Hit and Run Car Accident Settlement
$250,000 for woman injured in hit-and-run car accident. Read More
Ankle injury following truck accident
$850,000 for ankle injury following truck accident. Read More
“Glee” Star Jane Lynch Joins LG in Fight to Reduce Distracted Driving Accidents
Did you make any new years resolutions this winter? For the driving safety parent, cutting down on your child’s use of cell phones behind the wheel is a great... Read More
State-By-State Drunk Driving Laws and Driving Fatality Statistics
While there is currently no federal law against drunk driving, it is illegal in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. But each state varies in its enforcement... Read More
Good News for Lawyers on Social Media
There are two sides to the debate about whether state bar associations should enforce stricter regulations on attorney advertising. First, there’s the question of whether the courts should regulate... Read More
Holiday Drivers Increase Risk of Car Accidents
Due to the increased likelihood of drunk driving and adverse road conditions, winter holidays always carry an extra risk of car accidents. This year, warns the auto advocate AAA,... Read More
Fatal California Distracted Driving Accident Carries Major Penalty
Distracted driving is not just dangerous and thoughtless. It’s also a major crime when associated with the most terrifying circumstances. On September 15, 20-year-old Ani Voskanian caused an accident... Read More
Portland to Pay Accident Settlement for Pedestrian Struck By Distracted Driving Officer
It’s not a good sign if your city’s police officers are getting in distracted driving car accidents. That’s the case in Portland, Oregon, where police officer Ty Garrison struck... Read More
San Francisco’s WalkSF Meets to Reduce Pedestrian Accidents
At a meeting in San Francisco late last week, the city’s pedestrian advocacy organization WalkSF met with members of the Board of Supervisors to brainstorm methods to best reduce... Read More
Judge Will Hear Personal Injury and Wrongful Death Lawsuits Against Toyota
For the past few months, public opinion concerning the Toyota unintended acceleration lawsuits has largely favored the Japanese auto giant. But last week, a federal judge declined to dismiss... Read More
NHTSA Report: Drug Use Leads to More Fatal Car Accidents
In a unique report released last week, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced that the number of drivers fatally injured in car accidents who tested positive for drug... Read More
Portland Wrongful Death Victims Launch $30 Million Lawsuit For Bus Accident
Back in April, one of Portland’s TriMet busses struck five pedestrians while turning left onto a busy street. Danielle Sale, 22, and Jenee Hammel, 26, were both killed. Families... Read More
Can Congress Pass Auto Safety Overhaul in 2010?
For months, national lawmakers have been sparring over the benefits of a proposed auto safety overhaul, potentially the largest update for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration since it... Read More
Insurance Industry Continues Opposition to Campaign Against Distracted Driving
The insurance industry is at it again. Addressing the fact that distracted driving causes more than 6,000 deaths and 500,000 injuries each year, Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood has... Read More
DePuy Orthopedics Faulty Hip Implant Lawsuits Move Forward
When DePuy Orthopedics launched its recall of thousands of their ASR hip implant models about two months ago, preliminary discussions indicated that San Francisco was on the short list... Read More
The (Misguided) Case Against Motorcycle Helmet Laws
In his manifesto against motorcycle helmet laws in the Chicago Tribune last week, columnist Steve Chapman listed a number of actions people can legally take to endanger their health:... Read More
DePuy Orthopedics and Faulty Hip Surgery Lawsuit Timeline
Just under two months ago, the Food and Drug Administration began recalling hip implants manufactured by DePuy Orthopedics, citing complaints it has received for more than two years about... Read More
Faulty California Hip Surgeries Lead to DePuy Orthopedics Investigation
Two months ago, the Food and Drug Administration announced its recall of hip implants manufactured by DePuy Orthopedics, a division of Johnson & Johnson. Since, complaints about the recalled... Read More
Good & Bad News for Bay Area Car Accidents Over Thanksgiving Weekend
