Tag Archive: california personal injury attorney

Three killed in another accident on Highway 46 North of Bakersfield, California.

Written on October 29, 2009 by in Car Accidents, Damages, News, Personal Injury, Truck Accidents, Vehicle Passenger Accidents, Wrongful Death

Highway 46 North of Bakersfield fatal car accident.Three people were killed in a head-on crash Wednesday afternoon on Highway 46 north of Bakersfield. Friday, four people were killed in an accident on the same highway.

The accident happened at about 2:53 p.m. on Highway 46 just east of Wildwood Road. That’s between Wasco and Interstate 5, not far from Wasco State Prison and the Wasco Valley Rose golf course.

California Highway Patrol officer Robert Rodriguez said a small Toyota was attempting to pass another car on the two-lane road. When the driver of the passing car realized he didn’t have enough room, he tried to get back into his lane, but lost control.

The Toyota slammed head-on into a Dodge Ram pickup, Rodriguez said.

All three people in the Toyota were killed instantly, he said. The driver of the pickup was taken to Kern Medical Center with moderate injuries.

On Friday, one car passing two trucks slammed head-on into another car, killing two people in each.

Highway 46 is sometimes known as “Blood Alley” because there have been so many accidents. It is two-lanes in most places between Highway 99 and Paso Robles.

California Wrongful Death Lawyer and Bakersfield Car Accident Attorney Website

Share
0 Comments - Leave a comment!
Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Los Osos California couple dies in car accident in Kern County California

Written on October 28, 2009 by in Car Accidents, Editorial, News, Personal Injury, Vehicle Passenger Accidents, Wrongful Death

Kern County Couple dies in Deadly Los Osos Accident A deadly accident in Kern County claims the lives of two Los Osos, California residents.

The California Highway Patrol said 62-year-old Shirlene Soto and her husband, 84-year-old Walter Elliott, were among the four people who died in a car crash on Highway 46 east of Highway 33 Friday morning.

The CHP said a man driving a Chevy on the eastbound lane tried to pass a tractor trailer, when he collided head-on with the vehicle Soto and Elliott were riding in.

They say Soto and Elliott died on impact. The 25-year-old man driving the Chevy, and his one-year-old passenger were also killed on impact. Another passenger in the Chevy suffered major injuries.

Family members said Soto and Elliott were both former Cal Poly professors. Soto later worked for California State University Northridge, and Elliott worked for Rocketdyne.

A family member released a statement: “They were both extremely cheerful, energetic people who loved life, friends, and family.”

Kern County Wrongful Death Attorney and Car Accident Attorney

Share
0 Comments - Leave a comment!
Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Santa Maria Woman Dies in Motorcycle Accident

Written on October 26, 2009 by in Motorcycle Accidents, News, Personal Injury, Wrongful Death

Santa Maria woman dies in motorcycle accidentThe California Highway Patrol says 51-year-old Nancy Simmons, of Santa Maria, has died in a motorcycle accident.

The CHP says she was a health technician at Santa Maria High School.

The accident happened on Northbound Highway 101, near the Santa Maria River Bridge, just after 11:30 a.m. Saturday.

The CHP said four motorcycles were traveling Northbound, when a pickup truck pulling a trailer, began to merge onto the highway.

Simmons was a passenger, and was riding with her husband, 52-year-old Ben Simmons.

The CHP said he tried to pass the pickup truck, but lost control as traffic began to also slow down.

Simmons was taken to the hospital where she died from her injuries. Ben was also taken to the hospital, and was treated for minor injuries.

Investigators say it was just an unfortunate accident. They were going the speed limit, and both were wearing their helmets.

“I went to run out to see if I could help and I saw her lying there,” said J.P Weddle, who witnessed the accident. “And I realized there’s nothing I could do other than just to try to get an ambulance out here,” said Weddle.

Ben Ruth, with the California Highway Patrol, said “Everyone needs to be reminded that they need to give themselves a safe space cushion in between vehicles, so that if another vehicle reacts to something, that person is able to come to a stop.”

The CHP closed down the highway for about half an hour.

