Personal Injury
Data Indicates Many Veterans Are Unaware of Available Services and Programs
| March 24th, 2014
Those considered disabled due to injuries sustained while serving in the military are entitled to certain benefits provided by the federal government, including Veterans Disability Benefits. New data indicates that many veterans in California may not be taking full advantage of the assistance they are offered. A story from Capital Public Radio states approximately 20 percent of veterans are taking full advantage of the health care benefits they are entitled to. Furthermore, even fewer are collecting other forms of compensation, such as pensions, that they have earned. These numbers leave many asking the big question of, “why?” Officials believe one of the largest contributing factors to the problem is that soldiers and veterans are not properly educated on the assistance options available to them. One veteran who spent 22-years in service explained that, for a long period of time, she was unaware of a home loan program available to veterans. She now assists other veterans in learning about the programs and services they are entitled to. The California Personal Injury Lawyers with Berg Injury Lawyers are aware of how confusing navigating veterans’ benefits programs can be. That is why the firm encourages those who may qualify for assistance to discuss their options with a reputable attorney as soon as possible.California Slip and Fall Accident Claims One Man’s Life
| September 9th, 2013
September 9, 2013 The California Slip and Fall Lawyers with Berg Injury Lawyers explain that dangerous falls can happen anywhere. In fact, data shows that roughly eight million hospital emergency room visits are attributed to such accidents each year. To put into perspective just how common such accidents are and the serious ramifications they can have, a man was killed this past Sunday at an NFL football game being held at Candlestick Park in San Francisco, California. Reports indicate the incident occurred at roughly 1:30 p.m., when the man slipped and fell on a sidewalk surrounding the field. According to an article from The Washington Post, emergency crews attempted to aid and revive the victim until an ambulance could arrive, but the man died a short time later. Such an incident can leave many wondering who is responsible. Berg Injury Lawyers’ team of California Personal Injury Attorneys explains determining liability for such an accident can often be a complex process. They add that property owners have a responsibility to ensure the safety of visitors on the land. Failure to do so may result in claims of negligence being filed against a property owner. The firm can sympathize with the difficulties that can be associated with processing the death of a loved one and would like to send their deepest condolences to the family of the victim.Cable Car Accidents Cost San Francisco Millions In Settlements
| April 15th, 2013
April 15, 2013 New figures show that the cable car transportation system in San Francisco, California, costs the city millions of dollars annually to settle injury claims filed by riders. According to an article from Yahoo! News, the Department of Transportation calls cable cars one of the most dangerous forms of public transportation in the nation, considering San Francisco’s system records roughly one serious injury per month. In the past decade, 126 accidents involving the rail cars have been reported, resulting in a total of 151 people being injured. Sixteen accidents were recorded last year alone and resulted in 19 people suffering a significant injury. The most recent accident occurred several weeks ago after one of the city’s cable cars struck a bolt that was jammed in the tracks. The collision resulted in a total of seven people suffering serious injuries. Records show that these types of accidents have cost the city roughly $8 million to settle around 50 injury claims. The largest single settlement was for a total of $3 million and was awarded to a man who lost his foot when it was caught between a cable car he was riding on and a parked vehicle in a Slip and Fall Accident. Despite the risks involved with the cable cars, city officials have no intentions of eliminating them, as they are a staple part of the city’s culture and tourism trade. The California Injury Attorneys with Berg Injury Lawyers may be able to if you have been injured in a cable car accident.Computer System Could Save California Millions On Veterans Payments
| January 28th, 2013
