San Francisco Injury Lawyer Blog

Back to the Basics – Proving Medical Malpractice

June 10, 2016 | Gregory J. Brod

When Californians go to the doctor, we place our trust in that medical professional. We believe that the medical professional is highly skilled and capable of performing services in a way that will help us live healthier, happier lives. We don’t expect that a medical professional will cause serious injury that may compound the reason that brought us to them in the first place. Malpractice can cause extreme difficulty in your life or in the life of a loved one. Medical malpractice can cause financial hardship from subsequent medical bills and procedures. It can also take its toll on our mental and emotional well-being. It is a serious issue facing local residents, and an attorney experienced with personal injury as a result of medical malpractice can help you evaluate your claim.

How do you prove medical malpractice?

While each individual case is distinctly different, there are some general elements that must be proven in a medical malpractice case. Medical malpractice can be thought of as medical negligence, and there are common negligence elements that must always be proven in most circumstances. If you think you may have been the victim of medical malpractice, you should consider the following general requirements:

Slip and Fall Accidents: What You Should Know Before You Sue

June 9, 2016 | Gregory J. Brod

Picture this; you walk into a mall and as you are walking towards the clothing store you suddenly slip or trip and fall. You lose your balance either because the floor tile you just stepped on had an extra helping of floor polish or it was sticking out. Such accidents are not uncommon. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 700,000 people are hospitalized every year because of a fall injury.

Most fall injury victims are hospitalized for head injuries or hip fractures.

Accidents like these do not just happen in malls but also in workplaces, parks, concert halls and so on. It is important to know the legal options you have in a situation where you slip and fall because someone else was negligent. Our firm knows how handle the complexities and grey areas around slip and fall cases and may handle your case depending on the scenario.

San Francisco Injury Lawyer on the Danger of Electric Shock Drowning

June 7, 2016 | Gregory J. Brod

As summer arrives in Northern California, many people are getting ready to hit the water. We are lucky to have such a wide range of options for water recreation in our area including the ocean, lakes, and swimming pools. Most people are aware that there is always a risk of drowning, even in fairly shallow waters. Our San Francisco recreational injury lawyer wants to make sure that people are also aware of a lesser known type of drowning, electric shock drowning.

Two Recent Reports of Suspected Electric Shock Drowning

In recent weeks, there have been multiple news stories about electric shock drowning. On May 31, AOL reported on a teenage girl who died in a suspected electric shock drowning incident this spring. The girl’s father says she and her friends were swimming in a lake when he lowered a metal ladder into the water to provide them a way to climb back out. He soon saw that the girls were in distress and when he tried to enter the water himself he felt a strong electric current. His wife shut off power to the boat dock. Everyone except for the daughter made it out. Authorities suspect she died of electric shock drowning.

San Francisco Injury Lawyer Examines the Danger of Residential Fires

June 3, 2016 | Gregory J. Brod

The ability to make and use fire is one of the things that has set the human race apart from other species. We use fire to stay warm, provide light, and cook food. However, fire is strong and when it is out of control it can cause serious injuries or death. When residential fires happen because of human negligence, such as when an apartment is not equipped with working smoke detectors or when a wiring issue causes a home to ignite, our San Francisco fire injury lawyer helps hold those at fault financially accountable.

Home Fire in San Francisco Leaves Man in Critical Condition

Earlier this week, CBS SF reported on a residential fire that left a man in critical condition in San Francisco’s Visitacion Valley. The fire department was called to the first block of Cora Street at 2:10 PM on Tuesday afternoon. Upon arrival, firefighters saw flames and smoke inside a single-family home and there was smoke emanating out of the residence. It was only after they forced their way into the home and began a search that firefighters found a male victim inside. Emergency officials transported the man to the hospital in critical condition.

Refusing to Learn: The Problem of Repeat Drunk Drivers

June 1, 2016 | Gregory J. Brod

With all the knowledge and information available today, there is no excuse for driving drunk. Yet, some people continue to do so and some do so over and over again. Repeat drunk drivers, a problem also referred to as drunk driving recidivism, are a danger to all of us. As a Sonoma DUI injury law firm, we have seen the consequences firsthand and we are committed to helping individuals and families impacted by drunk driving.

Woman Arrested Twice for Alcohol-Related Offenses in Less Than Twenty-Four Hours

Although not technically a case of drunk driving recidivism, an incident last week had us wondering just what it takes for some people to learn that drunk driving is not okay. The Press Democrat reports that a Petaluma woman was arrested for public intoxication around 10 AM on Monday May 23 and bailed out of jail around 9 PM that day. Just five hours later, at approximately 2AM on Tuesday, witnesses called to report that an SUV had been in an accident. Petaluma police arrived to find the same woman that had recently left the jail sitting behind the wheel of the SUV. The SUV had hit a fence and collided with a parked vehicle before rolling over. Police smelled alcohol and the woman, who was treated for minor injuries at a local hospital, eventually agreed to a screening test that put her blood alcohol level at 0.19, more than twice the legal limit at which someone is presumed too drunk to drive. The woman was, once again, booked into jail, this time on charges of felony drunk driving and leaving the scene of an accident.

