Help! Rec. Lawyer in L.A.; For Family Vehic. Homicide

I am truly sorry to her of your family's misfortune.

Regarding money compensation: Beyond auto insurance, what money are you hoping to collect ? Unless the teenager is independently wealthy, it seems your question is whether her parents share in liability. That seems like a straightforward question you could probably ask over the phone to a lawyer picked out of the yellow pages.

btw, the ambulance chaser lawyer types do have a saving grace: they will not spend time with you beyond an initial consultation if they think your case is weak -- if effect, you get their unadorned appraisal of your chances for litigation success.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Jack Kelly @ Aug 8 2006, 04:53 PM) [snapback]299883[/snapback]</div>

That does not bode well for a large damage award. The victim's potential lifetime earnings are a big factor in determining economic losses. It sounds as if any recovery in this case is going to be based primarily on the often maligned pain and sufferings and loss of companionship, which are hard to quantify.


<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(EricGo @ Aug 8 2006, 07:05 PM) [snapback]299946[/snapback]</div>

The parents generally are liable for torts committed by their minor children. That is also true for offsprings older than 18 if they are still being financially supported by the parents and/or if the parents bought or help pay for the car and its operating expenses.

Most lawyers are not going to invest a lot of time and effort on a contingency fee case unless there is a fair prospect of recovery of sufficient damages to compensate the victim and pay for the lawyer's investment in the case.

Los Angeles best known torts lawyer is Larry R. Feldman. He is best known for representing the child who got a multi million dollar settlement in Michael Jackson's first molestation case back in 1994.

Another well regarded tort litigator is Daniel Petrocelli, who won the civil wrongful death suit against O.J. Simpson resulting in judgment of $33.5 million.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Jack Kelly @ Aug 8 2006, 07:53 PM) [snapback]299883[/snapback]</div>

Jack,

Most attorneys take personal injury cases on a contingency basis. If they don't win, they don't get paid. It's kind of difficult under those conditions to take advantage of someone. Usually, they take a percentage that has been agreed upon at the onset of the action. They won't take it if they don't believe they can win.

Sorry for your loss.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Jim1eye @ Aug 9 2006, 06:18 AM) [snapback]300136[/snapback]</div>

You'd be surprised.

 

Sorry to hear Jack....

I do not know, seems like you might need one of those super aggressive lawyers than can analyze the environment surrounding the incident, and argue something like the State should have placed a traffic light at such area, or something amongst those lines. There's a lawyer that keeps advertising on the major radio stations here in Tampa, about how people are suppose to assume they're safe in public areas, and supposedly made property owners pay up for some chick that was mugged somewhere saying the property owners should have installed more lights... that sort of thing... That's the kind of lawyer I would want, someone that can make all sorts of relatively out of the box attachments to anything... Anyway, sorry for your loss, and good luck with things...




<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(IsrAmeriPrius @ Aug 8 2006, 11:23 PM) [snapback]299998[/snapback]</div>

What if they were attending school/college and wanted to be, oh let's say, Neurosurgeons? I'd want a lawyer who would argue they had aspirations to be the President of Exxon, that sort of thing... I guess reality says there most definitely is a price on human lives... Just like the poor chap they got to assign $ values to the lives of those killed by the terrorist attacks on 9/11... I just can't imagine having to sit there and tell a Fireman's widow she'll get $1,000,000 and a mid-level CFO's widow she'll get $10,000,000... Incidentally, the guy they got to do that (or "forced" to do that, who knows) is Jewish... h34r: Funny how a few papers I read on the subject sort of threw that little tidbit in there...

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Mystery Squid @ Aug 9 2006, 08:31 PM) [snapback]300610[/snapback]</div>

If he was as good as he claims, he would not have to advertise to get the business. I do not trust any professional who resorts to promoting himself or herself in this manner. I go by recommendations and referrals of those who are in the field.

Again, it is a matter of trust. I would want someone who gives me a honest assessment of the situation and prepares me for realistic expectations, not someone who sells me a pie in the sky in order to get my business.

That being said, to each his own.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(IsrAmeriPrius @ Aug 10 2006, 12:02 AM) [snapback]300619[/snapback]</div>

Exactly...

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Mystery Squid @ Aug 9 2006, 09:21 PM) [snapback]300633[/snapback]</div>

Exactly...
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(IsrAmeriPrius @ Aug 9 2006, 07:03 AM) [snapback]300156[/snapback]</div>

You'd be surprised.[/b][/quote][/b][/quote]
Squid, as always you are convoluting, manipulating and twisting people's words out of context.