January 28, 2013 Budgetary restraints that each state in our country is facing today have forced them to find ways of being more efficient with the money they currently have available. An article from Government Technology discusses how California may be able to utilize a computer program that could potentially save millions of dollars per year. The Public Assistance Reporting Information System (PARIS) was first used in Washington State to identify veterans who were on Medicaid and not utilizing federally funded veterans’ benefits. Those individuals were then notified of the benefits they were missing out on and eventually transferred each person off of Medicaid and to the veterans’ benefits programs, which has saved the state roughly $30 million over the last nine years. California ran a test of the program from 2009 to 2011 that found PARIS may be able to save the state an estimated $1.6 million by switching just veterans who are 100 percent disabled onto federal care programs designed specifically for Veterans’ Disability Benefit recipients. PARIS has been made mandatory for in each state since then, but faces a new challenge of manpower to run the program, according to Manuel Urbina, a spokesman for the California Department of Health and Human Services Medi-Cal Eligibility Division. The California Injury Lawyers with Berg Injury Lawyers recognize how complicated understanding what benefits an injured service member may be qualified for can be and may be able to help if you, or a loved one, have been injured while serving your country.Slip and Fall Accidents Common In the Workplace
| December 17th, 2012
December 17, 2012 Slip and fall accidents are said to be responsible for causing thousands of injuries in hospitals each year. In fact, research conducted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics found as many as 2,600 medical staff members reported missing at least one day of work last year due to injuries sustained in slip and fall accidents. A recent article in American Medical News discussed these dangers, what causes them, and how they can be prevented. Research shows the reason these accidents are so common in medical facilities is because of the fast-paced environment that often leads to mistakes occurring. Experts like Robert L. Goldberg, MD, a professor of medicine in the Division of Occupational Medicine at the University of California-San Francisco, say these accidents can often easily be prevented if vigilance is practiced. He suggested discussing the risks of slip and fall accidents with staff members, while listening to feedback about what they see as risks. The next step is walking through the facility and identifying dangers. Some of these may include cords in walkways or water collecting at doorways in front of sinks. Problems can then be corrected after being identified. The California Personal Injury Lawyers with Berg Injury Lawyers understand just how serious a slip and fall accident can be and hope these tips can help prevent them; however, the firm is here to help if you have been hurt in a slip and fall accident.New Campaign Aims to Prevent Slip and Fall Accidents Among Elderly
| November 12th, 2012
November 12, 2012 Slip and fall accidents are the leading cause of injuries in the United States’ elderly population. In fact, 95 percent of elderly patients suffering from hip fractures sustained the injury in a fall, while the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says one in three senior citizens will fall each year. Also, slip and fall accidents are the leading cause of injury death for the elderly. Knowing how dangerous these accidents can be, it is important that senior citizens do what they can to prevent fall injuries from happening. The Sacramento Bee reports the UC Davis Health System, in conjunction with the Department of Health, is promoting this cause by sponsoring a weekly program called Stepping On. The free seven week program helps elderly citizens prevent California slip and fall accident injuries by teaching exercises that will improve both balance and strength. The campaign will also evaluate home modifications that could potentially improve mobility for residents. The two-hour program occurs every Wednesday at 9:00 a.m. at the Kiwanis Family House, located on 50th Street in Sacramento, California, until December 19. Then, a second seven-week session will begin on January 2. The California Personal Injury Lawyers with Berg Injury Lawyers understand the dangers California slip and fall accidents can pose to the elderly. That is why the firm would suggest anyone who is or has an elderly loved one to consider attending this event.California Creates Law Changing Workers’ Compensation System
| October 8th, 2012
October 8, 2012 California Governor Jerry Brown recently signed legislature to improve the state’s workers’ compensation system. According to Reuters, Senate Bill 863 will lower premiums for businesses while increasing benefits for injured workers. The law will help insurers cut costs by getting rid of benefits for certain health conditions and creating fee schedules where they did not previously exist. Also, it will cut back both the future earning capacity of a recipient when establishing benefits and the number of doctors available for treatment. The changes are expected to reduce the number of claims by 4.5 percent by the end of next year, resulting in just under $1 billion in savings. California Social Security Disability benefits for claims due to permanent disability are expected to rise by 3.2 percent in 2014, creating a little over a half of a billion dollars debt, which will results in savings of around $300,000,000 for California. This will help prevent a market crisis from occurring as it did a decade ago that cut market shares in half; however, more price increases will be needed to make the state a competitive market for the underwriting of workers’ compensation policies. The California Personal Injury Lawyers with Berg Injury Lawyers believe the changes will make it more difficult for an individual to receive benefits after filing a claim, making it more important than ever to have a knowledgeable attorney on your side if you’ve been hurt on the job.A Growing Number of California Patients Are Refusing Medical Treatment
