Alameda Personal Injury Law Blog

With more than 37,000 deaths on the country's roads and highways every year, our Alameda readers might think that safe driving practices would be a no-brainer. Unfortunately, just the opposite seems to be true: as distractions proliferate, some seem to be forgetting that negligence behind the wheel leads directly to dangerous and potentially fatal car accidents.

For example, the latest "challenge" to go viral on social media began when one young man's video of himself dancing to a new hit song began attracting millions of views and spurring others (even some celebrities) to upload similar videos. But things took a serious and reckless turn when some drivers would put the tune on, set their smartphones to record video, then hop out of the car and dance alongside while the empty car continues down the road. These videos became so popular that the National Transportation Safety Board addressed it on social media, quoting the hook from the song and reminding drivers to stay buckled up and in their cars.

Sometimes, owners allow their dogs to run free in Alameda neighborhoods. Other times, dogs may get free on their own and roam loose. Whatever the case, when these animals cause injury, a premises liability lawsuit can hold their owner accountable.

A recent example occurred in a community a few hours to the east of Alameda, where a woman was walking in a church parking lot early on a Sunday morning. Two large dogs were apparently running and playing in the area, and when they approached the woman, she thought they were friendly. Then, suddenly, she was attacked.

Accidents happen every day in Alameda in in the surrounding communities. Particularly when a driver is drunk or otherwise intoxicated, anyone else sharing the road could become the next victim.

Just recently, Betty Yee - the State Controller of California - and her husband left their Alameda home for a meeting in a nearby city. They were being driven to the meeting by a driver from the California Highway Patrol. Northbound traffic in the Posey Tube had brought them to a halt.

Car and truck accidents, even minor ones, have the potential to be devastating, life-altering events. Many victims who survive a crash are left with a brain injury that can require intensive rehabilitation and lifelong care. Recently, one victim's progress in rehabilitation made headlines here in California, highlighting the complications that can accompany this condition.

The victim was a surfer who took up the sport at the age of eight and, within a few years, was winning national recognition. He soon picked up snowboarding as well. But, an accident while snowboarding left him with a serious brain injury in an area of his brain that often proves fatal.