California Injury Blog

Rodrigo "Rod" Armas, 45, died in a Los Angeles County bicycle accident after both he and his son were struck by a truck while cycling east along Pacific Coast Highway, the Ventura County Star reports. The hit-and-run bicycle-car crash occurred early morning on June 28, 2009 near the 34000 block of Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu. Armas and his 14-year-old son were hit by a suspected drunk driver while riding on the shoulder of the highway. Armas died at the scene while his teenage son was taken to the hospital with several broken bones.

The truck driver, 30-year-old Robert Sam Sanchez, fled the scene, but was arrested a short distance away from the accident scene. He was still displaying signs of alcohol intoxication, officials said. Sanchez apparently works for the city of Malibu and lives in Oxnard. It is not clear whether he was on the job or returning from a city event at the time of the fatal Los Angeles car accident. Armas and his son were on their way back to Malibu during the annual 200-mile Los Angeles Wheelmen "Grand Tour" event.

My heart goes out to the family and friends of Rod Armas and his young son who is in the hospital with serious injuries. I offer my deepest condolences to Armas' surviving family members, his wife Shelly Armas, his son and two daughters. Please keep this family in your prayers as they go through this difficult time.

Continue reading "Los Angeles County Bicycle Accident Kills Dad, Injures Son" »

Mark Hampton Montgomery, 59, was killed in a Huntington Beach motorcycle accident after his motorcycle collided with a car the evening of June 26, 2009. According to an article in The Orange County Register, Montgomery was riding the motorcycle west on Garfield Avenue near Edwards Street. A gold, four-door sedan was traveling east on Garfield. The sedan then turned north onto Edwards ahead of Montgomery, who crashed into the car, Huntington Beach police said. Montgomery was wearing a helmet, but he died from injuries sustained in the motorcycle crash. If you saw this accident, please call the Huntington Beach Police Department at 714-536-5666.

I offer my deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Mark Hampton Montgomery for their tragic and heartbreaking loss. Please keep them in your prayers.

According to California Highway Patrol's 2007 Statewide Integrated Traffic Reporting System, there were no fatalities, but 55 injuries occurred involving motorcycle accidents in Huntington Beach. In Orange County as a whole, 24 fatalities and 752 injuries were reported in 2007 as a result of motorcycle accidents.

Continue reading "Huntington Beach Motorcycle Accident Kills Man " »

Three occupants of a Honda Civic--Francisco Magana, 20, Virginia Garcia, 21, and Vivian Garcia, 14--were killed in a Fresno car accident that officials believe was caused by a suspected drunk driver going in the wrong road direction.

According to a news report in the Fresno Bee, 32-year-old Willie Rivera Jr. was driving a Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck the wrong way and collided head-on with the Honda at the intersection of Jensen and Armstrong avenues the night of June 24, 2009. The Silverado apparently sideswiped a Ford pickup and then hit the Civic. A Daewoo sedan was also caught up in the fatal car crash.

Continue reading "Fresno DUI Car Crash Kills Three" »

The General Motors-Chrysler bankruptcy has caused much anxiety among consumers because it seeks to throw out auto product liability and personal injury lawsuits against them. Now, a new report predicts that a loophole created by the bankruptcies of General Motors and Chrysler will make it possible for the companies to avoid issuing product recalls of defective cars that were manufactured prior to the bankruptcy filings.

According to a news article on Consumer Reports, this new report released by Safety Research and Strategies (http://www.safetyresearch.net/chrysler-gm-bankruptcy) looks into the implications of a provision in the GM and Chrysler bankruptcies that allows the automakers to avoid liability for the vehicles made before the bankruptcy. The report projects that based on information provided by both GM and Chrysler and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), more than 3,400 Americans will be injured or killed by a defective Chrysler of GM vehicle during the first year after the bankruptcy.

Continue reading "GM-Chrysler Bankruptcy Will Have Chilling Effect on Product Recalls" »

California investigators believe that nursing home negligence may have caused the death of an 83-year-old man, who died from head injuries that were not properly assessed or treated by nursing home staff. According to an Associated Press news report, Lakewood Manor North in Los Angeles received an AA citation – the most severe that the California Department of Public Health issues. The negligence, according to officials, involved a patient who had slipped, fallen and suffered a head injury while trying to move from his bed to a wheelchair in 2007. The resulting head injury was not properly assessed or treated, investigators say. The man ended up dying four days after he fell.

Continue reading "Los Angeles Nursing Home's Negligence Caused Patient's Death, Officials Say" »

At least nine people were killed and scores of other commuters were injured in a Washington D.C. train accident the evening of June 22, 2009. According to a Fox News report, one Metro train smashed into the back of another during rush hour traffic causing the front end of one train to jackknife violently into the air and fall on top of the other. Cars of both trains were ripped open and smashed together in what officials say is the worst train accident in the Metrorail's 33-year history. Washington D. C. fire officials treated at least 76 people at the scene and many were sent to area hospitals including six people with critical injuries. Among the dead was Jeanice McMillan, operator of the trailing train.

Officials said the first train was stopped on the tracks waiting for another to clear the station ahead when the trailing train plowed right into it from behind. Officials have not been able to explain what caused this catastrophic train crash. The trailing train is said to be one of the oldest in the Metro fleet. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is investigating the incident.

Continue reading "Washington D.C. Metrorail Train Accident Kills Nine, Injures Many Others" »

California Zicam class action attorneys are aware that the problem with Zicam intranasal cold remedies is nothing new. According to an investigative news report done by Denver's 7News in 2004, five years before the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) cautioned consumers that use of Zicam can result in the loss of sense of smell. In 2004, Matrixx Initiatives, the manufacturer of Zicam, admitted that they did not know if their nasal gel could cause loss of smell.

