San Mateo Injury Lawyers Blog — Published by San Mateo, California Injury Attorneys — Law Offices of Galine, Frye, Fitting & Frangos

What Drivers Can Learn from a Tragic Fog-Related Crash in California

November 25, 2020 | Law Offices of Galine, Frye, Fitting & Frangos

Northern California is known for many wonderful things… amazing cultural diversity, economic opportunity and innovation, scenic views, and beautiful weather. And the fog. OK, that last one may not always seem so wonderful, especially if you’re behind the wheel when dense fog rolls in. When an auto accident occurs in a dense fog, it is often said that the fog “caused” the crash. Fortunately, the law has a more complex and nuanced way of analyzing weather-related auto accidents, which means that, even if the weather was a major factor in the crash that hurt you, you could successfully pursue and recover the compensation you urgently need. Be sure to contact a knowledgeable San Mateo car accident attorney to find out more.

One of the biggest multi-vehicle crashes in U.S. history occurred in Northern California due, in part, to fog. The tule fog that frequently occurs in fall and winter led to a 108-vehicle crash on Highway 99 south of Fresno in November 2007 that killed two and injured dozens.

A more recent crash involved fewer vehicles but, tragically, more fatalities. The scene was once again Highway 99, this time south of Chico. The weather factor once again was dense fog. According to a KCRA report, the multi-vehicle accident included five cars and five tractor-trailer trucks. The dead included four young adults and a 61-year-old survivor of the Camp Fire who, according to his son, died while trying to assist another victim who was trapped in a different vehicle, actionnewsnow reported.

What You Can Do in California if You’ve Been Hurt by a Hit-and-Run Driver

November 19, 2020 | Law Offices of Galine, Frye, Fitting & Frangos

Anytime you are injured (or a loved one is killed) in an auto accident, it is an incredibly stressful time. That stress and pain only go up exponentially when the driver who caused the accident flees the scene. Just because the person who hurt you was a hit-and-run driver, that doesn’t mean that you have no options to recover any compensation for the harm you’ve suffered. There are still ways to get the money you need, so be sure to reach out without delay to an experienced San Mateo car accident attorney about pursuing your case.

Fatal hit-and-run accidents occur with depressing frequency in California. In 2016, 337 of the nation’s 2,049 hit-and-run deaths happened in this state. That 337 figure was a 60% increase over 2009, according to CBS Sacramento.

Another one just took place this past September in Solano County. According to the Daily Republic, the male victim was crossing Sonoma Boulevard in Vallejo a little before 11 p.m. when a vehicle struck and killed him. Police had little to go on regarding the fatal impact.

A Northern California Driver Fleeing the Police Crashes, Injuring Pedestrian

November 10, 2020 | Law Offices of Galine, Frye, Fitting & Frangos

When a driver chooses to try to escape the police while behind the wheel, that driver puts not only themselves but also everyone around them in danger, as a recent car crash from Contra Costa County indicates. Sometimes, the law enforcement officers involved in the situation make errors of judgment that make the situation (and the potential for harm) worse. If you’ve been hurt as a result of a high-speed police chase or a driver fleeing the police, you may have various legal options depending on the particular facts of your case. To make sure you’re pursuing all the options available to you for compensation, make sure you have an experienced San Mateo accident attorney on your side.

According to a CBS San Francisco report, the Contra Costa County crash occurred after California Highway Patrol officers attempted to pull an Oakland man over for speeding on I-680. The man fled and exited the freeway, and the CHP terminated the pursuit.

Later that morning, Danville police spotted the vehicle and began a chase. The police allegedly broke off the chase when the driver sped down the wrong way of a one-way street. The driver lost control of his Lexus, hit another vehicle and then crashed into a tree. A pedestrian suffered injuries as a result of the crash, according to the report.

How One California Teen Overcame a Defense Claim of Statutory Immunity in Her Premises Liability Case

November 5, 2020 | Law Offices of Galine, Frye, Fitting & Frangos

In your premises liability case, as with any injury case, you have to clear several hurdles. You, of course, have to give the court sufficient proof that shows the defendant was negligent and that this negligence caused you harm. You may also, though, need to avoid things like affirmative defenses and statutory immunity provisions that could defeat an otherwise strong case. Having a skilled San Mateo premises liability attorney by your side throughout the process can greatly increase your chances of clearing these hurdles and achieving success.

