Riding a motorcycle can be freeing; you feel the elements, have more freedom to maneuver and can go places larger vehicles can’t. Unfortunately, riding a motorcycle doesn’t offer you the same protections as a larger vehicle. For instance, if you slide on the road, it’s more likely that you’ll be thrown from your vehicle than be able to recover and continue on your way.
A fiery six-vehicle crash involving a semi-truck before 6 a.m. on Wednesday, April 27, 2016, on Interstate Highway 580 in Pleasanton, California took the life of the driver of a BMW. A big-rig slammed into the BMW which caught fire. The driver, a 43-year old man from Brentwood, was trapped inside and died. Although other vehicles also caught fire in the chain reaction accident, no other drivers or occupants were seriously injured.
The fatal Highway 580 fatal crash highlights the vulnerability of people traveling in cars when a large truck accident occurs. Each year nearly 2,500 persons in cars drivers and passengers die in accidents across America involving a large truck.
As explained by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, “trucks often weigh 20-30 times as much as passenger cars and are taller with greater ground clearance, which can result in smaller vehicles underriding trucks in crashes.”
This week’s question comes from Aimee K, from the Outer Richmond, who asks: “I have been an Uber driver for the past two and a half years. I heard that Uber entered into a settlement that stated that we are employees and should have been compensated more than we were. Is this true, am I going to get some money from this?”
Aimee, the short answer is yes there is a class action in which there is a proposed settlement but it did not establish that Uber drivers are employees.
Last November, a double-decker tourist bus crashed in Union Square. The bus accident seriously injured a bicyclist, multiple pedestrians and a number of people on the bus. It knocked down power lines and left San Francisco emergency workers scrambling to save the lives of six critically injured people.
The first thing you need to do is to remember to stay at the scene and request medical help. Having a medical professional review your health at this point is vital, so you can prove the extent of your injuries and get the treatment you need. Remember to check on all drivers or passengers involved in the wreck; don’t move anyone from the vehicles unless there is a direct hazard that could lead to further injuries.
This week’s question comes John K from South City who asks: “I recently bought my first home with my wife. We saw the ad for the house on line and went to an open house. We liked the house and asked the broker about the neighborhood because we wanted a safe, quiet, place to raise a family.
The broker said that it was a quiet neighborhood with older, retired neighbors. The agent acted as a “dual agent” which he said meant he could represent us both. We went through a lot of paperwork, got the loan, and then closed on the house.
After we moved in we started seeing a lot of traffic coming and going from next door. It turns out that they are selling drugs and may be running a meth lab. I spoke to the other neighbor next door and he said that this had been going on a long time and he had spoken with the broker about it. I feel ripped off, what can I do?”
Living in San Francisco, you probably enjoy a bike ride occasionally. Maybe you ride to work or school, too. Unfortunately, the roads aren’t always safe for people like yourself, even if you take precautions against getting into an accident.
This week’s question comes from Linda in the North Bay. She asks, “Chris, last fall, my brother and I helped our mother enter a nursing care facility. It was a nightmare. The food was so poor she became malnourished and didn’t drink enough water. Mom stayed in bed for most of the day and developed painful skin lesions. We removed her from the facility, but they refused to take any responsibility. Instead, they claimed we were being ‘overly sensitive.’ Can my mom sue the facility for the deficient care?”
This week’s question comes from Zaid in Fremont: “Donald Trump denigrates and incites violence against Muslim Americans including threatening to make them all register. He speaks of nuking the Middle East. Trump even offered to pay the legal bills for anyone that attacks protestors at his rallies. Isn’t this hate speech? Is Trump responsible in any way when someone acts on his threats or statements and attacks a protester?”
Thank you Zaid for your timely and important questions.
I remember that not long after 9/11, then President George W. Bush sought to combat a spike in hate crimes against Muslim Americans by visiting a mosque and declaring, “America counts millions of Muslims amongst our citizens and Muslims make an incredibly valuable contribution to our country.” The President added, “And they need to be treated with respect. In our anger and emotion, our fellow Americans must treat each other with respect.”
It’s clear to many that when you’re driving around large trucks, accidents can be devastating and take place suddenly. If you’re in stop-and-go traffic, this can be particularly difficult for truck drivers, since the vehicles are harder to stop and start as quickly as smaller vehicles.