California Injury Blog

Injuries were sustained in a San Bernardino car accident involving two vehicles, caused by a wrong-way driver. According to a news report in The San Bernardino County Sun, the injury car accident occurred on the Base Line off ramp on southbound 215 Freeway in San Bernardino the night of April 28, 2011. California Highway Patrol officials say a gray Mitsubishi Lancer was going the wrong way when it hit a white Honda Civic. Both vehicles ended up facing the wrong way. An ambulance responded but the extent of injuries is not known. An investigation is ongoing.

My heart goes out to the injured victims of this crash. I wish them the very best for a speedy and complete recovery. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.

Car Accident Statistics

According to California Highway Patrol's 2008 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), there were 30 fatalities and 1,066 injuries involving car accidents in San Bernardino. In San Bernardino County as a whole, 263 people died and 8,504 were injured as a result of car accidents during the same year.

Continue reading "Wrong-Way Driver Causes San Bernardino Car Accident" »

Jaime Angelina Jones, 28, was killed in a Los Angeles car accident after a large truck crashed into her disabled vehicle early morning on April 27, 2011. According to a news report in The San Gabriel Valley Tribune, the fatal truck accident occurred on the 210 Freeway near Irwindale Avenue in Irwindale. Jones was a passenger in a 2008 Kia that had become disabled after crashing into a guardrail. Shortly thereafter, a 2003 Freightliner big rig driven by a 60-year-old man struck the Kia. The 29-year-old female driver of the Kia and another 28-year-old female passenger were able to exit the car before the collision but Jones could not get out in time. The cause of the two crashes remains under investigation.

My deepest condolences go out to the family and friends of Jaime Angelina Jones. My thoughts and prayers are with them following this tragic truck accident.

Car Accident Statistics

According to California Highway Patrol’s 2008 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), two people were killed and 159 were injured in Irwindale car accidents. During that same year, 667 fatalities and 52,229 injuries occurred due to car accidents in Los Angeles County.

Continue reading "Los Angeles Truck Accident Proves Fatal" »

James Henry Freiman, 19, was killed in a Los Angeles car accident after officials say he drove his SUV into a parked big rig in the Glassell Park area. According to a City News Service report, the fatal car accident occurred early morning on April 23, 2011 in the 2900 block of San Fernando Road near the 2 Freeway. Los Angeles police say Freiman was driving more than 50 mph when he slammed into the tractor trailer. Police say there were no skid marks on the road. The driver of the big rig was uninjured. Officials are still investigating the cause of this tragic car accident.

I offer my deepest condolences to the family members and friends of James Henry Freiman for their tragic and heartbreaking loss. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.

Los Angeles Car Accident Statistics

According to California Highway Patrol's 2008 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), there were 268 fatalities and 25,588 injuries involving Los Angeles car accidents. In Los Angeles County as a whole, 667 people died and 52,229 were injured as a result of car accidents during the same year.

Continue reading "Man Killed in Los Angeles Car Accident" »

A car accident in San Diego, which involved a suspected red light runner, left three people injured the afternoon of April 24, 2011. The San Diego Union-Tribune reports that the injury car accident happened at the intersection of Valley Center Valley Center Road and Cole Grade Road. Officials say that a driver in a BMW ran a red light and struck a Jeep. Two young children and a 60-year-old passenger sustained serious injuries. The driver of the BMW was issued a citation for running a red light and for driving without a valid license.

My heart goes out to the seriously injured victims of this crash. I sincerely hope none of the victims sustained life-threatening injuries and pray for their speedy and complete recovery.

Car Accidents

There were 246 deaths and 13,527 in car accidents in San Diego County, according to California Highway Patrol’s 2008 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS). In the unincorporated areas of the county, 90 people were killed and 2,252 were injured in car accidents during the same year.

Continue reading "Injury Car Accident in San Diego Involves Red Light Violation" »

A 4-year-old child was injured in an Orange County car accident after being struck by a vehicle at a street intersection. According to a news report in The Orange County Register, the injury pedestrian accident occurred at the intersection of Quatro Avenue and Figueroa Street in Garden Grove the evening of April 23, 2011. The child was transported to a local hospital to be treated for non-life-threatening injuries. Police are investigating the cause of this accident.

My heart goes out to this injured child. I sincerely hope his or her injuries were not major. Please keep this young victim in your thoughts and prayers as he recovers.

