The family of an Oakland man killed in a bicycling accident while speeding down a hill in Berkeley's Tilden Park has filed a negligence lawsuit against a well-known bicycling website, Strava. According to reports, William "Kim" Flint died after trying to keep his time record for racing down the hill. Flint was biking down the hill at about 40 miles per hour. He was fatally injured after he suddenly braked to avoid a car and flipped over.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a bicycle accident, its important to seek the advice of an experienced Sacramento bicycle attorney right away. If you have suffered serious personal injuries, it may be possible to recover damages for your harm. Typical bicycle injuries may include:

• head and neck injuries

• spinal cord injuries

• brain injuries

• broken bones

• road rash

In the event of a fatal accident, a surviving family member may be able to file a wrongful death lawsuit. Negligence and wrongful death suits are based on the legal concept that the careless or reckless conduct of anther person or entity lead to another person's harm, or in this instance, death.

Here, the family has filed a negligence claim against the Strava website based on its actions in encouraging bicyclists to bike too fast. The Strava company hosts virtual races and rewards winners who use a GPS system that track their own time and that of competitors. Flint died after he learned someone on the site had beat his time, and he went out to try to reclaim the title. However, Strava failed to inspect the courses or otherwise ensure that they are safe. A representative noted, "They assume no responsibility. They don't put cones out. They don't have anybody monitor and see whether a course, or a specific segment, is dangerous."

If Strava knows or should have known that the course was dangerous but failed to remove it from the site, they may be held liable.

Even if Flint is held partly responsible for his death, his family still may be able to recover damages for his injuries. California is a comparative law state, which means that an injured party (or in this instance the surviving family members) can recover damages for harm caused - even if they are partly to blame. The amount recovered would be reduced by percentage of the injured party's fault.

This bicycle accident is not the only high profile bicycle accident case linked to Strava. Strava has also been implicated in the recent Castro pedestrian death. According to sources, the cyclist who hit the pedestrian was tracking his time on Strava.

For more information about negligence or wrongful death lawsuits, or if you or a loved one has been injured in a Sacramento bicycle accident, contact the top Sacramento bike accident lawyers at the Law Office of Frederick J. Sette for an immediate consultation.

Half Moon Bay news reports that an apparent drunk driving crash has lead to significant injuries. Sources indicate that the car was speeding near the Half Moon Bay Airport when it spun out of control early Saturday morning and collided with a boat and van. The accident then lead to a "two-alarm" structure fire in a warehouse.

A Pacifica resident, Matthew J. Burnham was driving the car and crashed into the warehouse shortly before 2 a.m. suffering serious personal injuries. Burnham's two passengers were also injured. All three were taken to nearby Stanford Hospital.

If you have been injured in a drunk driving accident and any other motor vehicle accident, it is important to consult with an experienced Sacramento personal injury lawyer right away. A top California car accident lawyer can answer your personal injury questions and help you obtain the compensation you deserve for your injuries.

Here, Burnham was arrested on a suspicion of driving under the influence and alcohol is considered to be a major factor contributing to the accident.

Alcohol remains one of the top contributing factors to California motor vehicle accidents. In fact, nationwide the leading cause of auto accidents is driver intoxication. 40% of all traffic deaths are linked to alcohol use.

Other factors leading to auto accidents include distracted driving - such as texting while driving, eating while driving or even playing loud music or adjusting the radio. Accidents may also be caused by other forms of reckless driving, i.e. speeding, failing to follow the rules of the road and not looking out for others on the road. Additional factors leading to car crashes include negligent roadway design (where a municipality or other entity creates a "dangerous design" by making curves too tight, inclines too steep, or failing to adequately place lights or warning signs) and improper roadway maintenance.

In fact, numerous factors may cause or contribute to an accident. If you or a loved one has suffered an injury as the result of a car crash, a top Sacramento car accident lawyer can begin an investigation into all of the factors that may have lead to your injuries. When one of more parties is negligent, you may be able to recover damages from each party. Even if you may be partly at fault, you still may be able to recover damages where another party is to blame.

Victims of any car accident face medical bills, loss of wages, physical pain, emotional distress and loss of enjoyment of life. If injuries are severe or permanent, families suffer economic loss, mental anguish and the loss of companionship in caring for an injured family member. In the event of death, families are torn apart without any warning.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a California car accident, contact the top Sacramento car accident lawyers at the Law Office of Frederick J. Sette for an immediate consultation.

