Author name: Tom Feher, Esq.

Tom Feher is the founding attorney of Feher Law APC, a California personal injury and employment law firm with offices in Torrance and Huntington Beach. He has recovered over $100 million for injured workers and accident victims across California. Tom is a trial attorney licensed to practice in all California state courts and focuses on complex personal injury, workplace discrimination, harassment, and wrongful termination cases. He offers free consultations to prospective clients.

Picture of broken leg

Can I Be Fired If My Short-Term Disability Is Denied in California? (2026)

No, you cannot legally be fired simply because your short-term disability claim was denied. The denial of disability insurance benefits doesn’t automatically strip away your job protections under California and federal law, and your employer must still comply with leave laws and disability accommodations regardless of whether your insurance claim was approved. Contact our Torrance

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Disability Discrimination in California: Complete Guide (2026)

California employers cannot fire workers for requesting reasonable accommodations under FEHA Government Code 12940(m), which requires an interactive process and reasonable accommodation for any qualifying disability or medical condition. Termination during the interactive process or shortly after an accommodation request creates a strong rebuttable presumption of disability discrimination and retaliation. Three years to file with

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New California Laws in 2026​

New California Laws in 2026: 5 Changes That Could Affect Your Rights

California’s 2026 employment-law changes include AB 692 (most stay-or-pay contracts unenforceable as of January 1, 2026), AB 2299 (whistleblower protections expansion under Labor Code 1102.5), SB 1100 (driver-license job requirements limited), and updated minimum wage at $16.50 statewide. Our practice is already advising workers facing repayment demands voided by AB 692, since employers attempting collection

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Picture of damaged front of car in car accident

How Is Fault Determined in a California Car Accident? (2026)

Fault in a California car accident is determined by combining the police report, witness statements, vehicle damage patterns, traffic-camera or surveillance footage, event-data-recorder downloads, and applicable Vehicle Code sections (22350 basic speed law, 21453 red lights, 22107 unsafe lane change, 21703 following too closely). California’s pure comparative fault rule under Civil Code 1714 allows recovery

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Can I Collect Unemployment If Fired While on Disability in California? (2026)

You generally cannot collect California unemployment while actively receiving SDI (State Disability Insurance) benefits because unemployment requires you to be ABLE and AVAILABLE to work, while SDI requires you to be UNABLE to work. After SDI ends, you may qualify for unemployment if you’re able to return to work but the job is no longer

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How Much Can You Sue an Employer for Misclassification in California? (2026)

California workers misclassified as independent contractors or exempt employees can sue for $5,000 to $25,000 per violation under Labor Code §226.8, plus all unpaid wages, overtime, missed meal and rest breaks, and PAGA penalties. Most misclassification settlements range from $50,000 to $500,000+, with class actions exceeding $5M depending on the number of affected workers and

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How Much Does a California Discrimination Lawyer Cost? (2026)

From Tom Feher, Esq. “California discrimination cases have a unique cost structure that most employees don’t know about. FEHA’s one-way fee shifting under Government Code 12965 means employer-defendants pay prevailing plaintiff attorney fees on top of damages. In many cases I’ve handled, the client’s net recovery actually exceeds the gross settlement because the employer separately

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How Long Does a Discrimination Lawsuit Take in California? (2026)

California discrimination lawsuits typically take 12 to 36 months to resolve. The CRD (Civil Rights Department) administrative complaint takes 6-12 months, and litigation after filing runs 12-24 additional months. Most cases settle in mediation 18-24 months after filing. Complex cases involving multiple plaintiffs, class actions, or punitive damages can extend 3-5 years. Right-to-sue letter is

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pIcture of a wounded leg from a slip and fall accident

How Are Slip and Fall Settlements Calculated in California

California slip-and-fall settlements are calculated as economic damages (medical bills, lost wages, future treatment) plus non-economic damages (pain and suffering, typically 1.5x to 5x economic for moderate injuries and 5x to 10x for surgical or catastrophic), reduced by any comparative fault under Civil Code 1714. Premises owners’ notice (actual or constructive) under Civil Code 1714

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person-with-a-broken-leg-planning-for-recovery

Soft Tissue Injury Settlement Examples in California (2026)

Soft tissue injury settlement examples demonstrate compensation ranging from $2,500 for minor strains to over $350,000 for severe injuries requiring surgery. From our experience at Feher Law, these settlements depend on injury severity, treatment duration, and impact on daily life throughout California. Our California personal injury attorneys have recovered over $170 million for clients with

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How Much Does a California Personal Injury Lawyer Cost? (2026)

From Tom Feher, Esq. “The math on personal injury contingency fees confuses most clients before they call us. Standard California rates of 33 percent pre-suit and 40 percent post-filing sound high, but the data is consistent: represented claimants recover three to five times more than unrepresented claimants on equivalent cases, even after the fee. The

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Loss of Enjoyment of Life Lawsuit in California (2026)

Loss of enjoyment of life damages in California compensate accident victims who can no longer participate in hobbies, relationships, sports, or daily activities they enjoyed before injury. These non-economic damages typically range from $25,000 to $500,000+ as part of pain and suffering awards under California Civil Code §3333. Severe cases involving permanent disability, paralysis, or

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How to Sue an Employer for Gender Discrimination in California (2026)

To sue your California employer for gender discrimination, you must first file with the Civil Rights Department under FEHA (Government Code 12940) within three years of the last incident under Government Code 12960, receive a right-to-sue letter, and file in court within one year. Available damages include lost wages, emotional distress, punitive damages under Civil

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What Legal Steps Can I Take if I’m Discriminated Against at Work in California?

If you are discriminated against at work in California, the immediate steps are (1) document every incident in a contemporaneous log with dates, witnesses, and quotes, (2) report internally per company policy in writing, (3) file with the Civil Rights Department under FEHA Government Code 12960 within three years, and (4) consult counsel before signing

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Man with a broken arm in a cast and sling standing in a hospital room

Average Broken Arm Slip and Fall Settlement in California (2026)

Average broken-arm slip-and-fall settlements in California range from $25,000 to $75,000 for non-surgical fractures and $100,000 to $300,000 when surgical fixation, plates, or pins are required. Premises liability under Civil Code 1714 requires proof the owner knew or should have known about the hazard, which our practice establishes through CCTV, sweep logs, and prior-incident records

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Upset businessman with head in hands while being reprimanded at work

Can I Sue My Employer for Unfair Treatment in California? (2026)

Yes, you can sue a California employer for unfair treatment when the treatment violates a specific law: FEHA (Government Code 12940) for discrimination, harassment, or retaliation; Labor Code 1102.5 for whistleblower retaliation; Labor Code 232 for pay-discussion retaliation; or wage-and-hour statutes. Generic unfairness without a protected category or protected activity is not actionable in California’s

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Who Is at Fault in a 3-Car Accident in California? (2026)

In a California three-car accident, fault is allocated under the pure comparative fault rule of Civil Code 1714, meaning every driver can be assigned a percentage and recover their reduced share, even down to 1 percent. The rear-most driver is typically presumed negligent under Vehicle Code 22350 and 21703, but the presumption shifts when chain-reaction

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Average Broken Sternum Car Accident Settlement in California (2026)

Average broken-sternum car-accident settlements in California range from $40,000 to $120,000 for non-displaced fractures treated conservatively, and $150,000 to $400,000 when surgical fixation, cardiac contusion, or extended recovery is involved. Sternum fractures carry high medical-evidence value because they almost always require imaging (CT or chest X-ray), and seatbelt-marker injuries strongly corroborate force of impact. CCP

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