Overcoming statutory immunity can be a very big deal in your case because, if the defense can persuade the court that the elements of the statute are all present, then you’ll recover nothing. As an example, there’s M.H.’s premises liability case. M.H., a teenage motorcycle rider, was injured while riding at a motocross track. M.H. suffered severe injuries in a collision with another motorcyclist.

The track was located on property owned the parents of her friend, G.Y., so the girl sued G.Y. and his parents. The girl’s argument in her case was that the motocross track was designed negligently and that it lacked directional signs. These things, according to M.H. led to her collision with the other biker.

How the Right Legal Team Can Make a Huge Difference in Your Injury Case in California

October 29, 2020 | Law Offices of Galine, Frye, Fitting & Frangos

You may have heard, in advertisements for law firms or elsewhere, that “people who hire an attorney for their injury case receive three times more money than people who don’t.” Have you ever wondered if that’s true? It actually is. The Insurance Research Council looked into it and found that, on average, personal injury plaintiffs with legal representation receive just slightly less than triple the amount of money plaintiffs who pursue their cases without an attorney get. If you needed an extra reason to make sure you retain a skilled San Mateo injury attorney to handle your accident case, that should certainly stand out as one.

Why is there such a disparity? There are several reasons. For one thing, an experienced injury attorney who has handled many cases that are both like yours and also litigated in your area will have a very clear idea of what your case is “worth.” Your attorney, based on that experience-based forecasting, can help you spot a low-ball offer from an opposing insurance company or attorney.

One of the insurance companies’ business objectives is to pay claimants as little as possible. That involves employing adjusters and attorneys who all work to convince you your case is worth far less than it really is in order to get you to take as little money as possible to settle your claim.

A Driver’s U-Turn Leaves One Motorcyclist Injured and One Dead in California

October 21, 2020 | Law Offices of Galine, Frye, Fitting & Frangos

If you ride on the streets and highways enough, you’ve come across a bumper sticker (or stickers) encouraging you to “look twice” to “save a life” when it comes to motorcycles. This is always good advice. Motorcycles, due to their smaller size relative to cars and trucks, are more easily overlooked by other drivers on the road. Motorcyclists, due their vehicles’ exposed nature, are more at risk of catastrophic or fatal injuries when the drivers around them don’t exercise proper care and don’t diligently maintain the necessary lookout. If you have been hurt aboard a motorcycle, make sure you have the legal representation you need from a skilled San Mateo motorcycle accident attorney in order that you can get the compensation you deserve.

An August crash is just the latest tragic reminder of these truths. Two men aboard motorcycles were traveling northbound on Highway 1 near Big Sur early one Monday afternoon. At around the same time, a woman who had parked her Honda vehicle on the west side of Highway 1 began to execute a U-turn. In the process, she turned into the path of the two motorcyclists, according to a Monterey Herald report.

The Honda crashed into both motorcycles, who were believed to be traveling at about 55 mph. The older motorcyclist suffered minor injuries, but the crash killed the younger of the two men. “Alcohol or drugs are not believed to be a factor in the accident,” according to the report.

A Recent Crash in California Reminds Us All of the Dangers of Distracted Driving

October 15, 2020 | Law Offices of Galine, Frye, Fitting & Frangos

Distracted driving is dangerous and, too often, deadly. More than 50 people die, on average, every week from distracted driving nationwide, according to federal statistics from the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA). Historically, California has had more than its share of fatal distracted driving accidents as, in past years, roughly 9-10% of all such accidents happened in this state. Whether a distracted driving accident hurt you or killed your loved one, California law may entitle you to sue for substantial compensation, so be sure to reach out to an experienced San Mateo injury attorney right away.

Recently, CBS San Francisco reported on a local accident that, thankfully, did not end in any deaths. According to the San Mateo Police Department, a white Range Rover SUV crashed into a building in the 4100 block of South El Camino Real. No one was hurt in the crash, according to the CBS report.

The CBS report also noted that, although the police department did not release an official cause for the accident, the department did provide a hint on its Facebook page. The department’s social media post read, “There are many things that cause us to lose focus while driving: drugs/alcohol/medication, age, health issues, distractions in the car & out. Pay attention to the road and avoid anything that will take your focus away from your one goal, to arrive safely at your destination.”

