Category Archives: Personal injury

What Is a Commercial Property Owner’s Liability for Injuries to Visitors?

Owners and managers of commercial property, such as retail stores and other businesses open to the public, have a legal duty to keep their premises reasonably safe. However, in California, the duty of care is not universal. It varies based on the visitor’s reason to be on the premises. California law categorizes visitors into three… Read More »

How Not Wearing a Helmet Can Affect a Bicycle Injury Claim

A bicycle accident can result in serious or even catastrophic injuries, since riders are essentially unshielded from harm resulting from impacts. Some of the worst injuries are from blows to the head, which are made worse when the rider is not wearing a helmet. What’s more, failing to do so can have significant implications for… Read More »

How Damage to Vehicles Can Tell the Story of a Collision

The aftermath of a car accident can be chaotic, leaving those involved shaken and unsure of what happened. But amid the wreckage, the location and severity of the damage to each car can tell a story. This may be important to determining the cause of the accident, which is essential to pursuing insurance claims and… Read More »

What Makes Truck Accident Litigation More Complex

Accidents involving tractor trailers and other large trucks pose a unique set of challenges for injured victims seeking compensation. The sheer size and weight of a tractor-trailer mean that an impact with a smaller vehicle can result in serious and disabling injuries for the occupants. The force of a collision can lead to traumatic brain… Read More »

What To Know About Compensation for Dog Bite Injuries in California

Dog bite victims in California have several legal remedies available for seeking compensation for their injuries. The state has specific laws governing dog bite cases, and understanding them is vital for individuals who have suffered a dog attack. California follows a strict liability approach to dog bites. Dog owners are held responsible for any injuries… Read More »

Your Legal Remedies If Injured as an Uber or Lyft Passenger

Rideshare services like Uber and Lyft offer a convenient alternative to taxis and public transportation. However, their popularity can cause increased traffic and a consequent higher risk of accidents. If you have been hurt as a passenger in an Uber or Lyft car or in another vehicle involved in a rideshare accident, you have remedies… Read More »

“Dooring” Presents a Potentially Deadly Danger to California Bicyclists

As bicycling for both transportation and recreation has grown in popularity, there are more opportunities for accidents to occur. One of the significant hazards faced by bicyclists in towns and cities in California is “dooring.” This occurs when a cyclist is riding on a street alongside a row of parked cars and a car door… Read More »

Why Customers in Big-Box Stores Are at Significant Risk of Injury

Big-box stores, those retail warehouses offering a wide array of products, have become a staple of the modern shopping experience. Their immense size and extensive selection serve to draw in hordes of customers daily. While these outlets offer convenience and variety, they also pose unique dangers of slips and falls and other mishaps. Here is… Read More »

Your Rights as a Bicyclist Hurt in a Dooring Accident

Bicyclists share the roadways with motorized vehicles of all types and sizes. Those who ride in areas where cars and trucks are parked along the streets are susceptible to “dooring” accidents. Dooring occurs when someone in a parked passenger vehicle suddenly opens one of the doors into a lane of travel. A bicyclist may ride… Read More »

The Leading Causes of Motorcycle Accidents

Motorcycle riding is great sport but inherently dangerous. Being small in size and relatively unstable, motorcycles are more prone to accidents. Also, motorcyclists’ lack of external protection makes them more likely to be seriously injured or killed in a crash. Knowing the principal reasons for motorcycle mishaps is a good start to avoiding them. The… Read More »

Attorney Profiles
- Martin E. Pulverman Raymond J. Pulverman
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Our Office
- 1307 State Street
  Second Floor
  
  Santa Barbara, California 93101
  Phone: 805.259.3581
RECENT VERDICTS AND SETTLEMENTS
- $4,375,772 Arbitration award to a man severely injured as a pedestrian after being abandoned on the side of Highway 101 at 2 a.m. He was struck and injured 20 minutes later by a hit and run motorist and lost a leg and survived a lengthy coma. His arbitration award was against his girlfriend who was negligent for abandoning him on the side of the road. She disputed any liability and blamed him for being drunk. The award was reduced by 50 percent because of his intoxication.
- $3,500,000 Mediated Settlement for a family rearended by a CHP Officer traveling at high-speed in pursuit of a stolen vehicle. The wife suffered a traumatic brain injury and was unable to return to work. The husband suffered injuries to his shoulder requiring surgery. One child sustained PTSD.
- $3,204,934 Verdict for a man who sued an insurance company for its unreasonable refusal to settle his claim for $100,000 (policy limits). The jury determined that the insurance company acted in bad faith and the court entered a judgment for the injured plaintiff. $2,200,000 Action against international cruise line for injuries suffered on an on-shore excursion based on negligent supervision of the shore excursion provider.
- $2,000,015 Mediated settlement for a man who suffered a crushed foot in a head-on collision in the desert.
  
