personal injury

Man Causes Fatal Crash in Stolen Vehicle

January 25, 2018 | Gregory J. Brod

A man in a stolen truck caused a fatal collision in Antioch, on January 17. Just before 1 p.m., the Contra Costa County Police received reports of a stolen vehicle, a Ford F-250, in Pittsburg, California. A deputy spotted the truck on State Highway 4, and when the driver took the off-ramp at Somersville Road, the deputy activated his emergency lights. Shortly after, the man drove the stolen truck through a red light and hit a Ford F-150, carrying a woman and her two young daughters. The mother was injured and the two young girls, 2 and 4 years old, were killed.

While the driver faces a number of criminal charges, accidents like this also give the surviving family members the right to file civil cases to seek compensation. If you were injured in a serious crash like this, or you lost a loved one to a devastating collision, call our San Francisco personal injury lawyers at Brod Law Firm today.

Legal Options After a Fatal Collision

Fog Leads to Car Accidents Around the Bay Area

January 19, 2018 | Gregory J. Brod

San Francisco is well known for its fog – thick droplets of water suspended in air, unable to dissipate or fall as rain because of various temperatures. Yet, despite the number of days the Bay Area deals with fog, it still poses a risk to drivers. On Tuesday, January 16, the dense fog led to a number of auto accidents. By 6:35 a.m. an accident had been reported on westbound I-80, west of the Bay Bridge. Around the same time, there was an overturned vehicle on westbound CA-4, east of Sycamore Avenue. These were followed by accidents on southbound I-880 in Oakland, southbound I-680 in Pleasanton, southbound US-101 in San Francisco, and westbound I-580 in Tracy. Injuries were reported in many of these accidents.

While fog always increases the risk of a traffic accident, drivers should alter their driving behavior to mitigate this risk as much as possible. Drivers who are careful and alert can avoid crashes.

If you were in an accident caused by another driver during a heavy fog in the Bay Area, contact us at Brod Law Firm right away. Fog does not excuse careless or reckless driving. We will help you fight for the compensation you deserve due to the other driver’s negligence.

Multiple Fatal Wrong-Way Crashes in California

January 12, 2018 | Gregory J. Brod

California roads saw multiple deadly wrong-way crashes in the beginning of the new year. On Sunday, January 7, around 12:30 am, California Highway Patrol (CHP) learned of a wrong-way crash on I-5 near Woodland. A 2013 Chevrolet with only a driver inside collided with a Dodge carrying five family members. All six individuals involved in the crashed died at the scene. They leave behind numerous family members.

Second Head-on Crash on I-5

On the same Sunday, another wrong-way collision occurred on a different portion of I-5 in Redding. A 29-year-old man was driving a 2012 Honda Accord on his way to residency interviews to become a physician when he was struck by a 28-year-old woman driving a Chevy Impala the wrong way.

SpaceX Rocket Appears to Cause Car Crash

December 29, 2017 | Gregory J. Brod

On December 22, SpaceX launched its 18th and final rocket for 2017, known as Falcon 9. The unusual sight in the sky, which many people did not expect, caused curiosity and confusion. In Southern California, it caused drivers on I-10 to slow down and become distracted. Dashboard camera footage shows a white Toyota Corolla being rear-ended by a minivan, which then pushes the Corolla into a Toyota Rav4 SUV. The Corolla and Rav4 spin out of their lane and onto the shoulder of the highway.

While the rocket is a rare sight, driver distraction is not. People become distracted behind the wheel all the time, unfortunately, leading to many accidents, injuries, and fatalities. If you were in a car accident in California and you believe it was caused by the other driver’s distraction or inattention, contact a San Francisco car accident lawyer from Brod Law Firm today. Our experienced attorneys can help you through the insurance claim process, or if necessary, a personal injury lawsuit.

Types of Distracted Driving

DUI Crash on Bay Bridge Kills Tollbooth Operator

December 8, 2017 | Gregory J. Brod

Around 5 a.m. on Saturday, December 2, Daniel Berk, 32, collided with a Bay Bridge tollbooth while driving a rented box truck. Berk was seriously injured and remains hospitalized in Oakland. The passenger of the truck and the drivers and passengers of five other vehicles were treated and released from the hospital.

The tollbooth operator, Si Si Han, 46, was killed in the crash. Han had worked as a tollbooth operator for almost a decade. She leaves behind her husband and a 10-year-old daughter.

