Unemployment Rate Continues to Rise

by September 23, 2008
We all hear about the struggling economy, the collapsing banks, and the potential government bailout of financial institutions. To many people, these topics, while important, are abstract and distant. However, one economic indicator hits much closer to home: unemployment. The Department of Labor reports that the unemployment rate rose from 5.7 to 6.1 percent in August, with the number of unemployed persons rising by 592,000 to 9.4 million. Over the past 12 months, the number of unemployed persons has increased by 2.2 million with most of the increase occurring between May and August. If you have lost your job and feel you have been …. » Read more »

Sexual Harassment Still Prevalent in the Workplace

by September 5, 2008
Despite the California legislature’s efforts in recent years to prevent sexual harassment by requiring anti-harassment training for all supervisory employees, sexual harassment continues to be a serious problem. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) reports that in 2007, it received 12,510 charges of sexual harassment nationwide.  Unfortunately, many people — supervisory employees and subordinates alike — harbor misconceptions regarding harassment. For example, some think harassment is ”sexual” only if directed at a female. To the contrary, 16% of harassment charges filed with the EEOC in 2007 were by males.  Or consider that some workers think harassment by a customer or client is not the employer’s …. » Read more »

Ten Least Crashworthy Cars

by September 2, 2008
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety performs various crash tests to assess the safety performance of vehicles sold in the United States.  What follows is a list of the ten worst performers.  These are ten cars you DO NOT want to be in if involved in an accident.  The Kia Rio and Hyundai Accent are the worst of the worst.  The sturdy looking Hummer H3 is a surprising addition to the list. 10. Hummer H3 — Front: Acceptable, Side: Acceptable, Rear: Poor 9. Jeep Patriot (without optional side-airbags) — Acceptable, Marginal, Acceptable 8. Pontiac G6 Convertible — Acceptable, Marginal, …. » Read more »

Eye Injuries — Including Airbag Injuries

by August 31, 2008
Eye Injuries – Including Air Bag Eye Injuries   It’s common for a speck of dirt to get blown into your eye, for soap to wash into your eye, or for you to accidentally bump your eye. For these types of minor eye injuries, home treatment is usually all that is needed. Some sports and recreational activities increase the risk of eye injuries. *Very high-risk sports include boxing, wrestling, and martial arts. *High-risk sports include baseball, football, tennis, fencing, and squash. *Low-risk sports include swimming and gymnastics (no body contact or use of a ball, bat, or racquet). Blows to …. » Read more »

Old Tires May Cause Vehicle Rollovers

by August 29, 2008
Testing by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has shown that when tires are approximately six years old, the chance of tread separation increases substantially.  This means that an aging tire can self-destruct, causing a catastrophic blowout on the roadways.  Under these circumstances, drivers often lose control of their vehicles.  Those vehicles with higher centers of gravity, such as SUVS, are at serious risk for rolling or overturning. Aging tires are a stealthy hazard because they may still have tread life.  For example, a spare tire that it approximately 6 years old may never have been used; however, it is dangerous nonetheless.  …. » Read more »

“They can’t fire you for that!”

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Employment law is often a hot topic of conversation at parties, around the water cooler, or at the dinner table, because almost everyone can relate; we all have a story about a horrible boss or an unfair employment action. At some point in the conversation, someone usually exclaims, “But they can’t fire you for that!” Unfortunately, the truth is, in many circumstances “they” can fire you for “that”—As a general rule, your employer may terminate your employment for any reason, or no reason at all! However, the good news is that there are many exceptions to this general rule. While the …. » Read more »

San Diego Scaffolding Collapse Injures Pedestrians

by August 28, 2008
More than a dozen pedestrians were injured today in San Diego when a scaffolding collapsed beside a building in East Village.  The individuals were walking near 15th Street and Imperial Avenue when the scaffolding fell from a building that was under construction, according to published reports.    The Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) has very rigid standards that construction companies must meet when using scaffolding.  If the OSHA requirements are met when building and using  scaffolding, the agency says the scaffolding will not collapse.  Many scaffoldings collapse under the weight of construction equipment.   Sixty-five percent of the construction industry works on scaffolds frequently.  …. » Read more »

The Gomez Law Firm Team Grows

by August 26, 2008
We have some recent additions to our team at the Gomez Law Firm.  Vanessa Ruggles is a new attorney on our team.  Vanessa received her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Nebraska in 2000. After receiving several scholarships to attend law school, she graduated magna cum laude from California Western School of Law with a concentration in Labor and Employment Law. While in law school, she served as an extern at the California Court of Appeal for Associate Justice Alex C. McDonald. Vanessa was a member of the California Western Law Review, and the Connecticut Public Interest Law …. » Read more »

Gomez Law Firm Settles Slip and Fall for $400,000

by August 24, 2008
We recently represented a gentleman that slipped and fell in the shower area of his gym.  As a result, he fractured his skull and suffered some damage to his brain.  The defendant claimed that the fall was his fault, and that his complaints were due to pre-existing physical conditions.  Our client had previously been on disability and had attributed a number of complaints to that condition.  With trial pending, the defendant agreed to pay our client $400,000 to resolve the case.  If you or someone you care about has suffered a serious injury as the result of some other person …. » Read more »
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