Landlord-Tenant

Garage Fires: Common and Dangerous

January 20, 2016 | Gregory J. Brod

For some, a garage is simply a place to park a car, perhaps a bit more climate-control and security than an open parking slot. For others, a garage is an extension of the home, a place for storage and engaging in hobbies from exercise to woodworking, scrapbooking to auto repair. No matter the use, garage safety is important. Garage fires are particularly dangerous and surprisingly common. Prevention is (as always) best, but when a garage fire occurs our Oakland fire injury law firm takes a close look at the facts in the context of the law to determine who is at fault and who may be owed compensation.

Fire Consumes Oakland Garage, Spreads to Home

The San Jose Mercury News reported on a weekend fire in Oakland that destroyed two cars and left two people displaced. The fire started in the garage of the Marr Avenue home and two residents were able to escape the home before firefighters arrived. Before the Oakland and Piedmont firefighters gained control, the blaze consumed the entire garage and spread to the house and attic. Thankfully, no one was injured, but fire officials estimate the damage will exceed $150,000 and say the home will need work before it is habitable. Officials say the cause remains under investigation, but it appears accidental and may have involved a malfunction involving the natural gas system.

San Francisco Bedbug Lawyer on the Problem of Hotel Bedbug Infestations

January 15, 2016 | Gregory J. Brod

Sometimes the smallest foes are the toughest to battle. Bedbugs are a great example of this truth. Bedbugs can cause painful itching that can feel like torture to individuals sensitive to their bites. Bedbugs are mobile, hitching a ride from one place to another and quickly making themselves at home in residences, offices, even libraries. They are tough to eradicate, typically requiring professional intervention, and repeat infestations can occur. Attorney Greg Brod, a San Francisco bed bug lawyer, helps bed bug victims when infestations are caused or exacerbated by a person’s/entity’s negligence. Today’s post focuses on bedbugs in hotels, a problem that can cause extreme discomfort and can lead to additional infestations in the victim’s home or place of business.

California Man Says Hotel Bedbugs Turned Dream Vacation into a Nightmare

One California couple says they learned the hard way about bedbugs in hotel rooms. SFGate.com reported on the incident and shared a video that may make viewers’ skin crawl. In the clip, the Long Beach man flips over a mattress to reveal numerous small, scurrying bugs. The man told the press that he and his girlfriend had been splurging on a $400-per-night room in New York’s Central Park to celebrate New Year’s Eve and a milestone birthday when they encountered the pests. The video also shows the girlfriend’s body, covered in a rash and more than 75 bites allegedly incurred during the stay including marks on her arms, stomach, fingers, and toes.

Oakland Apartment Fire Lawyer Looks at Residential Fire Statistics Following Deadly Blaze

December 30, 2015 | Gregory J. Brod

Fires have been in the news a lot in recent years. While wildfires are tragic, causing substantial property damage and endangering lives, they are not the only type of blaze that impacts Californians. Home structure fires are a very real danger that, as revealed in the discussion below, claims nearly 2,500 civilian lives a year (and we cannot ignore the deaths of brave first responders who make the ultimate sacrifice). As an Oakland apartment fire lawyer, Attorney Greg Brod helps the injured and grieving recover monetary compensation from those responsible for apartment fires whether it is the manufacturer of a faulty device or a landlord who does not provide appropriate fire safety equipment.

Oakland Fire Claims Two Lives

On Monday morning, the danger of home fires became all too real for people residing in the 6200 block of Eastlawn Street in Oakland. CBS reports that firefighters arrived around 1:15 AM, but the fire quickly grew to two alarms and it took crews an hour to finally extinguish the flames. Sadly, a man and woman perished in the blaze. The fire rendered two apartment units uninhabitable and CBS reports that there had been previous fires at the same building. The fire remains under investigation.

Bay Area Tenants’ Attorney on Renter Protections in Era of Rising Rents Throughout Northern California

November 10, 2015 | Gregory J. Brod

High rents in San Francisco have been the topic of national news for some time now. However, the problem does not magically end at the Bay Bridge. The cost of renting in the Bay Area is rising, including in Alameda where disputes over rent hikes led to violent protests late last week. While we respect the right of people to protest peacefully, we are never in favor of violence and believe that disputes between landlords and tenants can and should be resolved in a peaceful manner. As an San Francisco/Oakland tenants’ law firm, we use the law to fight for renters in Alameda, Oakland, San Francisco, Santa Rosa, and throughout Northern California.

