California Accident Attorneys Blog
Under California law, when people are working within the course and scope of their jobs, their employers may be vicariously liable when they negligently injure others. Employers might also be directly liable when their employees injure others when the employers negligently hired, supervised, or retained incompetent or unqualified workers. Recently, the California Republican Party paid a settlement of $11 million after one of its precinct workers caused serious injuries in a motor vehicle accident.[1]Background of the case
Richard Ruehle was riding his motorcycle on the 91 Freeway in Anaheim on Aug. 5, 2016. A precinct worker who had been hired by Eric Linder’s reelection campaign had knocked on doors all morning and was driving back to work after his lunch break. The worker did not have a driver’s license. He did not check his mirrors or blind spots when he changed lanes, crashing into Ruehle and his motorcycle. The collision left Ruehle with quadriplegia, and he only had limited use of his arms. He will never be able to walk again. Ruehle was also married and had six children and was an avid hiker before his accident. Ruehle filed a lawsuit against both the California Republican Party and Eric Linder’s campaign.
In California, property owners have a duty to warn patrons of unsafe conditions that exist on their properties. If there is a hazardous condition that exists that the property owners are aware of, they also must repair the condition so that visitors remain safe. In a recent case that was decided in the Los Angeles County Superior Court, Case No. SC112366, these duties that are owed were illustrated. People who have suffered serious injuries because of the negligence of property owners might want to talk to an experienced premises liability lawyer in Los Angeles.
A recent case in Santa Clara County in which a plaintiff motorcyclist sued a motor vehicle driver for negligence in a motorcycle and car accident case resulted in a verdict of nearly $1.2 million for the plaintiff. The defendant driver had claimed the motorcyclist was negligent and thus at least partly liable for the accident.
“Lane-splitting” occurs when a motorcyclist between lanes of slow-moving or stopped traffic. This practice is against the law in 49 states and the District of Columbia, and California is the only state in the country that does not have a law specifically outlawing lane-splitting. California also does not have a law specifically stating that lane-splitting is legal and, therefore, many motorists become angry when motorcyclists engage in this behavior. Though lane-splitting can be distracting to motorists and can lead to accidents and injuries, the practice can be safe when done in a prudent and safe manner. If a motorcyclist fails to be careful or reasonable when lane-splitting and a collision occurs, any injured