San Francisco Injury Lawyer Blog

Vehicle-Into-Building Crashes: Statistics, Prevention, and Compensation

April 26, 2016 | Gregory J. Brod

It is no surprise to hear that car accidents are a danger to passengers, other drivers, pedestrians, motorcyclists, bicycle riders, and even bystanders. Fewer recognize another place where people can be at risk – inside buildings. While it may seem like a rare, headline-grabbing event, incidents involving cars crashing into building happen every day, injuring thousands and causing hundreds of fatalities every year. Our San Francisco injury law firm is concerned. Our team is dedicated to helping the victims (both the injured and the grieving) and preventing future tragedies.

Three Injured When Accident Sends Car Crashing into San Francisco Building

According to KRON, on Sunday afternoon, three people were taken to the hospital after an accident sent a vehicle crashing into a downtown San Francisco building. The crash occurred near the intersection of Sutter and Taylor Streets at around 1:45 PM. A fire department spokesperson confirmed that at least two vehicles were involved in the incident. One of the victims suffered serious injuries while the injuries to two others were described as minor.

Ensuring the Law Keeps Up with a Changing World: A Law Firm for Californians Injured in Uber, Lyft, and Other Ride-Share Accidents

April 22, 2016 | Gregory J. Brod

The world has changed a lot in the past twenty years. Cell phones have gone from huge, clunky devices saved for an elite few to sleek do-it-all computers that are in the hands of every adult and many (perhaps most!) kids. Paper maps are unheard of anymore; we just check GPS. And instead of hailing a cab, we summon Uber, Lyft, or a similar service. As technology changes, the law needs to keep up. One area The Brod Law Firm is watching closely is how the law responds in the case of car accidents involving ride-sharing companies. Greg Brod is proud to serve as a wrongful death and/or injury lawyer for San Francisco Uber accidents, Lyft accidents, and as an attorney for victims of ride-share accidents throughout Northern California.

Survivors File Suit Against Lyft for Deadly 2014 Accident

This week, CBS SF reported that loved ones of a man killed in a crash with a Lyft driver in 2014 have filed a wrongful death and personal injury lawsuit against the ride-share company. In the early hours of November 1, 2014, two men summoned a ride using Lyft’s mobile app to return home from a party. News reports say that their driver swerved to avoid a stopped vehicle on Highway 80 and spun off the road and into two trees. One rider died, the other suffered serious injuries. CBS cites a CHP report that found the Lyft driver caused the accident by “making an unsafe turning movement” and was not carrying proof of insurance at the time of the incident.

Drowsy Driving is Impaired Driving: An Important Message from Your Oakland Injury Lawyer

April 20, 2016 | Gregory J. Brod

With the hustle of life in 2016, it seems like a good night’s sleep is an increasingly rare commodity. While some treat it as almost a luxury, sleep is essential to our physical and emotional well-being. Being well-rested is also a critical part of being a safe driver. People who wouldn’t dream of driving drunk are driving while sleep-deprived despite evidence that drowsy driving is a threat to everyone on the road. Our Oakland car accident injury lawyer fights for the victims of drowsy driving accidents in Northern California because they deserve compensation and because it sends a message that overly tired driving is a danger that should not be tolerated.

Police Report San Jose Death Resulted from Driver Falling Asleep at the Wheel

The San Francisco Chronicle reports that a man lost his life this past Sunday in San Jose because a driver apparently fell asleep at the wheel. California Highway Patrol (“CHP”) officials say that the victim had pulled onto the shoulder of U.S. Highway 101, north of Alum Rock Avenue, to investigate car trouble when he was struck by a Ford Ranger. The Ford’s driver told CHP officers that he had momentarily fallen asleep at the wheel and wasn’t initially sure what he had hit. Police say the victim was a 60-year-old man from Daly City whose wife and children were in the car at the time of the deadly accident. The crash occurred shortly after 4 PM.