Protests in Alameda During Meeting on Rising Rents

On Thursday, according to the Oakland Tribune, crowds descended on Alameda’s City Hall, spilling out of Council Chambers into the hallway and lobby. For a period, the meeting was put on hold because of the loud, chanting crowds. Some protesters suggested that only landlords were being heard before the Council because they’d arrived early to claim all the seats in the chambers. Two protesters were arrested, including one who seriously injured a municipal employee.

Bed Bugs in Northern California Rental Properties

November 6, 2015 | Gregory J. Brod

Bed bugs continue to plague people across the nation and here in Northern California. While their bites can cause substantial suffering, ultimately it is hard to blame the bugs themselves; they are just doing what nature tells them to do. However, far too frequently, people exacerbate the problem and cause, worsen, or prolong infestations through their actions or, often, their inaction. Attorney Greg Brod, a Northern California bed bug lawyer based in San Francisco, fights for people who have suffered with the pests because of someone else’s negligent or wrongful actions. As a recent story reminds us, far too often it is the most vulnerable who suffer the most. A bed bug lawsuit can ensure their stories are heard and their situation remedied.

Low-Income, Elderly Residents Report Bed Bug Infestation in Stockton

Late last month, The Record reported the story of a bed bug infestation at one of the most recognizable buildings in Stockton. The Hotel Stockton provides housing to low-income residents, including many seniors coping with disabling health problems. Revamped in 2004 and currently owned by a private partnership headquartered in Sacramento, the Hotel long-served as a key gathering place for residents of the North-Central California city and even held municipal offices for a time.

Negligence and Responsibility in Northern California Apartment Fires

October 14, 2015 | Gregory J. Brod

Wildfires have ravaged much of our region this year. Our hearts go out to everyone who has been impacted by these terrible blazes and our thanks go out to the brave men and women who risk their own safety to battle the fires. While wildfires have made headlines, other types of fires can also destroy property, cause serious injury, and even claim lives. Apartment fires pose some unique issues and the actions (or inaction) of landlords and property owners can increase fire risk. When a renter is injured or a life is lost due to an apartment fire caused by owner/landlord negligence, our Santa Rosa apartment fire lawyer is prepared to use the power of the law to fight for the injured renter or grieving family.

Fire Attacks Santa Rosa Apartment Complex

The Press Democrat reports that a destructive fire ravaged a west Santa Rosa apartment building on Sunday. At around 7:45 AM, the fire department began receiving reports of smoke at the 266-unit, two-story complex located near the intersection of Piner and Marlow Roads. Firefighters initially found light smoke, but no visible flames. The battalion chief told reporters that a fire was burning inside the walls and the attic space. He warned that this type of fire is particularly dangerous because they often go undiscovered until smoke begins to billow out into the homes.

Bed Bugs – A Continuing Plague Impacting Northern California

September 30, 2015 | Gregory J. Brod

Just the name can make your skin crawl, but clients tell us the reality is far worse than they ever could have imagined. Bed bugs fall in and out of the headlines, but they remain a very real problem impacting Californians. The pests do not discriminate, attacking people of all ages, races, classes, and creeds. In fact, as a recent news report illustrates, they aren’t even confined to beds! As a bed bug law firm in San Francisco, Oakland, and Santa Rosa, The Brod Law Firm helps people who are afflicted with these pests because of someone else’s neglect, such as a tenant coping with repeated infestations because a landlord fails to act responsibly, ignoring the problem entirely or taking ineffective, limited action rather than the swift intervention needed to eradicate the bugs for good.

Bed Bugs Cause Temporary Closure of Palo Alto Library

Last week, per NBC Bay Area, Palo Alto temporarily shuttered one of its public libraries because of a problem more often associated with housing than libraries – bed bugs. In addition to closing the Mitchell Park Library to treat the pests after they were spotted on two chairs, the city sent bed bug-sniffing dogs to other branches of the library system. As NBC noted, libraries are actually not unusual spot for bed bugs to hide. The pests hitch a ride on a borrowed book, moving from one home to the library and potentially the home of another patron. Increased travel, pesticide resistance, and the use of ineffective pest control practices have all been implicated in the recent spike in infestations. Contra Costa Health Services denied a rumor blaming the homeless for the library infestation, noting there is no link between cleanliness and the pests although clutter does allow an infestation to grow.