School Bus Safety: Protecting Our Most Precious Resource

May 31, 2016 | Gregory J. Brod

The yellow school bus is an iconic symbol of childhood in America. Many of us waved goodbye to our parents as we headed off to school on the bus and then grew to become the parents waving goodbye our own children. They transport our most precious resource, our children, so we should be able to trust they are safe. A recent lawsuit calls attention to the issue of school bus safety and caught the attention of our San Francisco school bus accident attorney.

Settlement Calls Attention to School Bus Safety

According to SFGate, a school bus company agreed to pay $11.5 million in order to settle a lawsuit claiming the company used unsafe buses to take San Francisco students to and from school. The lawsuit claimed that from 2006 through 2011, the company provided buses to San Francisco United School District that had threadbare tires, worn brakes, and other maintenance-related problems. Although the California Highway Patrol inspected the buses annually, they did not identify the problems at that time. The two mechanics who led the lawsuit say that company records show the bus company misrepresented the safety of the vehicles. The case alleged that company records showed 300 cases where the company violated a requirement that buses be inspected every 45 days and also ignored complaints from drivers and mechanics about the buses including reports of “metal-on-metal” sounds during braking.

San Francisco Bay Area Bus Accident Attorney on the Danger of Drowsy Bus Drivers

May 27, 2016 | Gregory J. Brod

From the big yellow buses we put our children on each morning to the city buses we ride in our daily commutes and the buses that let us tour a new city, we have a right to expect buses to be safe. In addition to ensuring that the vehicles are functioning properly, bus companies should be held responsible for ensuring that their policies and practices encourage safe driving. A recent study raises questions about whether a major bus company has been putting passengers at risk due to drowsy bus drivers. With several high-profile bus accidents in our own region in recent years, this study is of great concern to our San Francisco bus accident lawyer.

CNN Investigation Suggests Bus Company Fails to Prevent Drowsy Driving

CNN recently looked into the safety practices of the Greyhound bus company, the largest bus company in North America that transports some 18 million passengers across approximately 5.5 billion miles each year. The investigation was partly inspired by a 2013 accident that left one woman dead and many more injured. Passengers on that tragic bus ride believe that their driver fell asleep at the wheel. At least one pending lawsuit involving 22 of the passengers suggests that Greyhound is at fault for allowing a dangerously drowsy driver to operate a bus. Greyhound denies that fatigue was a factor in that crash.

Safety and Justice: Northern California Accident Attorney Examines What Causes Fatal Car Accidents

May 25, 2016 | Gregory J. Brod

According to the California Office of Traffic Safety, 3,074 people died in traffic-related incidents in California in 2014. As far as our San Francisco car accident lawyer is concerned, that is 3,074 deaths too many. At the Brod Law Firm, we represent people left grieving after a family member dies in a fatal car accident in the San Francisco Bay Area region or anywhere in Northern California. We are also dedicated to providing our readers with information to help them stay safe. We know about the tragedies that can stem from a car accident and we want to do everything in our power to prevent those tragedies.

Study Focuses on Causes of Traffic Fatalities by State

If we want to prevent fatal car accidents, we need to know what causes them. Last year, the journal Business Insider looked at this very question. The report relies on a study conducted by the Auto Insurance Center, an insurance information website, that reviewed all fatal car accidents recorded by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s information systems from 2009 to 2013 to determine what dangerous behaviors caused the highest number of fatal accidents in each state. For purposes of the study, the researchers included pedestrian, passenger, and driver fatalities.

“Look Twice Save a Life”: Examining Motorcycle Accidents Following Two California Motorcycle Fatalities

May 24, 2016 | Gregory J. Brod

Most drivers have seen the bumper stickers that read: “Look Twice Save a Life – Motorcycles Are Everywhere.” Tragically, many drivers fail to heed this warning. Motorcycle accidents and motorcycle fatalities are far too common and often a careless or inattentive driver is to blame. As an Oakland motorcycle accident attorney, Greg Brod advocates for riders and families whose lives are forever altered because of a driver’s negligence.

Two Motorcycle Rider Killed in Highway 113 Crash

CBS SF reports that two motorcycle riders died after a crash on Highway 113 near Dixon this past Saturday. At around 6:48 PM, California Highway Patrol officers were called to the scene of an accident near Hay Road in unincorporated Solano County. Police believe that a 36-year-old woman was making a left turn in a 2010 Dodge Charger and failed to yield the right of way to two oncoming motorcyclists. The riders, who were travelling at around 55mph on separate motorcycles, crashed into the car and both were ejected from their bikes.

Fire on the Water: San Francisco Boating Accident Lawyer Examines the Threat of Boat Fires

May 20, 2016 | Gregory J. Brod

There’s a cruel irony to the thought of battling a fire when surrounded by nothing but water. Nonetheless, boating fires are a very real threat to life, health, and property. When boat fires result from unsafe products or from the negligence of an individual or entity, our San Francisco boating injury law firm is here to help.

Two Men and One Dog Rescued After Boat Fire in Half Moon Bay

The danger of a boat fire became all too real for two skilled Bay Area boaters this week. According to KPIX, a well-known fisherman was headed back to Half Moon Bay when he started to smell smoke. Another passenger and the fisherman’s dog were also on board. A Venture County Fire Department official told reporters that when the passenger went to investigate, a large amount of smoke came pouring out of the vessel’s engine compartment. The captain issued a mayday call and, after donning protective gear (yes, the dog had a life jacket too), the trio jumped into the water. Thankfully, another boater was in the area and picked them up shortly thereafter.