The Cochran Firm Legal Blog

The primary cause of spinal cord injuries, one of the most devastating and life-altering injuries known, is automobile accidents. Falls, sports-related injuries and violence are also major causes of injuries to the spinal cord.

Trauma to nerves carrying sensory and motor sensation to and from your brain deprives you of feeling and movement. Damage to the spinal cord is almost always a life-changing event. One of the cruelest ironies of a spinal cord injury is that people in the prime of their lives are most frequently the victims. Males between the ages of sixteen and thirty years of age, account for 82% of new spinal cord injuries each year.

Any severe blow can cause a spinal cord injury. A fall from a ladder at a work site, or a defective car seat belt that fails can result in a spinal cord injury. The extent of the injury depends on the level of the spinal cord injured.

The experienced spinal cord injury attorneys at The Cochran Firm have the expertise and background to grasp the complexities and nuances of cases involving the spinal cord and have a history of helping our clients recover financial compensation for their losses and for their future medical care and treatment which can last a lifetime and cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.

If you live in the San Francisco/Oakland, California area and you or someone you love has suffered a spinal cord injury, please contact the spinal cord injury attorneys at The Cochran Firm today to learn how to secure financial compensation for a lifetime of care so you can concentrate on healing and improving your quality of life.

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Bus accidents often result in serious injuries, whether a car, truck or pedestrian is involved. Bus-related injuries may involve a pedestrian that is hit by a bus, passengers injured when a bus tire fails, driver negligence, careless or recklessness or children injured on a school bus. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) thousands of passengers and others are injured in bus crashes every year in the United States.

At the San Francisco/Oakland, California office of The Cochran Firm our main focus remains on recovering financial losses for our clients that were suffered because of a bus accident such as lost wages, medical bills, rehabilitation costs and any other expenses incurred due to the bus accident. Our personal injury attorneys will act aggressively to evaluate and investigate the cause of the accident and employ medical, forensic and accident reconstruction experts to uncover all the pertinent facts surrounding your case.

You have the legal right to financial compensation for your losses no matter what the bus company or insurance company tells you. Bus accidents can involve complex federal and state laws and regulations of governmental agencies that require the knowledge of personal injury attorneys with experience in the field of bus accident litigation like The Cochran Firm.

If you live in the San Francisco/Oakland, California area and you were involved in a bus accident, please contact The Cochran Firm today.

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Vehicle manufacturers have an obligation to consumers to provide a safe vehicle for drivers and their passengers. Not all accidents can be avoided, but when a defective vehicle causes a serious or fatal injury, you have a legal right to financial compensation. If a loved one is killed in a motor vehicle accident involving a defective vehicle, the family should file a wrongful death claim against the motor vehicle manufacturer.

Defective vehicles are the result of design faults, manufacturing or material faults or the desire of the manufacturer to attempt to hold down costs with inferior or careless manufacturing practices.

Some defective vehicles have caused SUV rollovers, seatbelt or airbag failures, seatback failures, brake malfunctions, unwanted gas pedal acceleration, tire failures and fuel system fires and leaks. Defective vehicles can cause automobile accidents that result in horrific injuries including traumatic brain injuries, paralysis, amputations, fractures and severe burns and even death.

The Cochran Firm will work for you to hold the vehicle manufacturers accountable for your serious injuries or the wrongful death of a family member and have recovered financial compensation on behalf of their clients for many years. We are available to discuss your accident, we will explain your options and we will help you decide the proper action to take.

If you live in the San Francisco/Oakland, California area and have been the victim of an accident involving a defective vehicle, please contact The Cochran Firm today.

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Many products we use every day have the potential to be harmful or defective and can cause serious injuries to us, our children and our grandchildren. Anyone involved in the design, manufacture, distribution or sale of a defective product is subject to a product liability claim for injuries and losses suffered as a result of its' use.

Dangerous or defective products can be found all around us in household appliances that may cause a fire, children's toys that are made of toxic materials or cause choking hazards, defective or malfunctioning smoke detectors, faulty tires that cause horrific car accidents, defective car seat belts and air bags, pet products and defective drugs and over-the-counter medications.