A Falling Pine Tree Branch in a California Park Kills One Woman, Puts Three People in the Hospital

October 8, 2020 | Law Offices of Galine, Frye, Fitting & Frangos

A lot of times, when you hear the words “premises liability,” you might first think of a slip-and-fall or trip-and-fall accident in a store or other place of business. The reality is, though, that the law of premises liability in California exists to protect more than shoppers and other guests on commercial properties. It can include slip-and-fall and trip-and-fall accidents, but also swimming pool accidents or broken sidewalk accidents, as well. Basically, if you’ve been hurt on property belonging to someone else because they didn’t keep their property sufficiently safe, you may have a case for compensation and should contact a knowledgeable San Mateo injury attorney without delay.

Another kind of accident that may potentially present a case for premises liability damages is falling tree branch accidents. California has seen several of these accidents trigger litigation in recent years, and another falling tree branch accident has occurred just recently here in San Mateo County, this time with tragic results.

Late last month, according to a Facebook post issued by Burlingame City Hall, a tree limb of approximately 60 feet in length “dropped suddenly.” The branch crashed down upon a group of people picnicking in Washington Park and killed a 29-year-old woman. Additionally, three other people were hospitalized as a result of the impact, according to the San Mateo Daily Journal. The Daily Journal also indicated that the city had, following the accident, hired independent arborists to examine and assess the condition of the large pine tree.

A Fatal Accident in California is Another Reminder of How Severe Motorcycle Crashes Can Be

September 30, 2020 | Law Offices of Galine, Frye, Fitting & Frangos

Each year, more than 12,000 people are injured and 500 killed aboard motorcycles in California. Those tragically high numbers exist in spite of the fact that many motorcyclists and their passengers engage in proper safety precautions. (Only about 1 in 10 people killed on board motorcycles in this state were not wearing helmets.) In other words, even with protection, motorcycle accidents are often catastrophic or fatal. If you or a loved one have been involved in a motorcycle accident, be sure you go out promptly and retain a skilled San Mateo injury attorney, who can help you make sure that you are taking action in a timely manner and getting everything to which the law says you are entitled.

A September crash here in this area is yet another somber reminder of how serious motorcycle crashes are. The precursor to the crash was a vehicle breakdown, according to a CBS SF Bay Area report. The disabled vehicle, a BMW car, was situated in the slow lane of westbound Highway 92 on the San Mateo-Hayward Bridge in Foster City.

A group of motorcyclists who were also traveling westbound on Highway 92 came upon the broken-down vehicle. Two motorcyclists crashed into the BMW. One motorcyclist was thrown off his bike, over the side of the bridge and into the bay. He died as a result. The motorcyclist and a passenger aboard the second bike suffered major injuries, according to the report.

Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Coverage (UIM) in California and What to Do When You Need to Take on Your Own Insurance Company

September 22, 2020 | Law Offices of Galine, Frye, Fitting & Frangos

Back in April, a study from UC-Davis revealed that traffic accidents fell by half during the stay-at-home orders triggered by the pandemic. In mid-May, though, the news wasn’t so good, as the Los Angeles Times reported that traffic deaths were back up to their pre-lockdown levels. As people gradually return to their old routines, it is a sad reality that auto accidents, injuries and deaths will ensue. If you’re hurt in an accident, don’t wait… retain an experienced San Mateo car accident attorney right away.

Here in California, the state-mandated minimum insurance coverage is commonly referred to as “15/30/5,” which means $15,000 per person, $30,000 per accident and $5,000 of property damage. Anyone who’s been hurt in a California auto accident can undoubtedly tell you just how easily and quickly one can rack up more than $15,000 in medical expenses following a crash. Ideally, when your bills exceed the other driver’s insurance coverage, that is when your own underinsured/uninsured motorist coverage (UIM) steps in. Unfortunately, it’s too often not as simple as that. So, it’s possible to be harmed by the driver who hit you and – especially if that driver has only minimum coverage (or no coverage at all) – to be harmed by your own insurance company.

An action (Case No. 20-2372-JAC) that followed a Southern California crash is a good example. In that crash, a nurse in her 60s was hit by a left-turning driver who improperly failed to yield the right of way. The accident was serious enough that the nurse’s vehicle’s airbags deployed, and she was rendered unconscious for a short time. The nurse experienced a great deal of ongoing neck pain and, ultimately, her doctor recommended a discectomy and fusion surgery. The injuries were bad enough that they even had altered the nurse’s planned timing of her retirement.