Stockton Injury Lawyer Blog

A recent article concerning brain injuries revealed a frightening statistic - the number of youth athletes suffering from brain injuries has surged by 60% in the last nine years. The leading causes of head injuries include bicycling, football and playground accidents. Traumatic brain injuries are not only caused by sports accidents, but may occur whenever an individual sustains a blunt trauma to the head. These injuries may be the result of any kind of accident including car accidents, slips and falls, amusement park accidents and medical malpractice.

Where an injury occurs as the result of another's negligence, a victim may be entitled to compensation. If you or a loved one has suffered a traumatic brain injury, an experienced California brain injury lawyer can review the incident, provide answers to your brain injury questions and determine your next steps.

According to the study, the incidence of traumatic brain injuries among youth rose from around 150,000 in 2001 to close to 250,000 in 2009. The director of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention noted that the dramatic increase is likely fueled in part by an increased awareness of the dangers of head injuries and the need for children to been evaluated by a doctor as soon as possible following an accident.

Many times, brain injuries occur without an individual ever losing consciousness and symptoms may not be immediately present - sometimes not showing up until days or even weeks after an accident occurs. Symptoms of even mild traumatic brain injuries may include headaches, dizziness, slurred speech, vomiting and seizures. With immediate treatment, the effects may be lessened or even reversed. However, more severe injuries and those brain injuries left untreated may result in long-term disabilities including:

• Headaches
• Short-term and long-term memory loss
• Confusion/inability to process information
• Communication difficulties
• Paralysis
• Death

Continue reading "Number Of Brain Injuries Continues To Surge" »

A recent bike safety article provided by the Bay Citizen for the New York Times reviewed the tragic circumstances surrounding the death of Brandon Sorenson, a 13-year-old Alameda boy would was killed last month while riding his bike. While Brandon was in an intersection, he was struck by an S.U.V. and later died at a nearby intersection.

While the accident is still under investigation, the incident brings to light a startling statistic - Bay Area bicyclists aged 10 to 19 are at the highest risk for suffering injuries in a bike collision. Half of the accidents involved boys ages 12 to 16.

If you or a child has been injured in a bike accident, it is important to speak to an experienced bike accident lawyer immediately to begin investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident and preserve your right to seek compensation.

Based on California highway patrol data, 434 San Jose teenagers were involved in bike collisions with cars, the most of any Bay Area City. Oakland was second with 193 bike accidents. Although in some instances accidents may be the fault of the bicyclist, in many others the driver is to blame. Figuring out just what happened is crucial to determining fault.

Continue reading "Youth Prone To Bay Area Bicycle Accidents " »

The month of May has been designated National Bike Safety Month, and is designed to increase bicyclist's awareness of potential dangers with an eye toward improving safety and reducing the number of bicycle accidents.

As a Stockton bike accident attorney and cycling enthusiast, I support efforts to improve the safety of everyone sharing the road, be it bicyclists, pedestrians, cars, trucks, busses or motorcyclists.

Recently several Bay Area bike accidents have been in the news, drawing attention to the potential for serious injury. Some of the tips offered as the result of National Bike Safety Month include:

• Follow the rules of the road - ride with traffic and obey traffic laws;
• Be visible - Wear bright clothing, use lights or reflectors and wear reflective clothing;
• Be predictable - Avoid making sudden turns or weaving in and out of traffic;
• Use "defensive bike" - Be aware of traffic around you and be prepared to take evasive action to avoid crashes; and
• Wear a properly fitted helmet

Continue reading "National Bike Safety Month Promotes Safety Tips To Prevent Bike Accidents" »

Oakdale news reports an alarming statistic. A 40-year-old woman crossing Highway 108 this week was the 17th pedestrian, bicyclist or skateboarder to be hit by a car or truck in Oakdale in a year.

The Oakdale pedestrian accidents have resulted in one fatality and numerous serious injuries. If you have been injured in a pedestrian accident, it is important to contact an experienced California personal injury lawyer immediately. Often the full impact of an injury isn't known until days, weeks or even months following an accident. It is important to speak to someone right away to preserve evidence and your rights.

As a result of the excessive number of accidents, Oakdale police are beginning to crack down - ticketing drivers who don't stop for people in the crosswalk and people who walk in front of cars before it is safe to cross.

"Distraction" is the number one reason cited for accidents, including drivers and pedestrians texting, eating, and putting on make-up.

Although most of the injuries have been minor, one death occurred after an intoxicated man was hit by a car while crossing Hwy. 108 at night, and a boy was seriously injured when he was run over by a car driving at slow speeds. The 40-year-old woman was crossing the highway during heavy traffic and was struck by a car.