Santa Maria Motorcycle Accident Attorney and Wrongful Death Lawyer

Share
0 Comments - Leave a comment!
Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Vehicle collides with school bus carrying children in Ontario, California

Written on October 20, 2009 by in Bus Accidents, Car Accidents, Damages, News, Other Motor Vehicle Accidents, Personal Injury, Vehicle Passenger Accidents

Ontario, California Bus Accident and Ontario, California Car Accident AttorneyOntario – California

A school bus carrying about 15 students crashed into a tree after it was hit by a vehicle that ran a stop sign, according to the California Highway Patrol incident log.

None of the child passengers were hurt, CHP dispatchers said, but the bus driver was injured.

The traffic collision, which blocked the intersection, happened about 4:05 p.m. near San Antonio Avenue and Phillips Street in Ontario, California.

Ontario police officers detained one person and later made an arrest, but no other information was available.

In my personal experience, kids usually do not feel aches and pains immediately after an accident such as this, especially on a school bus. I hope that the kids are all uninjured.

If you or your family have suffered an injury in a school bus, or other type of motor vehicle accident anywhere in California, you may call our California Accident Hotline for a free consultation at 800-816-1529 ext. 1.

Ontario, California Bus Accident and Ontario, California Car Accident Attorney

Share
0 Comments - Leave a comment!
Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Bus Driver is convicted in Colusa gambler bus crash; Charter Bus Safety Act, AB636

Written on October 9, 2009 by in Bus Accidents, Crime, Damages, Editorial, News, Personal Injury, Vehicle Passenger Accidents, Wrongful Death

Quintin Joey WattsDriver Quintin Joey Watts faces a maximum of 76 years in prison for his role in the gambler’s special bus crash that killed 11 passengers on their way to Colusa Casino Resort last year.

A jury of six men and six women deliberated for three hours Thursday before convicting Watts of 11 counts of gross vehicular manslaughter and 21 counts of causing great bodily injury, stated the Colusa County District Attorney today.

“I believe this is the first case in California of gross vehicular manslaughter based strictly on sleep deprivation,” said the DA. “There was no alcohol, no drugs, no medication in his system, it was simply exhaustion.”

Watts, 53, had slept no more than three or four hours in the 27 hours prior to the Oct. 5, 2008 Sunday night crash on a rural road, the DA said.

Watts repeatedly told investigators, “I was hecka tired,” the DA stated.

“On the day before the accident, he got up at 4:40 a.m. and didn’t go back to bed until 4 a.m. and got up an hour or two later,” stated the DA.

Watts was on his third casino run in a day-and-a-half when he fell asleep at the wheel, three witnesses said.

One was Chouangseng Saechao, 48, “who was very badly hurt and had almost every bone broken in her body,” stated a case worker at Lao Family Community Development who is helping some of the 23 passengers who were injured in the crash.

“I’m happy he’s been convicted and will be in jail forever, but I feel very sad I have to carry this injury forever,” Saechao said through her case worker. “Any bus driver has to be checked and has to be a good driver.”

The California Legislature has passed The Charter Bus Safety Act, AB636 — sponsored by Assemblyman Dave Jones (D-Sacramento) — which will revoke operating permits of bus companies operating without proper permits or qualified drivers. The bill will suspend unlicensed bus drivers for five years.

Watts had a commercial driver’s license but did not have the proper DMV certificate to allow him to drive a bus with 10 or more passengers, said a spokeswoman for Jones. “And the bus company was registered as non-operational, even though the bus in the crash was still being used,” she said.

“The tragic loss of 11 of my constituents to a rogue bus operator demonstrates the need for the ‘one strike and you are out’ approach,” Jones said. “I have no patience for those who undercut the process, thumbing their nose at regulations, and making California roads unsafe for us all.”

Gov. Schwarzenegger has until Oct. 11 to sign or veto the bill.

California Bus Accident Attorney

Share
0 Comments - Leave a comment!
Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Biggest Recall in Toyota History; Stuck Accelerators; Important Info for Toyota and Lexus Owners!

Written on September 30, 2009 by in Car Accidents, Editorial, News, Personal Injury, Products Liability, Truck Accidents, Vehicle Passenger Accidents, Wrongful Death

Toyota recallYou may have read an article we wrote below about a fatal accident involving a family test driving a lexus and allegations that there may have been a defect that caused the accident.

