A bicyclist lost his life in a California bicycle accident recently when he was struck by a vehicle, which then left the scene. The bicyclist’s dog, however, stayed with his fallen owner until help arrived.
The accident occurred during the night on Coast Road, north of Wilder State Park. The bicyclist was riding along the road with his dog, a terrier, which was riding in the basket on the bicycle. During the Bay Area car crash, the man was thrown from his bicycle and landed on the side of the road. He was finally spotted the next morning by a passing motorist, who called 911. Unfortunately, rescue workers were unable to save the bicyclist’s life.
Throughout the accident, the man’s dog stayed with him at the scene. The dog was eventually taken to a local animal shelter to be checked for injuries. He was found to be unhurt, and shelter workers will try to find a family to adopt the dog if the family of the bicyclist cannot take him in.
Local law enforcement officers say the hit and run driver was likely driving a 1999 or 2000 sedan or a small SUV, green in color, which may now have a broken headlight due to the crash.
Bicycle accidents can cause serious injuries to both bicyclists and their pets. If you’ve been injured in a bicycle crash, call a knowledgeable Northern California wrongful death lawyer at Balamuth Law today. We can help you understand your legal rights and options and seek the compensation you need after a crash. For a free, confidential consultation, call us today at (888) 254-1234.
Citing a higher frequency of claims, a larger number of liens, and slow economic recovery, the California Workers’ Compensation Bureau recently requested that the state’s Insurance Commissioner allow the bureau to increase its rates at the end of June 2012. The requested rate increase would raise insurance rates to 4.1 percent.
Since workers’ compensation premiums are paid directly by the employer, workers’ salaries should not be affected by the increase. However, the two main reasons the Workers’ Compensation Bureau cites for the increase request – a higher number of claims and a lower rate of workplace growth – indicate that, overall, the number of California workers injured while on the job in recent months has increased.
The Workers’ Compensation Bureau did not speculate on the cause of the increase, but its request to the Insurance Commissioner also mentioned that the Bureau has had an unusually large number of serious injury cases recently, requiring more benefits to be paid to cover medical bills and lost wages. The more severe a worker’s injury is, the more medical care the worker is likely to need. Serious injuries also increase the amount of time away from work or may even disable a worker permanently, requiring workers’ compensation to pay more in order to ensure these workers get the full amount of benefits to which they are entitled.
If you’ve been injured while at work, you may be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits, as well as benefits from any third parties whose negligence caused your injuries. At Balamuth Law, a dedicated Walnut Creek workers’ compensation lawyer can help you get the benefits and compensation you need. For a free, confidential case evaluation, call us today at (888) 254-1234.
Distracted driving is a recognized problem on U.S. roads. Ninety-four percent of drivers on the road consider texting while driving a “serious threat” and 87 percent support some kind of law that restricts or bans the practice, according to The Detroit Free Press. However, over one-third of those surveyed also admitted to texting while driving within the past 30 days, and over two-thirds admitted that they used their cell phones to talk while driving.
Meanwhile, automakers, phone companies, and government officials disagree as to whether distracted driving merits the kind of attention it’s been getting – and, if it does, which is the best way to fix it. Some auto and phone companies have banded together to create integrated hands-free systems that allow a driver to make a call simply by speaking a command to the vehicle itself. Other officials and researchers say that this kind of technology doesn’t solve the problem of distracted driving and may even encourage it.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is attempting to solve problems on both fronts. The NHTSA has pushed for stronger bans on hand-held device use and less distracting in-vehicle systems, but it is also encouraging the use of technologies like braking assistance that would help drivers avoid crashes no matter what triggers the dangerous situation.
Distracted driving of any kind takes the driver’s attention from the road and increases the risk of a serious accident. If you’ve been hurt by a distracted driver, the experienced Oakland distracted driving accident attorneys at Balamuth Law can help. Call us today at (888) 254-1234 for a free consultation about your distracted driving injuries.
April is Alcohol Awareness Month, and nationwide, health agencies, educators, and others are banding together to help people understand the dangers of alcohol abuse and addiction. One of the major dangers of this condition is the increased risk of driving drunk. Not only can drunk driving harm or kill the person who gets behind the wheel after having one too many, but it can also cause serious or fatal injuries for those unlucky enough to be involved in a crash with the inebriated driver.