Continue reading "Oakdale Pedestrian Accidents On The Rise" »

According to Recordnet.com, a collision between a bicyclist and a motorcycle in Lodi ended tragically after a bicyclist attempted to cross the road and was hit by a motorcyclist.

The motorcycle was unable to maneuver quickly enough to avoid the accident. Tragically, the bicyclist died from his injuries and the motorcyclist sustained critical injuries.

With the increasing popularity of bicycles as a mode of transportation, we all need to increase our awareness of each other on the road. Further, while it is unknown the exact circumstances surrounding this accident, it serves as a important and frightening reminder to all motorists and bicyclists to follow some basic safety tips to help keep California roadways safe.

These tips include:

For all drivers - motorcyclists, car drivers, truck drivers and bicyclists - avoid distracted driving. Texting while driving is illegal in California and has been shown to increase the risk of accidents and death significantly.

Further, whatever your mode of transportation, follow safety precautions. Whether this means wearing a helming, wearing bright clothing or following the rules of the road, taking simple actions can save your life and prevent injury.

Finally, use common sense and be aware of your surroundings. Taking time to anticipate another's movements can often avoid an accident completely.

Unfortunately, even with precautions and safety measures accidents do happen. Hopefully though, by working together we can improve the safety of California roadways.

Continue reading "Tragic Lodi Bicycle/Motorcycle Collision Kills One" »

This week, Los Angeles Mayor Antonia Villaraigosa joined the ranks of numerous public officials calling for drivers to stop texting while driving.
The State of California banned texting while driving over a year and a half ago, but many drivers throughout Marin County, Stockton and all of California still continue to text while driving.

Texting can be deadly. In fact, some statistics estimate that you are 23 times more like to be in a car accident if you text while you are driving.

A bill is currently pending before the Sacramento state senate that seeks to increase first time fines from texting from $20 to $50 for violations and from $50 to $100 for each additional offense.

Bicyclists would be fined $20 for texting while bicycling.

The current law is being ignored by many, especially teenagers. According to the Pew Research Center's Internet and American Life Project, 26 percent of American teens admitted driving while texting.

Continue reading "Texting While Driving On The Rise In California " »

The week provides a great opportunity to raise awareness among California bicyclists - as well as drivers - regarding bike safety. In conjunction with National Ride to Work Week, professional bike racers emphasized the need for safety after Lance Armstrong crashed in the Tour of California, causing him to drop out, and David Zabriskie, a bike/car collision survivor, won Stage 3 of the Tour from San Francisco to Monterey and took the overall lead.

Armstrong's injuries include a large gash below his eye and a severe bruise.

Zabriskie's injuries occurred several years ago, during a training ride.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Association (NHTSA), 540,000 bicyclists end up in the emergency room after suffering bicycling accidents.

In 2003, Zabriskie was injured when a car turned suddenly in front of him. He was hospitalized with a shattered leg. After his accident, Zabriskie started "Yield to Life," an organization dedicated to raising bike-safety issues, emphasizing drivers and cyclists sharing the road.

Zabriskie states that safety is really about using common-sense. Car drivers need to be more patient. Even a "tap" from a car can make a cyclist fall, shattering bones or causing substantial injuries, such as brain, back or head injuries.

At the same time, cyclists need to follow the rules. They need to wear protective gear and pay attention to the rules of the road.

Zabriskie also notes that too often cyclists and drivers are pitted against each other. Instead they need to work together. Drivers should remember that cyclists have a right to the road, and cyclist need to remember that just because they have a right to the road, they don't own the road.

Continue reading "Tour Of California Underscores Need For Bike Safety" »

A popular member of the Stanislaus County Bicycling Club died Monday after being struck by a pick-up truck. According to the Modesto Bee, William Foltz, 73, was an easygoing man who "always rode with a smile on his face." Foltz was in the right lane and put his hand out to signal before attempting to cross the left lane. Unfortunately, the lane was not clear and he was hit from behind. The investigation is ongoing, but the driver has not been cited.

Foltz' accident underscores the hazards of bicycling. Despite the prevalence of bicycling on California roadways, many motorists fail to share the road with cyclists. Unfortunately, in car vs. bike accidents, the bicyclist often suffers serious injuries such as broken bones, brain injuries and head trauma.

Some simple safety tips can help reduce your risk of injury. These include:
• Always wear a helmet
• Wear bright colors
• Obey traffic controls
• Ride your bike near the right-hand edge of the road
• Use hand signals when turning or stopping
• Be careful when checking traffic

Although bicyclists need to take precautions, motorists have to do their part and allow bicyclists room to maneuver. As a result of this latest accident, some cyclists are calling for Modesto to enact a "3-foot rule" such as that adopted in other cities requiring drivers yield at least 3 feet to bicyclists on the road.

Continue reading "Modesto Bicycling Accident Ends In Tragedy" »