California Injury Blog

Susan Cameron of Irvine was injured in an auto collision when her car was hit by a truck at the intersection of Bristol and Birch streets. According to The Orange County Register.

A truck eastbound on Bristol Street and driven by Los Angeles resident Alejandro Ceja was unable to stop at the intersection’s red light as its brakes failed, hitting Cameron’s Corvette. Ceja was not injured in the crash.

My sympathies are with the injured in this car crash and I’m thankful there was no loss of life. The police investigation and the accident report will, of course, throw some light on how this accident happened and if Ceja’s account of the brake failure holds.

If brake failure did cause the intersection accident between truck and car then we need to understand what caused them to fail. While a sudden mechanical or a part failure in the truck and the brake system is possible, it is also equally likely the brake’s and the truck’s maintenance were not being kept up. Ceja might have been driving too fast and recklessly too. We also need to determine if Ceja was a company employee on the job at the time of the accident and if there were any road hazards or dangerous conditions at that time which could have contributed to the auto crash.

If Cameron’s family wants to understand the reason for the accident and who should be held responsible, they should consider retaining the services of an experienced Newport Beach personal injury attorney. They need an attorney who will immediately conduct his own investigations, explain to the victim’s family what their rights and options in this case are and what compensations they would be entitled to.

For information on how best to react in an emergency situation involving brake failure and on recognizing the warning signs of potential failure please see this Web site www.safety.com.

Chuck Gordillo, 50 years-old, of Costa Mesa, California, died recently after being struck by a car on the 10 Freeway near Haven Avenue in San Bernardino County. According to an article in The Orange County Register.

The Orange County resident was eastbound on the San Bernardino Freeway towing a trailer with a car on it. The hood of the towed car flew off and landed on the shoulder of the freeway prompting Gordillo to stop to retrieve it. A car that tried to avoid stopped freeway traffic swerved onto the shoulder hitting Gordillo, according to the Register.

This is a very tragic and unfortunate car accident. My condolences are with the Gordillo’s family and friends. Please let this accident be a reminder to us all of how dangerous it is go be out of a vehicle on a freeway, no matter where.

The California Highway Patrol is investigating this collision and will be issuing a Traffic Collision Report. In cases of traffic fatalities, like this one, the CHP is really good at thorough investigations; therefore it may take a few weeks to a few months for their Report to be issued.

Continue reading "Auto Accident Kills Costa Mesa Man" »

An Orange County jury has awarded $1 million in punitive damages to the family of Mary Kathleen Adams, a 104-year-old woman who died when she briefly stayed at the Villa Valencia Care Center nursing home, the Orange County Register reported. This verdict comes a week after the same jurors delivered a $1 million verdict against Sunrise Senior Living, the company that owns Villa Valencia Care Center, for its roll in the death of Adams in March 2005.

According to the report, Adams admitted herself into the nursing home after she broke her leg. The lawsuit alleges that she developed pressure ulcers, which worsened because of nursing home staff neglect. The problem worsened when the nursing home did not perform adequate treatment such as daily skin checks. Adams’ children, Janice Borkovetz and Wendell Adams, filed a wrongful death lawsuit in December 2005. The lawsuit alleged Sunrise knowingly understaffed their facilities putting profits over people.

Continue reading "Laguna Hills Nursing Home Loses Negligence Case" »

Randy Ribota, a 49-year-old worker died in an Anaheim workplace accident after he was crushed under a metal bin full of rocks at a CTI Telecom work site. According to an article in The Orange County Register.

Just before the fatal workplace accident Ribota was using a backhoe to load dirt and rubble into a machine that separates big pieces of rock from gravel. He had left the backhoe and was standing near the machine when its load of rock shifted and the bin tipped onto him and crushed him. Ribota died on the scene before the medics could get to him.

Officials from the California Division of Occupational Safety and Heath (CAL-OSHA) are investigating the industrial accident. Specifically, they are looking into what kind of safety training workers receive at CTI Telecom, a communications company which also does excavations for underground utility lines. The company, according to the news report, paid a $1,500 fine in 2004 for failing to have an injury and illness prevention program for its employees, not having a first-aid kit on their work site and not having an excavation permit.

Continue reading "Industrial Accident Crushes Orange County Worker" »

Wellington Flowers, a 50-year-old man was injured in a recent motorcycle crash near Route 1. According to a news report in The Ventura County Star.