The National Health Information Center (NHIC) and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provide many tips for understanding and controlling one’s own alcohol intake. Even those who use alcohol responsibly, however, need to keep the risks of drinking and driving in mind. When enjoying drinks at a party or with friends, plan a sober way home before you have your first drink. Choose a designated driver or volunteer as one, or hire a cab, take the bus, or walk. It’s also a good idea to switch to non-alcoholic beverages about an hour before you plan to go home and have a snack along with them.
Driver negligence can take many forms, and drunk driving is only one of them. When a driver fails to take due care on the road, serious harm can result. If you’ve been injured by a drunk or distracted driver, a knowledgeable Northern California auto accident injury lawyer at Balamuth Law can help. Call us today at (888) 254-1234 for a free and confidential telephone consultation.
A motorcycle accident in San Francisco recently cost a San Bruno motorcyclist his life, according to The San Jose Mercury News.
The motorcyclist was riding his Suzuki motorcycle along Highway 101 near the ramps to South Van Ness Avenue, according to investigators. As he approached the interchange with Interstate 80, he seemed to lose control of his motorcycle. The bike veered to the right and crashed into the catwalk. Rescue workers were unable to save the life of the motorcyclist, who was thrown from his bike during the crash.
Investigators are still trying to determine what caused the motorcycle to veer into the catwalk and have not yet ruled out many common causes of loss of control, such as defective parts or botched repairs. The conditions of the roadway or bad placement of the catwalk may also have contributed to the fatal motorcycle crash.
According to the California Highway Patrol (CHP), about 680 motorcyclists lose their lives on California roads each year, a significant increase over the last decade. The CHP urges motorists to watch carefully for motorcyclists, and urges both new and experienced bikers to take safety training classes and other courses that will help them build their skills and prevent a crash from turning deadly.
At Balamuth Law, our experienced San Francisco wrongful death attorneys have helped many injured people and their families seek the compensation they need after a motorcycle accident causes serious injury or even death. If you or someone you love has been hurt in a motorcycle crash, call us today at (888) 254-1234 for a free and confidential consultation.
In the wake of several car-bicycle crashes that left bicyclists permanently injured or took their lives last year, the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition has increased its commitment to teaching people how to ride on the roads safely – and how to share the roads safely with bicyclists when driving a car.
After Portland and Seattle, San Francisco has the highest number of people who commute by bicycle of any city in the U.S., according to The Sacramento Bee. As of 2011, 75,000 trips in San Francisco each day were made by bicycle. All these bicyclists must face the particular challenges found in San Francisco, which include steep hills and drivers who sometimes express their frustration by honking, yelling, or making bad or hasty decisions that can cause an accident.
Although the city has added features for bicyclists and mounted a campaign to encourage motorists and bicyclists to share roads safely, the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition has noted that the results haven’t always kept pace with the growth of bicycling. Among other offerings, the Coalition offers a six-hour on-road bicycling class. Designed to follow a preliminary “ground class” that covers road rules, maintenance, and other issues, the on-road class teaches students how to bike safely, including when to use hand signals, how to anticipate the need to change gears on a hill, and more.
Bicycle accidents can cause serious injuries, especially when an unprotected bicyclist and a car collide. If you’ve been injured in a bicycle accident, call a knowledgeable San Francisco personal injury lawyer at Balamuth Law today at (888) 254-1234 for a free, confidential consultation.
A two-vehicle collision on I-580 near Lake Chabot Regional Park in Castro Valley sent two motorists to the hospital with injuries recently, according to an article from The Castro Valley Patch.
The accident was triggered by a Chrysler Sebring, driven by a 27-year-old woman. According to eyewitnesses, the vehicle crossed the dividing line between the right-hand and left-hand eastbound lanes, crashing into the side of a Jeep Cherokee in the other eastbound lane. Both vehicles kept going until they slid off the highway and into the concrete barrier separating the eastbound lanes from westbound traffic.
When rescue workers arrived at the scene, they found the 27-year-old unconscious, slumped over the wheel of her car. The other driver, a woman in her 50s, was conscious, but had suffered injuries to her head, face, and chest. Both drivers were taken to local hospitals for treatment of their injuries, but no updates on their medical conditions have been released.