San Francisco Hoverboard Injury Lawyer on the Continuing Risk of Hoverboard Fires and Hoverboard Falls

April 19, 2016 | Gregory J. Brod

It had been hailed as a star of the 2015 holiday season, until things started going terribly awry. For several months now, our San Francisco product injury law firm has been following the problem of hoverboard fires in the Bay Area and throughout the nation. In addition to the fires, falls and other hoverboard injuries are filling emergency rooms nationwide and causing great risk to riders of all ages.

Hoverboard Fire in Daly City Just One in a Continuing Trend

Late last week, according to CBS SF, police reported that a hoverboard caught fire in a Daly City home on April 4. Police say the hoverboard was charging in the kitchen of a home on Merced Boulevard when it allegedly combusted. Luckily, a resident of the home was able to put the fire out using a fire extinguisher, although fire officials still responded to ensure safety. While no one was injured, it is not immediately clear if the fire caused property damage.

DUI Accidents and Child Victims in California

April 15, 2016 | Gregory J. Brod

Perhaps the most important thing to know about drunk driving accidents is that they are 100% preventable. That may also be the saddest thing since it means that the victims didn’t need to be injured or didn’t need to die too soon. DUI accidents with child victims are particularly tragic because children pay the price for an adult’s bad decision. As a Santa Rosa child injury lawyer, Greg Brod helps represent injured children, whether they were in the car with the drunk driver, in another vehicle, or simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Two Children Injured in Car Crash, Police Say They Were Passengers of a Suspected Drunk Driver

Earlier this week, The Press Democrat reported on a crash believed to have been caused by a drunk driver in Santa Rosa. Police say that they arrested an intoxicated man after he crashed his car on West Third Street on Monday night. His vehicle ended up on a residential lawn near Surrey Drive. The suspected drunk driver had two children, ages 10 and 11, in his vehicle. Both children along with the driver of another vehicle involved in the accident were taken to the hospital for medical care. All are expected to be okay.

The Importance of Safe Passing on Two-Lane Roads

April 13, 2016 | Gregory J. Brod

Driving can be a frustrating task. One of the scenarios most likely to cause frustration is being stuck behind a slow-moving vehicle, especially one travelling well below the marked speed limit. Knowing how to safely pass another vehicle is an important part of any safe driver’s repertoire. Sadly, far too often improper passing leads to serious injuries or death. As your Oakland car accident injury attorney, Greg Brod can help if you are a loved one are injured in Northern California by someone else’s dangerous passing attempt.

Police Eye Passing Attempt in Deadly Northern California Car Crash

Police are eyeing a passing attempt as the cause of a deadly car accident near Rio Vista, according to a report by CBS SF. CHP officials say that a Honda Civic was attempting to pass another vehicle when the driver lost control of the car, veering back into the passing lane and colliding with an oncoming Chevy Silverado. The Silverado’s four occupants were taken to the hospital but are not believed to have serious injuries. Unfortunately, five people who were in the Civic died as a result of the crash. The deceased include a teenager and two three-year-old children. Police report that all of the people in the pick-up were wearing seatbelts, but they are unsure if the Civic’s occupants were buckled in and they only found one car seat inside the vehicle. It is unclear whether recent wet weather was a factor in the crash.

Child Sexual Abuse and the Role of the Civil Courts

April 12, 2016 | Gregory J. Brod

We wouldn’t trade our role in the justice system – that of a plaintiffs’ law firm – for anything. While we are very honored to be chosen to represent our clients, we know that the very nature of our practice means we often see people when they are facing some of the very worst days of their lives. In this respect, few (if any) of our cases are as difficult to hear about as those involving child sexual abuse. We know that these are very sensitive matters and are absolutely heart-wrenching for the victims and their families. We take our clients’ trust seriously, especially when we are serving child victims (whether in childhood or as adults), and are committed to providing the very best of legal representation in our work as your San Francisco child sexual abuse victim’s law firm.

