San Francisco Injury Lawyer Blog

Aging on the Roads: The Risks Associated with Older Drivers

January 13, 2016 | Gregory J. Brod

Reportedly, Maurice Chevalier is responsible for one of the most-cited quips about aging: “Old age isn’t so bad when you consider the alternative.” There is immense value in age and our oldest community members have much to offer and much to teach. However, there are also a number of concerns raised as growing numbers join the 65+ set. Our Santa Rosa injury lawyer understands that concerns over the safety of older drivers will become increasingly important in the coming years, but that doesn’t alter the fact that this is a difficult and sensitive topic for all involved.

Sunday Morning Crash Seriously Injures Elderly Santa Rosa Driver

On Sunday morning, a crash in Rincon Valley left an 85-year-old driver seriously injured according to a report in the Press Democrat. Police believe the elderly Santa Rosa woman was at a stop sign on Benicia Drive when she turned her Prius left onto Montecito Boulevard and into the path of an oncoming pickup truck. Police believe the truck driver had the right-of-way. They do not believe that alcohol or speed factored into the collision.

Drone Accidents and Drone Injuries Likely to Rise in 2016

January 12, 2016 | Gregory J. Brod

Armed with recent holiday acquisitions, increasing numbers of amateur enthusiasts are excited to explore the California skies. Today, we return to an issue we looked at in early December: drone accidents involving commercial, recreational, and other non-military operations. First, we look at a recent news report on the growing trend of drone safety classes and the ever-evolving network of drone laws and regulations, including rules that have taken effect since our first drone injury report. We also look at just a few of the drone accidents reported in recent months, accidents that are probably just the tip of the iceberg as drone shift from weapons of war to everyday tools and common toys. Our Northern California drone accident lawyer is committed to staying informed about the issues and laws so that we can help people injured by drones in Oakland, San Francisco, Santa Rosa, and elsewhere in our region.

Classes and Regulations Seek to Prevent Drone Accidents

Over the weekend, The Oakland Tribune reported on the new wave of classes available for people interested in flying drones (also called “unmanned aircraft systems” or “UAS”). Recently, 30 enthusiasts of all ages gathered at Concord’s Buchanan Field to learn about UAS safety from a retired flight instructor with more than 80 hours of drone experience. Although the class focused on property damage, we don’t doubt that the instruction can help students avoid injury-causing accidents as well.

Northern California Dog Bite Lawyer Looks at the Facts and the Law on Dog Attacks

January 8, 2016 | Gregory J. Brod

People with pets understand that dogs are family. A dog can be a longtime companion and confidant, a true ally who is always on your side. Sadly, however, sometimes we are reminded that dogs are indeed animals. As a San Francisco/Oakland dog bite lawyer, Attorney Brod helps people who are injured or who lose a loved one after a mauling or other form of animal attack. Dog bites are an emotionally charged topic for any animal lover, but ultimately we believe that people must be held responsible for the acts of their animals. California dog bite law agrees.

Dogs Fatally Attack 9-Year-Old Boy

NBC Bay Area recently reported on the tragic death of a 9-year-old boy who was mauled to death by three pit bulls on Sunday. Yuba County Sherriff’s Department officials told reporters that the child’s 24-year-old guardian left the boy alone in the Linda, California mobile home with her three pit bulls when she went to work. The woman returned three hours later to find the child had been mauled by the animals. The boy was taken to a hospital where doctors pronounced him dead. Animal Care Services denies having any history with the animals, but took possession of them in the wake of the attack.

Rail Crossing Accidents: Statistics and Safety Tips from Your Muni Accident Lawyer

January 6, 2016 | Gregory J. Brod

railcrossing At The Brod Law Firm, we support efforts to make a variety of transportation options available to our Northern California community. Commuter trains and light-rail vehicles are critical to life at work and life at play for thousands of Californians. Transit systems not only need to be available to make our region run effectively and efficiently, they need to be safe. It is inevitable that tracks will meet roads and these crossings are among the most dangerous areas for mass transit systems. As a San Francisco light-rail accident lawyer, Attorney Brod helps people injured in crashes between trains and automobiles. Our team investigates, determines fault, and seeks compensation on behalf of those injured in railroad crossing accidents. Whether the accident was caused by a careless driver, a negligent train operator, the profit-driven San Francisco Municipal Railway (“Muni”) organization, or another entity/individual, we can help.

Light-Rail Crossing Crash Injures Five

A crash between a light-rail vehicle and a truck left five people injured and snarled traffic as many people returned to their normal work lives on Monday morning. According to CBS SF, the crash occurred in the Bayview District near the intersection of Third Street and Egbert Avenue around 9:15 AM. A Muni spokesman told CBS that the collision occurred when a truck made a left turn and crossed in front of the train. Four passengers and the Muni operator were treated for knee and/or neck injuries, none of which were deemed life-threatening. Light-rail lines were temporarily stopped at Third Street and Armstrong Avenue and bus shuttles were used to take riders around the scene of the crash while it was cleared.