As I wrote last week, holiday weekends inevitably carry an increased risk of car accidents and other holiday-related injuries. While this holds true for 2010, there were fortunately no... Read More
Remember the Faces of Distracted Driving Car Accidents
We spend a lot of time on the GJEL blog discussing distracted driving and the implications of the dangerous practice on a large scale. Since distracted driving contributes to... Read More
Wrongful Death Settlements After Utility Company Car Accident
$4.5 million against utilities company in car accident & wrongful death accident. Read More
VS Transportation agency for bus/pedestrian accident
$8 million from transportation agency for bus/pedestrian accident. Read More
VS Cement company for motorcycle/truck accident
$3.8 million against cement company for motorcycle/truck accident. Read More
DePuy Hip Implants Blamed for Faulty California Hip Surgeries
Just under two months ago, the Food and Drug Administration began recalling hip implants manufactured by DePuy Orthopaedics, citing complaints it has received for more than two years about... Read More
Boy injured in a pedestrian accident
$150,000 for a boy injured in a pedestrian accident. Read More
Man injured in a motorcycle accident
$100,000 for a man injured in a motorcycle accident. Read More
Injured passenger in a car accident
$100,000 for a woman injured as a passenger in a car accident. Read More
Client injured in car accident
$100,000 from insurance company for client injured in car accident. Read More
$100,000 Recovery for Client injured in a motorcycle accident
$100,000 for client injured in a motorcycle accident. Read More
$100,000 Settlement for a Client injured in a motorcycle accident vs. State Farm Insurance
$100,000 for client injured in a motorcycle accident. Read More
Helmet & ‘Lane Split’ Laws Could Reduce Motorcycle Accident Deaths & Injuries
The National Transportation Safety Board is taking on a tough crowd in its effort to implement a national law requiring motorcycle helmets for all ages. The Wall Street Journal... Read More
Do Bicycle Accident Injury Reports Improve Safety, or Scare Potential Cyclists?
This won’t surprise you: bicycle injuries are bad for your health. That’s (partially) the conclusion of a yearlong bicycle commuter study released by the Oregon Health & Science University... Read More
Lamorinda Sun Profiles GJEL Partner Luke Ellis on California Mock Trial
Practicing law for the past 35 years, GJEL Partner Luke Ellis has developed an outstanding reputation in the courtroom. For the past ten of those years, he has worked... Read More
National Transportation Safety Board Probes Aging Driver Safety
In the past, study of age-related driving dangers has generally focused on teenagers and twenty somethings, the demographics with the most questionable driving records. More recently, safety experts have... Read More
California Pedestrian Accidents Decrease As Oregon’s Increase
Pedestrians beware, as we head into the holiday months, generally considered the most dangerous for pedestrians and cyclists due to increased traffic, worsening road conditions, and dimmed visibility. Thanks... Read More
Supreme Court Defective Seat Belt Decision Will Impact Future Auto Safety
Sadly, vehicle seat belts do not represent a catchall solution to end car accident deaths. In fact, a recent Supreme Court case indicates that one victim may have “jackknifed... Read More
Pleasant Hill California Launches Plan to Reduce Pedestrian & Bicycle Accidents
Pleasant Hill, a town of about 33,000 located between Walnut Creek and Concord in California's Contra Costa County, is moving forward with a comprehensive bicycle and pedestrian plan designed... Read More
Election Emphasizes Lax Bicycle Accident Laws
As voters went to the polls yesterday, candidates, propositions, and the direction of the country were no doubt on their minds. Oddly enough, some Maryland voters were also likely... Read More
Aging Drivers React to Increase in Car Accidents
When is it time for aging drivers to put the keys away due to declining vision and reaction time? That’s the subject of yesterday’s great Oregonian story probing the... Read More
New Claims: Toyota “Covered Up” Unintended Acceleration Problems
The pendulum of public opinion about Toyota continues to swing. Last month, the mainstream media ran with early information that unintended acceleration accidents may have been the result of... Read More
California Ranked Safest State for Teen Drivers
