Hayward Legal Blog

When are construction accidents most apt to occur?

On behalf of Law Offices of Patricia Turnage posted in Construction Workers' Accidents on Thursday, March 26, 2020.

Data published by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) shows that at least 20% of all fatalities that occur on the job happen at construction sites. This makes this field one of the more dangerous ones for someone to work in. There are some trends as to where and when these accidents are most apt to occur.

Statistics compiled by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that construction workers that are employed by smaller companies are the ones that are most apt to die in workplace accidents. CDC data shows that as many as 50% of all fatal construction site accidents involve individuals who are either self-employed or who work for construction companies that employ 10 or fewer workers.

Did your spouse suffer a mild brain injury in a car accident?

On behalf of Law Offices of Patricia Turnage on Thursday, March 19, 2020.

Mild brain injuries are common in car accidents, and many of them occur without a victim realizing it. The confusion of an accident can easily cover up a blow to the head, and if the victim doesn't feel any pain, they may not remember hitting their head at all. Unfortunately, even a relatively minor blow to the head can cause a mild brain injury, which may not present symptoms for days or weeks.

If you have a spouse or loved one who recently experienced a car accident, they may have a mild brain injury they do not know about. If the injury is severe, symptoms like loss of consciousness, or loss of motor skills or general knowledge are typically too significant to miss. However, mild brain injuries are not easy to identify without a complete medical examination, and without proper treatment, they can destroy a victim's personal and professional life.

Drivers don't bother to look for runners

On behalf of Law Offices of Patricia Turnage posted in Auto-Pedestrian Accidents on Wednesday, March 18, 2020.

When a driver pulls up to an intersection to make a right turn, they tend to stare to the left. They're just waiting for traffic to clear or the light to turn green. When it does, assuming there's no one ahead of them, they turn right without actually looking in the direction that they're turning.

Here the problem: What if someone is crossing the street? The crosswalk is right there to the right and, when the light turns green, the pedestrians get the walk signal. They can enter the street from either side. A driver who doesn't look could hit them.

Get to the hospital quickly if you've been involved in a crash

On behalf of Law Offices of Patricia Turnage on Friday, March 13, 2020.

You were traveling to see a movie, and you and your friends were having a nice time chatting in the car. The next thing you knew, you were all being whipped around in your vehicle after a side impact. Your vehicle was set spinning, and you ended up on the side of the road with your airbags blown and everyone a little worse for wear.

You and your friends were fortunate and able to get out of the vehicle on your own. Two of your friends complained of headaches and feeling unwell. The other had a few cuts and developing bruises. You felt fine, but you knew that it probably wouldn't last.

Do you know how to protect yourself after a car accident?

On behalf of Law Offices of Patricia Turnage on Wednesday, March 11, 2020.

A car accident is a confusing, often frightening experience, even when the victims don't appear to have any serious injuries. In the moments after an accident, many victims do not know what steps to take to keep themselves safe and protect their rights. If you experience a car accident, make sure to take action to keep yourself secure and avoid unnecessary medical and legal complications later on.

Even if you suspect that you have some liability in an accident, taking the correct steps after an accident can protect your legal rights and opportunities for fair compensation for your losses. You may have grounds to file an injury claim if you suffered delayed pain injuries, which are not always apparent at the scene of an accident.

Alcohol factors into nearly half of pedestrian deaths

On behalf of Law Offices of Patricia Turnage posted in Auto-Pedestrian Accidents on Tuesday, March 10, 2020.

Pedestrian accidents carry a high probability of death. Pedestrians face incredible risks when hit at any speed. Even low speeds can be fatal and high speeds are deadly much of the time. To prevent these tragic deaths, it's important to know why the accidents happen and how to avoid them because there is little that a pedestrian can do to reduce injury during a crash. They have to prevent the crash from happening.

To this end, it's important to note the major role that alcohol plays in these accidents. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 48% of deadly pedestrian accidents -- just under half -- involve alcohol. This was accounting for use by either the driver or the person who was hit. It also stands to reason that some accidents involved alcohol use by both parties.

Understanding why truck jackknife incidents occur

On behalf of Law Offices of Patricia Turnage posted in Truck Accidents on Friday, March 6, 2020.

Large commercial trucks are substantially different than passenger vehicles in a number of ways. They are bigger and heavier, and they are all so structurally very different. Those differences are among the reasons that dangerous jackknifing incidents occur.

In a jackknife incident, the trailer of a commercial truck will wind up traveling in a different direction than the cab of the commercial truck, resulting in loss of control and the potential for major collisions. Understanding what causes jackknife incidents can help you stay safer while driving near commercial trucks.

Aerial lifts and safety at California construction sites

On behalf of Law Offices of Patricia Turnage posted in Construction Workers' Accidents on Tuesday, February 25, 2020.

An aerial lift is used on construction job sites to lift workers in California and throughout the United States, enabling them to perform key tasks. Because of how easy it is to move them from one place to next, aerial lifts have become as common as scaffolding and ladders at many work locations.

They aren't without risks, though. In fact, a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), updated in 2019, said that between 2011 and 2014, 87 workers died from injuries suffered while operating an aerial lift or scissor lift. In the same time period, 1,380 people were injured.

What can motorcyclists wear to keep them safe in a crash?

On behalf of Law Offices of Patricia Turnage posted in Motorcycle Accidents on Monday, February 17, 2020.

Many motorcyclists enjoy the freeing feeling that comes with riding their motorcycles on the open road. This is why bikers avoid wearing protective gear that could protect them from getting seriously hurt in a crash. That's a mistake on their part though. This is especially the case since there are primary pieces of gear that motorcyclists can wear that may keep them safe and save their lives.

A helmet is one of the most important pieces of equipment that you, as a motorcyclist, can wear. It can keep your brain and face protected if you become involved in a crash. It doesn't make a difference if there is a law on the books that makes it mandatory for you to wear a helmet. You're preserving your future by putting one on.

Pedestrian dies in hit-and-run; arrest made

On behalf of Law Offices of Patricia Turnage posted in Auto-Pedestrian Accidents on Tuesday, February 11, 2020.

A pedestrian passed away in a hit-and-run accident in California, and the police have now made an arrest in the case.

The crash happened right around 1:00 a.m., on Thursday, Feb. 6. Per reports, the person who hit the pedestrian was driving a Toyota Prius. At this time, police do think that the man who was hit was trying to cross the road, but he was apparently not in a marked crosswalk. The southbound Prius struck him in the dark.