Archive for the ‘ Personal Injury ’ Category

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3
May

A Growing Number of California Patients Are Refusing Medical Treatment

April 30, 2012

A newborn child in Folsom, California, is at the center of a debate over patient rights. According to the Sacramento Bee, the child’s parents claim their rights to refuse medical treatment were violated the day the child was born.

The controversy began on April 11 at Mercy Hospital, where the child’s father was the former chief of staff. The parents had decided on a natural childbirth and followed through with the decision as the father, who is also a medical doctor, delivered the child without the use of any medications. Less than 12 hours later, medical staff protested as the parents decided to leave the hospital after refusing medical treatment for both the mother and child. Medical staff then contacted child protective services to investigate.

The couple has since filed a complaint against the hospital saying their rights were violated. The father added, “If this could happen to me, a doctor with privileges at the hospital, how is an 18-year-old who may not know her rights treated?”

Statistics from the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Research show that 77 out of every 10,000 patients at Sacramento-area hospitals were discharged against doctor’s advice in 201. That is a 45 percent increase in the number from 2002.

The California Accident Lawyers with Berg Injury Lawyers encourage anyone who disagrees with their doctor’s diagnosis of their condition to seek a second opinion from another qualified medical professional.

 

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16
Apr

San Francisco Bicycle Coalition Offers Rider Safety Course

April 16, 2012

In a large city like San Francisco, California, the bicycle is the normal mode of transportation for thousands of residents every day, and protecting those riders on dangerous roads and highways can be a major concern. That’s why one group, known as the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition, is working hard to educate bikers on the importance of safe riding practices, according to The Sacramento Bee.

The group began the campaign four years ago by offering cyclists hands-on training with certified instructors. During those rides, cyclists learn to maneuver busy city streets and other obstacles, such as slick trolley rails and open car doors. Riders are also required to take a classroom portion of the training program where they must pass an exam on the basic rules of the road.

The hope is that the classes can help reduce the number of fatal bicycle accidents in the city. In 2009, the city estimated that 531 people died as a result of collisions between vehicles and bicycles. That’s 67 more fatalities than the previous year.

Experts who polled both cyclists and motorists in a recent study say that the best way to reduce the number of accidents is for both groups to have a greater understanding of one another.

The California Accident Lawyers with Berg Injury Lawyers would like to remind cyclists that wearing a helmet is an excellent way to prevent injuries while riding a bike.

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19
Mar

Redding Man Seriously Injured After Being Involved In Drunken Crash

March 19, 2012

A 27-year-old Redding, California, man is lucky to be alive following a single-vehicle crash early Thursday. According to reports from KRCRTV 7 News, alcohol was a contributing factor in the accident.

The crash happened just after midnight along Victor Avenue in Redding. Reports filed by the Redding Police Department indicate that the man was driving at more than 100 miles per hour through downtown Redding in his Toyota Tacoma pickup truck before slamming into a tree head-on outside of a local business. The impact of the crash caused the driver, who was not wearing his seatbelt at the time, to be ejected from the vehicle. Luckily, he survived and paramedics were able to transport him to Mercy Medical Center, where he remains in serious condition with massive head injuries and broken ribs.

The driver later admitted to police that he had taken prescription medications and had been drinking at a local bar prior to being involved in the crash.

Data gathered by the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA) shows that speed played a contributing factor in 30 percent of all fatal crashes in a single year, while alcohol contributed to 39 percent.

These statistics are a major reason why the San Francisco DUI Injury Attorneys with Berg Injury Lawyers ask that you refrain from getting behind the wheel after consuming alcohol. If every driver made this choice, thousands of lives would be saved every year.

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12
Mar

Redding Woman Paralyzed In Car Crash Recovering With Baby

March 12, 2012

A 32-year-old Redding, California, woman is making a miraculous recovery after a car accident nearly took her life and the life of her unborn child just weeks ago. According to reports from KRCRTV 7 News, the woman suffered a fractured spinal column in the accident resulting in paralysis of her upper body.

