Car and Auto Accidents

Wrong-Way Drivers and Alcohol

October 21, 2015 | Gregory J. Brod

It’s a scenario we can imagine all too well – you are driving and, almost out of nowhere, you find yourself staring into a set of headlights. Just the thought of coming (quite literally) face-to-face with a wrong-way driver is enough to send a shiver of fright down your spine. Perhaps not surprisingly, a large percentage of wrong-way drivers are also alcohol-impaired drivers. The combination can cause serious injuries or even death to innocent travelers. Our Santa Rosa wrong-way driver lawyer advocates for both the injured and the grieving, helping victims recover the compensation they need and deserve.

Alcohol-Impaired Wrong-Way Driver Had Two Prior DUIs

Last week, a judge sentenced a Cloverdale man to five years in prison for a wrong-way drunk driving crash. According to a news release from the District Attorney’s Office, on April 21, 2015, a driver called 911 to report that he’d been forced off Highway 12 in Dunbar by a wrong-way driver. Before police could respond, the wrong-way driver crashed head-on into another vehicle causing someone in the other vehicle to suffer a broken foot. Police reportedly observed objective signs showing that the wrong-way driver was intoxicated and conducted a blood test that found he had a BAC of 0.13 (0.08 is the legal limit).

Oakland Dangerous Roads Lawyer on Liability for Car Accident Caused by Hazardous Roads

October 20, 2015 | Gregory J. Brod

Often, car accidents are the fault of one or more negligent drivers including drunk drivers, texting drivers, and drivers who are simply day-dreaming rather than focusing on the road. However, when accidents repeatedly occur at the same location, one has to ask if the location is the problem. Not every Bay Area car accident gives rise to a legal claim regarding dangerous roads in Oakland, San Francisco, and/or Santa Rosa, but sometimes dangerous designs, poor maintenance, or the failure to address another dangerous condition means a dangerous roads lawsuit is appropriate. Oakland dangerous roads lawyer Greg Brod partners with experts in road design and related topics to help drivers seek justice and to bring about positive change.

Second Accident in Four Days Leaves Three Hospitalized

The Oakland Tribune reports that three people were taken to area hospitals with non-critical injuries following a three vehicle accident in Byron on Sunday night. Authorities report that a motorcycle and two cars were involved in a wreck just before 7 P.M. on Vasco Road at Camino Diablo. California Highway Patrol is investigating the cause of the collision.

Car Accidents and Wheelchair Users: The Dangers Faced by Wheelchair Users on California Streets

October 6, 2015 | Gregory J. Brod

Wheelchair users, whether using an assistive device for a short period or long-term, can face numerous obstacles in daily living. Access has certainly improved in recent decades, but it remains a real problem even in a progressive state like California. Even more important, however, is the issue of safety. Car accidents involving wheelchairs are a real threat and we must hold drivers responsible for endangering wheelchair users just as we would drivers who endanger pedestrians on foot. As a San Francisco wheelchair users’ law firm, we understand how much these cases mean for the individual involved, for the greater community of individuals with disabilities, and for everyone who recognizes that all of us are unique and we all deserve to be able to travel safely regardless of our physical characteristics.

Wheelchair User Critically Injured in Hit-and-Run

On Saturday, according to the San Francisco Chronicle, a traffic accident critically injured a 72-year-old man who was using a wheelchair at the time of the crash. Witnesses called police to the intersection of Alhambra Avenue and Virginia Hills Drive in Martinez around 4:15 PM Saturday reporting that a driver had hit a pedestrian and then fled the scene. Upon arrival, officers found the victim lying in the roadway. The injured man was taken to a Walnut Creek hospital and reportedly in critical but stable condition as of Saturday night. Police located the woman they believe was the driver a short distance from the scene and placed her under arrest.

