California Injury Blog

Published on: January 12, 2011

Simple Steps to Prevent Senior Head Injury

By Brian Chase

Suffering from a debilitating head injury is a serious threat for seniors today. Since many of our elders would rather live independently, they are more prone to catastrophic injury accidents, leaving many seniors bruised and broken in an attempt to live out their days on their own terms. A very respectable battle, considering the mistreatment that many seniors face once they check into nursing homes, but with an aging body and no one to assist, a recipe for disaster can sometimes boil over. Staying alert and informed so that you or your loved one may recognize a hazardous area or situation could prevent a tragic brain injury.

The most common cause of traumatic brain injury in the elderly are falls (accounting for 61% of all TBIs in adults aged 65 and older). These falls can be very serious. In fact, seniors who fall are 4 to 5 times more likely than any other group to be admitted to a long-term care facility for a year or more.
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Published on: January 11, 2011

DUI Collision in Los Angeles Kills Two

By Brian Chase

Viet Le, 44 and Thuan Trieu, 34, were killed in a Los Angeles car accident, which police say, involved an underage drunk driver. According to a news report in The Daily Breeze, the fatal car accident occurred on the 10 Freeway in West Covina early morning on January 9, 2011. Police report Alex Michael Gary, 19, was driving at about 80 mph when he crashed his car into the back of a 2007 Honda Civic which was stopped in halted traffic.

The rear-end collision set off a chain-reaction accident forcing the Honda into a 2006 Toyota Camry which crashed into a 2007 Chevrolet Avalanche. Le and Trieu were passengers in the backseat of the Honda. Several others suffered moderate to major injuries as well. Gary has been arrested for suspicion of felony DUI and felony vehicular manslaughter.

My heartfelt condolences go out to the family and friends of Viet Le and Thuan Trieu. My thoughts and prayers are also with the many injured victims of this tragic car accident. I wish them the very best for a speedy and complete recovery.

DUI Statistics

According to California Highway Patrol’s 2008 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), 60 people were injured due to DUI collisions in West Covina. During that same year, there were 258 fatalities and 4,832 injuries reported involving alcohol-related collisions in Los Angeles County.
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Published on: January 11, 2011

What to Do If You Suffer a Head Injury

By Brian Chase

Suffering a head injury could be a life-altering event, or a funny story you tell at the office Christmas party, the line that separates the two is thin. Understanding, and being able to implement, the following guidelines may prove to be an invaluable tool if you or a loved one is struck in the head. Due to head injuries being a routine occurrence, it is not unusual for someone who suffers brain trauma to downplay the severity of the situation, increasing the likelihood of permanent damage as a result of non-treatment.

Head injury is a general term used to describe brain trauma but can also incorporate other types of head traumas. A person suffering from a serious head injury could experience contusions (bruising of the brain tissue), a hematoma (blood clot), intracranial hemorrhage (bleeding from the vessels within the brain or its covering), or edema (swelling). Symptoms and effects resulting from head injuries vary and can easily go unnoticed.
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Published on: January 10, 2011

Orange County Car Accident Causes Serious Injuries

By Brian Chase

Two people including a bicyclist were seriously injured in an Orange County car accident after two cars crashed and struck a man riding a bike. According to a news report in The Orange County Register, the injury car accident occurred on Pacific Coast Highway at Seapoint Avenue in Huntington Beach, the morning of January 9, 2011. Huntington Beach police say two cars were southbound on Pacific Coast Highway when they crashed and overturned tumbling down an embankment to a bike trail where the man was riding his bicycle. The bicyclist and one of the drivers were transported to a local hospital with serious injuries while the other driver was treated at the scene and released. An investigation is ongoing.

My heart goes out to both the seriously injured victims of this Huntington Beach car accident, especially the unsuspecting bicyclist who has been most seriously injured. He was unfortunately in the wrong place at the wrong time. I hope and pray that the injured victims recover quickly and completely.

Bicycle Accidents

According to California Highway Patrol’s 2008 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), there were no fatalities, but 157 injuries involving bicycle accidents in Huntington Beach. In Orange County as a whole, 10 people died and 1,087 were injured as a result of bicycle accidents during the same year.
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Published on: January 9, 2011

Man Killed in Los Angeles Car Accident

By Brian Chase

A man was killed in a Los Angeles car accident on the 405 Freeway early morning on January 5, 2011. According to a City News Service report, the fatal car accident occurred on the connector to the southbound 110 Freeway in Carson. The report does not specify if the fatally injured victim was a pedestrian or in a vehicle during the accident. The fatal car accident remains under investigation.

My deepest condolences go out to the family and friends of the man killed in this tragic car accident. My thoughts and prayers are with them during this difficult time.

Car Accident Statistics

According to California Highway Patrol’s 2008 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), 10 people were killed and 447 were injured in Carson car accidents. In Los Angeles County as a whole, there were 667 fatalities and 52,229 injuries reported as a result of car accidents during the same year.

What Caused This Fatal Accident?