Cigarette Fires: Smoking Can Be Hazardous to All of Us

September 18, 2015 | Gregory J. Brod

We hear it even before we enter kindergarten: smoking is hazardous to your health. Typically, this refers to the risk of inhaling harmful chemicals, but other hazards exist. Cigarette fires are one of these dangers. They are particularly worrisome in light of the dangerous conditions that have made fires a constant concern for Californians and therefore a constant concern for our legal team. Our Santa Rosa burn injury attorney has the experience and knowledge necessary to advocate for people wrongfully injured in fires sparked by cigarettes. (Note: “Cigarette fires,” “smoking-material fires,” and similar phrases refer to fires caused by any form of smoking materials, but do not include fires sparked by lighting implements like matches or cigarette lighters.)

Tossed Cigarette Sparks Grass Fire

Last week, the Press Democrat reported on a fire that consumed a quarter-acre grass lot in Santa Rosa, a blaze investigators blame on a tossed cigarette. The fire occurred shortly before 7 P.M. on Tuesday September 8 near Santa Rosa Avenue and East Robles Avenue. Thankfully, firefighters quickly gained control, stopping flames just 50 feet from a business.

Renter Fights Back: Tenant Files Suit Following $6,700 Rent Hike

September 2, 2015 | Gregory J. Brod

There are countless reasons to love San Francisco including our vibrant cultural scene, amazing restaurants, and countless year-round outdoor activities courtesy of the temperate climate. In 2013, The Huffington Post looked at why San Francisco has some of the nation’s happiest and healthiest people in the nation, referencing a well-known Rudyard Kipling quote: “San Francisco has only one drawback – ’tis hard to leave.” Sadly, our San Francisco landlord-tenant attorney knows at least one other drawback: the high cost of renting an apartment. Few stories call attention to this problem as dramatically as the following look at a woman slapped with the highest rent increase we’ve ever encountered. The story calls attention to a loophole in the San Francisco rent control system but also reminds renters that they can, and should, fight back.

The Rent Hike Heard Round the Town

Last week, San Francisco Magazine highlighted the most recent chapter in a rent dispute that captured the attention of the city earlier this year. In March, a renter used social media to share a photo of a notice from her landlord hiking the rent on her Bernal Heights apartment from $2,145 to $8,900 and also increasing her security deposit from $1,500 to $12,500. That’s more than four times the rent and more than eight times the original security deposit, increases that are even more astounding given that the unit had been, to the tenant’s knowledge, covered by rent control! Unable to afford the rent, the tenant moved out in May. She reports struggled to find an affordable home and had managed to get by thus far by doing various house/dog/cat-sitting gigs. The article reports she will move into a sublet this month.

Water Heater Fires: A Threat on All Our Minds

August 21, 2015 | Gregory J. Brod

Wildfires continue to dominate the headlines in California and throughout our region. For some, fires are a hard-to-watch story on the news. For others, they are a very present danger, a threat to property and well-being. Some wildfires are sparked by nature, but others are manmade. Our San Francisco fire injury lawyer represents people who are injured or suffer the loss of a relative because of a manmade fire. Attorney Brod and his team also use this blog to provide information that we hope helps prevent future tragedies. Today’s topic is fresh from the headlines — water heater fires.

Water Heater Blamed for Massive Fire

On Wednesday, officials with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (“Cal Fire”) identified a faulty water heater located in an outbuilding as a significant factor causing one of our region’s massive fires. According to the Napa Valley Register, Cal Fire representatives said the gas water heater sparked one of two fires that eventually became the Rocky Fire. Flammable liquids in the outbuilding caught fire and then the blaze spread to nearby vegetation. The Rocky Fire consumed almost 70,000 acres, caused the evacuation of 13,000 residents, and destroyed 43 homes before it was contained late last week. Officials are still looking into the circumstances surrounding the fire and working to identify the cause of the second fire that became part of the Rocky Fire.