Continue reading "Zicam Class Action Suit Pending in California? Zicam Defects Surfaced Five Years Ago" »

Dustin Rogers Martin, 17, was killed in a San Bernardino County pedestrian accident after he was struck by a hit-and-run driver. According to a news report in the San Bernardino Sun, Dustin was riding a skateboard on Cottonwood Avenue near Poplar Street the morning of June 15, 2009 when he was hit by a sedan. The driver, Kenneth Stotelmyre, left the scene, but later returned with his father. Stotelmyre has been arrested on suspicion of felony hit-and-run.

My heart goes out to the family and friends of Dustin Rogers Martin for their heartbreaking and tragic loss. I offer my deepest condolences to everyone who knew and loved this young man. Please keep them in your prayers.

According to California Highway Patrol's 2007 traffic accident statistics, there were four fatalities and seven injuries involving pedestrian accidents in Hesperia. In San Bernardino County as a whole, 50 fatalities and 432 personal injuries involving pedestrian accidents were reported in 2007.

In this particular case, it's not quite clear, based on the newspaper report, whose fault this fatal pedestrian accident was. Did the driver, Stotelmyre, have enough time to stop? How old is Stotelmyre? Was he distracted, driving reckless or driving under the influence of alcohol or controlled substances? These are all important questions that need to be answered to determine whether there was any negligence and also the level of negligence that may have existed here.

Continue reading "San Bernardino Hit-and-Run Pedestrian Accident Kills Skateboarder " »

Most Zicam lawsuit lawyers have seen recent warnings of the drugs effects. These effects can be devastating and the recent warnings about Zicam intranasal products, which are believed to cause a loss of sense of smell among users, is another example of that. A news article in the Associated Press talks about David Richardson of Greensboro, North Carolina, who believed he was taking a "homeopathic cold remedy" when he used Zicam's cold gel. With one squirt of Zicam cold gel, Richardson lost his sense of smell.

Here's how Richardson describes his loss to the Associated Press: "It's like watching a sunset in black and white. The things that you take for granted, not only smelling fresh-cut grass or bread in the oven…you miss those parts of your life. There's not a day that goes by that you're not reminded of it."

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warned consumers against three Zicam products -- Zicam Cold Remedy Nasal Gel, Nasal Swabs and discontinued Swabs in Kids' Size. Apparently, Zicam belongs to an under-the-radar, but legal sector of the drug industry called homeopathic remedies. Many drug injury attorneys have seen these pharmaceutical drugs sold over-the-counter without prescription as legal drugs claiming to treat specific aliments, yet they are not routinely reviewed for safety or benefit by the FDA. Matrixx Initiatives, the company that makes Zicam, still maintains Zicam is safe and has not yet issued a product recall. All that the company has agreed to, so far, is to suspend shipments and reimburse customers who want refunds.

Continue reading "California Zicam Lawsuit Attorneys: Victims Lose Sense of Smell after Using Zicam Cold Relief Products" »

Six people were injured in a San Bernardino County bus accident after a suspected drunk driver in a pickup crashed into the charter bus carrying 23 passengers from the San Manuel Indian Bingo and Casino to Los Angeles. According to a news article in the San Bernardino Sun, 32-year-old Vernon Christopher Hernandez ran a red light at the intersection of Victoria Avenue and Mirada Road in San Bernardino the night of June 15, 2009 and slammed into the bus. Hernandez died in the bus crash.

After the initial impact, the bus and truck continued sliding 20 to 30 yards. The bus then crashed into a large block wall. Six passengers on the bus suffered personal injuries and all 23 were pulled through the windows after the bus crashed into the wall, San Bernardino County Fire Department officials said. The Los Angeles-bound charter bus had just picked up the passengers from the casino. Police are apparently still investigating what caused the bus-car accident, but based on the preliminary investigation, they are placing the blame on the driver of the pickup truck. Police say they believe alcohol or drugs may have played a part in this bus collision.

I'm relieved that other than the suspected drunk driver, no one else was seriously hurt or killed in this San Bernardino bus accident. I wish the injured bus passengers the very best for a quick and complete recovery.

Continue reading "San Bernardino Bus Accident Leaves Drunk Driver Dead and Six Passengers Injured " »

Meiyun Kang, 82, was killed in a San Bernardino pedestrian accident the morning of June 16, 2009, the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin reports. The Chino pedestrian accident occurred when 76-year-old Mary Lemos, who was driving a 2003 Honda Accord west on Riverside Drive near Cypress Avenue, struck Kang. Chino police officials said Kang attempted to cross Riverside from the south side and was hit by Lemos. A witness apparently told police that Kang crossed the street outside of the crosswalk area. Kang was pronounced dead at the scene. Lemos was uninjured. If you have more information about this fatal San Bernardino County pedestrian accident, please call Chino police at 909-590-5571.

My heart goes out to the family and friends of Meiyun Kang. I offer my deepest sympathies to everyone who knew and loved Kang. Please keep them in your prayers.

According to California Highway Patrol's 2007 Statewide Integrated Traffic Reporting System, there were three fatalities and 11 injuries involving pedestrian accidents in Chino. In San Bernardino County as a whole, 50 fatalities and 432 injuries were reported in 2007 as a result of pedestrian accidents.