This early report did not specify how the accident took place or if anyone will be cited or arrested in connection with the car accident. There are more questions than answers in this case. Did alcohol play a factor in the car accident? Was there another driver involved? Was the at-fault driver exceeding the speed limit or driving distracted? I trust officials are looking into these and other issues in order to determine how or why this fatal car accident occurred.
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Published on: January 8, 2011

Man Killed in Long Beach Car Accident

By Brian Chase

Hugo Robert Solis, 36, was killed in a Long Beach car accident after he lost control of his pickup truck and crashed. According to a news report in The Press Telegram, the fatal car accident occurred on the 605 Freeway near Wardlow Road the night of January 2, 2011. California Highway Patrol officials say Solis was driving southbound on the freeway when his 2000 model Chevy Silverado veered onto the shoulder and crashed into a stalled big rig. The pickup truck burst into flames on impact. Solis was also ejected from his vehicle and sustained fatal injuries.

I offer my deepest condolences to everybody who knew and loved Hugo Robert Solis for their tremendous loss. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.

Car Accident Statistics

According to CHP’s 2008 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), 27 fatalities and 1,881 injuries were reported as a result of Long Beach 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.

Possible Car Accident Causes

Based on this news report, it is not quite clear what caused Solis to lose control of the Chevy truck. There are still several unanswered questions here. Was there a vehicle defect or mechanical malfunction in the pickup that caused Solis to lose control? Was the big-rig parked or stopped legally on the freeway? Did the large truck have lights on or glow strips? Why was Solis ejected from the pickup truck? Was Solis bucked up or was he thrown off the vehicle due to a seatbelt defect? I trust officials are looking into all aspects of how or why this fatal car accident occurred.
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Published on: January 7, 2011

Elderly Woman Killed in San Diego Car Accident

By Brian Chase

Esther Weinshenker, 93, was killed in a San Diego car accident when a car hit her as she crossed the street the morning of January 5, 2011. According to a news report in The San Diego Union Tribune, the fatal pedestrian accident occurred on Jackson Drive near the San Carlos Shopping Center. The police say Weinshenker was trying to cross the road after shopping at a nearby store. She sustained fatal injuries after being struck by a Toyota Tundra in the number one lane. A local worker said that Weinshenker was not crossing at an intersection or a crosswalk but at a location where many local residents choose to cross the road. An investigation is ongoing.

My heartfelt condolences go out to the family and friends of Esther Weinshenker, who was killed in this tragic pedestrian accident. My thoughts and prayers are with them during this difficult time.

San Diego Pedestrian Accident Statistics

According to California Highway Patrol’s 2008 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), 23 people were killed and 533 were injured in San Diego pedestrian accidents. During that same year, there were 63 fatalities and 998 injuries reported involving San Diego County pedestrian accidents.
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Published on: January 6, 2011

Man Injured in San Diego Hit-And-Run Car Accident

By Brian Chase

A 46-year-old man was critically injured in a San Diego car accident, which police report, was caused by a hit-and-run driver. According to a news report in The San Diego Union-Tribune, the serious injury pedestrian accident occurred the night of January 3, 2011 on Broadway in El Cajon. The police have not yet located witnesses to the accident and are still looking for the driver who fled the scene. If you witnessed this accident or have information about the suspect, you may contact San Diego County Crime Stoppers anonymously at (888) 580-7467.

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

Pedestrian Accident Statistics

According to California Highway Patrol’s 2008 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), four people were killed and 43 were injured in El Cajon pedestrian accidents. During that same year, there were 63 fatalities and 998 injuries reported involving San Diego County pedestrian accidents.
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Published on: January 6, 2011

San Clemente Motorcycle Accident on I-5

By Brian Chase

What do you do if you’re injured in a motorcycle accident on an interstate freeway in San Clemente and the city, county, and state courts all deny you financial restitution? Well, if you’re like Miguel Gama Macias, you hire a personal injury attorney to fight for you, in his case, Brian Chase of the Bisnar Chase Personal Injury Attorneys law firm in Newport Beach. Macias suffered devastating injuries due to the accident, and his compensation is greatly overdue.

OC Register Reports

The Orange County Register has reported that, “According to the complaint, Macias was riding south on I-5 about 11 p.m. March 25 when he pulled to the right to make a legal stop on the shoulder. His motorcycle hit what the complaint describes as an unexpected and unmarked raised curb near an asphalt island between the paved shoulder and lanes reserved for on- and off-ramp drivers. The incident occurred about 600 feet south of El Camino Real.”
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Published on: January 5, 2011

Fatal Orange County Car Accident

By Brian Chase

Boon Soon Yang, 71, was killed in an Orange County car accident when she was struck by her own daughter’s car, which was involved in a accident with another vehicle. According to a news report in The Orange County Register, the fatal pedestrian accident occurred in the 7200 block of Melrose Street in Buena Park the morning of January 3, 2011.

Yang was apparently waiting for her daughter, 47-year-old Sung S. Lim, to pick her up when her daughter’s Audi A5 Quattro was struck by a Honda Civic. The Audi was attempting to turn left into a driveway when it was hit by the westbound Honda driven by 19-year-old Priya D. Shah. The impact of the collision forced the Audi onto the sidewalk and fatally struck Yang. No arrests were made as investigators are looking into who was at fault for the car accident.

I offer my deepest condolences to everybody who knew and loved Boon Soon Yang for their tragic and heartbreaking loss. I can only imagine what her daughter must be going through following this horrific car accident. Please keep this family in your thoughts and prayers.

Pedestrian Accident Statistics

According to California Highway Patrol’s 2008 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), three people were killed and 22 were injured in Buena Park pedestrian accidents. During that same year, there were 31 fatalities and 785 injuries were reported involving Orange County pedestrian accidents.
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