Flowers, was just north of the Pacific Coast Highway, on Yerba Buena Road near Malibu when he hit the dirt shoulder and lost control of his bike as it rolled on its left side. The California Highway Patrol said the motorcycle accident happened in an unincorporated area. Flowers was badly injured in the motorcycle wreck with a collapsed lung and a broken collarbone and had to be airlifted to a nearby hospital.

This is a very sad and unfortunate incident for Flowers and I wish him a speedy recovery. Often, as a reader who comes across an accident of this type it is easy to assume a negligent or reckless driver was the cause. It is important to keep in mind that a number of other factors – a defect, or a pre-existing condition, or mechanical problems in the motorcycle, or even the condition of the road could have easily contributed to this wreck.

Continue reading "PCH Motorcycle Accident Injures L.A. Man" »

An SUV accident in the Hollywood Hills on Monday, May 25th, near Crescent Drive killed an unidentified man in his 70s and a woman in her 20s, while critically injuring the driver of the vehicle, a woman in her 40's according to an article in The L.A. Times.

Two people died and three others were critically injured in the wreck as a Range Rover sport-utility vehicle went off the narrow canyon road, rolled down the slope before stopping against the carport of a home. By the time the vehicle landed upside-down it had crashed into a house in the 8700 block of Duncamp Place, near Lookout Mountain Avenue and had injured the SUV’s driver, a woman in her 40s, the news report said. A toddler and another passenger suffered moderate injuries.

Los Angeles Police Capt. Nancy Lauer stated that the accident happened as the driver lost control after hitting a huge pothole. Fortunately, the child was properly restrained in a car seat, without which the child probably would have been ejected from the SUV as well. A torn sunroof helped the injured victims find a way out of the vehicle.

Continue reading "Hollywood Hills SUV Crash Turns Fatal" »

A terrible auto accident involving 6 vehicles at the Crenshaw Boulevard and Florence Avenue intersection Monday evening has killed five people and injured 16, according to a news report in The Los Angeles Times.

Karen Smith, a Los Angeles Police Department spokeswoman stated the collision occurred as a westbound van on Florence hit a speeding van on Crenshaw that had just run a red light. The impact of the crash threw the speeding van that had been speeding into the air and triggered the multiple auto wreck, the news article said.

The extent of the damage caused by the irresponsible and reckless driver who ran the red light was illustrated by the more than 100 firefighters who responded to the car crash and the team of emergency workers who had to section off space for a triage. My heart goes out to all those injured and to the families of those whose lives were lost in this tragedy.

Sadly, when a person behind the wheel chooses to ignore some of the basic laws required to drive a vehicle, the price paid for that action can be enormous. It is not known at the time of this story if the offending driver survived the auto crash. However, if he did, due to the magnitude of this incident he‘ll be made to realize the impact of his poor decision in ways he probably could never have imagined.

Continue reading "Multiple Autos Crash In Deadly South L.A Accident " »

Maria Magdalena Lewis, a 71-year-old Garden Grove woman is dead after her Honda Accord was struck by another driver who police say was driving under the influnce of alcohol and ran a red light. According to an article in The Orange County Register, Lewis was driving home from her job at the Angel stadium when she was hit by 45-year-old Miguel Angel Gallardo of Anaheim, who was driving a GMC Yukon.

Lewis reportedly died on the scene, and a passenger who was with her in the Honda suffered injuries. Gallardo has been arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence and vehicular manslaughter. Police say Gallardo also ran a red light at the intersection of Orangewood Avenue and 9th Street in Anaheim as he struck Lewis’ vehicle.

My heart goes out to Lewis’ family. This was an unnecessary, and senseless tragedy – one of many drunk driving accidents in Orange County, which have led to the loss of a life. It is another reminder to all drivers out there to refrain from drinking and driving. It is not only illegal but just plain irresponsible. Not only do drunk drivers put others in serious danger, but they also risk their own life and well-being.

According to the Orange County Chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving (www.maddorangecounty.org), Orange County sees at least one alcohol-related traffic fatality in four days. About 2,000 alcohol-related traffic injuries occur each day in Orange County. This is an appalling and unacceptable number.