Continue reading "San Bernardino County Pedestrian Accident Kills One in Chino" »

Most California Zicam lawyers are aware of the recent warnings issued by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The FDA has warned consumers against using three Zicam cold remedy products containing zinc, after receiving more than 130 reports of serious Zicam side effects, particularly loss of the sense of smell. According to the FDA alert, many users said they lost their sense of smell with the first dose of Zicam. Others said they lost their sense of smell after repeated use of the defective Zicam products. The three Zicam products that the FDA is warning consumers against are:

• Zicam Cold Remedy Nasal Gel


• Zicam Cold Remedy Nasal Swabs and


• Zicam Cold Remedy Swabs, Kids Size (a discontinued product)

The FDA is saying that consumers who have been using or are about to use these over-the-counter Zicam cold medications must stop immediately because they are associated with a condition known as anosmia or loss of sense of smell. This condition, officials say, may be either long lasting or permanent. This type of pharmaceutical drug negligence can cause serious problems to anyone that uses these recalled Zicam products.

Loss of one's sense of smell is a serious problem that can not only adversely affect a person's quality of life, but it can also be a real danger because it limits a person's ability to detect the smell of gas or smoke or other signs of danger in the environment. FDA officials have apparently issued Matrixx Initiatives, manufacturer of these defective Zicam products, a warning letter stating that these products cannot be marketed without FDA approval.

Continue reading "California Zicam Attorney: FDA Zicam Warning" »

Crystal Smith, a 16-year-old girl, was killed in a San Bernardino County pedestrian accident after she was struck by a motorist while crossing Highway 395 early morning June 13, 2009, the San Bernardino Sun reports. San Bernardino County Sheriff's officials, who are investigating the fatal car versus pedestrian accident, say the driver of a Chevy Cavalier, a 28-year-old woman, did not see Crystal crossing the Adelanto street because of a tractor-trailer that was driving north in the lane next to her.

I offer my deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Crystal Smith for their tragic and untimely loss. My heart especially goes out to the girl's parents. Please keep them in your prayers.

According to California Highway Patrol's 2007 Statewide Integrated Traffic Reporting System, there were no fatalities and one personal injury involving pedestrian accidents in Adelanto. It would seem pedestrian accidents are not all that common in Adelanto. However, in San Bernardino County as a whole, it's a different story. In 2007, 50 fatalities and 432 personal injuries were reported in San Bernardino County as a result of pedestrian accidents.

Continue reading "San Bernardino County Pedestrian Accident Kills One" »

Local residents in the Tamalpais Valley in the San Francisco area are crying out for better bicycle safety after 26-year-old Claire Diepenbrock suffered horrific injuries in a bicycle accident on May 26, 2009. According to a news report in the Marin Independent Journal, Diepenbrock was injured after she was hit by two cars while riding her bicycle in the busy stretch of Highway 1 near Tam junction. This roadway has apparently been the subject of numerous calls for speed limit signs and wider shoulders by community members over the years who believe a dangerous roadway condition exists on this roadway.

Community activists and local groups have been re-energized by Claire Diepenbrock's bicycle accident and resulting injuries. Many have sent out letters seeking changes to local politicians as well the as the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans). Diepenbrock suffered multiple fractures to her skull, jaw, cheekbones and ribs, a broken clavicle and punctured lung. Doctors are still assessing the extent of her brain injuries and possible brain damage. However, she is said to be improving.

My heart goes out to the injured victim Claire Diepenbrock and her family members who are reeling from the shock of her terrible injuries. I hope and pray that she makes a complete recovery.

Continue reading "Bicycle Accident Spurs Concern about Dangerous Roadway Condition" »

A truck driver was killed in a fiery Long Beach big rig truck accident the night of June 13, 2009, the Long Beach Press Telegram reports. Traffic accident investigators believe that the tanker trailer plunged off the road and into a river bed while making the transition from the eastbound 91 Freeway to the northbound 710 Freeway, California Highway Patrol officials said. The cause of the truck accident including the speed of the tanker is under investigation. Investigators believe the freeway columns may have suffered structural damage as a result of this fatal truck accident.

My heart goes out to the friends and family of this truck driver, who was fatally injured in this big rig truck accident. I offer my deepest condolences to everyone who knew and loved this man. Please keep them in your prayers. It is indeed a relief that no one else was injured or killed in this horrific truck accident.

Continue reading "Long Beach Big Rig Truck Accident Fatally Injuries Driver" »

Two women, including one pregnant woman, have been hospitalized with serious personal injuries they sustained in a Fullerton car accident the morning of June 12, 2009, The Orange County Register reports. The Orange County car accident occurred at the intersection of Harbor Boulevard and Hermosa Drive when a white Toyota Camry driven by one woman collided with a Ford Explorer driven by a woman in her 20s who was said to be about eight months pregnant. Both women, who have not yet been identified, were taken to area hospitals. There is no update yet about their condition or the extent of their injuries.

I hope neither of these women suffered major injuries in this Orange County car accident. I wish them both the very best for a speedy and complete recovery. Please keep them in your prayers.

According to California Highway Patrol's 2007 traffic accident statistics, there were five fatalities and 739 injuries involving car accidents in Fullerton. In Orange County as a whole, 178 deaths and 14,185 injuries were reported as a result of car accidents in 2007.

Continue reading "Fullerton Car Accident Injures Two Women" »

A La Habra police officer suffered leg injuries in an a Orange County motorcycle accident, The Orange County Register reports. The motorcycle accident occurred the afternoon of June 12, 2009 on La Habra Boulevard near Harbor Boulevard. La Habra police said the collision occurred when the motorcycle officer was traveling west on La Habra Boulevard and a black Honda Accord that was pulling out of a driveway struck him. The officer apparently sustained minor injuries. No one in the Accord was injured.

It is indeed fortunate that the La Habra police officer did not suffer serious injuries in this Orange County motorcycle accident. I wish him the very best for a quick and complete recovery.

According to California Highway Patrol's 2007 Statewide Integrated Traffic Reporting System, there was one fatal motorcycle accident and 13 motorcycle accidents involving injuries in La Habra. In Orange County as a whole, 24 deaths and 752 injuries were reported in 2007 as a result of motorcycle accidents.