In it's forthcoming November issue, US News and World Report has ranked California as the best state for teen drivers, placing second only behind the District of Colombia. California... Read More
Parents, Towns Prepare for Halloween Pedestrian Safety
Halloween is many different things to many different people. To kids, it's a fun time to dress up, walk around town, and gather as much candy as possible. For... Read More
Teen Driving Laws and Recession are Saving Lives
To round out National Teen Driver Safety Week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released an optimistic study showing that car accident deaths caused by teenagers has dropped... Read More
High School Head Injuries Blamed on Football Helmet Safety Standards
We've been focusing a lot on bicycle helmets on this blog over the past few weeks, but not as much on helmets to prevent other sports-related injuries. On its... Read More
During National Teen Driver Safety Week, California Agencies Boost Bicycle Safety
As National Teen Driver Safety Week, this has been an opportunity for teenagers, parents, and government officials to discuss important facts related to distracted driving, graduated licensing laws, and... Read More
Toyota Recalls 1.5 Million Vehicles for Potential Safety Defects
Regardless of how you feel about Toyota, the embattled auto giant that has recently recalled nearly 9 million vehicles worldwide, the company can be credited taking the crisis and... Read More
Disparate Cycling Safety Rules Populate State Law Books
California Personal Injury Lawyers Call For More Protection for All Cyclists ORINDA, Calif. — While nearly every state in the Union requires at least some form of helmet use... Read More
Iowa Police Get Creative with Anti-Distracted Driving Message
In July, Iowa joined the 30 states that have boosted highway safety by enacting laws against distracted driving. Iowa police cannot impose fines on drivers who disobey the law... Read More
Parents Are Focus for National Teen Driver Safety Week
It's natural that National Teen Driver Safety Week would ignite discussions about teen safety issues related to distracted driving, reckless actions, and graduated licensing laws. What's unusual about this... Read More
California Should Adopt Multi-Tiered Strategy to Reduce Bicycle Accidents
Each year, more than 130 cyclists are killed on city streets in California alone, and nearly 700 are killed nationwide. Of these bicycle deaths, nine of ten were at... Read More
National Transportation Safety Board to Host Forum on Aging Driver Safety
Although it's an incredibily difficult discussion to have, safety experts nationwide are beginning to question when aging drivers should begin to consider cutting down on the amount that they... Read More
Self-Driving Car: Safety Hero or Distracted Driving Foe?
Over the past year, Internet giant Google has grown closer to developing a car that can drive itself. The company, which has overseen seven cars traveling more than 140,000... Read More
Interactive Bicycle Laws Map: Helmet Laws & Cycling Under the Influence
Last week, 22-year-old Derek Allen was struck and killed by a Muni bus in San Francisco’s Inner Richmond neighborhood. Allen is the second cyclist to be killed on San... Read More
Teens and Auto Insurance Quiz
Detailed answers: 1. Teens and college-aged drivers are not automatically covered by their parent or guardian’s policy. They must either be set up on their own policy or be... Read More
TV Lawyers: The Good, The Bad, & The Criminal
Since TV first hit households more than a half-century ago, legal dramas and legal comedies have been two of the most consistent and quality genres. Legal dramas have pointed... Read More
California Should Match Recognition for Bike Accident Memorials
In mid-August, German tourist Nils Yannick Linke was struck and killed by a drunk driver at the intersection of Masonic and Turk streets in San Francisco. Soon after, a... Read More
PG&E Pipeline Explosion in San Bruno Leads to 8th Death
When news outlets reported four dead in the days after this month's tragic PG&E pipeline explosion in San Bruno, observers here in California and nationwide hoped the number wouldn't... Read More
Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood Fires Back Against Distracted Driving Campaign Critics
Last week, when Insurance Institute for Highway Safety president Adrian Lund doubled down on past criticism of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood's anti-distracted driving campaign, I hoped LaHood would respond.... Read More