A recent surge in California bike accidents has led law enforcement in Red Bluff to crack down on bicycle lawbreakers. According to Red Bluff news, five police officers rushed to the Sacramento River Bridge to help an alleged stabbing victim. When they arrived it turned out that the man had suffered a bicycle accident after stealing a bottle of vodka, and losing control of his bicycle. Alcohol was a factor in the rash.

Two other bike accidents occurred, one involved a car turning in front of a bike and causing a crash, while the other was the result of a bicyclist riding on the wrong side of the road.

These accidents, along with several recent highly publicized San Francisco bike accidents underscore the need for motorists and bicyclists to pay greater mind to the rules of the road in an effort to improve safety.

Some tips include:

• Always wear a bike helmet. Wearing a helmet can prevent serious injuries and even death to riders in collisions. Wearing a helmet is required for individuals under the age of 18.

• Obey the rules of the road, including all traffic signals

• Look out for cars at driveways, cross streets and parking places

• Yield to pedestrians

• Never riding "double," i.e. carrying another person on your handle bars or seat

• Use appropriate hand signals

• Maintain your bicycle in good condition

For more information regarding the operation and use of bicycles and equipment requirements, please see California Vehicle Code (CVC) 231 and 21200-21205, 21208, 21210-21212, 21650.1, 21960, 22111, 23330, 27400, 39002, 23111 and 23112.

If you have questions about California bike accidents, or have been involved in a collision, please contact an experienced Sacramento bike accident lawyer at the Law Office of Frederick J. Sette for an immediate consultation.

News from Martinez, California reports that a woman has received a $2.5 million jury award in a negligence lawsuit filed after the women choked on a chicken bone. The woman was eating at a Round Table pizza restaurant and choked on a 1.2 inch bone left in her barbecue chicken pizza. As a result of the incident, she required more than 11 surgeries and spent several months on feeding tubes and liquid diets.

If you have suffered any injury that you believe may be the result of another's negligence, it is important to speak to a Sacramento personal injury lawyer to determine your next steps.

Lawsuit based on negligence arise out of the general premise that people, companies or even governmental body should exercise reasonable care in their actions. If they fail to exercise reasonable care and their actions cause foreseeable harm, then the may be held responsible for any damages caused and be required to pay compensation.

A Contra Costa County jury determined that the franchisee for the South San Francisco Round Table, Foster Poultry Farms and Pizza Bytes, was negligent in allowing bones in the chicken. Reports indicate that between 2005 and 2010, more than 200 customer complaints were issued about bones in the chicken strips.

$2 million of the award is for pain and suffering and $500,000 is for past and future medical expenses. 

For more information about negligence lawsuits or if you believe you have been injured due to another person's negligence, please contact a top Sacramento personal injury lawyer at the Law Office of Frederick J. Sette for an immediate consultation.

After the sailing tragedy that claimed the lives of five people off the coast of San Francisco, the U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Sailing, the survivor and many others are calling for the consideration of greater California boating safety measures. A series of powerful waves thrashed the vessel earlier this month as it rounded a rugged island chain during the Full Crew Farallones Race off San Francisco, sweeping crew members overboard into the frigid Pacific and tossing the boat onto a rocky shoal.

The U.S. Coast Guard has ordered yacht racers and other boaters to "stand down" as a result of this fatal accident, as well as a previous accident two weeks ago that resulted in significant personal injuries. The Coast Guard has stopped issuing permits for ocean racing pending results of the boat accident report, stating, "This temporary safety stand-down from offshore racing will allow the Coast Guard and the offshore racing community to further our common safety goals." "I don't think it's necessarily a bad think for everybody to take a breath and see what can be done. We want to be sure our races are as safe as possible."

One of the survivors, Bryon Chong of Tiburon, agrees, stating that the five crew mates who died might have been saved had they worn safety harnesses. In a letter posted to the website Sailing Anarchy, Chong writes that he and the seven other sailors aboard the 38-foot (11.6-meter) Low Speed Chase should have been tethered to the boat.

"Hopefully, this incident will spur a wider discussion on sailboat safety," Chong concludes.