Continue reading "Orange County Motorcycle Accident Injures La Habra Police Officer" »

Earlier this week, we posted "Will The Driver That Killed My Husband Ever Be Held Accountable?" written by our client, Deborah Reichle, who lost her husband, David Reichle, in a horrific car versus pedestrian accident on a Torrance street right outside their friends' home in Torrance, Thanksgiving morning 2008. David suffered severe brain injury and died five days after the jeep driven by Sara Sherbin struck him. But even as she is dealing with pain, grief and financial instability in the wake of her husband's death, Deborah is also dealing with shoddy car accident investigation by the Torrance Police Department, which may help Sherbin walk away from this entire episode as if nothing happened. And that is just plain wrong!

Here's what happened. Sherbin drove down a very wide and quiet residential street. She claimed later that she didn't see David getting out of his car and turning to talk to a friend on the sidewalk. Sherbin plowed through David and didn't even stop after she hit him. Instead, she over-corrected and shot across the street before she came to a stop two houses away. Deborah believes Sherbin was driving recklessly that day and had counted on the Torrance Police Department to perform an unbiased investigation and come out with the truth.

But Deborah Reichle has been sorely disappointed. The investigating officer's report was missing key witness statements thereby diminishing Sherbin's liability. In fact, the report even suggests that David may have been at fault for exiting his van although he was fully out of the van and in plain view of Sherbin as she drove down the street. All Sherbin got was a minor traffic citation. She has not been charged and no charges are pending.

Continue reading "Torrance Car Accident Victim's Family Pleads for Fair Investigation" »

California funeral home abuse attorneys at Bisnar | Chase have handled several cases on behalf of grief-stricken families who are plunged into further sorrow because of unethical funeral homes and cemeteries that cut corners while providing their services. Here's one example of such funeral home abuse from Houma, Louisiana where one family has filed a funeral home abuse lawsuit claiming that an organ donation agency and other businesses that handled their loved one's body, allowed it to decompose forcing them to have a closed casket ceremony.

According to an Associated Press news report, the family of Francis Toups Jr. alleges that the 53-year-old man's body was treated with a "callous disregard for its condition and the effect it would have upon the deceased's relatives." The family claims that the Louisiana Organ Procurement Agency failed to properly transport, embalm and take other steps to preserve the body. The family seeks unspecified damages from the agency, the Clark-Ducote and Samart funeral homes as well as Limousines Limited, a limo company in Crowley, Louisiana.

Continue reading "Funeral Home Abuse Lawsuit Alleges Body Was Mishandled" »

A man suffered major leg injuries in a San Diego motorcycle accident the morning of June 11, 2009, 10news reports. The motorcycle crash occurred when the man riding the motorcycle crashed into a pickup truck that was backing up in an unincorporated portion of El Cajon in San Diego County. The collision happened on Pepper Drive near Mollison Avenue. Paramedics took the injured motorcyclist to an area hospital.

My heart goes out to this injured victim. I hope he makes a quick and complete recovery from his serious leg injuries. Please keep him in your prayers.

According to data from the California Highway Patrol's Statewide Integrated Traffic Reporting System, there was one fatality and 29 injuries involving motorcycle accidents in El Cajon in 2007. In San Diego County as a whole, 50 deaths and 985 injuries were reported as a result of motorcycle accidents in 2007.

Continue reading "San Diego County Motorcycle Accident Injures Man" »

If you receive a severe blow to the head, the force of the impact can cause your brain to bounce violently against your skull. When this happens, it can result in nerve fibers being torn and bleeding in and around the brain. This damage to brain tissue is known as traumatic brain injury or TBI.

Good planning and time management go a long way. People with traumatic brian injury often have difficulties with time management, organizing themselves and basic planning. If the family is disorganized around them, life will become difficult. Using practical tools like a family calendar, personal planning tools and dividing up duties and responsibilities, making sure everyone knows what is expected of them will help the family and the person with TBI.

A 17-month-old boy was struck and seriously injured in a Los Angeles hit-and-run pedestrian accident the night of June 10, 2009, the Los Angeles Daily News reports. Los Angeles police officials say the pedestrian accident occurred in the 21100 block of Saticoy Street near Variel Avenue. The toddler's father, Edgar Rencinos, was apparently pushing his son in a stroller alongside the boy's mother when the car accident occurred. Rencinos says he had the green light to cross the street. The family started walking across the street when a black Lincoln Town Car made a left turn and struck Edgar and the stroller.

Both the father and infant were thrown 25 feet into the air before they came crashing down on the ground. The driver did not stop and fled the scene of the car accident. The toddler, whose name has not been released, suffered serious injuries and was airlifted to Children's Hospital, Los Angeles. Rencinos and the boy's mother were not seriously hurt.

The suspect vehicle is descried as a black 1990s sedan. Rencinos said the Town Car had the letters "TCP" on the bumper, which means it could have been a limo driver. If you have information about this hit-and-run pedestrian accident, please contact LAPD investigators at 1-877-5273-247.

First of all, I'm extremely relieved that this little boy did not suffer catastrophic or fatal injuries. More current news reports suggest that the child is in stable condition. I hope and pray that he makes a quick and complete recovery. Please keep this family in your prayers.

Continue reading "Los Angeles Hit-and-Run Pedestrian Accident Seriously Injures Toddler" »

A 36-year-old man suffered injuries in an Oxnard construction accident after he fell from the roof of a building where he was working. According to a news report in the Ventura County Star, the worker was fixing a hole in the roof of building that had been damaged by fire in the 3700 block of Hemlock Street, the morning of June 9, 2009. The worker fell through the roof hitting fluorescent lights on his way to the ground about 25 feet below. Oxnard fire officials said the man was knocked out briefly, but was conscious when he was transported to an area hospital. His injuries are apparently not life-threatening.