The Cochran Firm has the resources necessary to investigate how a product could have been responsible for your injuries or the wrongful death of a family member. You should be able to recover financial compensation for your medical expenses, pain and suffering, reimbursement of lost wages and any other injury-related costs you incur due to the consequences of using a defective product.

If you or a loved one has been the victim of a product that failed, the product liability attorneys at The Cochran Firm can help. Please contact The Cochran Firm located in Oakland, California today to schedule an appointment so we can put our experienced team to work for you.

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The abuse of vulnerable elderly people in nursing homes or their own homes can take many forms. Physical abuse is relatively easy to detect, but abuse in form of financial exploitation of the elderly is an insidious abuse that hides in the shadows, masquerading as care and concern.

Financial exploitation of the elderly occurs when someone entrusted with the care of the elderly and vulnerable steals, withholds or misuses that person's money, property or valuables for their own benefit or profit without the elderly person's permission or knowledge.
Some instances of financial exploitation may include a person taking money, property or valuables without permission or the awareness of the elderly, borrowing money with no intention of paying it back, selling the elderly person's possessions without permission, misusing credit or ATM cards, forging signatures on checks and documents.

The caregiver typically uses emotional deceit and subtle intimidation practices to control the assets of the elderly often promising life-long personal care in return for financial control of bank accounts or being designated the beneficiary in a will or on life insurance policy. In some instances, the victim is totally unaware of the abuse being perpetrated on them and will often defend their abusers to all who inquire.

If you suspect your elderly family member or friend is the victim of financial exploitation by a caretaker entrusted with their well-being, please contact the Oakland, California office of The Cochran Firm today to protect their legal rights and hold those responsible for this abuse accountable.

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The recent truck accident at the S-curve on the San Francisco Bay Bridge reveals how improper loading can contribute to a truck accident. There have been 44 crashes at this site in 60 days. Improper loading can be the fault of the truck driver, the truck company or the loading facility.

Other causes of truck accidents include driver fatigue, speeding, aggressive driving behaviors, poor maintenance of equipment such as brakes and tires, roadway conditions and adverse weather conditions.

If you are involved in an accident with a truck you should take certain steps to protect your legal rights, such as obtaining a copy of the police report, the license plate number of the truck and the license plate number of the trailer which usually differ. It is important to note the names emblazoned on the truck and any other identifying marks on the cab and trailer, obtain truck driver information, insurance information for the truck owner and trailer owner also. Attempt to note the length of truck skid marks and the condition of the tires and try to obtain witness information. Do not give any statements to anyone without your own legal representation on the scene.

A truck accident attorney who specializes in representing victims of big rig truck accident injuries has the knowledge to be able to place responsibility for the truck accident where it belongs with the assistance of a team of investigators and paralegals who work together for your benefit.

If you live in the San Francisco/Oakland, California area, please contact The Cochran Firm today to get their team on your side working together for you.

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Automobile accidents have many causes, such as distracted drivers using cell phones or dealing with unruly children in the backseat, driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, speeding, reckless driving, hazardous weather or road conditions and failure to obey traffic lights and road signs.

Millions of people are involved in automobile accidents every year in the United States with an accident occurring every ten seconds. These accidents account for over three million injured and over forty-four thousand deaths. Almost all automobile accidents involve a degree of negligent behavior with driver error being a major contributing factor.

Automobile accidents are becoming more common as drivers are becoming more distracted and paying less attention to actually driving the car, leaving accident victims seriously injured and financially devastated or dead.

If you are involved in an automobile accident remain calm, check everyone involved for injuries, call 911. Do not leave the scene of the accident until the authorities arrive, notify your insurance company and your attorney. An experienced automobile accident attorney such as those at The Cochran Firm will make sure you are legally represented and your rights are protected.

If you live in the San Francisco/Oakland, California area and you were involved in an automobile accident, please contact The Cochran Firm today and obtain the legal counsel you will need to guide you through the complex issues you will certainly encounter.

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When a dangerous or defective product causes damage, serious injury or death the manufacturer, distributor, designer or installer can be held legally responsible under product liability laws.