Authorities determined that Berk was intoxicated at the time of the accident. He appears to have been driving between production jobs as the rented truck contained lighting and sound equipment.

San Pablo Hit-and-Run Crash Kills Four, Injures Six

December 1, 2017 | Gregory J. Brod

On Saturday, November 25, four individuals were killed in a hit-and-run accident on I-80 in San Pablo, California. The collision was sizable, involving five vehicles and blocking all westbound lanes off I-80. The four individuals killed were a family from Napa Valley and included Daryl Horn, an active community member. The only Horn family member to survive the accident was Daryl’s eldest son. In addition to the four individuals killed in the crash, six others were injured.

The accident took place when Fred Lowe, 47, hit the Horn family’s Nissan sedan, which flipped over and crashed into oncoming traffic. Lowe was arrested later that night when he was involved in a second crash. Authorities reported that Lowe was intoxicated at the time and was driving on a suspended license due to a previous DUI. Lowe has been charged with four counts of felony hit and run, a felony DUI, and driving on a suspended license.

The Criminal and Civil Aspects of the Accident

Physician Shortage Leading to Negligent Inmate Care in Sacramento Prison

November 24, 2017 | Gregory J. Brod

There are often controversies regarding jail and prison inmates’ rights. However, it is well established that all prisoners in state and federal facilities are entitled to receive adequate physical and mental health care. They are entitled to have their injuries, physical medical conditions, and psychological conditions reviewed by a physician, diagnosed, and treated. However, stories of negligent medical care in California facilities, some of which have led to inmate deaths, have gained more attention in recent years. Now it has come to light that the health care system within California’s prisons may be entirely inadequate to provide appropriate care.

If your loved one is currently incarcerated and is not receiving proper medical attention for a physical or mental condition, contact a San Francisco civil rights lawyer from Brod Law Firm right away.

Major Issues Despite Improvement

Resources for California Wildfire Victims

November 10, 2017 | Gregory J. Brod

If your family has been displaced by the California wildfires and you do not have financial resources or family to fall back on, you may need a great deal of help. At Brod Law Firm, we want you to have access to all types of assistance. There are many organizations and individuals doing whatever they can to be sure you are safe and healthy so that you can rebuild. Below are a number of links to potential resources.

Living Arrangements

If you are still looking for a temporary or semi-permanent place to stay while you wait for your home to be repaired or rebuilt, go to:

California Wildfires Take Teen’s Life

November 3, 2017 | Gregory J. Brod

Kressa Shepherd, 17, passed away at the end of October due to burns she sustained from the wildfires that swept into Mendocino County, California. Kressa and both of her parents were badly injured by the wildfire, with burns covering a great deal of their bodies. Kressa suffered burns over more than 60% of her body. Her parents, Sara, 40, and Jon, 44, remain hospitalized. They have gone through several surgeries and will require a great deal more medical care in the months to come. Her brother was killed in the wildfire. With Kressa’s passing, the California wildfires in October have taken 43 lives.

Determining Responsibility for the California Wildfires

Responsibility for the California wildfires has yet to be determined. However, major utility company PG&E is under investigation by California’s Public Utilities Commission (PUC) for the blazes that devastated large portions of the state, including a great deal of the famed Wine Country. PUC is looking into whether PG&E’s maintenance, or lack thereof, of its equipment in Sonoma and Napa counties caused or played a role in the fires. Regulators are particularly interested in whether a lack of vegetation-related maintenance was an issue, such as not cutting back trees, bushes, and other plants.

Homeowners’ Basic Rights and Responsibilities After a Wildfire

October 20, 2017 | Gregory J. Brod

The U.S. has experienced significant damage due to wildfires this year. Sonoma County, California, is the latest area to be devastated. As of the morning of Oct. 18, the wildfires that began in the region on Oct. 8 had covered hundreds of thousands of acres. At the time, the Tubbs Fire was 91% contained. The Pocket Fire was 63% contained, and the Nuns Fire that is in both Sonoma and Napa counties was 80% contained. Full containment was expected by Friday Oct. 20. At this point, 42 people have been killed, approximately 22,000 people have been evacuated from their homes, and thousands of homes have been significant damaged or destroyed.

If you were affected by a California wildfire, you probably have a lot of questions. Other than working with your insurer, what else should you do? There are a few rights and responsibilities you should keep in mind during this time. If you are ever unsure of what to do next or simply need help, do not hesitate to reach out to an experienced insurance lawyer at Brod Law Firm.

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