We hope Mr. Gallardo is prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law and if found guilty, he should serve the maximum sentence. We hope Ms. Lewis’ family gets the justice they rightfully deserve. Gallardo should also be held financially responsible for the loss and damages caused. These types of auto accidents not ony cause loss and damages, but also grief and emotional distress to the families of the deceased.

Bog Soon Seo,71, a Garden Grove woman died of the major head injuries received after she was struck by a car while crossing the street with her 2-year-old grandson in her arms.

According to an article in CBS News’ Web site , the driver of the car saw Seo crossing at the intersection of Garden Grove Boulevard and Yockey Street and swerved to avoid her, but couldn’t do so in time. The toddler was not injured, the article said.

In this case, there were no crosswalk lines at the location, but news reports say it is considered an “unpainted crosswalk” where the driver is supposed to yield to a pedestiran. Clearly this was an extremely dangerous intersection for pedestrians because it did not have a properly marked crosswalk where pedestrians can get across the street safely.

This horrible tragedy could have been avoided had city officials understood the dangers of such an intersection. This is an intersection, which is located in a commercial/business district. Garden Grove Boulevard is a major arterial road in North Orange County and such a busy intersection must at least have a well-marked crosswalk where pedestrians may cross safely. The crosswalk must have brightly painted lines to indicate to the driver that it is a crosswalk and that he or she must stop and yield to pedestrians.

Continue reading "Orange County Intersection Accident Victim Dies" »

A Pacific Coast Highway multiple auto accident last Sunday in Laguna Beach killed motorcycle rider Bruce Gold, 61, according to a report in the The Orange County Register.

Gold was headed south on Route 1 that morning when he hit a car that came across from the northbound lane near the Montage Resort Drive intersection. The unidentified male driver of the northbound car had hit another car that was waiting in a left turn lane just moments earlier. The auto crash also caused the only other injury – to the male driver.

My deepest condolences and sympathies are of course with the families of the accident victims. From the reader comments posted following the new article it is clear Gold was a much loved and respected member of his community. The comments also describe that while an official investigation is in progress and a lot of information is still needed, the statement made by Sgt. Louise Callus of the Laguna Beach Police Department is very interesting. Callus is quoted by the report saying the male driver had somehow lost control and crashed his vehicle.

Continue reading "Motorcyclist dies in PCH accident" »

Sonia Perez, 28, a Houston letter carrier was attacked and bitten badly by a Rottweiler last weekend, according to The Houston Chronicle.

The brief dog bite attack lasted only a few minutes but did enough injury to Perez to put her in the hospital with puncture wounds. The viciousness of the attack surprised even the experienced letter carrier causing her to forget her training in such a situation and use her Mace, said the news article.

I’m truly sorry for the injury suffered by Perez in this brutal and unprovoked attack and wish her a complete recovery. Postal employees across the country are always on the front line in dog attacks and Houston has earned itself the dubious honor of having the most dog attacks against letter carriers. California cities Santa Ana and Sacramento follow closely in the next two places.

California however has the most number of fatalities in dog attacks. Violent dog bite attacks can cause immediate and painful injuries as well as long-term damages including emotional scarring. Among the estimated annual 4.7 million-dog bite victims postal worker, children and the elderly are typically the ones who suffer the most. Additional studies also show this problem is getting worse.

Continue reading "Dog Bites Houston Postal Worker" »

Faith Creer, 31 of Los Angeles died in a recent charter bus accident reported by The Los Angeles Times. The bus was in the left lane headed eastbound on Interstate 40 when it drifted onto the dirt median. The bus then crashed as the driver tried to correct its direction and fell on its side. Creer died when she was thrown out by the impact of the bus crash that also injured 21 others, eight of them seriously.

I’m deeply saddened by the loss of life and the scale of injuries caused by this bus wreck. It is always scary to imagine that as a passenger in a vehicle you can have your whole life suddenly upturned or even destroyed. And it is interesting to note here that CHP Officer Taj Johnson is quoted as saying they don’t know why the driver of the bus drifted across the lanes and also that the driver himself didn’t know how it drifted.

Continue reading "I-40 Bus Accident near Barstow Kills Woman" »

An auto accident that happened at Jefferson Street near Evans Street in Riverside last Saturday killed Robert Robinson, 21 and an unidentified 18-year old male, according to The Press Telegram report posted on the Web.