| May 3rd, 2012
April 30, 2012 A newborn child in Folsom, California, is at the center of a debate over patient rights. According to the Sacramento Bee, the child’s parents claim their rights to refuse medical treatment were violated the day the child was born. The controversy began on April 11 at Mercy Hospital, where the child’s father was the former chief of staff. The parents had decided on a natural childbirth and followed through with the decision as the father, who is also a medical doctor, delivered the child without the use of any medications. Less than 12 hours later, medical staff protested as the parents decided to leave the hospital after refusing medical treatment for both the mother and child. Medical staff then contacted child protective services to investigate. The couple has since filed a complaint against the hospital saying their rights were violated. The father added, “If this could happen to me, a doctor with privileges at the hospital, how is an 18-year-old who may not know her rights treated?” Statistics from the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Research show that 77 out of every 10,000 patients at Sacramento-area hospitals were discharged against doctor’s advice in 201. That is a 45 percent increase in the number from 2002. The California Accident Lawyers with Berg Injury Lawyers encourage anyone who disagrees with their doctor’s diagnosis of their condition to seek a second opinion from another qualified medical professional.San Francisco Bicycle Coalition Offers Rider Safety Course
| April 16th, 2012
April 16, 2012 In a large city like San Francisco, California, the bicycle is the normal mode of transportation for thousands of residents every day, and protecting those riders on dangerous roads and highways can be a major concern. That’s why one group, known as the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition, is working hard to educate bikers on the importance of safe riding practices, according to The Sacramento Bee. The group began the campaign four years ago by offering cyclists hands-on training with certified instructors. During those rides, cyclists learn to maneuver busy city streets and other obstacles, such as slick trolley rails and open car doors. Riders are also required to take a classroom portion of the training program where they must pass an exam on the basic rules of the road. The hope is that the classes can help reduce the number of fatal bicycle accidents in the city. In 2009, the city estimated that 531 people died as a result of collisions between vehicles and bicycles. That’s 67 more fatalities than the previous year. Experts who polled both cyclists and motorists in a recent study say that the best way to reduce the number of accidents is for both groups to have a greater understanding of one another. The California Accident Lawyers with Berg Injury Lawyers would like to remind cyclists that wearing a helmet is an excellent way to prevent injuries while riding a bike.California Database Tracks Deadbeat Doctors
| January 23rd, 2012
January 23, 2012 The state of California has created a database of information that has offered residents a way to monitor which doctors in the state have been reprimanded for crimes or malpractice. The database was created in order to make information about doctors who do not properly care for patients public knowledge so that others are not hurt by their mistakes. The database can be accessed by anyone via the Medical Board of California website and can show users information regarding a doctors educational history, license information, and public records of any complaints or charges filed against the individual doctor. Doctors are searchable by name and license number and type. If you are having trouble finding your doctor in the system, it could be good or a bad. Doctors who have not ever been disciplined are not listed in the system; however, the database in only current through 2010, so if action has been taken against the doctor in recent years, it will not be listed either. A quick search of the city of Alameda, California, turned up the names of nine doctors who had been disciplined as far back as eighteen years ago, and as recently as two. Several were for notices to surrender a license, while another showed information regarding a $2,000,000 medical malpractice lawsuit. The California medical malpractice attorneys with Berg Injury Lawyers would encourage all California residents to check their doctor’s names against the system to ensure the person you get your medical advice from has not made a costly, and sometimes fatal, mistake in the past.