San Francisco/Oakland Injury Lawyer on Pedal Confusion Accidents

September 25, 2015 | Gregory J. Brod

pedals Often the most important parts of any task are also the most basic. Drivers learn the difference between the brake and the accelerator before they even put the car in drive. While this is a fundamental matter for any driver, pedal confusion accidents happen with alarming frequency. Avoiding pedal errors is critical. When accidents do happen, our San Francisco pedal confusion injury lawyer is ready to help the injured. It is important to remember that no matter how sympathetic the defendant may be, and those involved in accidents are often good people who made one unintended mistake, those injured because of another’s actions deserve compensation.

One Dead, Five Injured Following Livermore Pedal Confusion Accident

A frightening scene unfurled at a Livermore gym early Tuesday. The San Francisco Chronicle reports that around 6:30 A.M. an 80-year-old driver confused the accelerator and brake pedals sending her car crashing into the lobby of LifeStyleRx health club at 1119 E. Stanley Boulevard. Livermore police told reporters that the female driver “experienced pedal confusion” while parking her Mercedes SUV. The crash led to the death of 49-year-old Katheryn Baker, the chief financial officer of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, a government-owned technology company in the national security arena. Five others were injured and taken to hospitals. Police do not believe alcohol or drugs were factors in the accident.

Santa Rosa Injury Lawyer Examines Rollover Accidents

September 9, 2015 | Gregory J. Brod

All car crashes are frightening, but rollovers are particularly terrifying. Rollovers are particularly violent and particularly deadly. They leave occupants feeling particularly helpless, a feeling that often persists long after the event itself. When a rollover crash is caused by someone’s negligent or wrongful actions and it results in death or injury of another, our Santa Rosa rollover crash attorney is prepared to file a wrongful death or personal injury claim on behalf of the injured and/or surviving relatives. These claims seek to hold the at-fault party accountable and provide much needed compensation to those impacted by the terrifying event.

Rollover Accident Claims Life in Lake County

The Press Democrat reports that a 35 year-old woman died in a Lake County rollover crash on Sunday. CHP investigators say the woman was a passenger in a 1996 Honda Accord that was travelling south on Highway 39 near the Hill Road undercrossing when the vehicle started to drift towards the dirt median. Apparently, the driver overcorrected and lost control of the vehicle which proceeded to skid across the southbound lanes before hitting a curb and dirt embankment. The force of the impact caused the Accord to roll and slide off the road, landing on its roof on the adjoining frontage road.

Vision Zero San Francisco: Making Progress on Plan to End Traffic Fatalities

September 8, 2015 | Gregory J. Brod

As your San Francisco personal injury law firm, we fight for compensation for the injured and we know our client’s need money to move forward after tragedy. To put it bluntly, money helps. Still, we understand that no amount of money can take away the pain of an injury or the grief of a loved one’s death. This is why we believe in prevention first. While many entries on this blog include cautionary tales and evidence-backed advice that we hope will further support our commitment to safety, this post will focus on hope and the ambitious prevention goals embodied in the Vision Zero SF plan.

What Is Vision Zero SF?

Vision Zero SF is a road safety policy and a commitment to protect our city’s residents and visitors by making the streets safe and livable. According to the program’s website, 30 people die and more than 200 are seriously injured each year as they travel the city’s streets. The Vison Zero program, which originated in Sweden and is spreading to U.S. cities, is based on the belief that these numbers are unacceptable and these accidents preventable. San Francisco adopted the policy in 2014. The collaborative effort involves policy changes and cultural shifts with the lofty but firm goal of eliminating all traffic deaths by 2024. The initial Two-Year Action Plan calls for completing at least 24 traffic safety improvements in the first 24 months

California Supreme Court Paves Way for Dangerous Condition of Public Property Claim

September 1, 2015 | Gregory J. Brod

Many people assume that personal injury law is a rather static field; after all, while the mode of injuries may change, injuries themselves are far from a new concept. Nonetheless, injury law does indeed evolve. As your San Francisco personal injury law firm, we work to stay informed about new legislation and updated interpretations of existing law. Earlier this summer, the Supreme Court of California handed down a decision clarifying when a government entity can be held liable for injuries stemming from a dangerous condition of public property. The ruling is important in itself and as a signal of California’s continued commitment to protecting her people.

