For cyclists, Mount Diablo — with its stunning views, steep inclines, narrow roadways and blind curves — presents a thrilling challenge. But those same attractions that lure so many cyclists also cause many accidents between bicycles and cars, along with many injuries. The Contra Costa County mountain is one of the tallest peaks in the
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Bike Safety on Mt. Diablo
April 4, 2016 By Leave a Comment
Cyclist Safety & Road Rage
March 31, 2016 By Leave a Comment
If you’ve ever been the target of another motorist’s road rage, you know how terrifying the situation can be. In a road rage scenario, you have no way of knowing if the agitated motorist will simply hurl angry words or if the situation could escalate into physical violence. For a cyclist, experiencing road rage from
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California Hoverboard Laws
March 30, 2016 By Leave a Comment
Main Takeaways: Hoverboards are two-wheeled, “self-balancing” scooters with a small platform on which the rider stands. The biggest danger of hoverboards is the serious injuries that can result when riders crash. New rules include: hoverboards are not allowed on airplanes, highways (when under the influence of drugs/alcohol), require helmets and other safety equipment, and cannot
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Earbud Laws While Driving or Biking in CA: What You Need To Know
February 25, 2016 By Leave a Comment
Discussions on bike safety are influencing laws and safety programs throughout California. It was only natural that a discussion about earbuds while driving or biking would also arise and eventually lead to new laws. While there are no statistics regarding a link between earbuds and accidents, states take note on how shutting off from the
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Should Walnut Creek Adopt Similar Bike Safety Laws Implemented by Cupertino?
October 26, 2015 By Leave a Comment
A young boy’s death in Cupertino on October 27, 2014 has brought a lot of attention to California’s bike safety laws, and the city’s Bicycle Pedestrian Commission has been working to reform a number of them in order to provide children and adults a safer way to commute to and from school, work, and entertainment
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How Police Used Periscope to Arrest Drunk Driver
October 22, 2015 By Leave a Comment
Recently, a young woman recorded herself on video, using Periscope, a Twitter-owned social media app, while she was driving drunk. In a slow, slurring voice, she repeatedly said she was drunk, had a flat tire and had no idea where she was. The app broadcast the video live to the world, and that’s what led to the police being able to
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The Six Types of OSHA Violations
September 1, 2015 By Leave a Comment
Congress created the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) in 1970 for purposes of assuring safe and healthy working conditions for American workers. Establishment of standards for working conditions, while providing outreach, education, and assistance to workers and their employers is its mission. OSHA also enforces its standards when violations are determined to exist. Work sites and
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2015 Auto Accident Law Firm Survivor Scholarship Awarded to Denise Pichardo
August 25, 2015 By Leave a Comment
At Appel Law Firm LLP, we award a $1,000 scholarship each year to a college, university, graduate, or law student who was injured in a car or truck accident or was affected by someone else’s accident. We are very pleased to announce that the recipient of the 2015 Auto Accident Law Firm Survivor Scholarship is Denise Pichardo, a
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Are Workers Compensation Benefits Taxable?
August 21, 2015 By Leave a Comment
If you have recently been injured at work and you started receiving financial benefits, you may be curious about whether these benefits are taxable or not. In general, workers compensation benefits are not taxable, although some exceptions will apply. When you are out of work and you have been approved for workers compensation benefits, you won’t
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Maximize Benefits From Your Workers Compensation Claim
August 20, 2015 By Leave a Comment
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), every year, more than four million workers are seriously injured at work, and approximately 4,500 more die. Thousands more die due to work-related illnesses such as lung disease or cancer. The economic toll is so high it cannot even be calculated. Workers’
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