The accident happened February 8 on the campus of Chico State University. The victim, who was eight-months pregnant, was driving to class when she had to swerve to avoid another vehicle. The jerking motion caused the vehicle to roll twice before coming to a halt. Rescue crews were able to free the woman, and she was airlifted to Mercy Hospital where emergency surgery helped save the life of her unborn child.

Less than four weeks later, mother and baby are on the road to recovery. The baby is healthy and now weighs nearly six pounds, while the mother was recently moved to a rehabilitation center in Santa Clara, California, where she will work for the next two months with spinal trauma experts.

While the chances of her walking again are slim, the woman and her doctors are hopeful that she will be able to care for her child and continue leading a productive life.

The California Auto Accident Attorneys with Berg Injury Lawyers would like to wish this young mother the best of luck in a speedy and full recovery from the injuries she has sustained.

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5
Mar

Parents Added As Defendants In California Personal Injury Lawsuit

March 5, 2012

Two more defendants have been named in a California personal injury lawsuit filed on behalf of a man who was injured when three intoxicated teens began throwing rocks from a Canyon Way overpass and onto passing I-80 traffic on July 26, 2010. According to reports from The Sacramento Bee, the parents of one of the boys’ friends have been named in the lawsuit after they allegedly supplied alcohol for the teens.

The lawsuit claims that a truck driver from Sacramento, California, suffered severe facial injuries that required several reconstructive surgeries after a basketball-sized rock, allegedly thrown by the drunken teens, came crashing through the windshield of the man’s Ford Expedition as he traveled along I-80. Attorneys for the victim say that he also suffers from headaches and sleeplessness as a result of the incident.

The state of California and the Department of Transportation are also named as defendants in the lawsuit because of their negligence to have protective barriers, which are standard on most highway overpasses, installed.

The parents who allegedly supplied the alcohol have publicly denied the accusations.

The lawsuit seeks an unspecified amount of damages for the victim.

The California Personal Injury Lawyers with Berg Injury Lawyers say that making sure to identify all negligent parties in a claim is vital to filing a successful personal injury lawsuit. If you have questions regarding an injury you suffered because of someone else’s negligence, our firm is available to help.

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27
Feb

Two Hospitalized After SUV Collides With Tractor-Trailer In Corning

February 27, 2012

Two people were sent to the hospital Monday as a result of an early morning crash of an SUV and a tractor-trailer. According to reports from KRCR Channel 7 News, the accident happened at approximately 3:30 a.m. on Liberal Avenue, near the Rolling Hills Casino in Corning, California.

Reports from California Highway Patrol troopers who responded to the crash say that the tractor-trailer was entering I-5 on the Liberal Avenue entrance ramp when the SUV ran off the exit ramp at high speed and slammed into the side of the truck’s trailer.

The two occupants of the SUV were seriously injured in the crash and required a helicopter airlift to the hospital for treatment of potentially life-threatening injuries. Luckily, neither of the occupants of the tractor-trailer was injured in the crash.

Troopers say they will continue to investigate the cause of the accident, and charges may be filed against the driver of the SUV pending the outcome of the investigation.

The Department of Transportation estimates that 41,000 to 45,000 traffic deaths occur every year in the U.S., and more than 80% of those accidents are the fault of a non-commercial driver.

The California Truck Accident Attorneys with Berg Injury Lawyers are always available to speak with you if you have any questions regarding the injuries you sustained in an automobile or tractor-trailer accident. We can be reached any time for a free consultation of your case at 1-800-800-BERG.

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21
Feb

Drunk Driver Responsible For Redding Crash That Kills One

February 20, 2012

Police in Redding, California, say that a drunk driver is responsible for causing a tragic accident that injured himself and another passenger and left another man dead. According to reports from KRCR 7 News, the accident occurred at 10:20 PM on Juniper Knoll Road, just east of Macdoel.

Reports from the California Highway Patrol troopers who responded to the crash scene say that the driver of a 1995 Hyundai sedan was under the influence of alcohol when he lost control and rolled the vehicle several times.

