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kyle-jewell-623849-unsplash-copy-300x200The only thing worse than getting in a car accident is getting in a car accident and having the other driver drive off before you are able to get his or her information. In California, it is illegal to leave the scene of an accident before performing certain duties required of all Californians who are involved in an accident. If you have been involved in an accident, and the other driver leaves before you have the opportunity to get any information, contact an experienced car accident attorney as soon as possible so that your attorney can help you investigate the case and seek the justice you deserve.

Hit and Run Laws in California

In California, a driver is required to remain at the scene of an accident, provide his or her contact information to the other driver, and wait for the police to arrive. If the driver leaves at any time before all of those events have taken place, the driver is said to have engaged in a hit and run. The only exception to this rule is if the driver left the scene in order to seek immediate medical attention, but even in those situations, it is still best practice to leave a contact name and phone number or address with the other driver before leaving the scene.

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abdiel-ibarra-249884-unsplash-copy-300x169Over 30,000 people in California are seriously injured each year in alcohol and drug related car accidents, and 2,000 are killed. Unlike most car accidents, which are just that – accidents, drunk driving accidents are senseless, irresponsible, and can be easily prevented. That is why California has enacted strict laws to deter drunk driving accidents from happening and protect its residents from being victims to this senseless crime. If you were the victim of a drunk driving accident, familiarize yourself with the guidelines below and make sure you speak with an experienced car accident attorney immediately to learn more about your options for recovery.

California has a zero tolerance policy for underage drinking and driving.

In California, if your blood alcohol level (BAC) is over 0.08, you are considered legally drunk. However, if you are under the age of 21 and have any alcohol inside your body, you can be convicted of driving under the influence (DUI) or driving while intoxicated (DWI). That means if your BAC is even 0.01, you have violated California’s no tolerance policy and are responsible for any injury you cause to others while driving.

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brandon-griggs-82205-300x200Bed bugs are possibly the worst type of pest to find in your home and cause the most anxiety for residents. Luckily for California residents, as of January 2017, tighter laws are in place to protect tenants from bed bug infestations in their homes. If you are preparing to rent a new apartment in California, make sure you ask the landlord for bed bug disclosures, and if you currently have bed bugs in your home, make sure you familiarize yourself with the following laws so you know what your rights are and how to approach your landlord.

If you are currently looking for an apartment, make sure you familiarize yourself with the following laws:

  • Civil Code §1954.602: A landlord cannot show or rent a unit that he or she knows has a bed bug infestation. If the unit happens to have a bed bug infestation but it is not apparent, and the landlord does not know about it, then the landlord cannot be held responsible for showing a unit with bed bugs. If you have been shown a unit that very clearly has a bed bug infestation, contact our landlord-tenant attorneys immediately so we can help you seek the compensation you deserve for any damages you incurred from being in a bed bug infested apartment.
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li-tzuni-507346-unsplash-copy-300x199When you purchase a new product from the store, you probably do not expect to bring it home and get injured from using it. This scenario, unfortunately, is all too common. In fact, in 2016, there were about 240,000 injuries that led to emergency room visits involving toys and other children’s products alone. If you or a loved one has been injured by a defective product, contact an experienced products liability attorney immediately so that he or she can start fighting for your rights and getting you the compensation you deserve for your injuries.

What is Strict Liability?

Strict liability means that one party is liable for the other’s injuries no matter what. In the context of product defects in California, strict liability means that when a consumer is injured by a product, the designer, manufacturer, or seller is responsible for the consumer’s injuries, even if the designer, manufacturer, or seller did not act negligently in designing, manufacturing, or selling the product. As long as there is a causal relationship between the product and the consumer’s injury, strict liability applies.

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kholodnitskiy-maksim-198-unsplash-copy-300x200Most people think taking the train is safer than driving, but statistics show an alarming number of train accidents and train fatalities each year. With over 5,000 train accidents in 2018 so far, California is one of the leading states for train accidents nationwide. If you are ever involved in a train accident, It is important to know what to do (and what not to do) so that you can ensure the best odds of obtaining the maximum recovery possible for your injuries. If you or a loved one has been injured in a train accident, call the experienced train accident lawyers at Willoughby Brod today to learn how we can help fight for your rights and get you the compensation you deserve.