The Dodge Ram pickup involved in the truck crash is believed to have rammed into a tree after having gone airborne crossing a railroad track. The truck wreck also injured four others, two of them seriously and putting the others including the driver, in intensive care. According to Riverside Police department spokesman Steven Frasher, the pickup truck was doing 55 to 60 mph at the time it crossed the tracks.

A later CBS report identified the teen who died in the Saturday night crash south of the 91 Freeway as John Magula, 18, of Riverside.

I feel deeply for the victims’ families, for their loss and for the young people who are affected by this tragic auto accident. From the news report it appears the truck was going too fast as it went across the railroad crossing, but it is also very possible that there were other factors that caused or contributed to this crash. In addition to the information from the official accident investigation report, an independent investigation is recommended, as it will pursue all avenues to help determine exactly who or what was responsible. If I were a family member I’d press to understand what exactly caused this accident.

Continue reading "Riverside Truck Crash Kills Two" »

With temperatures soon warming up throughout the country, pools and spas are going to see a lot of use again. A timely article posted on the consumeraffairs.com Web site sadly serves to remind us of the dangers this seasonal activity typically brings with it.

The number of pool and spa-related deaths and swimming pool accidents has increased over the recent years according to a recent Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) report. Children age five and younger are the most at risk from accidental drowning or a near-drowning, an accident that has the potential to cause terrible injuries. These types of accidents are largely preventable; happening as a result of poor or no adult supervision, mostly occurring in residential locations, and involving both large in-ground pools, as well as small inflatable pools. Currently inflatable pools do not fall under the barrier requirements of local building codes and as a result people often buy them without considering the safety needs.

Continue reading "Swimming Pool Accidents And Injuries" »

An amusement park ride at the Calaveras County Fair called the Yo-Yo injured 23 people, three of them seriously when its swings collapsed, according to a news article in the Modesto Bee. The large swing-style ride that lifts the swing seats into the air on long chains and spins in circles broke apart injuring a number of children on the ride. 20 children suffered from welts and bruises from road rashes and getting hit by the ride’s equipment and the remaining three children with the most serious injuries were airlifted to area hospitals.

While the ride owner and operator - Midway of Fun, an Oroville-based company, did not talk to the media, officials from the local police department and the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) who investigated the incident told the San Francisco Chronicle that the center hub of the ride, from which its arms extend, stopped rotating or worked intermittently.

Amusement parks are required to have constant inspections of their rides and attractions, as are carnival operators. When carnival ride accidents occur, the injuries are usually quite significant because of the number of people involved and the size and weight of the ride equipment. These rides have the ability crush, pin and eject riders, causing catastrophic injuries. In 2004 alone there were 2,500 amusement ride related injuries reported in the United States, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Continue reading "Calaveras Carnival Ride Accident Injures 23" »

Placer County Sheriff’s search and rescue teams located the all-terrain vehicle and the bodies of its two missing riders this past Tuesday just before midnight. The teams discovered the bodies of Vitaliy Kolyadich, 25, of Carmichael and Svetlana N. Koval, 23, of Redlands, which had fallen in an embankment seemingly after an accident involving their ATV, according to a Auburn Journal Web article.

Dena Erwin, a spokeswoman for the Placer County Sheriff’s Department is quoted as saying that the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department learnt about the two ATV riders when their families reported them missing on Monday.

My sympathies and condolences are with the families of the two young accident victims. The sad outcome of this search must have crushed their hopes and one can only imagine the grief and pain they’re going through.

Continue reading "Foresthill ATV Riders Found Dead " »

A hit-and-run accident at the Acton and Ashby intersection near San Pablo Avenue has put a bicyclist in the hospital. According to a news report, CHP officers are looking for a motorcyclist and a now damaged 2006 blue Suzuki GSXR 650 believed to be responsible for running the woman bike rider down late evening Sunday.

CHP spokesman Sam Morgan is quoted in the article stating officers had earlier been chasing the speeding two-wheeler on the Interstate 80 but decided to stop on city streets as the motorcyclist turned off at the Ashby Avenue exit.

This accident must come as a terrible blow for the victim and her family and I hope and wish her a fast and easy recovery. It is terrifying to imagine an accident such as this that happens out of nowhere causing an innocent person personal injury and suffering.

