San Francisco Injury Lawyer Blog

Wet Weather Driving Tips as Bay Area Sees Rainy Start to 2016

February 5, 2016 | Gregory J. Brod

When it comes to the weather in California, one word has dominated the headlines in recent years: drought. However, this year is off to a much rainier start than years past. While we could certainly use the rain, it is important to remember the fundamentals of rainy day driving. Rain and water can make travel more complex and more hazardous, but our San Francisco car accident law firm believes drivers must take responsibility and exercise appropriate caution in wet conditions.

January Sees Huge Rainfall Totals in Northern California

According to SFGate, El Nino delivered on its promise of a wet start to 2016. Forecasters say that the weather phenomenon typically brings in warm Pacific Ocean waters that can add moisture to the region’s air mass. In San Francisco, where a typical January sees 4.5 inches of rain, January 2016 brought a whopping 6.94 inches, the highest total since 2008 and more than the past five Januaries combined (a statistic “helped” by the fact that January 2015 saw no rain at all)! Other impressive totals include 12.06 inches in Eureka (186% of average) and 12.68 in Redding (213% of average). While most of California is still dealing with drought conditions, forecasters say this may ease if the season brings in 150% of the average rainfall. One section along the North Coast has already been removed from the official drought tally.

Nontraffic Collisions and Children: Northern California Child Injury Lawyer on Car Accidents in Driveways, Lots, and Similar Locations

February 3, 2016 | Gregory J. Brod

Tragedies involving children are particularly difficult to comprehend and the mere thought of a car accident killing or injuring a child is enough to send a shiver down any parent’s spine. While statistics show that children are safer than ever on the road, a surprising number of car accidents involving children occur in driveways and other private spaces. So-called nontraffic crashes involving children are terrible to contemplate, but discussing them is crucial to preventing future tragedies and obtaining justice for the victims of these incidents. Our Oakland child injury lawyer is dedicated to both fights.

Toddler Killed as Car Pulls onto Road in Richmond

This week, the Oakland Tribune provided additional details about an accident on January 28 that led to the death of a young girl. It was around 2:25 PM in Richmond when a man was getting ready to leave his home on the 300 block of Beck Street near South 35 Street. As he pulled away in his truck, he tragically hit and killed a two-year-old girl. Police suspect the toddler was chasing after her father to say goodbye when she was hit and say they do not believe he saw the child before hitting her.

Falling Trees and California Premises Liability Law

February 2, 2016 | Gregory J. Brod

There are countless poems and other verses about the beauty of trees. They can provide shelter, give fruit, and offer shade. Part of their beauty is in their powerful size, stretching to the sky and often much wider than an adult’s arm span. This is also what makes them potentially dangerous, potentially deadly. In some cases, property owners are responsible when a tree falls and injures or kills someone else. Do not assume you are without recourse if you or a loved one are the victim of a tree fall injury; read on for some general information and call our Northern California tree fall injury law firm in San Francisco, Santa Rosa, or Oakland to learn more.

Tree Fall Kills Driver in SoCal

According to the San Francisco Chronicle and the Associated Press, a motorist in Pacific Beach died Sunday when powerful winds knocked a tree onto a residential roadway. Fire Captain Joe Amador told reporters the tree measured eight feet in diameter and also crushed three unoccupied, parked vehicles. The storm’s strong winds knocked down dozens of trees throughout Southern California, even ripping up rooftops before continuing its journey up the coast.

Hoverboard Fires and California Product Liability Law

January 29, 2016 | Gregory J. Brod

A problem we reported on in mid-December continues to endanger people, including children, in Northern California and nationwide – hoverboard fires. Hoverboards certainly turns heads the first few time you encounter them (even if it isn’t quite what those of us old enough to have watched the Back to the Future trilogy think of when we first hear the name!) and they can take time to master. A few bruises from tumbling off while mastering the ride are one thing, severe burns from an explosion are quite another and our team is here to serve as a law firm for hoverboard fire injuries in San Francisco, Santa Rosa, and Oakland.

Petaluma Fire Adds to List of Alleged Hoverboard Explosions

According to CBS SF, a hoverboard is being blamed for a home fire in Petaluma on Monday night. The hoverboard was allegedly charging and plugged into a wall outlet when it exploded, catching fire and sending burning debris throughout the home. Thankfully no one was injured, but officials estimate the damage to the home at around $10,000.

Santa Rosa Tenants’ Attorney on Renters’ Rights in Northern California

January 27, 2016 | Gregory J. Brod

There are few things we take for granted a much as clean air and a safe place to sleep. Sadly, our Santa Rosa tenants’ lawyer knows that many Californians do not have this luxury. As a pending lawsuit alleges, many of our neighbors are stuck in unsafe living conditions, problems exacerbated when landlords turn a blind eye to the suffering.