Seek Medical Help

The first thing you will want to do if you have been injured in a train accident is seek medical help. If you are involved in an accident on or with a passenger train, chances are someone has already called an ambulance. If you are not sure whether medical help is on its way, call an ambulance immediately.

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scott-webb-386701-copy-202x300Everyone likes to believe that his or her home is the safest place, but many people unknowingly live in mold-infested environments that are far from safe. While not all mold poses a threat to your health, toxic mold can result in neurological damage, and at worst, death. If you have been harmed by living in an apartment in San Francisco that is infested with toxic mold, you have the right to sue your landlord for compensation. Contact an experienced toxic mold lawyer today to learn more about your rights and your options for recourse.

What is Toxic Mold?

Toxic mold refers to a specific type of mold that releases mycotoxins, such as Stachybotrys, that can pose serious health risk to humans and animals. It is also known as “black mold” or Stachybotrys, after the scientific term for a specific type of toxin released in toxic mold.

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christian-langballe-78684-copy-300x200When most people think of elder abuse, they think of physical abuse. While physical abuse of elders is common, financial elder abuse is actually the most common and is steadily on the rise. In California, there are laws against all types of elder abuse, including financial elder abuse. If you suspect a loved one has been the victim of financial elder abuse, contact the attorneys at Willoughby Brod today to help your loved ones seek justice and obtain the compensation they deserve.

What is Financial Elder Abuse?

Financial elder abuse, also known as senior fraud, is when an elderly individual’s money, assets or property are mismanaged, stolen, or obtained by coercive and fraudulent means. A person who is found to have committed elder abuse can be charged with a felony, which can result in two to four years of state prison time, or a misdemeanor, which can result in up to one year in county jail and thousands of dollars in fines, depending on the person’s background and history.

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antonina-bukowska-142087-copy-300x200Oakland Just Cause for Eviction Ordinance

Oakland is a “Just Cause for Eviction” city, which means a landlord cannot evict a tenant unless he or she can prove “just cause” in at least one of 11 ways. The Oakland Just Cause for Eviction Ordinance lays out the specific conditions under which landlords are permitted to evict their tenants in Oakland. This ordinance, along with the Oakland Rent Adjustment Program (RAP), is one of the most important housing protections for residents of Oakland as it prevents tenants from losing their homes due to a change in property ownership, inability to raise rent, or other reason unrelated to the tenant’s behavior.

To Whom the Just Cause for Eviction Ordinance Applies

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quin-stevenson-14794-unsplash-copy-200x300Lead poisoning is the most common environmental illness in children in California today and can lead to lifelong injuries, including learning disabilities, speech impairment, and other developmental issues. There is no known level of lead that can exist in the body safely, so any amount of lead that seeps into your body can be considered lead poisoning. Luckily, lead poisoning is preventable in most instances, so educating yourself on what lead poisoning is and where lead particles can be found in your daily life can help prevent injury to yourself or your child. However, there are times when you may encounter lead in your home as a result of your landlord’s failure to notify you of the existence of lead in your building or another violation of California lead regulations. Call the attorneys at Willoughby Brod if you suspect there may be lead in your building or have suffered from lead poisoning.

Lead Poisoning in Your Daily Life

Paint

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nicolas-barbier-garreau-256433-copy-300x240After being involved in a car accident, you may feel frazzled and disoriented. However, it is important to remain calm, assess the situation, and make sure you take the appropriate steps to ensure that you are safe and have the proper documentation in place to obtain any recovery for your injuries that you deserve. Make sure you take these five steps after being involved in a car accident, and call an experienced car accident attorney immediately so he or she can help you start seeking compensation for your injuries.

Examine yourself and your passengers for injuries.

The first thing you should do is examine yourself and others in your vehicle for any injuries. If there are any injuries whatsoever, make sure to call an ambulance immediately. Allow the emergency medical technicians (EMTs) to examine you for injuries you may not be able to see, and if they advise you to go to the hospital, follow their recommendation even if you do not feel pain at the time. Oftentimes the impact from a car accident can cause underlying health issues to arise, and a doctor will be able to detect those underlying issues and provide a medical report with your diagnosis. By refusing to go to the hospital, you are showing a future court that you were not in fact injured by the car accident and thus are not entitled to recovery for your injuries.

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