Continue reading "Berkeley Motorcycle Accident Near I-80 Injures Bicyclist" »

An excellent investigative report by WFTV in Florida tells us why tire tread separation can occur even in tires that seem brand new. According to this news report, safety experts are now warning that tires more than six years old are susceptible to failure. And even more disturbing is that the WFTV’s investigation found the local Florida stores were selling old tires as new.

The reporter interviewed the mother of Nicalos Rowan, a 20-year-old who died in a rollover accident after the tread separated from the tire on his SUV. The failed tire caused his SUV to flip over. The defective tire was actually a spare that his mother, Linda, had put on the vehicle two days before the accident. Only after he son’s tragic death did she learn that the tire which she believed was brand new, was in fact 11 years old.

Continue reading "Deadly Tire Tread Separation Accidents Can Occur in Aging Tires" »

A Beverly Hills 19-year-old rear-ended a parked big rig truck near the Hollywood Way off ramp of the Ventura (134) Freeway in Burbank, according to the California Highway Patrol, as reported by The Daily News.

According to CHP Officer Patrick Kimball, Tristan Maes, died at the scene of the accident on the westbound 134. Apparently Maes slammed into the back of a big rig that was parked in a freeway gore point, the triangular area of roadway where the road splits near the Hollywood Way off ramp, at about 2:40 a.m. on March 13, 2008.

My heart goes out to the family and friends of Tristan Maes. This was a totally foreseeable and preventable accident. And I’ll bet that a complete, unbiased investigation will show that the truck driver that parked the big rig truck in the gore point is either partially or primarily responsible for this teenager’s death.

Continue reading "Big Rig Accident Takes Teen’s Life" »

The parents of a cyclist who died in a big rig accident in Santa Cruz are suing the city, county, state of California, the truck driver and the trucking company seeking damages in the wrongful death of their son. According to a news report in the San Jose Mercury News, 25-year-old John Myslin, a beloved teacher at Pacific Collegiate High School, was riding his mountain bike when the big rig struck him.

Myslin was killed last August and apparently another cyclist was hit and killed at the same intersection last month. Santa Cruz police have ruled that the bicycle accident was Myslin’s fault. But his parents have disagreed and say in the lawsuit that the driver of the big rig should’ve seen their son and avoided hitting him. In addition to suing the truck driver and his employer, Radazzo Enterprises Inc., Myslin’s parents are also suing the city, county and the state for the “dangerous and defective condition of the roadway,” which contributed to their son’s death. They alleged that the public entities “negligently and carelessly failed to provide a safe place for bicyclists to ride.”

Continue reading "Parents Of Man Who Died In Santa Cruz Bicycle Accident File Lawsuit" »

A 58-year-old Garden Grove man who was thrown from his 2003 Harley Davidson motorcycle died of trauma to his chest, The Orange County Register reports. Daniel Allen Dunn was reportedly thrown to the ground and hit his head, which was only protected by a novelty helmet, not approved by the Department of Transportation, the article said.

Dunn’s helmet was badly damaged in the accident, but the Orange County Coroner ruled that cause of death was trauma to the chest. The motorcycle accident occurred when Dunn was passing an intersection in Anaheim. He reportedly hit the north end of the raised concrete center median on the south side of the intersection. Officials say alcohol, speed or another vehicle was not involved in the accident.

Continue reading "Orange County Man Dies Of Chest Trauma In Anaheim Motorcycle Accident" »

A 38-year-old Bakersfield woman was killed and another man suffered major injuries after they stopped on Highway 99 and were struck by a delivery van as they talked to the driver of a big rig. According to an article in the Bakersfield Californian, Tracy Huffman was taken to a local hospital where she died and her fiancé was said to have suffered severe injuries.

The couple reportedly got out of their vehicle after motioning a big rig driver to stop because they saw something dragging under the rear trailer. Officials said the man, who was driving at the time, got out to warn the big rig driver and Huffman followed him. At this time, a delivery van driven by Darren Tolliver of South Pasadena struck the couple. Tolliver took his eyes off the road to pick up a clipboard for just a second when the van veered to the right and sideswiped the big rig striking the man and Huffman.

