San Francisco Injury Lawyer Blog

Cheerleading: From the Sidelines to Center Stage, From Supporting Athletes to Being Athletes

August 26, 2015 | Gregory J. Brod

For decades, cheerleaders were about just that – leading cheers. They played a secondary role, bringing energy to the sidelines, drumming up team spirit, and supporting the athletes on the field. Today, cheerleading also has a competitive side, requiring mastery of skills from the worlds of gymnastics and dance. As competitive cheerleading grows in popularity, debates rage about whether to recognize it as a sport in its own right. This movement is fueled by both the athleticism required for competitive cheerleading and concerns about serious cheerleading injuries. As a San Francisco sports injury law firm, we are devoted to protecting and advocating for all young athletes, including those fighting to move from the sidelines to center stage.

Bill to Label Cheerleading a Sport Moves to Governor’s Desk

On Monday, as detailed by NBC’s Bay Area affiliate, California’s state senate unanimously voted to require the California Interscholastic Federation to treat competitive cheerleading as a sport. Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez, the bill’s sponsor, says the need for safety-oriented regulations including training requirements for coaches is fueling a nationwide movement to formally recognize the sport. AB949 will now go to Governor Brown’s desk for his signature or veto. If passed, the bill would require the change be implemented by the 2017-2018 school year.

San Francisco Sports and Recreation Attorney Looks at Wave of Hang-Gliding Deaths in 2015

August 25, 2015 | Gregory J. Brod

Some activities are reserved for the thrill-seekers among us. These activities carry a certain level of danger, but the danger can be exponentially increased by the negligent acts of a company or individual. While hang-gliding intimidates most of us, fans call it an almost spiritual experience. Hang-gliding accidents are an understood risk, but it is unacceptable for this risk to be elevated by negligent or wrongful acts. Even in the riskiest of activities, victims are not without recourse. If a Northern California hang-gliding participant in hurt or killed because of someone else’s negligence, our San Francisco recreational injury law firm is here to help.

Sunday’s Hang-Gliding Fatality in San Francisco Part of a Tragic Trend

On Sunday afternoon, a hang-gliding accident in San Francisco claimed the life of a 69-year-old man. Fox40 reports that the accident occurred in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. The glider appears to have crashed into a cliff just 30 feet below the Fort Funston launch pad. An early statement from the National Park service suggests the crash may have been caused by a mechanical failure.

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.

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.

Using the False Claims Act to Fight Fraud

August 18, 2015 | Gregory J. Brod

Our team is proud to partner with whistleblowers to fight back against health care fraud and other forms of government contracts fraud. When a case involves fraud on the federal government, the False Claims Act is the primary tool that private citizens can use to pursue these claims. While we often talk about specific issues of fraud on this blog, it is also important to periodically take a step back and examine this important piece of legislation more generally. In this post, our False Claims Act lawyer does just that.

An Overview and the History of the False Claims Act

The False Claims Act (“FCA” or “the Act”) is a series of statutes, with two of the most important pieces found at 31 U.S.C. 3729, which defines a false claim, and 31 U.S.C. 3730, which creates a cause of action. Passed during the Civil War Era amid concerns about contractors defrauding the Union Army, the FCA was largely forgotten until the mid-1980s and has gone through several major revisions in the past few decades. Now, it stands as the primary tool for fighting a range of frauds from a manufacturer providing inferior goods pursuant to a military contract to a medical provider billing Medicare for services that were not medically necessary to any other form of government contract fraud.

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.

Cable Car Accidents: The Potential Danger on a San Francisco Icon

August 14, 2015 | Gregory J. Brod

The Golden Gate Bridge, the Painted Ladies, Alcatraz…and no list of the iconic images associated with San Francisco would be complete without the cable cars. They are one of our city’s most popular tourist attractions and have been considered special “moving” National Historic Landmark for more than 50 years (per The San Francisco Cable Car Website). Yet, many are unaware of the extent of the problem of cable car accidents. Having served the California legal system since 1996, Attorney Greg Brod is ready and able to help residents and visitors alike as a San Francisco cable car injury lawyer.