Paper Examines Santa Rosa Tenants’ Dispute Alleging Unhealthy Living Conditions

The Press Democrat’s Sunday Edition included an in-depth look at the health problems plaguing residents in a northeast Santa Rosa apartment complex and the related battle pending in state court. According to the report, the apartment was infested with dangerous mold that, along with other triggers, caused serious asthma flares for one young resident. Numerous other tenants reported moderate to severe health issues they believe are linked to the living conditions at the complex.

San Francisco Injury Lawyer Looks at Drowsy Driving as CHP Investigates Deadly Bus Crash

January 26, 2016 | Gregory J. Brod

Last Tuesday, we published a blog entry about bus accidents. In a tragic turn, between the time we wrote the post and the time it went live on our website, another terrible bus accident occurred in the Bay Area. We regularly look at major news stories and this accident raises several important issues, including the serious danger of overtired drivers. Bus drivers hold many lives in their hands, both the lives of their passengers and the non-passengers who may be impacted in an accident with such a large vehicle. It is, as we note below, too early to know for sure what caused last week’s deadly bus accident, but out San Francisco bus crash lawyer knows that the potential dangers of bus driver fatigue are too great to ignore.

Investigation Continues into San Jose Bus Crash, Officials Rule Out Mechanical Failure

It was early on a rainy Tuesday morning in San Jose when, as ABC7/KGO reported later that day, a Greyhound bus travelling on Highway 101 began to turn onto Highway 85 and suddenly slid into several impact barriers before landing on its side. Two passengers died after being ejected through the bus’s front window. One other passenger suffered serious injuries and nine others, including the driver, were taken to the hospital for minor injuries. The bus, which left Los Angeles around 11:30 P.M. Monday, had been due to arrive in Oakland by 8:10 A.M.

A Look at Foodborne Illnesses as a Major Store Issues a Recall

January 22, 2016 | Gregory J. Brod

If you’ve suffered from food poisoning, chances are the misery is cemented in your brain. You may recall stomach cramps, vomiting, diarrhea, and other unpleasant symptoms. Food poisoning can, however, be even more serious. Food poisoning can put people in the hospital, cause long-term damage, and even lead to death, especially in vulnerable populations. This is why we practice food safety law and why our food safety law firm in San Francisco, Santa Rosa, and Oakland talks about food poisoning prevention and, when needed, food poisoning lawsuits. As we hear about one of the first large recalls of 2016, we take this opportunity to provide the following Food Poisoning FAQ and safety tips.

Trader Joes Recalls Cashews

As the San Francisco Chronicle reports, the popular grocery chain Trader Joe’s is warning the public that certain cashews bags of “Raw Cashew Pieces” (barcode 00505154) may be contaminated with salmonella. Specifically, the store’s supplier alerted them to potential contamination in bags labeled “BEST BEFORE 07.17.2016TF4.” Although the initial alert suggests the bags were not sold in California, they were sold in neighboring states and it is still wise to check the packaging. Thus far, no illnesses have been linked to the nuts, but a press release from Trader Joe’s says the nuts have been removed from shelves and asks anyone who has bags from that specific lot to either throw them out or return them to the store for a full refund.

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 Injury Lawyer on Tour Bus Accidents in California

January 19, 2016 | Gregory J. Brod

City dwellers often have a love/hate relationship with tour buses. Tour vehicles block traffic when they stop to load/unload passengers or halt for a “quick” photo op and large, double-decker buses can impede sightlines. On bustour the other hand, the tourism industry is a major source of revenue for our state and our region (per a Dean Runyan Associates study, total direct travel spending statewide in 2014 was $117.5 billion, including $29,987 million in the Bay Area and $1,760 million in Sonoma County) and a major source of jobs (per the same survey, tourism accounted for 1,0270,000 jobs statewide in 2014). Sadly, however, tour buses have been in the news recently for a reason that trumps all other pros and cons – safety. Tour bus accidents are a growing concern and our San Francisco tour bus accident lawyer represents both locals and visitors who are injured or lose loved ones in these tragic collisions.

Tour Bus Fatally Strikes San Francisco Pedestrian

At approximately 1 P.M. on Saturday, a tour bus hit and killed a pedestrian at the intersection of Post and Divisadero Streets. According to The San Francisco Chronicle, police are still investigating, but early indicators suggest the pedestrian was crossing against a red light when the bus turned right and hit the man. One witness, a former police officer, said the man was waving and shouting at the driver just prior to impact, but the driver appeared to be distracted by another motorist running a red light. In the witness’s words, “I have no idea why (the driver) didn’t see him — unless he was looking somewhere else — but he must have passed right in front of him. He wasn’t driving fast, but he just kept going.”

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.