August 2017 -

I was injured in an industrial accident in Los Angeles.

Posted on by

I’m sorry to hear about your accident. Legally, employers have a duty to provide their employees with safe work environments. As you can imagine, industrial type workplaces have a higher rate of injury for their workers than other types of workplaces. If you have been involved in an industrial accident in Los Angeles, you deserve to be fairly compensated for your financial damages as well as for the loss of quality of life.

Accidents in industrial workplaces can be more serious than accidents in other types of workplaces. For example, an explosion can kill or injure dozens of workers or more in a single accident. In workplace industrial accidents, it’s critical to know whether or not the employer was complying with OSHA safety standards when the workplace accident occurred. Some common OSHA violations include poor electrical designs, failures in communicating, failing to provide appropriate respiratory protection, and machines that were not properly guarded.

If you have been injured in an industrial accident, it’s important that you speak with an experienced attorney. It’s likely that you may have severe injuries, and a variety of expenses, including medical expenses. You may be unable to work and bills could be piling up. An attorney can help investigate your job-related accident. Experts may get involved to help you create a winning case.

Call me, Conal Doyle, Los Angeles workplace accident attorney at 310-385-0567 if you have been injured in an accident. My legal team can help you obtain compensation for your injuries. Call us today to learn more or to schedule a free consultation on your case.

I had a serious degloving injury in Los Angeles. Can I sue?

Posted on by

If you have had a degloving injury, you may be able to sue a responsible party, as long as someone else was responsible for your injuries. Degloving injuries are where the skin and tissue of the hand (or a limb) are torn off, as if the skin is a glove that is removed. Degloving injuries can be extraordinarily painful.

Degloving accidents normally occur in a few ways. They may occur in an automobile accident, in which a vehicle runs over the hand or a limb. Industrial accidents are also commonly responsible for degloving accidents. In an industrial accident, the hand may be caught in a machine, which can lead to a degloving injury. Finally, a ring may be caught on an object.

Degloving accidents can be successfully treated. Normally, the biggest concern is covering the wound. Normally this is done with skin from the hand, if still available, and if not, it is often done using a skin graft. For some people, amputation makes more sense. They may not want to undergo multiple procedures, particularly if a non-vital finger is involved.

If you have suffered from a degloving injury, you may be entitled to some legal compensation. However, you must be able to prove that another party’s negligence caused your injury. Some examples would be an equipment manufacturer that manufactured defective equipment or a driver who negligently caused an accident.

Call me, Conal Doyle, Los Angeles personal injury attorney, if you have suffered a degloving accident. My team can help. Call us today at 310-385-0567 to learn more or to schedule a free consultation.

Is there a link between the use of talcum powder and ovarian cancer? What can I do if I got ovarian cancer after using talcum powder?

Posted on by

If you have developed ovarian cancer or have lost a loved one from ovarian cancer, and you believe there was a link between the cancer and the use of talcum powder, you should speak with an attorney.

There have been thousands of lawsuits in recent years against Johnson & Johnson after a link was shown between its baby powder and the development of ovarian cancer in the women using those products. Some of those cases went to trial, and documents presented in the trials showed that the company suspected a link between its products and cancer, but failed to place a warning on its product packaging.

For most items containing talcum powder, the main element is talc. Talc is a mineral. It is normally taken in a loose form, and other products are added to it to form talcum powder. Beginning as early as the 1970s, experts suggested a link between talc and asbestos. Asbestos is dangerous and can cause mesothelioma, a form of cancer. Talc and asbestos are both commonly found next to each other in natural reserves, so many suspected that asbestos trickled into talc-based products.

Women are especially at risk for medical issues related to the use of talcum powder, because many products containing talcum powder are marketed directly to women. This includes makeup, lotions, and feminine cleaning products. It’s important that you read labels to find out if the products you are using contain talcum powder.

It’s critical that you speak to an attorney if you believe your cancer is related to the use of talcum powder. Call me, Conal Doyle, Los Angeles personal injury attorney at 310-385-0567. My team can help. Call today to learn more or to schedule a free consultation on your case.

I recently lost my leg in an automobile accident. What can I expect as a new amputee?

Posted on by

I am so sorry to hear about your amputation. Amputations under any circumstances can be devastating, but to lose your limb so unexpectedly in an accident can be especially difficult. It’s important to obtain as much help as you can during this difficult time, both from experts as well as friends and neighbors.

As a new amputee, you can expect that your residual limb will begin healing after surgery. You will most likely do physical therapy as soon as possible after the amputation. You will want to desensitize your residual limb, which your doctor and/or physical therapist can educate you on. You will also meet with your prosthetist, who will help you with your prosthesis. When choosing a prosthetist, you should try hard to find someone you are comfortable with. You will be spending a great deal of time with the prosthetist during your first few months as an amputee.