Federal investigators have said of the 102 accidents caused by stuck gas pedals on Toyota vehicles, there are four possible causes involving the floor mats: The mats are too long or too thick, they weren’t properly secured, the gas pedal design is flawed or the floor geometry is defective.

The wide array of causes presents a challenge to Toyota engineers who are trying to come up with a way to fix the problem that is leading to a recall of 3.8 million vehicles, including the Camry, the top-selling car in the U.S.

“We’ve evaluated a number of different years, makes and models of Toyota and don’t believe that there is a one-size-fits-all answer as to why these incidents are occurring,” said National Highway Traffic Safety Administration spokesman Rae Tyson on Tuesday. “I think Toyota is going to have a challenge on its hands to come up with a remedy that is going to address the problem.”

Toyota spokesman John Hanson acknowledged the problem is more complex than vehicle floor mats alone, but involves the way the floor mat interacts with other parts of the vehicle.

“Other factors may be coming into play here,” he said. “That’s why we feel that probably the remedy could be different from vehicle to vehicle.”

On Tuesday, the Japanese automaker issued a safety advisory urging owners of 3.8 million car and trucks — including popular models like Camry, Prius and Tacoma — to remove driver-side mats. It wants drivers to watch out for loose or incorrect mats that could slide out of position and cover pedals.

Toyota is still studying the problem. Once it comes up with a fix, it will issue a recall of the models. It will be Toyota’s largest-ever U.S. recall, accounting for about 15 percent of all the automaker’s vehicles on U.S. roads, the company said.

The safety advisory was prompted by an accident last month killing four people near San Diego. In that incident, a floor mat trapped the gas pedal on a 2009 Lexus ES 350, causing it to accelerate out of control, strike an SUV, launch off an embankment, and burst into flames.

NHTSA said it had received reports of 102 incidents in which the accelerator may have become stuck on the Toyota vehicles involved. The problem has led to 13 crashes, 17 injuries and 5 fatalities in Toyota vehicles, according to NHTSA.

Toyota’s warning affects the following vehicles:
2007-2010 model year Toyota Camry;
2005-2010 Toyota Avalon;
2004-2009 Toyota Prius;
2005-2010 Tacoma;
2007-2010 Toyota Tundra;
2007-2010 Lexus ES350; and
2006-2010 Lexus IS250 and IS350.

If you, your family, or friends have been in a Toyota vehicle, and had the accelerator stuck resulting in an injury accident in the State of California, you may be entitled to compensation, under California product liability laws.

Please call our Personal Injury Hotline at 800-816-1529 or click here now.

By California Product Liability Attorneys

Share
0 Comments - Leave a comment!
Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

CHP Cruiser hits Pickup Truck in Santa Rosa, California; Driver Critically Injured.

Written on September 27, 2009 by in Car Accidents, Damages, Editorial, Motorcycle Accidents, News, Other Motor Vehicle Accidents, Personal Injury, Truck Accidents

Santa Rosa California Crash Involving CHP, Pickup Truck, and MotorcycleSanta Rosa – California

A California Highway Patrol cruiser spun out of control and struck a pickup truck, critically injuring the driver, on Highway 12 just east of the Highway 101 interchange in Santa Rosa Saturday night, the CHP said.

Officer Blair Hardcastle took evasive action when a motorcycle merged onto the highway from the Maple Street onramp about 6:30 p.m., driving partly onto the dirt center strip, Sgt. Kevin Mensior said.

The motorcycle crossed over to the fast lane in front of Hardcastle, who was responding to a call with lights and siren activated, Mensior said.

The cruiser spun across both lanes, struck the guardrail and hit the pickup, a 1991 Chevrolet Silverado driven by Cynthia Mae Dempsey, 44, of Santa Rosa. The pickup rolled over onto its roof, the CHP said.

Dempsey, who sustained a forehead cut and an injury to the right side of her head, was transported to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital, the CHP said.

Dempsey was in surgery late Saturday and was listed in critical condition, a hospital spokeswoman said.

Officers said they had not determined if Dempsey was wearing a seatbelt.

The motorcyclist, Justin Lee Oliver, 36, of Santa Rosa was not injured and his bike, a 2000 Kawasaki ZR-Z, was not struck.

Mensior said no citations or arrests had been made, and that the accident was still under investigation. A special accident investigation team was en route to the scene at 9 p.m.

