Today’s column continues where last week’s left off regarding legal responsibility for injuries caused by hazardously placed Bird, LimeBike and/or Spin electric scooters. Today, I will first discuss new legislation designed to reduce the risks these scooters present and next address responsibility for injuries caused when motorized scooters are driven on the sidewalk.
Tricia P. from South of Market asks: “I came out of my apartment front door and tripped over a Bird scooter and fell face first. I was able to catch myself on a nearby tree and wasn’t seriously injured but I could have broken my arm. Just a few days earlier someone was riding one of the green scooters and almost clipped me as I exited Starbucks. What gives? Who would be responsible if I had been smashed into or if I fell and broke my wrist?”
For the fifth consecutive year, the readers of SF Weekly have selected Chris Dolan as the best injury lawyer in San Francisco. “It’s an honor to be recognized by the readers of the SF Weekly for standing with them at the frontlines in the fight for justice”, Dolan stated.
I am a delivery driver for a company that offers door-to- door food service from restaurants to customers’ homes. I am classified as an independent contractor and paid on a piece-meal (no pun intended) basis, with no benefits or extra pay for working overtime. Some people at work say that we should be classified as employees instead and want to demand better employment terms. These legal categories are confusing to me, even though they seem to have a lot of impact on our lives. How can a worker tell whether they should be treated as an independent contractor or an employee? CJ
Today’s question comes from Kate, who asks “I have a friend recently terminated by a multi-billion-dollar company for not showing up to work. He had been 5150’d and was under psychiatric hold as required by his doctor. His then girlfriend called to let the employer know that he was in the hospital and would call as soon as he was able. He was fired anyway. Doesn’t the ADA require that he be given reasonable accommodation?”