Boat accidents can arise in a variety of manners - from recreational boating, to slips and falls on cruise ships, to serious accidents involving boat races. Different boating laws and safety measure apply to each type of circumstance. It's important to consult with an experienced California boating lawyer who has in-depth knowledge of the particular involved in your circumstance.

For more information about boating safety or if you or a loved one has been injured in a boating accident, contact the Sacramento boating lawyers at the Law Office of Frederick J. Sette for an immediate consultation.

The Marin Independent Journal reports that a 71-year-old San Bruno man was killed in a fatal pedestrian bicycle collision last week at the intersection of Castro and Market Streets in San Francisco. The bicyclist who ran into the pedestrian was returning from a Marin Headlands group ride. Online messages suggest that the man may have been speeding down the hill just before the bike accident occurred.

If you have been injured as the result of a bike accident or pedestrian accident, or you have lost a loved one in a fatal collision, it is important to consult with an experienced Sacramento bike accident lawyer to protect your rights and determine your next steps. Although in some instances accident simply happen and no one is at fault, where another person's careless and reckless actions cause you harm, it may be possible to recover compensation.

Here, the investigation into the accident continues. Reports indicate that the San Bruno man was in the crosswalk when the accident occurred, and both him and the cyclist were taken to the hospital with injuries. The cyclist was treated for non-life threatening injuries and released. Newspaper accounts provide that police are looking into whether the bicyclist ran a red light and will be meeting with the District Attorney's office to determine the next steps. Further, the pedestrian's official cause of death has not yet been determined.

While bicyclists are often the victims of tragic accidents, especially when cars and trucks fail to share the road, it is important to remember that bicyclists can also cause serious accidents if they fail to pay attention to the rules of the road or ride recklessly or carelessly.

For more information about bicycle accidents or pedestrian accidents, or if you have been suffered serious injuries in any type of transportation accident, contact the top Sacramento personal injury lawyers at the Law Office of Frederick J. Sette for an immediate consultation.

After two skiers were injured in separate Lake Tahoe ski accidents with snowboarders, the skiers have now sued the resort. According to the Sacramento Bee, a personal injury lawsuit has been filed on behalf of the skiers alleging that Vail Resorts, the owner of Heavenly Mountain Resort in South Lake Tahoe, was responsible for the accident.

If you have suffered any serious accident, consulting with an experienced Sacramento personal injury lawyer is important to answer your personal injury questions and ensure your rights are protected. Where an accident is caused by another's negligence and you suffer harm, it may be possible to recover compensation including medical expenses, lost wages and emotional distress.

Here, a 54-year-old woman was knocked unconscious and suffered a brain injury when a 20-year-old worker from Argentina collided with the skier. Many factors go into determining whether an individual or company may be held responsible for causing another's injury. Further, in situations similar to this, questions are raised about when an employer be held liable for an employee's act.

In many situations an employer may be held liable for the conduct of their employees. Under a legal doctrine called "respondeat superior," employers are liable for the negligent acts of their employees that occur in the course of their employment. This means that when employees recklessly or negligently cause an accident while carrying out their job duties and injure another person, the employer may be required to compensate the victim. Whether the employer or the employee pays often turns on the question of whether the accident was caused during the "course of employment" or not.

Other times, employers may be found liable for "negligent hiring." This applies to situations where an employee causes harm such as through reckless conduct or criminal behavior and the person harmed alleges that an employer acted carelessly in hiring the dangerous individual and exposing others to harm.

Here, the lawsuit alleges that Vail Resorts was liable because the accident was caused by young inexperienced seasonal employees who lacked training and insurance.

For more information or if you have been harmed in any serious injury accident, contact a top Sacramento personal injury lawyer at the Law Offices of Frederick J. Sette for a free, initial consultation.

The family of a son who died in a car accident has recently filed a negligence lawsuit arising out of the Mateo County Coroners Office handling of the mans' body parts. According to the lawsuit, the coroners office caused the family severe emotional distress when it sharing brain tissue of the man with a private pathologist in a wrongful death lawsuit. The parents, who are devoutly Jewish, assert that the Coroners Office violated California statutes concerning remains and neglect.

Negligence lawsuits can arise in many situations and involve instances where a duty of care has been created and a breach of that duty causes harm. Generally, a duty of care is a legal obligation that requires individuals, businesses or governmental entities to act with reasonable care to avoid a foreseeable harm. When an entity fails to act with sufficient care, and harm occurs the individual, business or entity may be held liable. The question of duty often turns on a complex legal analysis, so it is important to consult with a knowledgeable Sacramento personal injury attorney if you believe you or a loved on has suffered harm do to a careless or reckless act of another.