  $2,000,000 Jury verdict for a female motorist hit by a truck on US 101. She sustained fractures to her pelvis, femur, tibia and fibula requiring surgery.
  
  $2,000,000 Recovered for a motorcyclist who was hit by a truck and sustained orthopedic and traumatic brain injuries.
- $1,250,000 Mediated settlement for a man injured in a motorcycle accident causing a broken foot, clavicle and punctured lung. Dispute over the extent of the injuries complicated by a previously undiagnosed diabetic condition. This represented the policy limits. $1,187,704 verdict on behalf of a bicyclist who sustained shoulder, knee and rib injuries by a truck driver who violated the bicyclist’s right of way.
- $1,100,000 settlement for a man who was rear-ended by an underinsured motorist with a $25,000 liability policy. An additional $1,075,000 was recovered under the underinsured motorist policy.
  
  $1,010,866 settlement for a pedestrian walking out of a store in San Luis Obispo who was struck by a motorist entering a parking space, hitting the gas instead of the brakes, causing a broken leg.
- $1,000,000 Mediated settlement for a man with a fractured pelvis injured in a freeway collision with a driver carrying minimum limits of coverage ($15,000). An employer paid an additional $735,000 for a total policy limit of $750,000. An additional $250,000 was recovered in underinsured motorist benefits (policy limits). $1,055,000 Mediated settlement for a young woman who suffered a fractured knee in the parking lot of an oil change service facility. $1,100,000 settlement for a motorcyclist who sustained a fractured tibia, fibula and ribs when he was struck by a car exiting a driveway. $1,100,000 settlement for a woman who sustained a mild traumatic brain injury as a passenger in a single car collision. $1,051,250 Plaintiff/passenger suffered a fractured femur from a high speed rear end collision. Plaintiff/driver suffered lacerations from flying glass. Defendant contended he suffered a seizure and alleged the sudden unanticipated emergency defense and was diagnosed with epilepsy.
- $1,000,000 settlement for a motorcyclist who injured his leg by a car pulling out of a parking lot. $1,000,000 settlement for a motorcyclist who injured his leg by a car exiting a shopping center parking lot. $1,000,025 recovered for a woman who injured her shoulders and arms in an intersection crash.
- $815,000 Settlement for a man who suffered a herniated disc with an underinsured drunk driver who paid $15,000. An additional $800,000 was recovered under an underinsured motorist policy. $500,000 Mediated settlement for policy limits for a woman who broke her hip in a rear-end accident. The defense contended the injury existed before the accident and initially offered $51,000.
- $675,000 Mediated Settlement for 93-year-old driver was struck by a car that ran a red light in San Luis Obispo County. The plaintiff suffered a fractured right femur and fractured ribs. He was hospitalized for a week and transferred to skilled nursing where he recovered.
- $650,000.00 Settlement for a registered nurse who turned left on a busy commercial street in Ventura when she was broadsided by a speeding driver. Plaintiff suffered a fractured pelvis. She was hospitalized for a week and wheelchair bound for two months. She recovered from her injuries without surgery.
- $600,000 Settlement for a woman who sustained a shoulder injury in an intersection collision with a driver who ran a red light.
- $600,000 Settlement for 63-year-old female injured as a pedestrian by a teenager riding an e-bike. She sustained a nondisplaced pelvic fracture and a bruised knee. She healed without surgery.
- $500,000 Policy limit settlement for pedestrian walking through a private parking lot when the defendant backed out of a parking space knocking plaintiff to the ground. Plaintiff sustained a fractured femur and underwent emergency surgery.
- $475,000 Settlement for dog bite incident. Plaintiff was house sitting and watching the defendant’s sheepdog. The dog bit the tip of the plaintiff’s nose. The plaintiff had plastic surgery to reconstruct his nose.
- $442,858 Settlement and criminal restitution for victim of a hit-and-run auto collision while riding his e-bike. Plaintiff suffered a torn ligament in his knee requiring surgery.
- $410,645 Mediated settlement in a motorcycle crash causing a rotator cuff injury. Disputed over pre-existing medical conditions. $235,000 Mediated settlement for a woman who slipped and fell on water at an auto dealership near a water fountain. $74,277 Verdict for a woman injured in an intersection accident. Dispute over the force of impact. The defense offered $30,000 forcing a trial. The court also awarded $28,547 in costs.
- $300,000 Mediated settlement. Plaintiff was riding a motorcycle when defendant violated his right of way by turning left unexpectedly into his path. Plaintiff sustained a fracture to his right leg and required surgery.
- $280,000 Settlement for 38-year-old woman who sustained 2nd degree burns to her legs when a waitress spilled a bucket of steamed clams and hot broth onto plaintiff’s lap.
- $250,000 Settlement for plaintiff who sustained wrist injuries and developed carpal tunnel syndrome requiring surgery when a commercial truck turned left in front of plaintiff.