On the night of Friday, December 2, 2016, 36 people perished, almost all young adults, and many more suffered physical and psychological injuries in a horrific fire that consumed the Ghost Ship building in the Fruitvale District of Oakland. The fire started near midnight during an electronic music show in the converted warehouse. It was the deadliest structural blaze in California since the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fire.
Turlock, CA (May 17, 2017) – A bicyclist was killed Wednesday morning when a 2016 silver Chevy Silverado pickup truck fatally struck him along the right side of the roadway.
This question comes from a parent on the Peninsula who requests to remain anonymous: “Chris, my son was sexually assaulted by another student at his middle school. My son and the other student are both developmentally disabled and attend the same class. Last month, the other student was observed on the playground during recess with his hands inside my son’s pants, forcibly touching my son in and around his genitals. My son never told me about the assault. However, after it occurred, each morning he was highly agitated and did not want to go to school. I kept him home for the week.
I only learned what occurred during a conversation with a teacher’s aide when my son returned to school. The aide asked me how my son was doing emotionally. I did not know what she was referring to. She told me about the assault on the playground, and added that the same student had been observed inappropriately touching other students in the classroom earlier in the school year. I spoke to the principal. She apologized for school personnel not informing me about the assault but claimed the school had no idea the student who committed the assault posed a danger to other students. What should I do?”
For the fourth consecutive year, readers of the SF weekly have selected Chris Dolan as the best injury lawyer in San Francisco.
San Francisco, CA (May 17, 2017) – A bicyclist was severely injured early Monday morning May 15th 2017, after colliding with a vehicle in the Mission district of San Francisco, California.
The Dolan Law Firm annually co-sponsors Bike to Work Day in the San Francisco Bay Area. Through our partners, the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition, Bike East Bay and the Marin County Bicycle Coalition, we are distributing over 20,000 free, reflective pant leg straps for bicyclists. We are proud to be recognized by these organizations as local, bicycle-friendly attorneys. We also sponsor the California Bicycle Coalition which advocates for the rights of cyclists in Sacramento.
Irina from San Francisco writes, “Chris, I own a small, rescue dog who is afraid of larger dogs. My son and I were walking our dog, on the sidewalk and on his leash, to a nearby park when suddenly a Rottweiler dog, off leash, came around the corner and bounded up to my dog. Afraid for my dog, I reached down to pick him up. The Rottweiler jumped up on me, viciously biting my arm just above my elbow drawing blood. Throughout the ordeal my son, 6, was screaming and crying. I was afraid that the Rottweiler was going to kill me, my son, or the dog. Finally, the owner of the dog ran up and pulled his dog off me, said he was sorry, and that his dog had never acted this way before. I had to go to the hospital where I was treated for the puncture wounds. The dog also lacerated a tendon near my elbow and I may need surgery. I have developed an infection and now I am taking antibiotics. I am told I will have a permanent scar from the bite marks. My son is in therapy now as he shakes and starts breathing rapidly when he encounters a large dog.
The dog owner got nasty when I told him his dog should be on a leash. He seemed offended and said if my dog hadn’t barked he wouldn’t have been bitten. I called the police and he started walking away so I took his picture. They arrived and found him in the park. He is a finance guy living in a big house in Noe Valley. I always thought people that filed lawsuits were just trying to make a quick dollar, but now that my son and I have been injured by this guy’s careless attitude I can see why people sue guys like him. I want to know what my rights are. I have medical bills, lost time at work, need future plastic surgery, and my son in in therapy.”
Jacob from San Francisco writes: “My Dad was killed in a motorcycle crash on a country road in the North Bay. It happened at night when it was dark outside. He was heading southbound and as he rounded a curve he collided with a pickup truck that was making a right turn from a side road into the same lane of traffic my Dad was riding. The driver claimed that he didn’t see my dad and that my dad must have been speeding.
The police did not charge the driver with any offense. I don’t understand: my Dad was a safe driver. On the night he died, my Dad was wearing his reflective motorcycle jacket and reflective motorcycle helmet. My Mom is struggling with my Dad’s death and does not know what to do. I have told her she should talk to a lawyer about suing the pickup truck driver. What do you advise?”