Personal Injury Plaintiff Ordered to Reveal Facebook Data
Thanks to the ever-changing role of the Internet in public and private life, the role of eDiscovery is constantly evolving. Adding weight to this, a New York judge recently... Read More
GJEL News Center Consumer Library: We Welcome Your Input
GJEL News Center Consumer Library: We Welcome Your Input GJEL Accident Attorneys is developing a library of information oriented to safety for people in their daily lives and on... Read More
Recent Bike Accidents Show Need for Stronger Laws Protecting Cyclists
As more Americans take to the streets on bicycles in order to reduce their carbon footprints, unclog the streets, and get some additional exercise, traffic laws often prove insufficient... Read More
California Distracted Driving Rate Jumps Before Annual Summit
As elected leaders, transportation officials, and safety advocates converge in Washington DC today for the second annual distracted driving summit, the level of impact existing anti-distraction laws have had... Read More
Distracted Driving Targetted by AAA, Seventeen Magazine, & Ray LaHood
It's a big week for raising awareness about the dangers of driving while distracted. On Friday, AAA and Seventeen Magazine teamed up with the Department of Transportation to urge... Read More
Following PG&E Pipeline Explosion in San Bruno, DOT Urges New Safety Standards
I wish this had happened before, but I suppose it's one of those 'better late than never' scenarios. In response to last week's devastating pipeline explosion in San Bruno,... Read More
5 Recent PG&E Pipeline Explosions Like Last Week’s San Bruno Blast
Last week's PG&E pipeline explosion in San Bruno which killed four, injured more than 50, and left nearly 40 homes destroyed was far from an isolated incident. In fact,... Read More
PG&E’s Role Investigated in San Bruno Pipeline Explosion
In the aftermath of last week's pipeline explosion in San Bruno, civilians and government officials have probed the cause of the blast, and what, if any, responsibility the utilities... Read More
San Bruno Pipeline Explosion Kills 4, Injures 50
A San Bruno neighborhood was devastated by an uncontrollable fire last night when a PG&E pipeline exploded at 6:24 pm. The explosion, which left behind a 30-foot-wide crater, has... Read More
California Lawmakers Get Serious About Bike Safety
Each year, more Americans ride their bikes to work in order to save money, reduce their carbon footprints, and get some additional exercise. But since our roads have been... Read More
Mainstream Media Blames Toyota Unintended Acceleration on Driver Error
Following a year in which Toyota has been plagued by a constant stream of claims that unintended acceleration caused car accidents, leading to the recall of more than 9... Read More
Ethics and eDiscovery: Q&A With Discovery Strategy Guru Diane Barry
Most people outside the legal profession don’t know the incredible amount of work that goes in to a lawsuit before settlement negotiations or courtroom procedure begins. A major part... Read More
Labor Day Weekend Legal Humor Roundup: Winners and Werewolves
In yesterday's blog post, we asked you to drive safe over Labor Day weekend. But we also want you to have a ton of fun. So with that in... Read More
California Cracks Down on Drunk Driving on Dangerous Labor Day Weekend
Like we're back in school, 34.4 million Americans, including more than 4 million Californians will join me this Friday night to travel more than 50 miles to a vacation... Read More
GJEL Accident Attorneys Encourage Drivers to Stay Safe for Labor Day
Motoring during Holiday Weekend Popular for Families; Expect Crack Down on Drunken Driving. Orinda, CA August 30, 2010 — California and states nationwide are cracking down on intoxicated motorists... Read More
Managing Safety Risks for Older Drivers
No one wants to be told that they can't drive. For teenagers, restrictions on driving are set in stone until 16 (at least), making obtaining a drivers license a... Read More
Does NHTSA Focus Too Much on Distracted Driving and Unintended Acceleration?
In an odd policy statement this week, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety criticized the government for focusing too much on distracted driving and unintended acceleration, and ignoring more... Read More
Will Technology Make Distracted Driving More Dangerous?
