Family Law

• Adoption

Criminal Law

• DUI/DWI
  Fountain Valley, CA (April 2,2019) – A Tustin resident found himself arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence after a 5-car crash that killed a 13-year old San Marcos boy. On Saturday, around 11 p.m. the 24-year-old suspect’s 2014 Toyota Tacoma truck was traveling northbound in the HOV lane of the 405 freeway. It slammed into the back of a disabled 2015 Honda Odyssey minivan stopped in the carpool lane near Euclid Street. The Tacoma was traveling at an unknown speed when it collided with the minivan. It is unclear why the minivan was stuck in the carpool lane. A family of five from San Marcos was in the Odyssey and suffered injuries ranging from moderate to fatal. The Orange County Coroner’s office pronounced a 13-year-old boy dead at the scene. Following the first crash, a 2019 Toyota Tacoma also traveling in the HOV lane, rear-ended the 2014 Tacoma. CHP officers said the four occupants of the vehicle sustained minor injuries. The driver believed to have caused the accident in the first place suffered major injuries. CHP officers arrested the man under suspicion of DUI, according to CHP officers. Firefighters had to extract the driver from his badly mangled pickup. His name has not been released. Ultimately, the crash involved a total of 5 vehicles. The other two vehicles sustained only minor damage. If you’ve been injured in an accident, our car accident attorney can help you with any questions you may have. If you prefer to speak with Michael on the phone, please call us at (562) 452-3772. Contact us today to receive your free consultation. Source: Los Angeles Times If a family member would like the name of a person removed for any reason, please click the “Remove Post” link.Remove Post Disclaimer: The information here is general information that should not be taken as legal advice. No attorney-client relationship is established between you and our attorneys by reading this article. This article is attorney advertising and should not be used as a substitute for legal advice from a qualified lawyer. Continue Reading
• Wrongful Death
  If a victim dies from their injuries, surviving family members could have the legal right to bring a wrongful death claim. The statute in this situation could be two years from the date of death.
• Traffic Violations
  Speeding – People driving above the speed limit increase the risk of colliding with a pedestrian. A driver is less likely to spot a pedestrian until it’s too late if traveling over the speed limit.
• Burglary
  On Wednesday morning, a chain-reaction collision on Balboa Boulevard left debris spread for more than a block. At least four people suffered injuries in the crash involving a stolen pickup truck on a San Fernando Valley Street. The stolen vehicle was a Toyota Tacoma, one of at least 5 vehicles involved in the crash. Also damaged in the crash was a city parks and recreation truck. Aerial views of the Lake Balboa scene, show a pickup with heavy damage, and a wrecked Honda sedan. Witness reports say officers were in pursuit of the driver as he sped down the street. At one point, in the 6800 block of North Balboa Boulevard, the driver clipped another vehicle, starting the chain-reaction crash. The Tacoma then flipped and collided with a second car, sending it careening toward a Subway restaurant where the vehicle stopped just short of hitting a utility pole. Witnesses commented on the deafening sound of the crash and customers in the restaurant feared the car would crash through the building. Three people sustained serious injuries and one reported minor injuries. Two victims became trapped in their vehicles during the crash. Initial reports said one person had died, but Los Angeles police later corrected that statement. There were no fatalities. Police arrested the driver of the Tacoma at the scene. Police also arrested the passenger who led them in a chase through a McDonald’s parking lot, the man was wanted in connection with a burglary. If you’ve been injured in an accident, our car accident attorney can help you with any questions you may have. If you prefer to speak with Michael on the phone, please call us at (562) 452-3772. Contact us today to receive your free consultation. Source: NBC LA If a family member would like the name of a person removed for any reason, please click the “Remove Post” link.Remove Post Disclaimer: The information here is general information that should not be taken as legal advice. No attorney-client relationship is established between you and our attorneys by reading this article. This article is attorney advertising and should not be used as a substitute for legal advice from a qualified lawyer. Continue Reading
• Hit and Run
  SANTA CRUZ (March 19, 2019) – California Highway Patrol has one man in custody after he struck 3 pedestrians and a parked car on East Cliff Drive near Assembly way in Santa Cruz on March 16. Around 6:30 Saturday evening, a silver sedan struck the pedestrians, a family of three. They were sitting on a wall facing the ocean when the vehicle hit them. All three were treated at an area hospital. The extent of their injuries is not known but did not appear to be life-threatening. Police closed East Cliff Drive for a short time following the accident. The names of the suspect or the family were not yet released. CHP officers said it is possible the driver was also involved in a previous hit and run earlier that day on First and Atlantic Ave. He was arrested at the scene and charged with DUI. Source: KSBW8 If you’ve been injured in an accident, our car accident attorney can help you with any questions you may have. If you prefer to speak with Michael on the phone, please call us at (562) 452-3772. Contact us today to receive your free consultation. If a family member would like the name of a person removed for any reason, please click the “Remove Post” link. Remove Post Disclaimer: The information here is general information that should not be taken as legal advice. No attorney-client relationship is established between you and our attorneys by reading this article. This article is attorney advertising and should not be used as a substitute for legal advice from a qualified lawyer. Continue Reading