Continue reading "1 Dead and 1 Injured in Bakersfield After Being Hit By Distracted Delivery Van Driver" »

A jury in Twentynine Palms, Calif., has awarded $15 million to the family of a 17-year-old local boy who suffered severe brain injuries in a 2005 traffic accident in Joshua Tree, which was reportedly caused by the negligence of a Southern California Gas Company employee. According to a news article in the Hi-Desert Star, Darryl Whitley of Yucca Valley reportedly ran the red light and struck the vehicle on the passenger side where the boy, Kyle Tilton then 14 years old was sitting.

Kyle’s auto accident injuries included the brain injury, a collapsed lung, eight broken ribs and major internal injuries. For the rest of his life Kyle will have to live with a condition called “frontal lobe syndrome,” which hampers his ability to reason as well as to plan and execute tasks. The $15 million will go toward the medical treatment and a lifetime of care Kyle desperately needs, his attorney told news reporters.

Continue reading "California Brain Injury In Auto Accident Results In $15 Million Award" »

Here is a brief compilation of recent big rig accidents that occurred in California.

Two big rigs collide: This one was a fatal truck accident near Westley in Stanislaus County involving two big rigs on the Interstate 5, according to this news article on Channel 10’s Web site. A 50-year-old man from Sacramento was killed in the crash and resulting explosion. One of the trucks reportedly slammed on to the back of another that had stalled or stopped in the slow lane.

Injury accident: At least one person was injured on the 60 eastbound in the City of Industry after a big rig overturned. According to this news article in the Pasadena Star News, the truck was carrying 35,000 pounds of cargo, but there were no spills reported as a result of the accident.

Continue reading "California Big Rig Accident Round-Up" »

The Orange County district attorney has filed two felony charges of vehicular manslaughter and driving under the influence against a 20-year-old Huntington Beach man who struck and killed a 14-year-old boy who was riding his bicycle on a city street, The Orange County Register reported. Jeffrey F. Woods was reportedly driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs when he hit Danny Oates.

An affidavit filed by police officers in court, which was obtained by the Register, also shows that Woods was texting on his cell phone trying to execute a drug deal at the time he hit Danny with his pickup truck. We hope Mr. Woods is prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. These charges have been a long time coming. As Danny’s father told the newspaper, this was nothing short of murder and Mr. Woods deserves to go to jail for his callous and negligent actions that snatched a young boy full of life and potential away from his parents.

Continue reading "Manslaughter Charges Finally Filed in Huntington Teen Bicyclist's Death" »

An animal control officer will have to undergo surgery after he suffered injuries to his legs and arm, mauled by a pit-bull at a Lakewood home. The 28-year-old officer, who has not been identified, reportedly went to the home to speak to the resident about having too many pit-bulls and address certain dog violations at that residence, according to an article in the Daily Breeze.

The dog owner, who had five pit-bulls, agreed to let go of three. But when the officer tried to take the dogs, one of the pit-bulls attacked him, biting him in his legs and arm. The officer has a break in his knuckle, deep cuts and tears. Officials are concerned about possible nerve damage and infection.

There is no question that this dog bit victim will be entitled to workers compensation from his employer as well as from the dog owner. It is outrageous that this dog owner had five pit-bulls and tragic that this animal control officer got brutally attacked when he was trying to do his job.

Continue reading "Animal Control Officer Serious Injured In Lakewood Dog Attack" »

A Palm Desert nursing home is facing a $100,000 state fine and the severest AA citation after a patient reportedly died from an infection caused by a perforated colon. According to the Riverside Press-Enterprise, California Department of Public Health investigators issued the citation against The Springs at the Calotta, a 59-bed facility, for failing to identify and monitor the medical needs of an 87-year-old woman who suffered from a severe case of constipation for 24 days.

The woman died in June 2006, but it took investigators about a year and a half to obtain all the documentation and conduct internal investigations, the news report said. The victim was admitted into the nursing home on June 5 to recover from a broken pelvis. Apparently, nursing home administrators knew that she was constipated when she came in, but did nothing to relieve her problems. She eventually died June 29, less than a month after she was brought to the nursing home.

Continue reading "Palm Desert Nursing Home Faces $100,000 Fine For Resident’s Death" »

A woman suffered critical injuries in a Pico Rivera big rig accident after the tractor of the big rig slammed into her compact car sending the vehicle into a telephone pole. The driver of the big rig reportedly took off and officials are still looking for this person, according to a CBS News report. The big rig accident reportedly occurred at the intersection of Telegraph Road and Paramount Boulevard.