A passenger in the backseat was not wearing a seatbelt and was ejected from the vehicle. He died at the scene of the crash. The driver and another passenger in the front seat were both wearing seatbelts and only suffered minor injuries.

The driver has been charged with driving under the influence and causing injury to another person.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says that alcohol continues to be a lead contributing factor in fatal highway accidents nationwide, especially among young people. They say roughly one third of drivers between 15 and 20 years old who were involved in fatal accidents had been drinking.

The Northern California DUI Injury Lawyers with Berg Injury Lawyers ask that motorists do their part to keep everyone on the highway safe by not drinking and driving. Also, make sure that yourself, and all other passengers in the car, are buckled up before you begin driving.

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13
Feb

San Jose Man Dies From Fall While Trimming Tree

February 13, 2012

A 65-year-old man from San Jose, California, died last Friday afternoon after falling while trimming a tree on his property. According to reports from NBC Bay Area News, the accident happened at around 3:30 PM at a home the man rented on the 1700 block of Hillmont Avenue.

Reports from the San Jose police department indicate that the man was working alone in the yard of the home when he slipped off of a ladder he was climbing and fell to the ground. Residents of the home immediately offered assistance by calling police and rescue crews. Twenty minutes later, the man was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident.

The Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) estimates that falls from ladders and stairways are responsible for as many as 24,882 accidents resulting in injuries per year in this country. They continue by saying that as many as 36 of these accidents per year are fatal.

High elevations, sharp tools, and falling debris all contribute to tree trimming being one of the most dangerous occupations one can undertake.

This is why the California slip and fall accident attorneys with Berg Injury Lawyers suggest hiring a professional and licensed tree trimmer to do the work for you when it’s time to cut your trees. If you do the work yourself, make sure you have all the appropriate safety gear and always follow proper safety precautions.

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6
Feb

Construction Worker Killed By Trench Collapse

February 6, 2012

A bay-area contracting company is in trouble after an on-the-job fatality this past Saturday uncovered numerous building code violations. According to reports from The Oakland Tribune, a 39-year-old carpenter died after a trench he was working in at the work site collapsed and buried him alive.

Three days prior to the accident, construction inspectors issued a cease work order to the contractors on the site of a new home being built in Milpitas, California, because of failure to apply for a permit to dig a trench more than five feet deep. Besides the lack of a permit, the walls to the trench were not properly shored up.

The contracting company ignored the order and put workers back on the job anyway. Within hours the walls of the trench gave way, and the body of the worker was recovered several hours later.

In the days following the accident, the Contractors State License Board has discovered that the company also falsified paperwork in 2008 regarding workers’ compensation insurance, claiming they had no employees. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration said that the contracting company may face both civil and criminal charges for failing to heed the cease work orders.

The California wrongful death attorneys with Berg Injury Lawyers may be able to help if a loved was killed on a job site accident at no fault of their own. Contact an experienced attorney today to get the help you need.

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30
Jan

Road Rage Responsible For Fatal I-80 Crash

January 30, 2012

We have all experienced road rage at some point in time. What drivers don’t often realize is just how dangerous these careless actions can be.

Take for instance the fatal crash that occurred on I-80 near Richmond, California, last Wednesday morning. Reports on the accident from NBC-Bay Area News claim the driver who was killed “brake checked” the person behind him just before rolling his vehicle.

The accident happened in the westbound lanes of the highway at around 5:30 in the morning, near the exit for Carlson Boulevard. It was still dark when investigators say they believe the driver of a minivan made an unsafe lane change in an effort to get around a GMC pickup truck. The van passed the truck and then immediately cut in front of it. The van’s driver then firmly tapped his breaks, causing himself to lose control of the vehicle. The van screeched off the highway and collided with a barrier wall before rolling several times across the pavement. The minivan’s driver was killed instantly.

California highway patrol officers said that road rage accidents are completely avoidable when motorists drive responsibly.

The Bay Area Car Accident Lawyers with Berg Injury Lawyers suggest slower traffic keeping to the right and allowing other vehicles at least three car lengths of following space. They believe that following theses tips will greatly decrease your chances of getting into a dangerous road rage situation.