Pedestrian Accident Statistics

According to California Highway Patrol's 2008 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), there were four fatalities and 49 injuries involving pedestrian accidents in Garden Grove. In Orange County as a whole, 31 people died and 785 were injured as a result of pedestrian accidents during the same year.

Continue reading "Toddler Injured in Orange County Car Accident" »

Two new studies show women who take birth control pills with the newer hormone, drospirenone, have a higher risk for developing potentially serious blood clots than women who take pills that have the older hormone levonorgestrel. According to a news report on WebMD, Women in the studies took oral contraceptives containing drospirenone such as Yaz, Yasmin, Ocella, Gianvi and Zarah. These medications increased the risk of nonfatal blood clots by two to three times. Researchers say roughly one out of 10,000 women who take these pills for a year could develop a clot. So far, at least four other studies have linked the use of drospirenone-containing birth control pills to increased risk of pulmonary embolisms and deep vein thrombosis.

Bayer Disputes Studies

Bayer, the company which manufactures Yaz and Yasmin, maintains that these studies are flawed. They say that the risk of blood clots among women taking drospirenone-containing birth control pills is not much higher than those taking other birth control pills.

Company officials say that oral contraceptives like Yaz and Yasmin "are among the most widely studied and widely used prescription drugs on the planet."

Continue reading "Studies Show Blood Clot Risk Higher with Yaz, Yasmin and Ocella" »

Alex Romero, a 17-year-old from Reseda, has been fatally injured in a Los Angeles car accident, which officials say, involved a hit-and-run driver. According to an ABC news report, the fatal bicycle accident occurred the night of April 20, 2011 near the intersection of De Soto Avenue and Valerio Street.

Officials say Alex Romero and another teen were riding their bikes side by side when a gray Toyota Corolla hatchback traveling north on De Soto Avenue rear-ended Alex's bicycle, killing him. The driver fled the scene of the fatal crash. The other bicyclist was uninjured. Anyone with information about the hit-and-run driver is asked to contact LAPD at 1-877-LAPD-24-7.

I offer my deepest condolences to the family members and friends of young Alex Romero for their heartbreaking loss. Apparently, Alex was a senior at Chatsworth High School. Tragic! Alex Romero's grieving family will be in my thoughts and prayers.

Continue reading "17-year-old Bicyclist Killed in Canoga Park Hit-and-Run Car Accident" »

A 21-year-old U.S. Marine was fatally injured in a motorcycle accident in Escondido after he lost control of his cycle and crashed. According to a news report in the North County Times, the fatal motorcycle accident occurred the afternoon of April 16, 2011 on Highway 78 just west of Interstate 15. The Marine failed to negotiate a curve on the highway and was thrown from his motorcycle, according to a medical examiner's report. He was transported by ambulance to a local hospital where he died shortly afterward. An investigation is ongoing.

I offer my deepest condolences to the family and friends of this deceased victim. My heart also goes out to his fellow Marines. They will be in my thoughts and prayers.

Motorcycle Accident Statistics

According to California Highway Patrol's 2008 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), one person died and 44 were injured as a result of motorcycle accidents in Escondido. In San Diego County as a whole, 51 fatalities and 1,081 injuries were reported as a result of motorcycle accidents during the same year.

Continue reading "U.S. Marine Killed in San Diego Motorcycle Accident" »

Nine people were injured, two critically, in a Los Angeles car accident involving three vehicles the evening of April 17, 2011. According to a news report in the Daily Breeze, the multi-vehicle accident occurred at the intersection of Redondo Beach Boulevard and Prairie Avenue in Torrance. Officials have not said why the three vehicles collided at the intersection or which one of the drivers was at fault. Two people were transported to a local hospital with critical injuries and seven others sustained relatively minor injuries. An investigation is ongoing.

My thoughts and prayers are with the many injured victims of this street intersection car accident. I wish them all a complete and speedy recovery.

Car Accident Statistics

According to California Highway Patrol’s 2008 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), nine people were killed and 480 were injured in Torrance car accidents. During that same year, there were 667 fatalities and 52,229 injuries reported involving Los Angeles County car accidents.

