California Injury Blog

A construction worker suffered serious job injuries after falling at the site of Newport Beach's future city hall building. According to a news report in The Orange County Register, the construction accident occurred the morning of December 6, 2011 in the 1100 block of Avocado Avenue. Officials say the male worker fell about 30 feet and was taken to a regional trauma center for treatment. The worker was said to have been in "stable" condition when he was transported to the hospital. Cal-OSHA is expected to investigate this incident. Details about how the worker fell were not released.

My thoughts and prayers are with this injured construction worker and his family. I wish him the very best for a quick and full recovery from whatever injuries he has sustained.

Continue reading "Worker Injured in Fall at Newport Beach City Hall Construction Site " »

Four men suffered serious job injuries in a San Francisco construction accident involving a roof collapse, the morning of August 31, 2011. According to a news report in The San Francisco Chronicle, the construction accident occurred at an apartment building being constructed in the 2200 block of Third Street, close to 19th Street. The four employees of Nibbi Brothers General Contractors were doing a concrete pour when the roof collapsed over a stairwell. The workers fell a couple of floors and were also covered in wet concrete. One of the workers, 22-year-old Justin Castro, suffered a broken leg, a broken pelvis and dislocated arm. Another injured worker was identified as 29-year-old Mauricio Hernandez. Cal/OSHA investigators are looking into the cause of this construction site collapse.

My thoughts and prayers are with the injured victims of this San Francisco on-the-job accident. I wish them the very best for a complete and speedy recovery.

Continue reading "Four Construction Workers Injured in San Francisco Roof Collapse" »

A 32-year-old man sustained fatal job injuries after he was electrocuted while working on the roof of a Camarillo home. According to a news report in the Ventura County Star, the man was disassembling a chimney the afternoon of August 11, 2011, at a home in the 2500 block of Paseo Noche, when he touched some overhead wires with a piece of metal. Emergency personnel found the worker lying on the roof and not breathing. His heart had also stopped beating. The man was rushed to a local hospital where he died. An investigation is ongoing.

Continue reading "Worker Electrocuted On the Job" »

Edgar Gonzalez, 30, who was working on a construction project at the Hyperion waste water treatment plant sustained fatal job injuries after a 30-foot fall. According to a news report in the Los Angeles Daily News, the accident occurred at the plant on Vista del Mar, near El Segundo, the afternoon of Aug. 2, 2011. The man had been erecting a wall panel at the plant and was trying to secure the top when he fell.

Investigators from the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health, known as Cal/OSHA, are looking into the cause of this tragic accident. The man was not a Hyperion employee, but worked for USS Cal Builders, an Orange County-based general contractor. Hyperion officials say this is the first construction-related fatality at that plant since it was first modernized in the 1950s.

Continue reading "Worker Killed after 30-Foot Fall at Los Angeles Waste Water Treatment Plant " »

Richard Flores, 24, was killed in a Riverside car accident when he was hit by a vehicle while applying street markings. According to a news report in The Press-Enterprise, the fatal pedestrian accident occurred along Valle Avenue, near Sixth Street, in Beaumont on June 28, 2011. Flores was working for the Beaumont-Cherry Valley Water District. He was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash. The driver of the truck was hospitalized for a reportedly unrelated condition. It is unclear at this time what caused the crash or if the driver will be cited.

Continue reading "Water District Worker Killed in Riverside Car 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" »

A police officer was injured in a Bakersfield car accident when a Scion xB struck his motorcycle the afternoon of March 27, 2011. According to a news report in the Bakersfield Californian, the motorcycle accident occurred at Olive and Knudsen drives in Bakersfield. The officer was making a left turn with his emergency lights on when the Scion made a left turn from Olive on a green light and struck him. The officer suffered injuries, which are not believed to be life-threatening. The driver of the Scion had a green light but failed to notice the police officer on the motorcycle with his lights and sirens on, officials say. An investigation is ongoing.

My thoughts and prayers are with the police officer injured in this motorcycle accident. I wish him the very best for a complete and speedy recovery.

Motorcycle Accident Statistics

According to California Highway Patrol’s 2008 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), seven people were killed and 57 were injured in Bakersfield motorcycle accidents. During the same year, there were 16 fatalities and 234 injuries reported as a result of Kern County motorcycle accidents.

Continue reading "Police Officer Injured in Bakersfield Car Accident" »

A female police officer was injured in a Fresno car accident, which officials say, may have involved a motorist running a red light. According to a KFSN news report, the injury car accident occurred at the intersection of Belmont and Fulton in Central Fresno the night of March 8, 2011. The police squad car and another vehicle collided and the officer inside was pinned in her vehicle. The injured officer complained of back pain and was hospitalized with unknown injuries. Investigators are trying to determine if one of the vehicles ran a red light at the intersection.