Does your new home smell of rotten eggs? Have you had to have frequent repairs of your heating and cooling systems, wiring and piping? Does your family suffer from irritated eyes, breathing problems, nose bleeds and headaches? Do your symptoms disappear when you are away from your home for any length of time? If the answer is yes to any or all of these questions you may be living with defective Chinese drywall.

Thousands of homeowners have reported these problems in new homes built with drywall imported from China. Many home builders used imported Chinese drywall during a shortage of United States- made drywall between the years of 2004 and 2006. Reports are that this Chinese drywall was kept on barges at sea for many months waiting to be allowed to enter this country, and the drywall was exposed to high humidity which has caused the toxicity problems to surface.

Many people living in homes with imported Chinese drywall have experienced various health problems as a result of the noxious fumes leaking out into their homes.

If your dream home has instead become a nightmare due to the use of imported Chinese drywall, we encourage you to contact the Oakland, California office of The Cochran Firm today to schedule a consultation with one of our experienced product liability attorneys at no cost to you to protect your legal rights and hold those responsible for this outrage accountable.

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Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a brain injury that occurs when a sudden, unexpected event damages the brain. Traumatic brain injury can result from an object violently piercing the skull and entering the brain or the brain violently striking an object, such as the windshield of a car or the pavement in a fall.

Someone with a mild TBI may remain conscious or lose consciousness. Other symptoms of a mild TBI may include headache, confusion, dizziness, fatigue and trouble concentrating. Someone with a moderate to severe traumatic brain injury will experience the same symptoms as those with a mild TBI, but the headache will be persistent with repeated nausea and vomiting, seizures, an inability to awaken from sleep, slurred speech, dilated pupils, weakness in the extremities and profound confusion.

Anyone who has suffered a moderate or severe TBI should, of course, receive immediate medical attention. About 50% of those who suffer a moderate to severe traumatic brain injury will need surgery to repair or remove damaged brain tissue or blood vessels.

If you have suffered a traumatic brain injury or know of someone who has, physical, emotional and financial support will be needed for months and perhaps years to come due to the disabling nature of your injury.

If you live in the San Francisco, Oakland, California area, and you or someone you love has suffered a traumatic brain injury, please contact the expert traumatic brain injury attorneys at the Oakland, California office of The Cochran Firm today to schedule a confidential consultation to discuss what steps to take to secure the financial compensation you may be entitled to.

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If you are injured on someone else's property, the owner of the property can be held legally responsible for your injuries. Premises liability injuries can happen by slipping and falling on a broken sidewalk, falling down a poorly lit stairway, being assaulted in a shopping mall parking lot, slipping on a wet floor in a restaurant, or any number of incidents.

Determining who is responsible can depend on whether the owner of the property knew the hazardous or dangerous condition responsible for your injury existed and did nothing to correct it, or should have known the hazardous or dangerous condition responsible for your injury existed and did nothing to correct it.

Premises liability awards may compensate you for medical expenses, loss of income, loss of future potential earning capacity, pain and suffering and in the case of a fatality, the survivors may also be compensated for their losses. An experienced premises liability attorney has the expertise and knowledge to determine who is responsible for your injuries and hold them legally accountable.

If you live in San Francisco, California or the surrounding area, and you or someone you care about has been injured on someone else's property, please contact an experienced premises liability attorney at the San Francisco office of The Cochran Firm today to schedule a confidential consultation at no cost to you to protect your legal rights and obtain justice for you and your loved ones and get you the compensation you deserve.

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Pharmaceuticals with dangerous or deadly side effects could be in your medicine cabinet right now. Dangerous drugs and their potentially deadly side effects are at times released to the general public before their side effects are totally clear.

When the pharmaceuticals dangerous side effects do become known, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issues a drug recall. The list of recalled drugs grows daily and many consumers wonder just how safe are the drugs they take on a daily basis.

Defective pharmaceuticals have been known to cause birth defects, heart attacks, strokes, breathing problems and suicides. Drugs commonly listed in the defective category include drugs for arthritis, diet drugs, anti-depressants, cholesterol lowering medications and vaccines.