My heart goes out to this construction worker who suffered serious personal injury in this Ventura County on-the-job injury accident. But, I'm extremely relieved that he survived a 25-foot fall, which definitely, could have been catastrophic. I wish this man the very best for a speedy and complete recovery. Please keep this worker and his family in your prayers.

According to the California Department of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal-OSHA) statistics, there were 84 construction accident related fatalities in California in 2005. A total of 59 people died in California in 2005 in construction and industrial accidents involving falls from a higher elevation.

Continue reading "Ventura County Construction Accident Injures Worker" »

Up to 50 vehicles were involved in a chain reaction San Bernardino car accident on the 15 Freeway near the summit of the Cajon Pass early morning on June 10, 2009, the Associated Press reports. The 50 vehicles included several cars and two big rigs, spread over a half-mile section of the northbound lanes, California Highway Patrol officials said. Some suffered personal injuries in this horrific San Bernardino car accident, but officials do not know how many injuries there were or to what extent people have been injured.

The chain reaction car crash apparently began when two tractor-trailer big rig trucks crashed in the northbound lanes near Oak Hills Road. Motorist Phil Cokkinos, who talked to reporters at the scene, said he saw three or four big rig trucks and a couple of cars that were crushed between them. There were three separate car-truck accident sections, Cokkinos said, all totaling to about 50 cars. Officials believe fog and poor visibility may have caused this multi-car and big rig truck accident.

My heart goes out to all the victims of this horrific multiple car crash. I hope none of the victims suffered catastrophic injuries. I wish them all the very best for a quick and complete recovery. Please keep these injured victims in your prayers.

Continue reading "San Bernardino County Car Accident Causes 50-Car Pileup, Injures Commuters, And Involves Big Rigs" »

Richard Jeffrey, 43, was killed in a fiery Fresno County truck accident the morning of June 1, 2009, the Fresno Bee reports. Jeffrey was apparently southbound on Highway 41 in a 2006 Nissan Altima near Mount Whitney Avenue when his car drifted off the road and ended up crossing into the northbound lane, California Highway Patrol officials said Jeffrey's car hit the front left side of a 1996 Freightliner big rig driven by Eduardo Lopez, 41. The car-truck collision ruptured the big rig's fuel tank, setting both the car and the big rig on fire. Lopez suffered major burns and was taken to an area hospital where he is said to be in critical condition.

I offer my deepest condolences to the family of Richard Jeffrey for their tragic loss. My heart also goes out to Eduardo Lopez, the driver of the truck, who has suffered severe burn injuries in this horrific car-truck crash. I wish Lopez the very best for a speedy and complete recovery. Please keep the victims and their families in your prayers.

According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's 2007 truck accident statistics, there were 361 fatal big rig accidents in California and 3,737 injury accidents involving large trucks in California.

Continue reading "Fresno County Truck Accident Kills Man" »

Edward Panetta, 53, of Ventura was killed in a Ventura County motorcycle accident near Lake Casitas on Highway 150 the afternoon of June 5, 2009, the Ventura County Star reports. Panetta had set off on a motorcycle ride and when he did not return his wife, Cindy Cash, filed a missing person's report. Panetta's son-in-law, Christopher Hess, who went looking for him the next day, found Panetta lying dead. California Highway Patrol officials determined that Panetta was riding west on Highway 150 when he lost control of his motorcycle.

Panetta was wearing a helmet and protective leather clothing at the time of the Lake Casitas motorcycle accident. His wife and family members say riding motorcycles was Panetta's passion and that he was an experienced rider. His wife says she believes the motorcycle accident could not have happened because of something Panetta did. "I just don't believe it was his own mistake, he's too careful," Cindy Cash tells the newspaper.

My heart goes out to the family and friends of Edward Panetta for their tragic and heartbreaking loss. I offer my condolences to everyone who knew and loved Panetta, especially his wife, Cindy Cash. Please keep them in your prayers.

According to California Highway Patrol's 2007 traffic accident statistics, there were five fatalities and 210 injuries involving motorcycle accidents in Ventura County.

Continue reading "Ventura County Motorcycle Accident Kills Man In Lake Casitas" »

Submitted by Deborah Reichle, a client of Bisnar | Chase personal injury attorneys:

The avalanche of pain, heartache, and financial devastation created by Sara Sherbin's negligence started on Thanksgiving morning 2008 and has continued through every day of my family's lives since then. My husband, David Reichle, was pronounced brain dead and taken off of life support five days after the jeep Sara was driving hit him as a pedestrian. Although I expected unbiased justice from the City of Torrance, that is far from what I am currently experiencing.

Sara drove down a very wide, quiet residential street in Torrance claiming the sun was in her eyes and her windshield was fogged up. But rather than stopping to correct her obstructed vision, Sara chose to continue driving blindly on while her jeep drifted to the right. She plowed through David's body after he exited our family van and turned to talk with a friend standing on the sidewalk. David did not walk in front of Sara's jeep. Her jeep drove straight at him and our parked van, while an eye witness watched in horror when he realized she wasn't stopping.

David's body and head took the full impact of her jeep, while she crushed him between her jeep and the door of our van, bending the door completely back on its hinges and throwing David over 20 feet. When he hit the pavement, the momentum caused him to continue rolling until he landed in the gutter where he lay unconscious and bleeding profusely from his head.