The Great Divide: Understanding Criminal and Civil Law in California Drunk Driving Cases

January 5, 2016 | Gregory J. Brod

We want 2016 to be a healthy and safe year for all of our readers and all of our neighbors here in Northern California. We also want to remind people that our personal injury law firm in San Francisco, Oakland, and Santa Rosa is here to help if you or a loved one is injured in 2016 due to someone else’s negligence, carelessness, or wrongful acts. In this spirit, this blog post looks at a recent drunk driving accident and reviews the difference between criminal and civil drunk driving cases in California.

Charges Filed Against Suspected Drunk Driver Following Hit-and-Run Crashes

According to CBS SF, police have arrested a 22-year-old man and charged him with suspected felony drunk duikeys driving and hit-and-run causing injury after a series of crashes in Petaluma. The series of incidents started around 12:30 AM Saturday when a pickup truck hit a parked vehicle on Mary Street near Petaluma Boulevard North. A woman who had been placing items in the parked vehicle’s rear seat was knocked over by the impact and suffered minor injuries. Reportedly, the driver fled the scene and then stopped at a nearby parking lot to examine his own vehicle. As he attempted to leave again, he backed into the store building damaging the establishment’s door and window before hitting a crosswalk sign on his way out of the lot. Officers later caught up with the man they believe was the driver and a test allegedly put his BAC at 0.13.

Fighting Financial Fraud in 2016: Northern California Lawyer Warns of Financial Scams Targeting Seniors

January 1, 2016 | Gregory J. Brod

As a new year dawns, it occurs to us that our work is a mix of retrospective moments and prospective planning, focusing on difficult moments with the hopes of helping our clients move forward. We are proud of this work, but enjoy using this blog to help prevent these terrible moments. In this spirit, we turn today to the problem of financial scams targeting seniors. Elder abuse, one of our firm’s specialty practice areas, includes physical, emotional, and financial harm. Although people of any age can be impacted, seniors are disproportionately targeted with financial fraud targeting seniors on the rise. Today, our San Francisco, Oakland, and Santa Rosa financial abuse lawyer looks at some common scams from 2015 with the hopes of helping readers guard their money in 2016.

The Top Ten Scams of 2016 (Plus Two)

The Santa Rosa Press Democrat recently ran an informative article that elaborates on the Better Business Bureau’s (“BBB”) list of the Top Ten Scams of 2015, a list we’d subtitle “That You Should Watch Out for in 2015”:

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.

Keeping Children Safe: A Growing Call for Seatbelts on All School Buses

December 29, 2015 | Gregory J. Brod

It is an iconic symbol of childhood and education – a big yellow school bus. School buses help us keep the promise of a free and appropriate education for all children by ensuring children have a safe way to get to school. As adults, one of our most important duties is ensuring the well-being of the next generation and school bus safety is an important part of this obligation. Our San Francisco child injury lawyer fights for injured children and grieving families after school bus accidents, helping them recover needed compensation and helping make the roads safer for all

NHTSA Administrator on School Bus Safety Generally

schoolbus In November, the Administrator for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (“NHTSA”) Mark Rosekind, PhD spoke about school bus safety with the National Association for Pupil Transportation. He opened by emphasizing that “[s]chool buses are by far the safest way for children to get to and from school.” Statistics show more children die each year on the way to/from the bus than while onboard and more than 450 die each year in personal vehicles while commuting to and from school.

To a Happy (and Safe!) Holiday Season: A Reminder About the Danger of Holiday Drunk Driving

December 25, 2015 | Gregory J. Brod

We gave serious thought to what to put in this blog post, scheduled to go live on Christmas morning. We already talked about some holiday home dangers earlier this week. Some suggested trying to find a happy topic for today’s post. What it came down is this: Nothing makes for a happier holiday than having those you love gathered round, safe and sound. So, our San Francisco personal injury law firm turns instead to a story about at least one family that won’t be whole this Christmas, a sad story we hope serves as a reminder of the danger of holiday drunk driving. Drunk driving crashes are preventable and it is up to each of us to choose not to drink and drive and to implore others to do the same.

Suspected Drunk Driver Hits Two Cars, Claims One Life

car in beer CBS’s San Francisco affiliate reports that police suspect alcohol was a factor in a multi-vehicle accident that claimed one life in San Jose. Police received reports of a two-car accident near Senter and Singleton roads, close to the Capitol Expressway, at approximately 10:45 PM on Monday. A police spokesman told CBS that a

Holiday Decorations: Keeping Your Loved Ones Safe This Holiday Season

December 23, 2015 | Gregory J. Brod

Loading the family into the car, perhaps armed with steaming travel mugs filled with hot cocoa, and looking at Christmas lights and other holiday decorations is a cherished part of many families’ holiday traditions. Whether you are looking to see what your neighbors have come up with (The Sacramento Bee lists some of the best home displays in the capitol region) or you prefer to tour some of our region’s grand estates (see The Press Democrat’s article for ideas), there are many options in the Northern California region. Still, the best decorations are quite often those you hang yourself and our San Francisco home injury lawyer wants to remind you of the importance of holiday decoration safety to ensure your holiday display is not only beautiful but also safe.

A Holiday Decoration Safety Tips pamphlet authored by the Consumer Product Safety Commission contains many tips for keeping your holiday decorations safe. These tips include:

Tree Safety