Alcohol was not involved, Mensior said.

Westbound traffic on Highway 12 was detoured off the highway onto side streets from Farmers Lane to Santa Rosa Avenue. Officials said the detour might last until midnight.

Hardcastle sustained scrapes to the forearm, likely from his airbag deploying, the CHP said. His cruiser was totaled.

Santa Rosa Truck Accident, Car Accident, Motorcycle Accident Attorney Website

Share
1 Comment - Leave a comment!
Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

San Diego Band “A City Serene” involved in a Horrific Bus Accident.

Written on September 22, 2009 by in Bus Accidents, Car Accidents, Damages, Editorial, Insurance, News, Personal Injury, Truck Accidents, Vehicle Passenger Accidents

city-sereneA few days into their first tour, promoting their debut album “The Art of Deceiving Perception” the San Diego band called “A City Serene” were involved in a horrific bus accident on Interstate 5 in Kern County, south of Bakersfield.

Six members of the band were traveling north on I-5, approximately a mile and a half south of Grapevine when the accident occurred. According to the California Highway Patrol, a driver in a Ford pickup heading south, lost control of the vehicle, and hit a dirt berm causing it to travel 100 feet before impacting and going over the center divider.

The truck then hit a Honda Civic, which crashed into the bus resulting in another collision. All of the members were air lifted to multiple hospitals in the Central Valley. The band members include singers Xander Bourgeois and Carly Baker, guitarists Kris Renfro and Michael Sherman, bassist/vocalist Marc Koch and drummer Mike Buxbaum.

The band manager Billy Candler released Information regarding their injuries, but for privacy reasons, details on who sustained each injury were left out. Four of the band members suffered concussions and broken bones that required surgery and intensive care. The remaining two musicians are in a coma.

Candler states, “The other two are still in a coma. One has signs of responsiveness. But we’re definitely not even close to being out of the water at all for either of them. Right now it’s kind of a waiting game with them. They are the two we are obviously the most worried about. (The doctors) said it was a good sign they’ve made it this far.”

The crash has impacted the families tremendously. Currently they are staying in hotels near the hospital to be closer to their children.

A City Serene’s CD release show was scheduled to take place Oct.3 at Soma. The show has now become a benefit for the band member’s families to help the large medical bills. The benefit will include Adestria, Casino Madrid, I Am The Heart Attack, Thy Kingdom Come, The Subtle Way and Welcome Seraph.

Tickets are $10 and are available at www.somasandiego.com. There are also a few ways to donate online. Please visit their merchandise website or a pay pal account manager Billy Candler has set up.

“Right now, I can’t stress how important it is for you to help spread the word about the band, their situation, and do anything you possibly can to help raise money for their families. The accident took place near Bakersfield and the whole ACS crew will be up there for a while and it will be expensive.” Band representatives ask to please follow updates @ACitySerene on Twitter and the band’s MySpace page at www.myspace.com/acityserene.

The driver of the Ford pickup truck is obviously at fault in this accident. We send our prayers and condolences to the band and their family.

Bakersfield, Kern County, and San Diego, Bus Accident, and Car Accident Attorney

Share
0 Comments - Leave a comment!
Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Motorcyclist suffers major injuries in Highway 1 crash in San Luis Obispo

Written on September 6, 2009 by in Damages, Editorial, Insurance, Motorcycle Accidents, News, Personal Injury, Truck Accidents, Wrongful Death
Fatal Motorcycle Accident in San Luis Obispo, California

Fatal Motorcycle Accident in San Luis Obispo, California

San Luis Obispo – California

A 24-year-old San Luis Obispo man riding a motorcycle was taken to Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center this morning with major injuries after colliding with a stopped semi truck on Highway 1, the CHP said.

The man, whose name has not yet been released, was riding northbound in the highway’s fast lane when traffic stopped in front of him to allow a semi truck to make a right turn onto Stenner Creek Rd. around 9:05 a.m., according to CHP Officer Joe Vega.

The semi had to take up both lanes on the highway to safely make the turn, Vega said, and it appears the motorcyclist didn’t see the stopped cars behind it in time to slow.

“He swerved to the right,” Vega said, “squeezed between both lanes in attempt to avoid the stopped cars but then collides into the right rear corner of semi.” Drugs or alcohol don’t appear to be a factor in the accident, he added, and no other injuries were reported.

