injured as a Passenger in an Uber or Lyft in California

by Steven M. Sweat

Ridesharing has reshaped transportation in California, but when a crash happens while you’re a paying passenger, the aftermath can be confusing. “Who pays for my medical bills?” “Do I sue the driver, the other motorist, or the rideshare company?” “What about lost wages, pain and suffering, or long-term care?”

Here’s the short answer: as a passenger, you’re almost never at fault—but getting the full compensation you deserve still isn’t automatic. An experienced California rideshare injury attorney can turn a messy, multi-insurer puzzle into a clear, strategic claim.

Below is a practical guide to why hiring counsel matters, how rideshare insurance actually works in California, and what a lawyer does behind the scenes to protect your recovery.

Published on: April 3, 2025

California Court Rules on Left Hand Turn Auto Accident Claim

by Steven M. Sweat

Left-hand turn accidents often occur when the driver making a left turn fails to watch for oncoming traffic before proceeding. In Drury v. Ryan, Cal. Ct. App. Case No. G063080, the Court of Appeal considered whether a trial court judge committed a prejudicial error when he failed to instruct the jury on the defendant’s per se negligence in violating the left-hand turn statute.

Factual and Procedural Background

Kathy Ryan was preparing to turn left into a grocery store parking lot after traveling north on Highland Springs Avenue in Beaumont on Aug. 10, 2018, at 4 pm. The southbound roadway had three lanes she needed to cross, and the area did not have any traffic lights. The drivers in the two lanes nearest to her yielded and motioned for her to turn. She stated she didn’t see any vehicles in the third lane and turned left across all three lanes to enter the parking lot.

Published on: October 18, 2024

Defendant Not Liable for Tree on Their Property Causing Accident

by Steven M. Sweat

In some car accidents in California, third parties might be partially at fault for failing to maintain property in a reasonably safe condition to prevent foreseeable injuries. In Union Pacific Railroad Co. v. Superior Court, Cal. Ct. App. Case No. F087132, the California Court of Appeal considered whether Union Pacific Railroad could be held negligent for its failure to remove a tree that was located within the clear zone next to a highway that was involved in a fatal wreck.

Factual and Procedural Background

Robert and Elise Sandford were driving a motorhome north on State Route 99 near Madera, California on May 25, 2016, when they struck a Freightliner truck driving north on the highway driven by Deon Detes Abrams, Sr. The collision caused both vehicles to leave the road and hit a tree on adjacent property owned by Union Pacific Railroad Co. The vehicles burst into flames, and all of the occupants of both died.

Published on: September 27, 2024

California Nursing Home Arbitration Agreement Not Enforceable for Wrongful Death Claims

by Steven M. Sweat

Many California nursing homes ask residents or their family members to sign arbitration agreements as a part of the admissions process. These agreements purport to mandate arbitration instead of litigation when disputes arise. Some nursing homes try to force people into arbitration over nursing home abuse claims. However, arbitration agreements must be valid, enforceable, and conscionable to be enforced. In Maxwell v. Atria Management Company, LLC, Cal. Ct. App. Case No. A168043, the Court of Appeal decided whether a trial court’s denial of a motion to compel arbitration was valid when two adult children held separate powers of attorney and there were questions about whether the agreement was properly executed.

Factual and Procedural Background

Trudy Maxwell lived in Atria Park, a nursing home operated by Atria Management Company, LLC in San Mateo. In 1999, she had signed a durable power of attorney that named her husband as her agent-in-fact with her son, James Maxwell the III, named as the successor, and Marybeth as the second successor in the interest of the DPOA. In 2005, Trudy signed an advanced healthcare directive in which she named her husband as her agent-in-fact for healthcare decisions and listed her son, James Maxwell III, as the first alternate and her daughter, Marybeth, as the second alternate.