After your incision has healed, you will meet with your prosthetist to begin working on your prosthesis. After the initial prosthesis is made, you will begin your physical therapy. You will likely see your physical therapist several times a week at first. Your physical therapist will help ensure that you develop good habits while using your prosthesis.

In addition to all of the medical issues you will be facing as a new amputee, you can expect some serious emotional issues as well. New amputees can benefit a great deal from counseling. Life as an amputee will become easier, but it takes time.

If you have lost your limb in an automobile accident, you may be entitled to compensation for your losses. Although you may be overwhelmed right now with adjusting to life as an amputee, you cannot wait too long to pursue a legal case against a negligent driver. Evidence may disappear and time limitations apply. Call me, Conal Doyle, Amputation Lawyer, at 310-385-0567. My team can help. Call us today to learn more or to schedule a free consultation on your case. I am not only a personal injury attorney, but I’m also an amputee.

My boss left me no choice but to quit my job. Now I don’t get a severance package or unemployment benefits. Do I have any legal options in Los Angeles?

Posted on by

I’m sorry to hear about your situation. For most people who suffer a layoff, there are benefits available to help. However, for employees who quit their jobs, typically help is not available. This can lead to employees suffering under terrible working conditions until they cannot tolerate the job anymore and quit.

It is not uncommon for employers who want an employee to quit to purposely make the working environment miserable. They do this in the hopes that the employee will just quit, and they then do not have to pay unemployment compensation, a severance package, or other benefits. The employer also may not legally be able to fire the employee. The employee could have an employment contract that prohibits the employer from terminating him or her.

When an employer makes a job so miserable that the employee basically has few choices but to quit, the employee may be able to show that a “constructive discharge” occurred. Under California law, a constructive discharge occurs when an employee proves that the employer either intentionally created or knowingly permitted working conditions that were so intolerable or aggravated that a reasonable employer would realize that a reasonable person in the employee’s position would be compelled to resign. In order to show that a constructive discharge has occurred, an employee has to prove that the working environment was intolerable – not simply that insignificant grievances existed or that there were small changes in the job duties. Some examples of behavior that would probably constitute a constructive discharge by an employee include humiliating behavior, emotional or physical intimidation, or another type of harassment.

If an employee can show that he or she was constructively discharged, the employee may be entitled to compensation for lost wages, lost benefits, as well as emotional pain and suffering. If you believe you have been constructively discharged in the Los Angeles area, call Los Angeles employment law attorney at 310-385-0567. He can help. Call today to learn more or to schedule your free consultation.

My husband was killed in an accident on a construction site. Can I sue his employer for wrongful death?

Posted on by

I am so sorry to hear about your loss. Construction is the most dangerous type of work in the U.S. About 20 percent of all workplace fatalities occur at construction sites. Things can go wrong on construction sites, and work conditions can deteriorate quickly, which can put workers in harm’s way if they are not informed about dangerous conditions. Some of the most common causes of construction fatalities include falls, being hit by falling objects, and electrocutions.

If your loved one has been killed in a construction accident, legally you have the right to investigate the cause of the accident to determine whether someone else’s negligent actions led to the death. In many cases, the accident will be covered by worker’s compensation, which will pay death benefits as well as compensation for expenses to the individual’s family. Normally, if worker’s compensation covers the accident, you cannot sue the employer directly for negligence.

If you discover that negligence was the cause of death, and that a third-party other than an employer or an employee of the employer caused the accident, you may be able to seek damages for wrongful death from that other party. Some examples include the manufacturer of defective construction equipment or a subcontractor who left the worksite unsafe.

Call me, Conal Doyle, Los Angeles workplace injury attorney, at 310-385-0567 if your loved one has been injured or killed in a construction accident. I can help obtain compensation for you, so that you can move forward with your life in a positive way. Call today to learn more or to schedule a free consultation.

My doctor said I will be monitored during my upcoming surgery. What does that mean and is it a guarantee that my surgery will go well?

Posted on by

There are no guarantees on the outcomes of any medical procedures. A doctor may make a mistake during surgery, which can result in a poor outcome. The doctor may do everything correctly and the body may not respond appropriately during surgery, resulting in a poor outcome.

During most surgical procedures involving anesthesia, the patient’s physiological status is monitored. The types of monitoring change, depending on the type of surgery. It’s very common for respiratory rate, heart rate, blood pressure, body temperature, and oxygen level to be monitored during surgery. In addition, during some more complex surgeries involving the nervous system, the medical team may monitor the body’s nervous system. This is done using electrodes, and can help prevent neurologic injury during surgery by providing feedback to the surgeon in real time.

If you are concerned about monitoring and how it will affect your surgery, you should talk to your medical team. Surgeries are safer today than ever before, and if you have an experienced team there’s no reason to believe your surgery will go poorly.