According to reports, the truck traveling without a trailer, hit the woman’s compact car at the intersection. The car was so badly mangled that firefighters had to use the Jaws of Life to cut the woman free. The victim has not yet been identified by officials, who say she was lucky that her injuries were not worse or fatal. Anyone with information about the accident or the hit-and-run driver is asked to call the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Pico Rivera Station at 562-949-2421.

This is obviously a horrible accident. We can only imagine what this victim’s loved ones must be going through at this time. We sincerely hope and pray that she gets justice and that can only happen when this heartless truck driver who hit her and left her on the road gets apprehended and is held accountable for his actions. The news report says that this driver was only driving the tractor portion of a tractor trailer. But if he was on the job and driving the big rig – which he most likely was -- his employer could also be held liable for the accident along with the driver.

It is also interesting to think about why this driver fled the scene. Did he simply panic? Did he have other violations or priors that he did not want the cops to find out about? Or were alcohol and/or drugs involved in the accident? These questions may be answered once police catch the driver, who will and should face felony hit-and-run charges.

Toyota is recalling 90,189 Highlander and Highlander hybrids because apparently the third row passenger seatbelts are defective when it comes to securing a child restraint system. According to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA), the flaw in the restraint systems in these sport utility vehicles could result in injuries to children in the case of an auto accident.

So if you own one of these SUVs, please watch the mail for your recall notice. Toyota is promising to fix the problem for free. According to an article in the watchdog Web site Consumeraffairs.com, the seat belt webbing in the third row of the recalled Highlanders is not properly secured by the automatic retractor. This makes the seatbelt webbing prone to spooling out during normal driving.

How does the loose belt affect the stability of a child restraint? It could cause major injuries or even death in a high-speed crash or rollover accident. Such a defective seatbelt will do nothing to protect children from injuries during auto accidents. Toyota dealers will install a newer, better-designed seatbelt free of charge when the recall gets underway. If you own one of these vehicles and would like to know more about the recall, please call Toyota Motor Co. at 800-331-4331 or NHTSA at 800-327-4236.

Continue reading "More than 90,000 Toyota Highlanders Recalled For Defective Seatbelts" »

Two Buena Park men are recovering after they were bitten by a pit-bull while taking a walk in the gated community of College Park, according to a news article in The Orange County Register. Larry Zimmerman, 43, and his Siberian husky were the first to be attacked by the pit-bull. Then the dog attacked Zimmerman’s neighbor James Kim, 59 and his wife who were taking an evening walk down the street, the newspaper reported.

Zimmerman suffered bites on both of his legs and his left arm while Kim got five stitches in his chest. Zimmerman told the newspaper that he is a dog-lover himself but cannot understand why dog owners cannot control their dogs. As personal injury attorneys who have represented victims of dog attacks, we understand Mr. Zimmerman’s point of view.

We are ardent supporters of cities and county agencies holding dog owners responsible for their negligence. In this case, this pit-bull and another boxer which was apparently not involved in the attacks, were running loose attacking these unsuspecting residents who were doing nothing more than taking a relaxing evening stroll. What a rude shock for them!

Continue reading "Two Orange County Men Injured in Dog Attack" »

A Costa Mesa couple in their late 60s died after the driver lost control of his 2005 Chevy Malibu, a news article in The Orange County Register reports. The auto accident, which killed 69-year-old Jack Henderson and his wife, Carolyn Henderson, 65, occurred on Newport Boulevard after the husband exited the 55 Freeway near Fair Drive and merged on to Newport, the article said.

The car reportedly crashed into a chain link fence, clipped some trees and rolled down an embankment back onto the freeway. Carolyn Henderson died on the scene while her husband was transported to Hoag Hospital where he later died, the Register reports. The grandparents were on the way to babysit their grandchildren when the tragic accident occurred.

Eyewitnesses reportedly saw the Chevy Malibu veer off the 55 freeway, become airborne from Newport Boulevard and flip at least twice down the embankment before coming to rest on the freeway. This is no doubt a huge tragedy for the family and we offer our deepest condolences to them during this very tough time. Investigators have already started looking into possible causes for the crash. Witnesses report speeding and that Henderson merged onto Newport at a high rate of speed.