Promising a pie in the sky is often done for the purpose of taking advantage of potential clients which leads them into signing retainer agreements calling for unconscionable fees (excessive percentage) and the client advancing or being responsible for all the out of pocket expense money, which can be substantial.

Always interview several lawyers to get an idea of the realistic value of the case before you commit.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(IsrAmeriPrius @ Aug 10 2006, 09:00 AM) [snapback]300736[/snapback]</div>

No, not at all. If you truly feel that way, clarify your writing, and leave no doubt. I'm sure you're well versed with writing for precision...

That is, precisely the point, I was making in a round-about sort of way...

Whatever though...



haha, it just hit me:

A lawyer accusing ME of twisting and manipulating words!!!!! LOL Made my day! :lol:

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Jack Kelly @ Aug 15 2006, 01:05 PM) [snapback]303690[/snapback]</div>

For the record...ANYONE under 21 driving with ANY recordable BAC is already over the "legal" limit. "Manslaughter" doesn't BEGIN to define it.

I hope for all of your family--and HERS--that her father's connections do not allow her to just get away with a slap on the wrist. Sadly, too many people will likely take the side of, "awww, she's just a kid." She is NOT, whatever she has been brought up to believe to this point in her life. It is a horrible tragedy for your family, Jack. It is also a tragedy for hers. I hope both get at the very least adequately addressed.

My thoughts are with you.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Jack Kelly @ Aug 15 2006, 04:05 PM) [snapback]303690[/snapback]</div>

I'm glad that you've found a lawyer. I know that no amount of money can truly compensate your niece for her loss, but I hope that she can get some financial security.

And I agree that the people on this forum are very helpful!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Jack Kelly @ Aug 15 2006, 04:05 PM) [snapback]303690[/snapback]</div>

i'm truly sorry to hear about this awful incident.

it's amazing she found the ignition slot with that kind of bac... much higher than 0.20 and we're talking severe motor impairment and blackout/unconsciousness... how incredibly irresponsible and selfish of her, even thinking of driving in that condition.

i hope your family receives just compensation and that girl what she deserves and not a bit less. best of luck.

 

This is one of those things that's soooo mindlessly terrible it causes that "resolutionless" frustration... Maybe some good can come out of this, and we can post something amongst the lines of how to safetly change a tire. ...and I mean that in the spirit of alertness and awareness when doing things like that in dangerous places, no one, can do anything about some drunk nice person suddenly veering into you at the last minute. I commute dangerous high speed roads all the time, and changing tires on them (for which I've had to do, and witnessed people doing) is downright dangerous under normal conditions, never mind tossing in a drunk.

For example, it's always amazed me when I've seen people changing a tire, and their back is to oncoming traffic... It's just one of those things people can easily forget in their haste to get the job done... Anway, again, I mean that in the spirit of bringing to light, 1. just how precarious our lives are, and how it can be whisked away from us at any moment, and 2. I do not know, maybe to pay a little more attention to what we do in such situations, or even make it a point to pull over when you see someone doing something like that...

On another note, isn't it f'ing ironic how the drunks usually survive? :angry:

FWIW, I hope she gets 20 years, and no more license for the rest of her life in all 50 states, whereas she gets caught drving again, she just gets tossed away for life. Dumb b*tch.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Jack Kelly @ Aug 15 2006, 01:05 PM) [snapback]303690[/snapback]</div>

I'm glad it worked out. I know how frustrating it is to try to obtain services so far from home. Good luck to your family and my condolences on their loss.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Jack Kelly @ Aug 16 2006, 12:10 AM) [snapback]303954[/snapback]</div>

Sadly, tragically...for all involved...the strings aren't likely to do much, how ever long they last. In Petaluma, a couple of years ago, a teen wrecked his car, carrying three of his friends, one of whom died. His punishment has been, basically, no license and go around and give presentations on how bad it is to drive illegally and kill and maim your friends. Oh yeah, and he has to pay to bring his totalled car along for the talks.

Your family deserves justice. That child needs help. I am not sure how best to meet both of those ends, but I am pretty sure that just locking the "b**ch" up wouldn't help anyone. I hope her family steps up and accepts responsibility. But, since it is unlikely that they will, I hope your lawyer guts them.

I apologize for the soapbox, but nothing happens in a vacuum--it is truly horrendous that your family has had to pay in this way for the dysfunctions of another family. What makes your situation so much more of a nightmare is that...given California is what it is...the white, drunk child of a police officer will get a slap on the wrist, while the immigrant family will continue to suffer.

I hope I will be proven wrong.