Continue reading "Los Angeles Car Accident Injures Nine" »

Police have arrested a 68-year-old man in connection with a Fresno car accident, which severely injured 16-year-old Shaela Warkentin. According to a CBS 47 news report, the major injury crash occurred at the intersection of Barstow and Maroa avenues on March 8, 2011. Warkentin was a passenger in a vehicle that was stopped at a red light and rear-ended by a vehicle. The suspect, Douglas Lindsey, had high levels of the painkiller, Vicodin, in his blood, officials say, when he hit the back of the stopped car. The force of the collision drove Shaela's head through the rear windshield causing severe damage to her face and head. She is still recovering in a local hospital, but has lost an eye and lost sight in the other eye. Lindsey has been charged with driving under the influence.

My heart goes out to young Shaela Warkentin and her family members. It is heartbreaking to hear that she has lost her ability to see and has suffered severe facial and head injuries. She will certainly be in my thoughts and prayers.

DUI Statistics

According to California Highway Patrol's 2008 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), there were 17 fatalities and 177 injuries involving DUI collisions in Fresno. In Fresno County as a whole, alcohol-related crashes claimed 55 lives and injured 444 people during the same year.

Continue reading "Driver Charged with DUI in Fresno Car Accident" »

Aurora Contreras, 50, was killed in a San Diego car accident when a Dodge Intrepid struck her disabled compact car. According to a news report in The San Diego Union-Tribune, the fatal car accident occurred on Interstate 805 near State Route 94 in the Mount Hope neighborhood of San Diego the morning of April 13, 2011.

Contreras was the driver of the stalled compact car, which was hit by the Dodge. She was partially ejected from her vehicle on impact and died at the scene. The driver of the Dodge and two children who were passengers in that vehicle were transported to a local hospital with unknown injuries. An investigation is ongoing.

My heartfelt condolences go out to the family and friends of Aurora Contreras following this injury car accident. Apparently, Contreras who lived with her son, was on her way to work at the time. Tragic! My thoughts and prayers are also with the injured victims of this terrible accident.

Continue reading "Woman Killed in San Diego Car Accident" »

Police have arrested a 46-year-old man in connection with a hit-and-run car accident in San Diego, which killed 47-year-old James Steven Swarzman the morning of April 11, 2011. According to a news report in The San Diego Union-Tribune, the fatal bicycle accident occurred on North Highway 101 in Encinitas when a Dodge Ram 1500 truck rear-ended Swarzman's bicycle. He sustained fatal injuries and died from his injuries. Shortly after the deadly collision, Joseph Ricardo Fernandez, 46, informed authorities that he may have been involved and had left the scene of the crash. Investigators linked Fernandez to the fatal accident based on debris at the scene and arrested him on suspicion of felony hit-and-run. Authorities are also looking into whether alcohol was a factor in this fatal car accident.

My heartfelt condolences go out to the family and friends of James Steven Swarzman. My thoughts and prayers are with them following this tragic San Diego car accident.

Continue reading "Hit-and-Run Driver Arrested in Connection with Fatal San Diego Bicycle Accident" »

A man was injured in a Los Angeles car accident when a car struck him as he crossed the street. According to a City News Service report, the pedestrian accident occurred at South Western Avenue and West 6th Street in Los Angeles early morning on April 12, 2011. The injured victim was left lying in the middle of the road after the driver left the scene of the crash. The search for the driver responsible for this accident is ongoing. No suspect or vehicle description is available at this time.

My thoughts and prayers are with the injured victim of this hit-and-run car accident. I wish him a complete and speedy recovery from his injuries.

Los Angeles Pedestrian Accident Statistics

According to California Highway Patrol’s 2008 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), 104 people were killed and 2,716 were injured in Los Angeles pedestrian accidents. During that same year, there were 214 fatalities and 4,985 injuries reported involving Los Angeles County pedestrian accidents.

Continue reading "Los Angeles Hit-And-Run Car Accident Causes Injuries" »

Alice Zhang, 16, was killed in a Los Angeles car accident when a car struck her and a friend as they crossed the street. According to The San Gabriel Valley Tribune, the fatal pedestrian accident occurred on Duarte Road in Arcadia the evening of April 10, 2011. Officials say the two teenaged girls were crossing the road in a marked crosswalk when a car driven by a 20-year-old man hit them. Zhang was transported to a local hospital where she died from her injuries. Her 16-year-old friend survived, but suffered serious injuries. The driver has not been charged pending an official investigation.

My heartfelt condolences go out to the family and friends of Alice Zhang following this tragic pedestrian accident. My thoughts and prayers are also with the 16-year-old severely injured victim of this crash. I wish her the very best for a speedy and complete recovery.