Even while this horrific pedestrian accident unfolded, Sara still claims to have seen nothing. Rather than stopping when the impact occurred, she abruptly over-corrected the direction her jeep was headed and shot diagonally across the street before she finally came to a stop two houses away. If there had been any other cars headed westbound on 232nd Street at that time, she would have hit them as she crossed their lane. These are not the actions of someone who is in control of their car and intently trying to see out of their windshield.

Continue reading "Will The Driver That Killed My Husband Ever Be Held Accountable?" »

David Sotelo, 41, who suffered major personal injuries in a Whittier bicycle accident May 28, 2009, still remains in critical condition, the Whittier Daily News reports. California Highway Patrol officials recently contradicted an earlier report that had assigned fault for the car collision and are still looking into who may have been at fault for this bicycle accident. Sotelo was personally injured in the bicycle crash on Norwalk Boulevard north of Wadell Street. He was taken to an area hospital where he remains in critical condition.

CHP officials say the car-bike crash occurred as Sotelo was traveling southbound on Norwalk Boulevard in the northbound lane. He was traveling the wrong way. Sotelo then veered into the path of a Toyota RAV4 heading north. There were parked cars on the street and it seemed as if the bicyclist was trying to maneuver his way around the parked cars, officials said. The 56-year-old Whittier woman who was driving the SUV was not injured or cited.

My heart goes out to David Sotelo, who suffered critical injuries in this Los Angeles SUV-bicycle accident. I'm relieved that he did not suffer fatal injuries. I hope and pray that he makes a speedy and complete recovery.

According to California Highway Patrol's 2007 Statewide Integrated Traffic Reporting System, there was one fatal bicycle accident and 26 injuries involving bicycle accidents reported in Whittier. In Los Angeles County, in 2007, 27 deaths and 2,902 injuries were reported as a result of bicycle accidents.

Continue reading "Los Angeles County Bicycle Accident Injures Man" »

Three people were killed in a head-on Tulare County car accident in rural Tulare County the morning of June 6, 2007, The Fresno Bee reports. According to California Highway Patrol officials the Tulare County car accident occurred on a two-lane stretch of Highway 65 between Porterville and Bakersfield. Nancy A. Rodriguez, 31, of Bakersfield was driving south near Avenue 56 when her car crossed lanes into the path of an oncoming car.

The oncoming car was driven by another Bakersfield resident, 34-year-old Luz M. Carrillo. Her passenger, a 28-year-old man, was killed. He was not wearing a seatbelt. Rodriguez's car had three passengers, of which two died. A 52-year-old woman was not buckled up, but the other passenger -- a 40-year-old woman -- was wearing a seatbelt. Also, the third passenger, 45-year-old Femina Maceda, survived and was taken to an area hospital with personal injuries.

My heart goes out to the families and friends of the three deceased victims in this horrific California car crash. I offer my deepest condolences to everyone who knew and loved these individuals. Please keep them in your prayers. I also wish the injured victims the very best for a speedy and complete recovery.

Continue reading "Tulare County Car Accident Kills Three" »

When injured victims seek out a personal injury attorney they are looking for someone with integrity. They have already been victimized. The last thing they need is to be further victimized by an attorney who lacks credibility or character.

On that note, let's talk about Solomon Neuhardt, a personal injury attorney in Montana, who like personal injury attorneys has his own Web site and blog. He even bills himself as the author of several books that provide information for injured consumers. There's nothing wrong with any of that. What's atrocious is that some of the material he has posted on his blogs and passes off as his own appears to be plagiarized material, according to numerous sources.

Is it true Solomon Neuhardt that you copied word for word another attorney's copy-written work and posted it as your own on your blog? Is the "Five Fatal Mistakes That Will Wreck Your Montana Accident Case" book that you offer to give to your Web site visitors a plagiarized book as well? I hope not, but I'm skeptical. Why? Here are the two sentences you use on your Web site to market this book, "Five Fatal Mistakes That Will Wreck Your Montana Accident Case": "In this book I reveal what the insurance company will try to do to defeat or reduce your claim. I'll show you how your own health insurance company may want to get your entire settlement for itself and what you can do about it."

Continue reading "Virginia Personal Injury Lawyer Ben Glass Is Plagiarized by Montana Attorney " »

A 55-year-old man was struck and killed in a Los Angeles pedestrian accident the night of June 2, 2009, Los Angeles police officials said. According to an article in the Los Angeles Daily News, the fatal pedestrian accident occurred in the 2600 block of West Avenue K near 27th Street West. The pedestrian, who has not yet been identified, was walking west on the south side of Avenue K and had just stepped out into the street when he was hit by a car heading west in the number two lane and driven by 41-year-old Alea Adams. The man was pronounced dead at the scene.

My heart goes out to the family of this pedestrian for their tragic and heartbreaking loss. I offer my deepest sympathies to everyone who knew and loved this man. Please keep them in your prayers.

According to California Highway Patrol's 2007 Statewide Integrated Traffic Reporting System, there were five pedestrian involved fatal accidents and 41 injuries involving pedestrian accidents in Lancaster. In Los Angeles County, 210 deaths and 5,095 injuries were reported as a result of pedestrian accidents in 2007.

Continue reading "Los Angeles County Pedestrian Accident Kills Man In Lancaster " »

Diana Lynn Ross, 61, of Yorba Linda was killed in an Irvine car accident, The Orange County Register reports. The fatal Orange County car accident occurred late morning on May 29, 2009 at the intersection of Main Street and Harvard Avenue when Ross' car struck another car. Irvine police investigators believe one of the drivers ran a red light, but have not identified which one of the drivers did that. Officials say drugs or alcohol did not play a part in this fatal car crash. Ross died in an area hospital about an hour after the fatal car collision. There is no word on the condition of the other driver. Anyone who witnessed this Orange County car accident is asked to contact Investigator Linda Villelli at 949-724-7212, extension 2002.