Cable Cars Among the Riskiest Forms of Mass Transit

This week, the San Francisco Chronicle published an article about the problem of cable car accidents and attempts by the city and the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (“Muni”) to address the danger. The article focused on two recent accidents, each of which left a conductor seriously injured. On April 6, a 53-year-old c cablecar2 onductor was assisting passengers disembarking from a cable car on the Powell-Mason line when a car struck him, running him over and dragging him 10 feet. His injuries included bleeding in the liver, broken ribs, and a broken arm. Two months later, according to pending charges, a drunk motorcyclist hit a 50-year-old conductor from behind when the cable car operator was getting off the same line. The conductor remains in critical condition.

Contaminated Water and the Threat of Waterborne Illness

August 12, 2015 | Gregory J. Brod

Water is an essential building block of life. In recent years, numerous public health campaigns have touted the importance of drinking water, especially as an alternative to sugary sodas and juice drinks. Environmentalists have urged Americans to drink tap water in reusable containers rather than wasting countless plastic bottles. The silent assumption in these messages is that our water is safe to drink. Unfortunately, that is not always true. Recently, we’ve noticed a number of headlines dealing with potentially contaminated water in California and across the nation. Our Northern California unsafe drinking water law firm is prepared to help when drinking water sickens people in our community.

Contaminated Water in Los Altos and Colorado

The threat of contaminated water became all too real for some Los Altos residents in recent weeks as noted in reports from the San Jose Mercury News and radio station KLIV. On Sunday, July 26, the California Water water Service (“Cal Water”) notified customers living in a four to five kilometer segment of the city that tests showed e. coli and total coliform bacteria in their water supply. For a few of the 853 customers affected, the related boil water order was only lifted this past Saturday (August 8) after Cal Water finished treating the water main.

California Bed Bug Class Action Lawyer on Bed Bugs in Section 8 Housing

August 11, 2015 | Gregory J. Brod

According to LA Weekly and State Assemblyman Nazarian (D, San Fernando Valley), eradicating bed bugs can cost anywhere from $400 to several thousand dollars. This is a heavy burden for anyone, but it can seem astronomical to lower-income renters. Our San Francisco bed bug lawyer stands ready to help renters afflicted with bed bugs in section 8 housing when landlords fail to live up to their legal duties. We are also prepared to file bed bug class actions on behalf of tenant groups in either Section 8 or traditional rental units.

Special Rules on Bed Bugs in Section 8 Housing

In April 2012, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (“HUD”) issued Notice H2012-05. Notice 2012-5 is intended to clarify the best practices for preventing and controlling infestations in HUD insured and assisted multifamily properties. HUD suggests that owners and management agents (“O/As”) develop and implement an Integrated Pest Management Plan (“IPM”) that focuses on prevention as a primary tool in the bed bug battle. Although it is presented as a suggestion rather than a requirement, the Notice recommends that O/As train staff on bed bug identification, take ongoing steps to prevent infestation, engage and educate resident on bed bug issues, and provide orientation materials to both staff and residents regarding bed bugs. Tenants are urged to cooperate by maintaining living environments that help prevent infestations including avoiding unreasonable clutter that can provide hiding spaces for insects.

A Discussion of Electrical Fires from Your Santa Rosa Fire Injury Law Firm

August 7, 2015 | Gregory J. Brod

Every day the news seems to get more and more frightening as wildfires consume so much of our lovely state. Our thoughts are with those who’ve been impacted by the fires and our thanks go out to all the men and women working to keep Californians safe and limit property damage. While wildfires are, with good reason, the top fire-related headline at the moment, it is important to remember that other types of fires are always a concern. As people in Guerneville and the surrounding areas were reminded this week, electrical fires are a real threat. When an electrical fire causes injuries or death and the blaze can be traced to the negligence or wrongdoing of a person or entity, our Santa Rosa fire injury lawyer is prepared to fight for those affected using civil personal injury and/or wrongful death law.

Blaze that Consumed Shop in Guerneville Blamed on Electrical Transformer

The Press Democrat reports that a fire destroyed much of the Odd Fellows Recreation Club’s store located on the 13500 block of Riverside Drive. The store is part of Odd Fellows Park, a private, limited-admission facility east of Guerneville encompassing 317 acres with campsites and a Russian River beach. Fire broke out around 9:30 P.M. on Tuesday night and by 11 P.M. flames had gutted much of the structure. Firefighters from at least seven fire agencies worked to extinguish the blaze which may have been ignited by a blown electrical transformer. The paper does not mention any injuries, although it does not specifically state no injuries occurred.