Pedestrian Accident Statistics

According to California Highway Patrol’s 2008 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), one person was killed and 16 were injured in Arcadia pedestrian accidents. During that same year, there were 214 fatalities and 4,985 injuries reported due to Los Angeles County pedestrian accidents.

Continue reading "Teen Pedestrian Killed in Los Angeles Car Accident" »

Three people -- identified as Ramiro Castillo, 41, Jose Ruiz, 23, and, Fernando Guzman, 45, were severely injured in a Los Angeles car accident, which officials say, was caused by the driver of an SUV that made an unsafe lane change. According to a news report in the Calabasas Patch, the injury car accident occurred in the eastbound lanes of the 101 Freeway near Las Virgenes Road in Calabasas the evening of April 9, 2011.

California Highway Patrol officials say the driver of a Toyota 4Runner made an unsafe lane change and struck a Dodge Ram pickup truck, which overturned. Castillo, the driver of the pickup, and Ruiz, a passenger, were transported to a regional medical center. Guzman was ejected from the pickup and suffered broken arms and ribs. He was taken to a local hospital for treatment. An investigation is ongoing.

My thoughts and prayers are with the injured victims of this rollover accident -- Castillo, Ruiz and Guzman. I wish them all a complete and speedy recovery.

Continue reading "Los Angeles Rollover Accident Results in Serious Injuries" »

A 73-year-old man and a 50-year-old woman were injured in a Lake County car accident involving a head-on collision the afternoon of April 6, 2011. According to a news report in the Lake County News, the serious injury car accident occurred on Highway 29 near Cruickshank Road in Kelseyville. For unknown reasons, the 73-year-old man let his 2001 Chevrolet Corvette veer into oncoming traffic where it crashed head-on into a 1997 Mercury Mountaineer driven by the 50-year-old woman. The driver of the Corvette suffered major injuries and the female driver sustained non-life-threatening injuries. It is unclear if the male driver will be cited for the head-on crash.

My thoughts and prayers are with the injured victims of this Lake County car accident. I wish them both a complete and speedy recovery.

Lake County Car Accident Statistics

According to California Highway Patrol’s 2008 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), 12 people were killed and 247 sustained personal injuries in car accidents in the unincorporated areas of Lake County. During the same year, there were 14 fatalities and 292 injuries reported due to Lake County car accidents.

Continue reading "Head-on Car Accident Injures Two in Lake County" »

Nursing home abuse is more common than people would like to believe. Unfortunately, it is often difficult to identify and prove, especially in cases where no relatives reside near the facility housing their loved one. The leading resource to obtain information in reference to nursing home abuse and neglect is nursinghomeabusecenter.org, and concerned parties should visit their site. This comprehensive website is an excellent resource and guide to utilize when searching for information and advice aimed at protecting residents of nursing homes.

Forms of Nursing Home Abuse

Nursing home abuse is typically categorized by physical, emotional, or financial harm that is placed upon residents of these facilities. Further discussions on each of these forms of abuse are available at nursinghomeabusecenter.org, which provides a plethora of useful information about this subject, and a brief discussion of these is provided here.

Continue reading "Nursing Home Abuse Information" »

A woman was injured in a San Francisco car accident when a light rail vehicle rear-ended her car the morning on April 5, 2011. According to a news report in The San Francisco Examiner, the light rail accident occurred at the intersection of 24th and Judah avenues in the Sunset District of San Francisco. The woman sustained injuries and was transported to a nearby hospital. There were no passengers on the train. The operator of the light rail vehicle has been placed on non-driving status pending an official investigation.

I'm relieved to hear that the victim's injuries were not life-threatening. My thoughts and prayers are with the victim of this San Francisco railway accident. I wish her a complete and speedy recovery.

San Francisco Car Accident Statistics

According to California Highway Patrol’s 2008 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), 35 people were killed and 3,577 were injured in car accidents in San Francisco. The Federal Transit Administration reports that about 15 percent of light rail vehicle injury accidents are caused by workforce behavior and mistakes made by the railway operator.

Continue reading "Woman Injured in San Francisco Car Accident Involving Muni Vehicle" »

Victor Vaz and Vicky Tschirgi, both 47 years old, were critically injured in a San Francisco area car accident when their Harley Davidson crashed on a highway. According to a news report in The Press Democrat, the serious injury accident occurred on Highway 101 near Petaluma the night of April 3, 2011.