Continue reading "Couple Dies In Costa Mesa Chevy Malibu Crash" »

A driver from South Florida is in the hospital with severe injuries after a tractor trailer loaded with 2-liter Coca Cola bottles flipped onto his car in Miramar. According to an article on CBS News’ Web site, the big rig driver, for some reason, lost control of his vehicle, which toppled on to a Honda Civic, trapping and injuring driver Eduardo Ibarro.

According to fire department officials who carried out the rescue operation, Ibarro was significantly entrapped in the vehicle. The tractor trailer was actually on top of part of the passenger’s side of the Honda trapping the patient’s leg under the car’s dashboard. The Coca Cola bottles were reportedly strewn all over the roadway, which crews spent a good deal of time cleaning up. The driver of the big rig was reportedly unhurt. Ibarro is said to be recovering and suffered non-life threatening injuries.

Continue reading "Tractor Trailer Loaded With Coca-Cola Bottles Overturns On Car, Causes Injuries" »

QVC is recalling about 28,000 defective SoleusAir space heaters that can overheat, posing a fire hazard to consumers. According to consumer watchdog Web site Consumeraffairs.com, no injuries have been reported as a result of the fire hazard, but the firm has received nine reports of flames inside or coming out of the heaters and 70 additional reports of smoking, overheating, sparking, melting and/or emitting burning odors.

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A Huntington Beach woman was killed and three people were taken to the hospital with injuries after a Honda Pilot sport utility vehicle with a wheelchair lift slammed into a sedan, The Orange County Register reports. The impact crushed the Lexus and led to a seven-car pileup at the intersection of Talbert and Magnolia avenues, the newspaper reports.

Killed in the crash was 69-year-old Anne Shirley Mailman. The condition of the man and woman in the Pilot are still not known. The Pilot reportedly had handicap license plates as well as a wheelchair lift. It is not clear how this chain reaction auto accident occurred, police told the Register. They are still investigating and no one has been charged or cited yet.

Auto accidents are a no-win situation. People are physically and emotionally scarred. This one was no different. One woman lost her life. In the end, it could be just that – an unfortunate accident with people in these seven cars being at the wrong place at the wrong time.

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A 13-year-old boy in Martinez, Calif. was killed when be was struck by a teenage driver at a busy and apparently dangerous intersection as he was riding his bicycle. According to a news article in CBS News’ Web site, the boy, identified as Tommy Choi, sustained major injuries and was rushed to the hospital where he died an hour after the accident.

The boy was reportedly riding his bike back from school on the busy street, which had a speed limit of 35 mph. The driver who hit the boy was a 16-year-old. Drugs or alcohol don’t seem to be a factor but we don’t know yet if the driver was speeding or was distracted in some other way. The teen driver has not been cited or charged yet.

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Last week, pharmaceutical company Actavis Totowa LLC recalled all lots of its prescription heart drug, Digitek, because some of the drug’s tablets might contain twice the approved level of the active ingredient. According to an article in The Chicago Tribune, people have become sick or injured after taking the drug, which is used to treat heart failure and abnormal heart rhythms.

The defective Digitek tablets were manufactured with double the appropriate thickness, which means it may contain twice the approved level of active ingredients. Toxicity from this drug, because of the high dosage, may cause nausea, vomiting, dizziness, high blood pressure, cardiac instability or even death.

This apparently dangerous drug dosage was reportedly distributed by Myland Pharmaceuticals Inc. under a “Bertek” label and by UDL Laboratories Inc. under a “UDL” label.

It would be helpful to the Food and Drug Administration’s efforts for you to report any reactions to this drug to the FDA’s MedWatch adverse reporting program at www.fda.gov/medwatch/report.htm. Of course, contact the doctor that prescribed Digitek to you for his/her advise at your earliest opportunity.

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A Santa Ana police officer driving on the wrong side of the street with lights flashing and sirens blaring has suffered critical injuries after he lost control of his cruiser and struck a stopped tow truck during a pursuit. According to a news report in Fox News’ Web site, the officer, who has not been identified, was backing up another officer involved in pursuing a fleeing auto theft suspect.

The police officer reportedly lost control of his patrol car, went on the wrong side of the road and slammed into a tow truck that was stopped and waiting for the police car to pass. The officer was trapped in the vehicle and had to be extricated from his vehicle, the news report said. The auto accident was reportedly a broadside crash and not a head-on collision.

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