My thoughts and prayers are with the injured police officer following this Fresno car accident. I wish her a complete and speedy recovery.

Fresno Car Accident Statistics

According to California Highway Patrol’s 2008 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), 33 people were killed and 1,485 were injured in Fresno car accidents. During that same year, there were 127 fatalities and 3,323 injuries reported as a result of Fresno County car accidents.

Continue reading "Police Officer Injured in Fresno Car Accident" »

A police officer was injured in a San Francisco area car accident after his motorcycle was rear-ended by another vehicle the evening of February 1, 2011. According to a report in the San Jose Mercury News, the motorcycle accident occurred at the intersection of San Pablo Avenue and 43rd Street in Emeryville. The officer was stopped at the intersection while pedestrians crossed the street. At that moment a northbound vehicle failed to stop and struck him from behind. The officer was transported to an area hospital, but his injuries are not considered to be life threatening. Police say the motorist failed to even slow down while approaching the intersection. An investigation is ongoing.

My thoughts and prayers are with the injured police officer following this Emeryville motorcycle accident. I wish him a complete and speedy recovery from his injuries.

Motorcycle Accident Statistics

According to California Highway Patrol’s 2008 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), 14 people were injured in Emeryville motorcycle accidents. During that same year, 14 fatalities and 495 injuries occurred involving Alameda County motorcycle accidents.

Continue reading "Police Officer Injured in Motorcycle Accident" »

Samuel Bendimez, 23, was killed in a Los Angeles car accident, which officials say, was caused by a drunk driver. According to a report in The Pasadena Star-News, the fatal car accident occurred the morning of January 21, 2011 on Valley Boulevard near San Gabriel Boulevard in San Gabriel.

A woman, who was driving the pickup truck in which Bendimez was passenger, lost control and rear-ended a parked tour bus that was loading passengers at the time. Another female passenger in the Ford F-150 truck was hospitalized with serious injuries. Several bus passengers were treated for minor injuries. The driver of the Ford pickup was also seriously injured. She has been charged with vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence.

I offer my deepest condolences to the family and friends of Samuel Bendimez for their tragic and heartbreaking loss. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers. My heart also goes out to the other seriously injured victim in the truck as well as the injured bus passengers. I wish these victims the very best for a speedy and complete recovery.

DUI Statistics

According to California Highway Patrol’s 2008 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), there were no fatalities, but 17 injuries involving DUI collisions in San Gabriel. In Los Angeles County as a whole, 258 people died and 4,832 were injured due to alcohol-related car accidents during the same year.

Continue reading "Man Killed in Los Angeles Car Accident Involving Tour Bus" »

A police officer and a driver were injured in a Huntington Beach car accident when the officer's motorcycle and a car collided at a street intersection. According to a news report in The Orange County Register, the injury motorcycle accident occurred at the intersection of Brookhurst Street and Adams Avenue the night of January 1, 2011. The Irvine police officer and the driver of a 2005 Mercedes sustained moderate injuries when their vehicles collided. An investigation is ongoing.

My thoughts and prayers are with both men injured in this Orange County car accident. I wish them both a speedy and complete recovery from their injuries.

Motorcycle Accident Statistics

According to California Highway Patrol’s 2008 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), 49 people were injured in Huntington Beach motorcycle accidents. During that same year, there were 35 fatalities and 801 injuries reported as a result of motorcycle accidents in Orange County.

Continue reading "Two Injured in Orange County Accident" »

A male pedestrian was injured in an Orange County car accident after a police vehicle struck him. According to a news report in The Orange County Register, the injury pedestrian accident occurred at the intersection of Anaheim Boulevard and Broadway in Anaheim the night of December 17, 2010. The man was crossing the street when the Anaheim police vehicle hit him. The male pedestrian sustained injuries in the car accident, but is expected to survive. Police are investigating the cause of the accident.

My thoughts and prayers are with the man injured in this Anaheim pedestrian accident. I wish him a complete and speedy recovery.

Pedestrian Accident Statistics

According to California Highway Patrol’s 2008 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), one person was killed and 73 were injured in Anaheim pedestrian accidents. During that same year, there were 31 fatalities and 785 injuries reported as a result of pedestrian accidents in Orange County.

What Caused This Injury Car Accident?

Police have not released the details and circumstances of this pedestrian accident. We do know however that the pedestrian was in the intersection and the police vehicle was marked but it did not have its sirens on. Under California law, any driver is required to yield right-of-way to pedestrians who are walking in a marked or unmarked crosswalk.