Vaz and Tschirgi were travelling on the same 2006 Harley Davidson motorcycle when a big rig collision slowed traffic on the highway. As Vaz was doing about 35 mph through traffic, a vehicle ahead of him attempted to change lanes, but swerved back after its driver spotted the motorcycle. Vaz lost control of his motorcycle. He and his passenger, Tschirgi, were thrown off the motorcycle and sustained critical injuries. An investigation is ongoing.

My thoughts and prayers are with both Victor Vaz and Vicky Tschirgi following this serious injury accident. I wish them both a complete and speedy recovery.

Continue reading "Two Injured in San Francisco Area Motorcycle Accident" »

Two workers sustained injuries on the job at a construction site in Lake Elsinore when they fell into a trench that was 20 feet deep. According to a news report in The Riverside Press Enterprise, the construction site accident occurred near Auto Center and Diamond drives the afternoon of April 4, 2011. Both men were able to get out of the trench. They were transported to a local hospital for treatment of injuries, but are expected to survive. The cause of this accident is under investigation.

My heart goes out to these two injured construction workers. It is indeed fortunate that the trench did not cave in. This could have been a fatal accident. I wish them both the very best for a speedy and complete recovery. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.

Continue reading "Construction Workers Injured after Falling into Trench" »

Dana Acosta, 22, was killed in a Long Beach car accident, which police say, involved a drunk driver. According to a news report in The Orange County Register, the fatal DUI collision occurred near Atlantic Avenue and Wardlow Road in Long Beach the night of April 1, 2011. Police say 29-year-old Heriberto Cervantes crashed his 1991 Toyota Camry into a palm tree after running a red light. He lost control of his vehicle attempting to avoid a 2005 Toyota Scion at the intersection. Acosta, a passenger in the Camry, suffered fatal injuries. Cervantes faces felony gross vehicular manslaughter and felony drunk driving charges.

My deepest condolences go out to the family and friends of Dana Acosta following this tragic DUI collision. My thoughts and prayers are with them during this difficult time.

DUI Statistics

According to California Highway Patrol’s 2008 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), nine people were killed and 186 were injured in Long Beach DUI collisions. During the same year, in Los Angeles County, there were 258 fatalities and 4,832 injuries reported involving alcohol-related crashes.

Continue reading "Long Beach DUI Collision Proves Fatal" »

A Los Angeles-based company is recalling its seafood salad products over food poisoning concerns. According to an Associated Press news report, Frankly Fresh Inc. has voluntarily recalled these products packed under its label because they could be contaminated with listeria, which is a type of deadly bacteria. The products involved in this recall come in a variety of sizes in plastic containers and were made between March 19 and April 23. The salads were distributed through retail supermarket stores in California and Nevada. Company officials say that the contamination was discovered during a routine sampling and testing program conducted by the Food and Drug Administration. So far, no illnesses have been reported.

Food Poisoning Statistics

According to the Department of Health and Human Services' statistics, each year, 5,000 people die due to food poisoning. It is even more disturbing to note that the number of safety inspections has fallen sharply in recent years. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration inspects fewer than 25 percent of food production facilities each year. Also, nearly 75 percent of all food facilities have gone five or more years without an FDA inspection. Inspections are even more rare or non-existent when it comes to foreign food producers.

Continue reading "Seafood Salads Recalled for Listeria Contamination " »

Kelly Shimizu, 63, was killed in a Los Angeles car accident after she was struck in a crosswalk the morning of March 30, 2011. According to a CBS News report, the fatal pedestrian accident occurred at the intersection of Santa Monica Boulevard and Cotner Avenue in West Los Angeles. Police say Shimizu was walking in a marked crosswalk at the intersection when a big rig hit her. Officials say the trucker, a Whittier resident, may not have realized that he hit someone. An investigation is ongoing. Anyone who witnessed this fatal truck accident is asked to contact LAPD at 213-473-0222.

I offer my deepest condolences to the family and friends of Kelly Shimizu for their tragic and heartbreaking loss. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.

Pedestrian Accidents in Los Angeles

According to California Highway Patrol's 2008 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS) 104 people died and 2,716 were injured due to pedestrian accidents in Los Angeles. Also, countywide, pedestrian accidents claimed 214 lives and injured 4,985 people during the same year.

Continue reading "Woman Killed in Los Angeles Pedestrian Accident" »