San Francisco Injury Lawyer Blog

Homeowners’ Lawyer on Individual and Class Action Claims for Construction Defects in California

May 1, 2015 | Gregory J. Brod

Home – a simple word representing a complex, nuanced concept. Home means much more than a physical structure, but the physical structure is often essential to the larger concept. This becomes particularly evident when a construction defect threatens a dwelling’s safety and security. In some ways, a house or condo that has a major defect is not a true home. Our Oakland construction defect attorney helps individuals and groups use California construction defects laws to hold builders and others responsible for physical defects that can turn a dream home into a nightmare dwelling.

Class Action Filed Involving Non-Compliant Sprinkler Systems

In March, a group of Nevada homeowners filed a class action lawsuit alleging that Ryland Homes failed to follow safety codes and endangered the buildings’ inhabitants. WTRF reports that all three-story Nevada homes built by the nationwide company are defective because Ryland did not meet code requirements for fire sprinklers. The homeowners claim this failure caused monetary damages, including the cost to repair the problem, and posed an imminent threat to health and safety. Plaintiffs’ counsel call it is “a classic case of a large corporation putting profits before people.”

Court Rules on Claims of “Ordinary Negligence” in a Medical Setting

April 29, 2015 | Gregory J. Brod

Medical facilities are growing. Hospitals stretch across multiple blocks and often seem like a small city. Visitors often need to stop at an information desk or consult a map to find their destination. In addition to medical personnel, large medical centers may employ dozens of workers in non-medical roles. Injuries can and do occur on hospital grounds, including many that don’t stem directly from medical care. In this post, our San Francisco injury attorney looks at a recent appellate ruling that clarifies the law on hospital slip-and-fall accidents and other instances in which standard negligence (as opposed to medical negligence) leads to an injury on hospital grounds.

The Facts and the Lower Court’s Dismissal

In June 2010, heart health concerns led to Asma Pouzbaris being admitted to West Anaheim Medical Center. When she left her bed to use the bathroom, Pouzbaris slipped and fell. According to the Complaint filed in the Superior Court of Orange County, the floor had recently been mopped but no warnings had been posted. Responding to the defendant’s request for summary judgment, the court ruled the claim was barred by the statute of limitations. Recently, the appeals court reviewed the trial court’s decision and, in a ruling available via the California Judicial Branch’s website, reversed and found the suit was filed in a timely manner.

Pedestrians and Drunk Drivers: A Dangerous, Often Deadly, Mix

April 28, 2015 | Gregory J. Brod

There are few activities that involve more trust than the simple act of crossing the street. While we learn at an early age that we should look both ways before crossing, we still trust that stopped vehicles will remain stopped and that people will heed basic traffic laws. Very few drivers set out to hurt or kill a pedestrian. Yet, people continue to drive drunk, an act that violates the trust of every single pedestrian. As a Sonoma pedestrian accident attorney, Greg Brod is dedicated to fighting on behalf of pedestrians hit by drunk drivers and holding drivers accountable when they violate our trust and endanger us all.

Petaluma Pedestrian Hit By Suspected Drunk Driver

Late last week, The Press Democrat reported on an accident involving a suspected drunk driver and an elderly pedestrian. According to police, 85 year-old George Stucky was badly injured when hit while using a crosswalk at the intersection of Petaluma Boulevard North and East Washington Street in Petaluma on Thursday at 5:16 P.M. Police say an unidentified driver was stopped at the intersection, apparently waiting for Stucky to cross before making a left turn onto Washington Street. Allegedly, 48 year-old William Atkinson hit Stucky when Atkinson drove around the stopped vehicle in order to make the same left-hand turn. Police suspect Atkinson had been drinking; he was transported to an area hospital for a blood-alcohol test before being booked on suspicion of felony drunk driving involving injury. As of late Thursday, Stucky was being treated at Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital and listed in stable condition.