Investigators haven’t yet determined how fast the motorcyclist was going.

Most people would not realize it, but the motorcycle had the right of way in this instance and the truck driver will most likely be held to be at fault.

In California, a driver is not allowed to make a turn unless the coast is clear, notwithstanding the fact that drivers may have stopped for him. Secondly motorcyclist are allowed to lane split in the State of California, so long as they are not going more than 15-20 miles per hour faster than the flow of traffic.

This is an unfortunate accident.

If you or your family has been the victim of a wrongful death in the State of California, or you have had a motorcycle, car, truck, or other motor vehicle accident, feel free to call my firm for a free consultation at 800-816-1529 ext. 1.

California Wrongful Death Attorney, Car, Truck, Motorcycle Attorney Website

Share
1 Comment - Leave a comment!
Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Oxnard California Driver arrested in Bicyclist’s Death.

Written on June 29, 2009 by in Bicycle Accidents, Crime, Drunk Driving, Editorial, Hit and Run Accident, News, Wrongful Death

Oxnard California Personal Injury and Wrongful Death Attorney LawyerMALIBU – California

 An Oxnard man was arrested in a hit-and-run accident after his truck allegedly struck and killed a father and injured his son cycling along Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu.

The incident occurred about 1:30 a.m. Sunday. Cyclist Rodrigo “Rod” Armas, 45, of Kern County, died at the scene, while his 14-year-old son was taken to UCLA Medical Center and was in stable condition with numerous broken bones, Los Angeles County authorities reported.

The two were riding east on the shoulder of the 34000 block of Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu.

Driver Robert Sam Sanchez, 30, drove about a mile south of the crash and ditched the truck, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department reported. He was found a short distance away and arrested, still displaying symptoms of alcohol intoxication, authorities said.

He was being held Sunday night on $100,000 bail.

Sanchez is a records clerk for the city of Malibu and lives in Oxnard, according to Lt. Scott Chew of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Lost Hills station.

Authorities said the cyclists were on their way back to Malibu during the annual 200-mile Los Angeles Wheelmen “Grand Tour” event.

The bicycling event starts and ends in Malibu and wends through Ventura and Santa Barbara counties.

Armas was a Los Angeles County deputy probation officer. He is survived by his wife, Shelly, his 14-year-old son and two daughters, ages 9 and 12.

This accident is a horrible tragedy for the loved ones of the father who was killed, and his son who was terribly injured.

If your family has been the victim of a wrongful death, or personal injury, you may call our office 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 800-816-1529 ext. 1.

Oxnard California Personal Injury and Wrongful Death Attorney Website.

Share
0 Comments - Leave a comment!
Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Edison power pole knocked over in Silverado Canyon; Injuries Sustained.

Written on June 8, 2009 by in Damages, Editorial, Insurance, News, Vehicle Passenger Accidents

Orange County California Personal Injury AttorneySILVERADO CANYON – California

A traffic collision on Black Star Canyon Road just north of Silverado Canyon Road at 3:07 p.m. Saturday caused an Edison power pole to go down, according to the California Highway Patrol.

A truck carrying six people knocked over the pole, injuring multiple people in the vehicle.

An ambulance responded to the scene of the accident, along with Southern California Edison.

Though the accident itself didn’t disrupt power, an Edison spokesman said crews turned off power to 1,544 customers for about four minutes.

12 other customers remained without power as crews continued to work, though it remained unclear when power would return.

What is unclear is whether the driver was at fault in the accident, or that there was some other contributing factor in the accident. What is clear is that the passengers who were injured in the accident could assert personal injury claims against the drivers liability insurance.

If the driver of the truck was at fault, all of the passengers in the truck should be able to recover for their personal injuries from the truck drivers and/or owners liability insurance coverage. The injured parties should consult with a California Personal Injury Attorney as soon as possible.

If you, a friend, or a loved one have suffered a personal injury, or have been a passenger in a car or truck such as the one that collided in Siverado Canyon, and were injured, you may call us now for a free consultation at 800-816-1529 ext. 1. We will tell you over the phone if you have a good case. You may also submit your case online by clicking here now.

By Orange County California Personal Injury Attorey

Share
0 Comments - Leave a comment!
Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Newer Posts »