Continue reading "Orange County Pedestrian Struck By Police Car" »

A waste disposal worker in San Diego suffered serious job injuries after he slipped inside a large trash trailer. According to a news report in The San Diego Union-Tribune, the injury accident occurred the morning of December 13, 2010, when the 44-year-old EDCO employee who was walking on a beam inside a large trash trailer fell three feet into trash. He was wearing a safety harness, but the injuries he suffered during the fall caused him to lose feeling in his lower extremities, officials said. The worker was lifted out of the trash trailer by firefighters.

My heart goes out to this worker and his family. I truly hope he has not sustained catastrophic injuries. I wish him the very best for a speedy and complete recovery. Please keep this injured worker and his family in your thoughts and prayers.

California Industrial Accident Statistics

Falls in any type of industrial workplace have the potential to cause death or serious injury. According to the California Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH), there were 301 fatalities as a result of industrial accidents in the state in 2009. Of those, 54 fatalities were the result of falls.

Possible Causes and Compensation Issues

Based on this news report, the worker was wearing a harness. However, it appears that he still fell inside the trash container and sustained injuries. It is not clear if other fall prevention devices should have been in place or whether the worker's harness was defective or had malfunctioned. I trust officials with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) are investigating how and why this job injury occurred.

Continue reading "San Diego Worker Injured after Falling into Trash Trailer" »

The Following article on California Accident & Injury News is a guest post from the New York personal injury law firm The Perecman Firm, PLLC.

Accidents in New York can occur in many different aspects of life including at the construction site, in an automobile, a medical error in the hospital, or a slip and fall on a premises. When you or a loved one has an accident, you must be informed which steps you can take.

Continue reading "Steps To Take if You Are Injured on the Job" »

Three people were hurt in a Los Angeles car accident involving a school bus and another vehicle, which officials say, was caused by a suspected drunk driver. According to a news report in the Los Angeles Times, the injury accident occurred at the intersection of East 166th Street and Clarkdale Avenue in Norwalk the afternoon of December 6, 2010 when a pickup truck collided with the school bus. Two high school students in the bus suffered non-life-threatening injuries. The driver of the pickup truck, identified as 30-year-old Ramon Garcia, is suspected of driving under the influence. He was transported to a local hospital with unknown injuries. An investigation is ongoing.

Continue reading "Three Hurt in Los Angeles School Bus Accident" »

Police officer Richard Carrillo was injured in a Fresno area car accidentafter a driver turned in front of his motorcycle. According to a news report in The Fresno Bee, the injury motorcycle accident occurred at Pioneer Avenue and Lowery Street in Porterville the afternoon of December 5, 2010. Carrillo was travelling eastbound on Pioneer Avenue when 22-year-old Vanessa Diane Trevino turned her car ahead of the motorcycle. The police officer sustained injuries, which are not believed to be life-threatening. The accident is under investigation.

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A worker at a Long Beach rail facility suffered fatal job injuries after a crane collapsed on top of him. The Los Angeles Times reports that the accident occurred the morning of September 18, 2010 at the facility in the 2400 block of East Sepulveda Boulevard. The worker was apparently standing under the crane and doing some repair work when it fell on top of him, killing him instantly. Another worker was also injured when he or she was pinned under the collapsed crane. It is not clear how serious that worker's injuries were.

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Continue reading "Industrial Accident in Long Beach Proves Fatal for Worker" »

An accident at a Los Angeles meat packing company resulted in major personal injuries for a worker the morning of June 19, 2010. ABC News reports that the incident occurred at the Jobbers Meat Packing Company in Vernon, California. Officials say the worker somehow fell into the grinder and that his legs were cut off above the knee. He was taken to a local hospital with serious injuries. The accident is under investigation.

My heart goes out to this injured worker. I hope he has not sustained catastrophic job injuries and pray for his quick and complete recovery.

Continue reading "Meat Grinder Accident Results in Critical Injuries for Worker " »

Three workers for the Department of Water and Power were injured in a Los Angeles car accident after they were hit by a suspected drunk driver while working in Los Feliz. According to a report on KTLA News, the DWP employees were working in the 5800 block of Franklin Avenue early morning on December 1, 2009 when the driver crashed through the work zone and injured the workers. Los Angeles police officials said the car also struck a DWP vehicle. The female driver was arrested on suspicion of drunk driving. Two passengers in her car were uninjured. The three workers were transported to a local hospital with injuries, but they have been listed in stable condition.

Continue reading "DWP Workers Injured in Los Angeles DUI Car Accident" »

A worker suffered serious injury in california after his arm was crushed in a Cerritos on-the-job accident, leaving him trapped for more than 50 minutes as firefighters tried to free him. According to a news report in the Los Angeles Daily News, the accident occurred the night of October 21, 2009 at Apperson Print Resources. Firefighters had to use hydraulic tools to free the man's arm. He was described as a "critical trauma patient" and transported to a local hospital for treatment of his injuries.

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