Dental Assistant Charged with Molesting Multiple Young Girls

Last weekend, as reported by KRON 4, Concord police arrested a local dental assistant after multiple reports that he molested young girls. The first reported incident allegedly involved the 24-year-old man touching and photographing the an 8-year-old girl’s vaginal region while she was under sedation in the exam room of the dental clinic. Since the man’s arrest, two more females under age 10 have come forwards with similar allegations. The charges are only allegations and remain under investigation, but officials fear that there may be more victims who were sexually abused while sedated with medical gas. The dental assistant was booked and held on over $8 million bail and has thus far been charged with eight counts of forcible lewd acts involving a child and an additional count of child pornography.

A Reminder that Northern California Renters Have Rights, Even Amid Affordable Housing Shortage

April 8, 2016 | Gregory J. Brod

Housing is one of the biggest concerns for many in the Bay Area. While the high cost of housing in San Francisco has received national attention, the problem does not stop at the city’s border. The cost of renting in Oakland and throughout Northern California continues to rise and the resulting shortage of affordable housing has left many renters feeling like they are at their landlord’s mercy. It is important to remember renters have rights, in any economy, and our Oakland landlord-tenant law firm helps renters who have been mistreated by their landlord fight back.

Oakland Announces Moratorium on Evictions and Rent Increases

According to CBS SF, in an effort to stem this growing housing crisis Oakland City Council unanimously passed a 90-day moratorium on rent increases and evictions. The Council hopes this period will give officials time to author and pass new rules to help protect renters. Landlords opposed the measure and one called it merely showmanship. The moratorium follows the Council’s vote back in October to approve funds for a program aimed at educating tenants about their rights. Notably, however, that money hasn’t been released yet per one councilmember.

A Look at the Numbers: What Time Periods See the Most Accidents?

April 6, 2016 | Gregory J. Brod

As your San Francisco/Oakland car accident law firm, we understand that automobile collisions can occur at any time of day, any day of the week. Different times carry different dangers. In the late night/early morning hours, there may be a higher risk of encountering drunk drivers or highly fatigued drivers and there is the challenge of driving without daylight. Daytime drivers, however, may face more traffic and may encounter drivers who are multi-tasking as work, children, and other distractions pull attention away from the task of driving. So, we wondered: Ultimately, what time of day sees the highest number of car accidents? Which is more dangerous, daytime or nighttime driving?

NHTSA Statistics on Injury and Fatality Crashes by Time of Day

A report entitled Traffic Safety Facts 2009 presents a plethora of data gathered by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (“NHTSA”) on accidents ranging from basic fender-benders to deadly multi-car pile-ups. The report includes over 100 tables and charts, examining crash data from many different angles in order to uncover patterns and trends. Table 25 focuses on time of day and reveals that the three hour timespan with the highest number of fatal crashes was 6 to 9 P.M. (4,988) followed very closely by 3 to 6 P.M. (4,994). Looking at injury crashes, the highest number occurred between 3 and 6 P.M. (371,000), with the next highest number occurring from noon to 3 P.M. (290,000).

California Dog Bite Lawyer on Cases Involving Young Children

April 5, 2016 | Gregory J. Brod

Like most of you, we love dogs. Whether pet owners themselves or just people who enjoy the sight of a happy puppy on the street, our team knows there is no love as pure as that offered by a dog. We also know that sometimes dogs attack and that the victims of those attacks deserve justice, especially when that victim is a young child. There are special rules for child dog bite victims in California and our San Francisco dog bite lawyer helps ensure they receive all the compensation they deserve.

Child Bitten By Dog in Pinole Home

Last week, ABC7 News reported that a young girl was bitten in the face by a dog in a Pinole home. The 3-year-old child was reportedly alone in a room with her uncle’s American bulldog at the time. Contra Costa Animal Services told reporters that the child was taken Children’s Hospital in Oakland where she was treated for two one-inch facial lacerations. Per routine practice, the animal was taken in by animal services for a 10-day quarantine period when he will be tested for rabies and his behavior will be assessed. The owner will then be allowed to petition for the animal’s return or opt to surrender the dog.