I offer my deepest condolences to the family of Diana Lynn Ross for their tragic and sudden loss. My heart goes out to everyone who knew and loved this woman. Please keep them in your prayers.

According to California Highway Patrol's 2007 Statewide Integrated Traffic Reporting System, there were eight fatalities and 842 injuries involving car accidents reported in Irvine. In Orange County as a whole, 178 deaths and 14,185 injuries were reported in 2007 as a result of car accidents.

Continue reading "Irvine Car Accident Kills Yorba Linda Woman " »

An on-duty Newport Beach police officer ran a red light causing a Newport Beach car accident the night of May 28, 2009, the Daily Pilot reports. The Newport Beach street intersection car accident occurred when the on-duty officer, who has not been identified, was eastbound on Pacific Coast Highway. Eyewitnesses said he ran a red light at Avocado Avenue and hit another car that was turning left onto Pacific Coast Highway. Authorities say the police officer was not responding to a call at the time of the Southern California car crash. Both the officer and the other driver were taken to a local hospital with personal injuries.

California Highway Patrol officials are investigating the Orange County car accident so there is no conflict, officials said. It is not out of the ordinary for a second law enforcement agency to step in and take over the investigation when the local agency is involved in an incident.

I'm relieved that this Newport Beach car accident did not cause any catastrophic or fatal injuries. I understand from this news report that both the officer and the injured victim did not suffer major personal injuries. I wish them both the very best for a quick and complete recovery.

Continue reading "Newport Beach Car Accident Caused by Cop Who Ran a Red Light" »

A man was injured in a Orange County construction accident the afternoon of June 2, 2009, The Orange County Register reports. Orange County firefighters rescued the construction worker, who was trapped up to his waist in a 10-foot trench. The man remained conscious during the hour-long rescue operation and is recovering from his California personal injuries, officials say. The Orange County construction accident occurred at a construction site on Moody Street and Malaga Drive in La Palma. The man was apparently working when the walls of the trench came down. The man was eventually able to climb out using a ladder after firefighters dug out much of the dirt that had caved in.

I'm extremely relieved that this Southern California construction accident did not result in tragedy like many other trench collapse incidents have. I commend the firefighters who rescued this man and wish the personally injured worker the very best for a quick and complete recovery.

Trench cave-ins are unfortunately common construction site accidents that can be fatal or cause significant injuries. According to Cal/OSHA’s statistics, over a five-year period between 2001 and 2005, 26 Californians have been killed in trench collapses and 207 Californians have been injured in these entirely preventable construction accidents.

Continue reading "Orange County Construction Accident Injures Man" »

Kara Marie Franco, 24, was killed in a San Diego car accident after a man ran a red light and struck her 2006 Honda Civic, 10news reports. Franco was apparently driving alone when she turned left at the intersection of Camino Ruiz and Carroll Canyon Road the afternoon of June 2, 2009 when her car was struck by another car that speeded through the red light, the San Diego County Medical Examiner's Office reports. Paramedics took Franco to a local hospital where she was pronounced dead on arrival. The 73-year-old driver, who is believed to have run the red light at that intersection, was also taken to the hospital with injuries, but he is expected to recover.

My heart goes out to the family and friends of Kara Marie Franco for their tragic and heartbreaking loss. I offer my deepest sympathies to everyone who knew and loved the victim in the tragic San Diego car accident. Apparently, Franco lived with her family and worked as a nurse at a large hospital. Please keep her grieving family and friends in your prayers.

According to California Highway Patrol's 2007 Statewide Integrated Traffic Reporting System, there were 84 fatalities and 6,516 personal injuries reported in the city of San Diego as a result of Southern California car accidents. In San Diego County, in 2007, 268 deaths and 14,641 personal injuries were reported involving car accidents.

Continue reading "San Diego Car Accident Caused by Red Light Runner Kills Mira Messa Woman" »

A 25-year-old woman was critically injured in a Los Angeles pedestrian accident the afternoon of June 1, 2009, the Los Angeles Daily News reports. The woman was struck after an out-of-control car slammed into a bus stop in Van Nuys where the woman had been waiting, and dragged her several feet across pavement before coming to stop between a tree and a power pole.

Residents from a nearby apartment complex who saw the horrific Van Nuys car-pedestrian accident rushed to the scene, lifted the car and pulled her out from under it and revived her, Los Angeles police officials said. The accident occurred along the 14000 block of West Vanowen Street and Tyrone Avenue. The injured woman was taken to an area hospital in critical condition. LAPD officials say the pedestrian accident scene was extremely chaotic, everybody was in shock and that the bus bench was "in a million pieces." The driver, who lost control of the four-door Infinity sedan, was also taken to a hospital, although his condition is not known. It is not clear why the driver lost control. Three other women also suffered minor personal injuries in this car-pedestrian accident.

My heart goes out to all who were injured in this pedestrian-car accident, especially the 25-year-old woman who was struck and then dragged by the car. I commend the neighbors who ran out of their homes to help this injured victim. I wish the young woman the very best for a quick and complete recovery. Please keep her in your prayers.

Continue reading "Los Angeles Pedestrian Accident Critically Injures Woman" »

A Buena Park bicycle accident took the life of a young bicycle rider. Heather Elizabeth Azkoul, 31, of Anaheim who had two prior drunk driving convictions, has been found guilty of vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and hit-and-run for crashing into and killing bicyclist, 41-year-old Virginia Cordier on January 23, 2007. According to a news report in The Orange County Register, Azkoul had a blood alcohol level of 0.18 -- more than twice the legal limit -- almost 90 minutes after the Buena Park car-bike accident that killed Cordier.