California Bed Bug Lawyer on Why Landlords Must Take the Lead in Bed Bug Extermination

April 24, 2015 | Gregory J. Brod

A bed bug is only about the size of an apple seed and, while an initial bite often goes unnoticed, repeated bites can cause itchy welts that get worse with continued exposure. A single female can lay 540 eggs(!!) in her 6 to 12 month lifetime, so missing even one or two bugs can give the pests the upper hand. In residential rentals, landlords/owners bear primary responsibility for combating bed bugs – it makes sense and, pursuant to a wide-range of rules and regulations, it is the law. Our San Francisco bed bug lawyer helps renters when landlords fail to live up to this obligation.

Law & Reason Require Property Management to Effectively Address Bed Bug Infestations

Image by Mick E. Talbot

Illnesses and Deaths Tied to Multiple Foods Contaminated With Listeria

April 22, 2015 | Gregory J. Brod

Imagine you’ve been hit by what feels like a nasty stomach flu. You feel nauseous, develop diarrhea, and spike a fever. Your body aches all over. You feel miserable. You haven’t heard about anything going around until you learn that a friend is battling a similar illness. You and the friend shared a meal (or even just a snack) a few days prior. The culprit may be listeria, a potentially deadly foodborne illness making headlines recently. While symptoms can sometimes pass quickly, listeria can lead to life-threatening complications. Listeria in particular is a major threat to an unborn baby if a pregnant woman is exposed. Our Oakland foodborne illness attorney, Greg Brod, works to help victims of tainted foods recover compensation and obtain justice. Attorney Brod and our firm’s clients also work to protect our nation’s food supply against future outbreaks by holding companies responsible for their products.

Massive Blue Bell Recall Tied to Listeria

On Monday, Blue Bell Creameries took an unusual step and recalled all of the company’s products from stores and food service establishments nationwide. According to CNN, the recall follows weeks of narrower recalls linked to concerns the company’s frozen treats might be contaminated with listeria. Blue Bell representatives say it is unclear how the bacteria was introduced, but note that products sold in different states and produced in different plants have tested positive for listeria. Current tests in Oklahoma revealed a strain of listeria nearly identical to that involved in an outbreak in Texas as far back as 2011.

Fresno Pipeline Explosion Calls Attention to an Ever-Present Threat

April 18, 2015 | Gregory J. Brod

This September will mark the five-year anniversary of the massive San Bruno pipeline accident that killed eight and left dozens injured. Sadly, pipeline explosions remain a very real and very present threat as became all-too-clear to another California community on Friday. As a California pipeline explosion lawyer, Attorney Greg Brod stands ready to help when pipeline explosions cause injury and/or death. Our legal team strongly believes that holding companies accountable for pipeline accidents not only compensates the injured/grieving but also helps prevent future tragedies.

Pipeline Explosion Rocks Fresno

It was just before 2:30 P.M. on Friday. At the Fresno County Peace Officers’ Range near Highway 99, deputies, a prison work crew, and others were hard at work. Suddenly, as reported by The San Francisco Chronicle (discussion based on version revised at 9:03 A.M. Saturday) the day turned from routine to unforgettable as an explosion rang out. Flames sprouted to the treetops, rising more than 100 feet in the air. The explosion and the intense heat it generated left at least 11 people injured and requiring hospital aid, including four in critical condition and two in serious condition.

Ejection Crashes: A Dangerous Twist on an Already Dangerous Situation

April 17, 2015 | Gregory J. Brod

It’s a frightening image and one that many of us at The Brod Firm, your Santa Rosa personal injury law firm, have contemplated. Imagine you are in a car accident, that’s scary enough imagine that during the crash, you are thrown from your vehicle. The frightening truth about ejection crashes? Most people who are completely ejected from their vehicles don’t live to tell the tale.