This past week, tech blogs have asked an important question for the future of distracted driving: why haven’t we mastered the technology to make cell phone use behind the... Read More
Staged Accidents & Fake Insurance Claims Hurt the Little Guy, Too
Time and time again, plaintiffs trying to get what they deserve from negligent companies run into an unexpected obstacle. Not the team of lawyers hired to defend giant corporations... Read More
Lawsuits Against Bloggers Raise Free Speech Issues
The benefits of the internet are too numerous to count. The web has made information easily searchable, revolutionized the news industry, and boosted access to entertainment. But one of... Read More
Legal Humor Roundup: Battle of Television’s Greatest Lawyers
Since this blog focuses mostly on consumer safety, there’s not much opportunity to write about legal humor. But there’s a lot to go around, and every once in a... Read More
Pets Join Cell Phones on Distracted Driving List
San Francisco isn't the only region cracking down on distracted driving this month. Here in Contra Costa County, California Highway Patrol officers have cited more than 300 drivers this... Read More
NHTSA to Require Seat Belts on Commercial Passenger Busses
"Click it or Ticket," is the threat that has prompted thousands more Americans to buckle up since the punitive campaign launched two years ago. Since more than 15,000 people... Read More
Interactive Map: State-By-State Distracted Driving and Teen Laws
As cell phones continue to become more advanced, enabling users to send text messages, emails, and even photographs from behind the wheel, the dangers of distracted driving have become... Read More
NHTSA Report on Toyota’s Unintended Acceleration Hints at Driver Error
In what will become additional ammunition for Toyota supporters who say the company's unintended acceleration problems were the result of driver error rather than electronic or mechanical errors, the... Read More
California Mock Trial Q&A With Luke Ellis
In the past decade coaching mock trial for Miramonte High School, GJEL partner Luke Ellis has helped his team win eight Contra Costa County titles and has learned a... Read More
BP Oil Spill Lawsuits Sent to New Orleans
In a major win for plaintiffs, the multidistrict litigation for wrongful death and economic damages victims of the BP oil spill will take place in New Orleans, Louisiana. Oil... Read More
Alabama eCrash System: Distracted Driving Causes 100 Car Accidents Per Month
Part of the auto safety overhaul languishing in Congress would require the addition of black box recording devices that would indicate the cause of car accidents. While Senators try... Read More
Driver of SUV Struck in Fresno Greyhound Bus Accident Was Drunk
Two weeks ago, a Greyhound bus carrying 31 passengers collided with an overturned SUV near Fresno, California. The accident, which killed six and injured dozens, was tragic and proved... Read More
Seventeen Magazine Spearheads Contest to Combat Distracted Driving
Gearing up for its second annual distracted driving summit in September, the Department of Transportation has teamed up with Seventeen Magazine and AAA to sponsor a contest to promote... Read More
Defense Checklist
California Mock Trial Defense Checklist Strong attorneys posses the ability to think on their toes and react to new information quickly. But often when it comes to courtroom procedure,... Read More
Prosecution Checklist
California Mock Trial Prosecution Checklist Strong attorneys posses the ability to think on their toes and react to new information quickly. But when it comes to courtroom procedure, the... Read More
Secretary LaHood to Host Second Annual Distracted Driving Summit
It's slowly becoming an undisputed reality that distracted driving is dangerous and state governments should ban the use of hand held devices behind the wheel. Calling for more research... Read More
Consumer Groups Slam Congress’ Auto Safety Overhaul
For the past few months, Congress has been debating an auto safety overhaul to help make vehicles safer in the wake of Toyota’s unintended acceleration problems that led to... Read More
Fresno Greyhound Bus Accident Causes 6 Deaths, 34 Injuries
A Greyhound bus driving from Los Angeles to Sacramento collided with an overturned SUV in California's Central Valley on Highway 99 near Fresno early Thursday morning. To avoid a... Read More
Toyota Could Face More Liability on Prius & ‘Delayed Discovery’
Last week a group of Toyota supporters and anti-attorney advocates celebrated when the Wall Street Journal reported that early findings from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration showed that... Read More
GJEL Accident Attorneys Urges Summer Safety on the Water
Each season comes with a new set of activities made possible by the change in schedules and weather. Though summer tends to be a little depressing for me for... Read More
GJEL Accident Attorneys Advises Families to Be Safe on the Water in Summer
GJEL Accident Attorneys Advises Families to Be Safe on the Water in Summer Youths operating boats without license increased in 2009 SAN FRANCISCO – Gillin Jacobson Ellis & Larsen... Read More
Appeasing Detroit, Congress Dulls Auto Safety Overhaul
We wrote months ago that Detroit was poised to fight back against the proposed auto safety overhaul in Congress. In what became a caricature of the obstacles to pass... Read More
Did Toyota Defense Threaten Witness During Recall Investigation?
We all love stories about renegade do-gooders taking on large corporations to expose wrongdoing or an attempts to deceive the public. To some, that's the story of David Gilbert,... Read More
GJEL Accident Attorneys Urges Summer Fireworks Safety
Fireworks are very fun. Even as an adult, it's nearly impossible not to enjoy staring up at the mini explosions above your head, whether it's the Fourth of July... Read More
Next up for Oscar Grant’s Family After Mehserle Verdict: Wrongful Death Lawsuits
Many Oakland residents were disappointed last night by the conviction of former BART police officer Johannes Mehserle on involuntary manslaughter charges. Some who thought Mehserle should have been convicted... Read More