Property Law

• Premises Liability
• Property Damage
  Preserve Evidence – Most of us carry smartphones these days, so make use of yours after the accident. Assuming your injuries aren’t too serious, survey the scene and take photos of the property damage, the location, and anything else that may be important to your case.

Health Law

• Personal Injury
  The reason I became a personal injury lawyer was to help people. I help my clients by aggressively pursing maximum compensation for the injuries that they suffer at the hands of negligent people or organizations. This helps create safer communities by discouraging the kinds of practices and behaviors that cause serious injuries to innocent people.
• Medical Malpractice
  The Code of Civil Procedure, Sect. 335.1 sets forth the statute of limitations for bringing a wrongful death suit in California as two years from the date of injury or death. This is the case with most wrongful death claims, but there are several other situations where a different statute of limitations could apply. Wrongful Death Statute of Limitations in California In addition to the standard two-year cut off from the date of injury or death, there are two other scenarios that may apply to wrongful death claims in California. The first involves medical malpractice, or health care provider negligence. In these matters, the California wrongful death statute of limitations is either three years from the date of injury; or one year after the plaintiff discovers the problem or should have discovered the injury — whichever comes first. If the wrongful death claim is based on government tort liability, like a motor vehicle accident with a county or city vehicle, then any claim against the government must be filed within six months of the injury. What is the California Wrongful Death Statute? Under the California statute, there is a wrongful death if the following elements are present: This law allows certain people to bring a claim for compensation for their financial losses that resulted from someone else’s untimely death. It is a civil lawsuit and it can be brought against the person or people who were responsible for the person’s death. Who Can Bring a Wrongful Death Claim? Under the California wrongful death statute, only certain people can lawfully bring a claim for wrongful death. Some of these include: If the deceased did not have any of the aforementioned relatives, then an heir could be anyone who would be entitled to the deceased’s property, as if he or she died intestate (without a will). If there were other people who were dependent on the deceased, like a putative spouse or the putative spouse’s children, or parents or stepparents of the deceased, they could also be eligible to file in this situation. Additionally, any minor, provided they resided with the deceased for at least 180 days and were financially dependent on the deceased for at least 50 percent of their support. If there are multiple claimants to a wrongful death claim, they must be joined together in one single court action. There cannot be multiple claims filed against the responsible party. California follows the “one action rule,” which means all claimants must be on one lawsuit. There is a good reason for this rule, which protects the defendant from defense costs on more than one lawsuit, and it helps prevent an inconsistent ruling resulting from having more than one case. Claimants who are not joined on the original wrongful death lawsuit could be barred from bringing their own action against the responsible person or party. This would be unfair, which is why the heirs have a mandatory responsibility to include any known heirs. If an heir intentionally leav
• Auto Accidents
• Dog Bites
  At the Beliz Law Firm, we strive to provide small firm values with big firm results. We understand your pain and are here to help you hold the at-fault party liable for what they did to you. Our team has helped clients recover compensation after they experienced slip and falls, dog bites, car accidents, and many other types of personal injuries.