San Francisco California Personal Injury Legal Blog

Spinal cord injuries can have major health and financial impacts

On behalf of The Law Office of Scott Righthand, P.C. posted in Personal Injury on Friday, April 5, 2019.

You may not even remember much about the day you suffered your spinal cord injury. The trauma of the experience may have wiped it from your memory, and you may have mixed feelings about that fact. Still, you have plenty of reminders that your life is no longer the same.

The issues that can stem from a spinal cord injury are major. Unfortunately, the injury may give way to a greater susceptibility to serious medical conditions later in your life. As a result, you know you have a long road ahead of you when it comes to caring for your health and learning to live life differently than before your injury.

How safe is your implanted medical device?

On behalf of The Law Office of Scott Righthand, P.C. posted in Medical Malpractice on Friday, March 8, 2019.

Your doctor may have described your surgery as routine, despite the serious nature of it. Many surgical procedures to implant devices in patients happen so commonly that to those surgeons performing them, they may seem routine. In fact, surgeons implant over 60,000 of one type of device, the spinal-cord stimulator, each year.

If you have recently had a hip replacement, defibrillator, surgical mesh or other device implanted, chances are you heard that your life would improve because of this new technology. However, you may be among the tens of thousands who suffer injuries because of defective medical devices.

Pedestrian deaths continue to rise

On behalf of The Law Office of Scott Righthand, P.C. posted in Pedestrian Accident on Monday, March 4, 2019.

San Francisco is one of the most walkable cities in the U.S. If you live or work in the area, you may enjoy taking a stroll on your lunch hour or getting your exercise with a brisk jog. Perhaps you are not averse to walking to work to do your part for the environment. However, being a pedestrian is becoming more dangerous, even in a pedestrian-friendly city like ours.

Walking is one of the most natural activities you can do, so you may take for granted that you are safe when you walk near traffic. There are steps you can take to remain safe, such as removing your ear buds and walking facing traffic. However, assuming drivers are looking out for you may be your biggest mistake.

California ranks high in safety laws, high in fatalities

On behalf of The Law Office of Scott Righthand, P.C. posted in Auto Accident on Thursday, January 31, 2019.

Perhaps you have never given a second thought to your safety on the highway beyond fastening your seat belt and shaking your fist at those who take dangerous chances in your path. Maybe you simply trust that state and federal laws will protect you from reckless or negligent drivers who place you in harm's way. On the other hand, you may be painfully aware of how treacherous it can be on the road because you have suffered injuries or lost a loved one in a traffic accident.

A new report by the Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety scores states from best to worst based on the number of traffic safety laws in place. You may be surprised to learn where California ranks on that list.

Why are male cyclists at risk in California?

On behalf of The Law Office of Scott Righthand, P.C. posted in Bicycle Accidents on Monday, January 14, 2019.

Many people in California use their bikes for recreation, exercise or transportation. In fact, cycling is quite a popular sport in the state, despite the risks involved. While riding a bike in itself is not that dangerous, it can be quite risky for individuals who must share the road with a moving vehicle as they do so.

People on bikes have the right to share the road, but other drivers do not always respect this right. It is the responsibility of every person driving a car or truck to see bikes, give them proper space and not do anything reckless that can cause an accident. Unfortunately, cyclist accidents do happen, and interestingly, male cyclists are significantly more likely to die in this type of accident than females.

What driver behaviors risk your life most as a pedestrian?

By The Law Office of Scott Righthand, P.C. posted in Pedestrian Accident on Thursday, December 6, 2018.

Numerous areas here in San Francisco allow you to use your feet for transportation. This provides you a chance to get some fresh air and exercise while you walk through some of the most beautiful parts of the city. You could easily become complacent under these circumstances, however, and forget to pay attention to the vehicles whizzing past you when you come to an intersection.

Yes, your risk does increase at intersections, but the danger exists wherever you walk and vehicles move. If you suffer injuries due to the reckless or negligent actions of a driver, you will need to determine what factors led to the injuries you suffered and the monetary losses you incurred.

Tire safety: Lack of knowledge can lead to serious collisions

By The Law Office of Scott Righthand, P.C. posted in Auto Accident on Monday, December 3, 2018.

One of the things you might enjoy most about living in California is that driving in winter here is not as hazardous as it is in some other parts of the nation. Especially if you came to this state from the east coast or a northern state, driving during winter may feel like a walk in the park compared to what you used to go through just trying to get to work in the mornings.

There's another issue, however, that places you at risk no matter where you live, and that is this tire safety. How safe are your tires? Do you even know how to tell if they are safe? If you answered, "No," you are definitely not the only one because it is not uncommon for the average driver to know little or nothing about tire safety. Lack of tire safety or a defective tire can cause a collision that results in serious injury.

Are you at risk when walking through a parking lot?

On behalf of The Law Office of Scott Righthand, P.C. posted in Pedestrian Accident on Thursday, November 15, 2018.

As California readers know, pedestrians are at risk of suffering significant injuries when involved in an accident with a moving vehicle. Across the state, these types of accidents are on the rise, and it can be beneficial for people who walk for commuting purposes or to get exercise to know how to stay safe. However, you could also be at risk when simply walking to your car from a store.

When you think of pedestrian accidents, you likely think of incidents that occur when a person is crossing the street or while running along a road, but that is not always the case. Many pedestrian-involved accidents occur in parking lots. You may not think you are at risk while walking to and from your vehicle, but it is prudent to exercise caution and know your rights in the event of an accident.

Is a tired driver to blame for your car accident?

On behalf of The Law Office of Scott Righthand, P.C. posted in Auto Accident on Thursday, November 15, 2018.

When you think of common reasons why car accidents happen, it is likely that distracted driving, speeding and drunk driving are at the top of your list. These are all dangerous behaviors, but they are not the only reason why car accidents happen in California. In fact, one of the leading causes of motor vehicle accident collisions is fatigue.

Many people underestimate the danger of driving while tired. Exhaustion can have a negative impact on a person's ability to drive a car, and it can ultimately lead to a higher chance of an accident. Like other types of negligent driving, fatigue is dangerous, and each driver is responsible for knowing when he or she is not able to safely operate a vehicle.

The danger spots for pedestrians here in San Francisco

On behalf of The Law Office of Scott Righthand, P.C. posted in Pedestrian Accident on Friday, November 9, 2018.

Some would say that walking is the perfect exercise. It doesn't require any equipment; it is low impact, and it is free. In addition, walking is a great way to get around and enjoy the beauty of San Francisco. For these reasons and others, you may be one of the multitudes of people here in the city who skip the motorized vehicles and use their own two feet to get where they are going.

Unfortunately, this healthy past time also comes with certain dangers. Being on foot around the traffic in the city makes you vulnerable to serious injuries. You may be at risk anywhere, but certain spots in San Francisco appear more dangerous to pedestrians than others.