Currently, investigators are uncertain what caused the Sebring to veer out of its lane and into the other vehicle. They have not ruled out the possibility that the Sebring’s driver suffered some kind of medical event that caused her to lose control of the vehicle, but they note that other possibilities, including vehicle malfunction or driver distraction, might also be involved.
Car accidents can be triggered by any number of things. When negligent driving, neglected maintenance, or negligently-performed repairs are involved, the results can be deadly. If you or someone you love has been injured in a car accident, don’t hesitate to call the experienced Northern California car accident attorneys at Balamuth Law for a free, confidential telephone consultation at (888) 254-1234.
About 1.5 million Americans currently live in nursing homes or similar long-term care facilities, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Too many of these facilities are under-staffed and under-funded, increasing the risk that any of these nursing home residents will suffer from neglect in some way.
Nursing home neglect involves the failure of caretakers to provide necessary services or assistance to an elderly resident. Some signs that your loved one may be suffering the effects of neglect include:
- Falls. Not all falls can be prevented, especially when an elderly person has little mobility, but repeated slip and fall accidents or falls that cause serious injury may be a sign of neglect. Restraints are not effective in preventing falls and should not be used in an attempt to prevent them.
- Bed sores. These form when some part of the body is in contact with a bed, wheelchair, or other surface for prolonged periods. Watch for open sores or red spots that don’t turn white when pressed, and alert staff immediately if a bed sore is forming.
- Malnutrition or poor hygiene. Signs that your loved one isn’t getting needed help with eating, drinking, or grooming, such as soiled clothes, tangled hair, or malnutrition, may also be signs.
At Balamuth Law, we believe that abuse or neglect of any person is unacceptable, and that those who cause it should be held responsible. If you or someone you care about has been injured by nursing home neglect or abuse, call our Oakland personal injury lawyers today at (888) 254-1234 to learn more about your legal rights and options. Your call is free and completely confidential.
A line of baby dolls sold by Lakeshore Learning, Inc. has been recalled recently because the dolls’ fingers and toes may come off, posing a choking hazard, according to a recent report from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). So far, no injuries to children have been reported, but the separated digits are small enough to cause choking in children.
The dolls are known as Feels Real Baby Dolls. They are made of soft plastic and stand about 14 inches high with moveable arms, legs, and heads. The dolls were available in four different skin tones, known as “Caucasian,” “Hispanic,” “Black,” and “Asian.” They were sold dressed in cloth diapers that had two tags, one reading “Lakeshore Learning” and the other reading “550220.” About 3,900 were purchased in the United States between 2010 and 2011, with many sold in California, where Lakeshore Learning has its headquarters.
Parents whose children have one of these dolls should immediately take the doll away from their child and call Lakeshore Learning, Inc. at (800) 428-4414 or visit www.lakeshorelearning.com for information on how to receive a free replacement doll with fingers and toes securely attached.
When you give a toy to a child you care about, you assume it’s been tested and determined safe for young ones. When a defective toy causes injuries, however, the results can be devastating. At Balamuth Law, our diligent Northern California defective toy injury attorneys strive to provide outstanding services to each client we represent, seeking to hold all negligent parties accountable for their actions. Call us today at (888) 254-1234 for a free and confidential case evaluation.
In July 2008, California led the nation in passing a law that banned the use of handheld cell phones while driving a car, but permitted the use of hands-free devices for making calls. Lawmakers reasoned that if drivers were required to keep both hands on the wheel while talking, they would keep better control of their vehicles and be less likely to cause a serious car crash.
However, new research from the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) and other researchers suggests that’s not the case. Rather, it turns out that drivers who are talking on any electronic device – whether held in the hand, worn in the ear, or broadcast over the car’s speakers – are four times more likely to cause a serious injury or fatal car accident than drivers who aren’t conversing via phone at all.
That’s because the act of conversation distracts the brain, making it impossible to do the constant scanning, focusing, and reacting that are required to drive a car safely, according to researchers. Keeping both hands on the wheel isn’t enough to compensate for the extra “processing power” the brain uses up on the conversation – power that should be used to focus on the road.
Distracted driving is a major source of serious car accidents, many of which take lives. While cell phones are a common distraction, they are not the only one that can cause a crash. At Balamuth Law, our well-trained Bay Area distracted driving accident attorneys are dedicated to helping injured motorists, bicyclists, and pedestrians get the compensation they need after an accident. For a free consultation, call us today at (888) 254-1234.