Here the actions stem from a wrongful death action filed after a fatal car accident. During that lawsuit, an attorney requested information concerning the son's brain tissue. Rather than turning over the contents of a written report the coroner handed over custody of the man's physical remains. The pathologist took several tissue samples, turning them into at least 20 different slides.

Pursuant to their faith, dissection for a not urgent or medical reason is "a matter of shame and gross dishonor." According to the lawsuit, the family experienced significant emotional distress as the result of the coroner's neglectful indifference to their faith. In legal terms, the family's negligence lawsuit alleges that the coroner breached its duty of reasonable care to the family. Additionally the family faults the coroner for carelessly disregarding a next-of-kin notification policy.  

If you have suffered emotional or physical personal injury as the result of another's negligent conduct, it is important to contact a top Sacramento personal injury lawyer to discuss your case and ensure you receive the compensation you deserve.

News reports that a Menlo Park man who suffered serious personal injuries in a drunk driving accident has sued Hobo Limousines, Inc. for it's role in providing a "party bus" that allowed minors to drink for 4-hours during a "booze-cruise." In February 2010 after a 21st birthday celebration aboard a party-bus, a minor - 19-year-old Brett Studebaker - got behind the wheel and crash into a car driven by Gregory Hinman. Studebaker died in the drunk driving accident and Hinman suffered permanent brain damage and broken bones.

As a result of the crash, Assemblyman Jerry Hill has proposed legislation making drivers, companies and riders responsible for preventing underage drinking on party busses.

In many situations, more than one party may be at fault for causing an accident. If you or a loved one has been injured in a car accident it is important to consult with an experienced Sacramento personal injury attorney to begin an investigation into all of the causes of a particular incident in order to ensure you obtain all the compensation you deserve.

Here, the parties dispute who is at fault for the underage drinking. The company asserts that the people onboard were drinking prior to getting on the bus, but not during the ride, and that parents signed a contract agreeing that minors wouldn't be drinking. Conversely, the parents of Brett Studebaker blame the company asserting that it's the driver's responsibility to ensure that no minors were drinking while on the party bus and that the driver added to the drinking by providing a bottle of champagne.

Because California is a comparative law state, each party who has caused or contributed an injury may be held responsible. Where more than one defendant is found to blame, each party may be held liable for a percentage of the total.

This accident is a tragic reminder of the dangers of drinking and driving. What was meant as a celebratory party ended in heartbreak for two families.

For more information or if you or a loved one has been injured in a car crash or any other type of personal injury accident, contact a dedicated Sacramento personal injury lawyer at the Law Offices of Frederick J. Sette for a free, confidential consultation.

San Francisco news reports that distracted driving may be a substantial factor in the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) shuttle bus crash that killed a passenger. Reports indicate that the driver, Wallace Richardson, may have been distracted by a conversation with the man who died in the accident. As a result of the crash, Dr. Kevin Mack died from serious injuries sustained after being thrown from the vehicle.

The shuttle bus accident occurred moments after Richardson was engaged in a conversation with Mack. According to reports, Richardson was talking with Mack then subsequently ran a red light. The shuttle bus then collided with a big-rig truck. The truck driver tried to avoid the accident by slamming on the brakes, but wasn't able to stop the semi from crashing into the shuttle bus.

If you have been involved in any motorvehicle accident it is important to consult with an experienced Sacramento injury attorney to discuss your rights and determine your next steps. In many situations, it may be possible to obtain compensation for your injuries.

The shuttle involved in this accident did not have seat belts however none were required by law. Whether factors other than driver error played a role in causing the accident or impacting the extent of the injuries will be investigated.

In any personal injury accident more than one factor may be to blame. Under California law, where more than one person is responsible for causing an injury, each person may be responsible for paying damages based on their percentage of fault.

An experienced accident attorney can make an investigation into each factor and ensure you receive the compensation you deserve.

For more information or if you or a loved one has been injured in an Sacramento automobile accident, contact the knowledgeable Sacramento personal injury lawyers at the Law Office of Frederick J. Sette for a free immediate consultation.