Background: The Case & Rulings Below

According to the court (decision available online), a woman was driving in Los Angeles when another driver veered into her vehicle. The woman’s car spun out and crashed into a magnolia tree, one of several planted in the median about seven feet away from the inside lane. The woman and three passengers, including two of her siblings (identified by the Metropolitan News-Enterprise as between 15 and 19 years old), were killed while a fourth passenger was badly injured. Police arrested the other driver and he was later convicted of four counts of vehicular manslaughter without malice.

Sharing the Road: Even the Safest Pedestrians and Motorcyclists Rely on Responsible Drivers

August 28, 2015 | Gregory J. Brod

Cars are powerful machines, a fact that is easy to forget as we go about our day-to-day lives. Occasionally, however, we are given a sharp reminder. In some cases, this comes in the form of a close call; a driver glances down momentarily, perhaps returning a beverage to the cup holder, and looks up to with just enough time to brake before hitting someone crossing the road. Such moments make us think about what could have happened and remember how much responsibility we have behind the wheel. Unfortunately, sometimes the reminder takes a harsher form and someone is hurt or even killed. These moments remind us of the sheer power of the automobile, the importance of attentive driving, and the vulnerability of other travelers, especially those not protected by an automobile themselves. As the following story of two crashes illustrates, pedestrian injuries and motorcyclist injuries are far too real and, in the opinion of our San Francisco injury law firm, far too common.

Pedestrian and Motorcycle Rider Hit in Two Crashes

A motorcycle officer and a pedestrian were injured in a pair of accidents on Tuesday. The San Francisco Chronicle reports that a police officer aboard a motorcycle was struck by a car around 7:30 A.M. at the intersection of Leavenworth Street and Golden Gate Avenue. A police spokesman told reporters the officer was in the far-left lane when a Volvo travelling in the same direction changed lanes, hitting the officer and sending him crashing into a nearby parked car. The officer was injured but is expected to recover. The driver is cooperating with investigators.

Bay Area Injury Attorney Examines Passenger Safety in Car Accidents

August 19, 2015 | Gregory J. Brod

A crash in El Sobrante this week raises important questions about passenger safety in car accidents. Specifically, are passengers at greater risk for serious injury and/or death than drivers? Research and our experience as an Oakland car accident wrongful death law firm suggests the answer is “Yes.” New studies on passenger safety also reveal surprising information on where in a vehicle an adult passenger is safest.

El Sobrante Crash Kills Three, Injures One

NBC’s Bay Area affiliate reports that CHP officials were called to the scene of a crash in El Sobrante, near the 6000 block of San Pablo Dam Road, at around 10 P.M. on Sunday. According to CHP, a red Camaro crossed into the opposing lane and sideswiped a silver Honda Civic. The driver of the Civic was able to stop the car on the shoulder and did not suffer major injuries. However, the Camaro crashed into a tree and exploded killing three passengers. The Camaro’s driver escaped before the blast, but was taken to John Muir Medical Center with serious injuries. CHP officials believe alcohol and speed may have both been factors in the accident.

Even “Safe” Teen Drivers Are Using Cellphones On the Road

August 17, 2015 | Gregory J. Brod

A new study gives parents, and the public, another reason to be wary of distracted teen drivers. In a study of about fifteen-hundred teen drivers, almost half admitted to using their cellphones while driving. Startlingly, the subset of teens who considered themselves safe drivers, fared no better.

It’s the Parent’s Fault?

A whopping 88% of the “safe” teen drivers admitted to using their cell phones on the road. When asked to explain why they would take such risks, the teens expressed confidence in their ability to send a quick text message or glance at the latest social media post without causing much harm. But if you or someone you love has been injured in an accident caused by a distracted driver, then you know just how much harm a momentary glance can cause.