If your surgery does turn out badly, you may wish to speak to an attorney. It’s possible that the poor outcome was through no fault of your medical providers. However, it’s also possible that negligence occurred during the surgical procedure, in which case you may have a cause of action against the doctors and/or the medical facility. Call me, Conal Doyle, Los Angeles medical malpractice attorney at 310-385-0567. We can help if you have been injured through the negligence of a medical provider. Call today to learn more or to schedule your free consultation.

I believe my employer has labeled me as an independent contractor when I’m actually an employee.

Posted on by

Yes, it does matter legally whether you are an independent contractor or an employee. It’s generally more advantageous for an employer to hire an independent contractor versus an employee. Independent contractors are not subject to many of the rules that employees are subject to.

It often can be difficult to tell whether a worker is an independent contractor or an employer. The IRS as well as case law have set forth tests to determine whether a worker is an independent contractor or an employee. Generally, the more control the employer has over the worker, the more likely it is that the worker is an employee. If the worker receives a steady paycheck, adheres to a schedule set by the employer, has permanent work, and depends on the employer for a large portion of the salary, the person is more likely to be an employee. If the worker has an irregular schedule, receives pay only for hours worked, supplies his or her own tools and equipment, and works on a temporary basis, the worker is more likely to be an independent contractor.

One of the most important reasons to determine whether a worker is an independent contractor or an employee is for tax purposes. An employee’s tax liability and an employer’s tax liability are determined by the worker’s employment status. If a worker is an employee, the employer must pay social security tax, federal and state unemployment tax, as well as workers’ compensation premiums in the event the worker gets injured. If a worker is an independent contractor, he or she is responsible for those taxes. There are a number of other differences as well, including time off, health insurance, overtime pay, unemployment compensation, and more.

If you believe that your employer improperly labeled you as an independent contractor when you are actually an employee, you should speak to an attorney. Call me, Conal Doyle, Los Angeles employment law attorney at 310-385-0567. My team can help. Call today to learn more about your legal rights or to schedule a free consultation.

I am having a great deal of pain after my amputation. Is this normal and do I have any legal options?

Posted on by

New amputees may experience several different types of pain. You may feel the standard post-surgical pain that any patient would feel after a major surgery. You may also feel phantom limb sensations, which are sensations that you may feel in your amputated limb, even though it is no longer there. They may be painful or non-painful. You may feel pain in your residual limb, which is the part of your limb that remains.

There are a number of ways to manage your pain. However, to be able to properly manage your pain, you must be able to describe the type of pain that you are experiencing, which will make it easier for you and your health care team to manage the pain. Before seeing your health care provider, you should write down your pain, when it occurs, what happens when it starts, how long it lasts, and what helps the pain. You should make a list of questions for your doctor, as well as a list of medical information such as what medications you are taking and what conditions you have been diagnosed with.

Your health care provider may prescribe pain medications to directly treat the pain, or therapies or treatments that may help reduce the pain. If you are prescribed prescription pain pills, you may be concerned about becoming addicted or overdosing. Discuss your concerns with your doctors as well as your pharmacist.

You may have legal options after your amputation, which can help provide financial compensation so that you are able to get the treatment you need. If your excess pain is caused by the negligence of a medical provider, you may be able to pursue a case against that provider. If your amputation was caused by the wrongdoing of another individual or company, you may be able to sue that individual or company.

Call me, Conal Doyle, Amputation Lawyer, at 310-385-0567 if you have had an amputation and you want to speak about your legal options. I am not only an attorney, I am also an amputee, and I can provide you with information about your options. Call today to learn more.

Injured as a pedestrian by a hit and run. What are my legal options?

Posted on by

Some of the worst hit and run car accidents involve a driver of an automobile hitting a pedestrian. Not only can pedestrians suffer very serious injuries, but they may be left without any medical assistance. If the driver is never found, the victim could be left without any financial assistance as well. When a hit and run accident involving a pedestrian occurs, the victim may need legal advice to help recover financial compensation.

Leaving the scene of an accident that involves injuries in Los Angeles is against the law. However, people leave the scenes of accidents all the time. They may be driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, without a license or insurance, or may just fear the consequences of the accident.

Even if the driver involved in your accident is never found, you may not be left without recourse. If you carry uninsured motorist coverage on your automobile, you may be able to receive financial compensation through your policy. Also, if the driver who caused your injuries is found but does not have sufficient insurance to cover your injuries, you may be able to make an under-insured motorist claim.

Victims of hit and run accidents need the help of an experienced personal injury attorney who can help them get the best settlement possible from the insurance companies involved. In most cases, the insurance companies will offer only the bare minimum and may exert pressure on the accident victim to take a quick settlement.

Call me, Conal Doyle, Los Angeles hit and run accident attorney at 310-385-0567. We can provide you with a free consultation on your case. Call today to learn more or to schedule a free consultation.