Azkoul was apparently speeding in her 1994 Oldsmobile Cutlass in the southbound lanes of Beach Boulevard near Knott's Berry Farm when she rear-ended Cordier's bicycle. Azkoul reportedly had two drunk driving convictions prior to this accident -- in 2002 and 2004. She drove away after striking Cordier, but was apprehended by police after a tow truck driver spotted her. Personal injury attorneys defending Azkoul argued that Cordier was riding her bicycle in the darkness without lights or reflectors and that Azkoul did not cause the bike-car accident. But the jury didn't buy it. Azkoul faces 20 years to life in state prison.

I'm glad that Cordier's family has received the justice they deserve after waiting for three years in this case. I'm also glad the jury did not believe the defense's argument that Azkoul, who was speeding and driving under the influence (at more than twice the legal limit), did not cause this fatal Orange County bicycle accident. I hope Azkoul is also held civilly responsible for Cordier's death.

Continue reading "Buena Park Bicycle Accident Involves Repeat DUI Offender " »

Donald Klimovich, 80, was killed in a Riverside County car accident the morning of June 1, 2009, The Desert Sun reports. The fatal Palm Springs car collision occurred at Indian Canyon Drive and San Rafael Road. Palm Springs police are looking into whether a GMC pickup, which was southbound on Indian Canyon ran a red light and collided with Klimovich's Infiniti sedan as it moved east across the intersection. Before colliding with the Infiniti, the truck also apparently clipped an eastbound Toyota that stopped just before the truck entered the intersection.

After the Riverside car accident, the Infiniti was pushed into a BMW sport utility vehicle and a Nissan 350Z that were both waiting to turn left from northbound Indian Canyon. No charges have been filed against the driver of the GMC pending a police investigation.

My heart goes out to the family and friends of Donald Klimovich for their tragic loss. I offer my deepest sympathies to everyone who knew and loved Klimovich. Based on comments left by readers of the news article, it appears that he was a well-loved and respected man. Please keep them in your prayers.

Continue reading "Riverside Car Accident Kills Man In Palm Springs" »

A police officer in Glendora, who was responding to reports of a vicious pit bull at a local residence, became a Los Angeles dog bite victim, according to an article in the San Gabriel Valley Tribune. The incident occurred the evening of May 31, 2009 in the 700 block of Hunters Trail. The officer suffered puncture wounds to his leg, but is expected to recover. Neighborhood residents apparently called police to report an unleashed pit bull that had children trapped in a car.

When the officer arrived at the scene, the dog ran down the street and back into its own yard. The dog bite occurred when the officer attempted to close the gate to contain the dog inside the yard. The dog's owner was cited for violating the leash law and having an unlicensed dog. The pit bull was taken away by animal control officials.

I wish this police officer the very best for a quick and complete recovery from his dog bite injuries. Here was an officer trying to protect a few children from a vicious dog and he got bitten and personally injured in the process. I commend the police officer for putting himself in danger to protect young citizens. He did his job well.

Continue reading "Los Angeles County Dog Bite Incident Injures Police Officer" »

Joe Mora, 76, died in a Ventura County pedestrian accident after he was struck by a truck that was towing a piece of exercise equipment, the Ventura County Star reports. The fatal car- pedestrian accident occurred the afternoon of May 28, 2009 in the 600 block of East Virginia Terrace when a car towing the exercise equipment slid backwards and struck Mora. He was pronounced dead at a hospital about an hour after the fatal pedestrian-car collision.

Traffic investigators determined that Mora's 43-year-old neighbor was towing some exercise equipment up her driveway when the pedestrian accident occurred. Mora had earlier tried to help her manually move the package, Santa Paula police officials said. The woman had later placed the exercise equipment on a dolly behind her car and was pulling it when it slid backward for unknown reasons. Police are still trying to determine where Mora was at the time of the santa paula pedestrian-car accident. The woman has not yet been identified, cited or arrested pending an investigation. For now, officials are calling it a "horrible accident."

My heart goes out to the family and friends of Joe Mora for their tragic and heartbreaking loss. From this news account, it appears Mora was a good neighbor and a man who was always ready to help. I offer my deepest condolences to everyone who knew and loved Mora. Please keep them in your prayers.

According to California Highway Patrol's 2007 traffic accident statistics, there were no fatalities and eight injuries associated with pedestrian accidents in Santa Paula. In Ventura County as a whole, in 2007, eight deaths and 186 injuries involved pedestrian accidents.

Continue reading "Ventura County Pedestrian Accident Kills 76 Year Old" »

A 12-year-old boy has suffered serious personal injuries in a Westminster bicycle accident after he was struck by an 83-year-old driver in a Mercedes sedan the morning of May 30, 2009, The Orange County Register reports. The boy was riding his bike on Westminster Boulevard when he was struck by the driver. Westminster police officials said the boy has suffered major head injuries and was taken to an area hospital. The driver was uninjured. Initial investigations show the boy was crossing Hoover Street on Westminster Boulevard. However, officials are still looking into the circumstances of the California bicycle accident and who had the right-of-way.

My heart goes out to this boy and his family. No matter whose fault this Westminster bicycle accident was, what a horrible time for this 12-year-old boy, his family and friends! I hope and pray that this boy makes it through his serious head injuries and has a speedy and complete recovery. Please keep him in your prayers.

According to California Highway Patrol's 2007 Statewide Integrated Traffic Reporting System, there was one fatality and 31 injuries reported in Westminster as a result of bicycle accidents. In Orange County as a whole, in 2007, there were 16 fatalities and 1,020 injuries reported as a result of bicycle accidents.

Continue reading "Orange County Bicycle Accident Critically Injures 12-year-old Boy" »