Defective pharmaceuticals can result in pain and suffering and death for many consumers and often do. The pharmaceutical companies responsible for these defective drugs coming to the market have been held liable for damages reaching into the hundreds of millions of dollars.

If you live in the San Francisco, Oakland, California area and you or someone you care about has been the victim of a defective pharmaceutical, please contact the Oakland, California office of The Cochran Firm today to schedule a confidential consultation with an experienced defective pharmaceutical attorney at no cost to you to protect your legal rights.

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Medical malpractice is a term used when describing errors that occur in a medical setting that result in injury or death to a patient. Medical malpractice is the third leading cause of death in the United States right behind heart disease and cancer. According to the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), 250,000 Americans die annually as a result of the consequences of medical malpractice.

Medical malpractice can take many forms such as, unnecessary surgical procedures, surgery at the wrong site, medication errors, misdiagnoses, failures to diagnose properly and in a timely fashion, improper treatment options, infections contracted in hospitals, and birth injuries.
Medical malpractice laws are for the protection of all who must seek medical intervention at some point in their lives. However, not all poor outcomes are considered to be medical malpractice.

Breast cancer, lung cancer, colorectal cancer, heart attack and appendicitis are the five diseases and conditions most involved in medical malpractice cases.

Compensation in a medical malpractice case can include damages for pain and suffering, medical expenses, loss of wages, loss of future earning potential and in the case of a death, funeral and burial expenses.

If you live in the San Francisco, Oakland, California area and you have been a victim of medical malpractice, please contact the Oakland, California office of The Cochran Firm today to schedule a confidential consultation at no cost to you to learn more about your legal rights.

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Nearly half of all medical malpractice incidents occur in emergency rooms throughout the country. People go to emergency rooms because of accidents or acute illness. Two of the leading causes of malpractice allegations, heart attacks and acute appendicitis are two of the leading reasons people go to an emergency room. In these cases misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis can have disastrous results.

Millions of people have no choice and are forced to seek emergency room intervention in their lives each year. Some emergency rooms are overcrowded and understaffed, and therefore are high stress environments where mistakes are likely to occur. Staff is sometimes inadequately trained and poor procedures are in place for the administration of medication, another area where mistakes can be made.

Common emergency errors include misdiagnosis, delayed treatment, inappropriate medication or dosage, failure to diagnose correctly and negligence. Emergency room errors can lead to injury, permanent disability and even death.

If you live in San Francisco, California or the surrounding area and you or someone you care about has been the victim of an emergency room error, please contact an experienced emergency room malpractice attorney at The Cochran Firm's San Francisco office today to schedule a confidential consultation at no cost to you to learn about your legal rights in this matter and whether you are entitled to compensation for your losses.

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Late on May 11, on a busy city highway, a Chevrolet Tracker carrying three people on the highway swerved to avoid a refrigerator in the middle of the road. The truck did not turn around the obstacle. Instead, the vehicle tipped over and rolled, ejecting all three passengers, one of whom were killed, and two of whom were taken to a local hospital with serious injuries. Although many people contributed to this tragic car accident-the person who left the debris on the road, people who did not report the debris soon enough to have it removed, the driver who may have swerved drastically, even the passengers who were not wearing their seat belts-only one of them did so as a calm, deliberative action with a profit motive: the manufacturer of the light SUV, which had a tendency to tip.

The Chevrolet Tracker is a light SUV, and it receives marginal marks for rollover safety. According to NHTSA testing, the vehicle had a significant likelihood of tipping over during highway maneuvers. SUVs were a profitable market for many carmakers, and many were designed on truck bodies, often without considering how redistributing the weight of the vehicle would affect its stability. This led to the design and production of numerous defective and dangerous vehicles.

If you have lost someone you loved in an accident, many people may have contributed to the wrongful death, but this does not mean that automakers should be allowed to get away with producing defective cars that contributed to or worsened the effects of an accident. In states with comparative negligence, like California, automakers can be forced to pay damages for their share of responsibility. Schedule a defective automobile lawsuit consultation with the San Francisco product liability lawyers of The Cochran Firm today.

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