Fatal Ejection Crash Near Santa Rosa

The unfortunate reality of ejection crashes has become all too real for the family and friends of a Santa Rosa man who perished in an accident Tuesday night. According to The Press Democrat, the incident occurred around 8 P.M. on Guerneville Road near Highway 116 and Laguna Road. Police report a white Ford pickup was driving east when the driver crossed over a double-yellow line in order to pass other vehicles. When he tried to return to his lane, he left the road and ran into two trees. The driver was thrown from the truck. Despite emergency responders’ attempts to revive him, he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Pipeline Attorney Looks at the Public Utilities Commission 4 ½ Years After San Bruno Explosion

April 15, 2015 | Gregory J. Brod

Oil and gas are essential utilities that help keep our modern world moving and the oil and gas industries are important parts of our nation’s economy. However, as the residents of San Bruno know far too well, oil and gas lines can be incredibly dangerous. At the Brod Law Firm, our Northern California pipeline accident lawyer believes that safety must be priority number one and our team is ready to step forward to help anyone injured in a pipeline accident.

Recalling a Day Many Will Never Forget

Last fall, ABC7 marked a somber anniversary, calling September 9, 2010 “the day no one can forget.” On that date, a PG&E natural gas pipeline exploded in San Bruno sparking a huge fire that one resident compared to “a geyser of flames.” The blaze ultimately claimed eight lives and left 66 people injured. Thirty-eight homes were destroyed and more than a dozen lots remained vacant as of the four-year anniversary. Not surprisingly, residents remain angry with PG&E despite the $1.4 billion fine levied against the industry giant, noting that the incident could have been prevented and saying the company has not properly apologized to those impacted by the tragedy.

A Focus on the Victim and the Implications of a Crash Caused By a Suspect Fleeing the Police

April 14, 2015 | Gregory J. Brod

At times, it seems like reading the paper or watching the news requires a level of detachment. With so many stories of personal tragedy, connecting emotionally with every report can be overwhelming. Yet, connecting the story to the law is a key part of what we do at our San Francisco wrongful death law firm. Connecting allows us to serve our clients on the emotional, as well as the legal, journey that follows tragedy. Ensuring the jury connects with the plaintiff and/or victim can help us recover compensation for the client. A personalized story can also drive home a message about accident prevention. Today, we look at the story and the law behind a recent pedestrian fatality and we consider the potential legal implications for an accident caused by someone fleeing the police.

Kind, Warm-Hearted Woman Killed in Pedestrian Crash

Last Friday, a 42-year-old female pedestrian was struck and killed in San Francisco’s Financial District. On Monday, one of the headline stories on the San Francisco Chronicle website took a closer look at the victim and the fatal accident. At around 10 P.M., police say three men held up an individual near the intersection of Clay and Larkin. Shortly thereafter, officers attempted to pull the trio over and the suspects fled in a Toyota Corolla. Around the same time, Bridget Klecher was walking in the Financial District after dining with a friend. With police in pursuit, the Toyota sped north on Leavenworth Street and plowed into Klecher as she crossed near Kearny Street. The vehicle continued fleeing and hit another person at Post and Powell Streets before the suspects abandoned the car on Treasure Island. While the second victim is expected to survive, Kearney later died at San Francisco General Hospital.

Tour Bus Safety in San Francisco

April 10, 2015 | Gregory J. Brod

Earlier this week, we examined a report on the potential dangers lurking in San Francisco’s BART network and discussed the legal standards that apply to mass transit accidents. Today, we focus on tour buses, a unique part of the bustling transportation sector in Northern California that mixes transportation, tourism, and entertainment. We will look at a proposal intended to keep both tour bus passengers and bystanders safe and discuss three tragic examples of California tour bus accidents. Safety is our top priority, but when accidents occur our San Francisco tour bus accident law firm is here to help.

San Francisco Ordinance Prohibits Tour Bus Operators from Driving While Narrating

According to the Oakland Tribune, on Tuesday the San Francisco Board of Supervisors unanimously approved an ordinance that prohibits tour bus drivers from simultaneously narrating and driving. The Board hopes the rule will ensure drivers focus all their attention on the task of driving. Drivers who are caught violating the ordinance will be cited.