Car Accidents

Suspect Flees Los Angeles Hit and Run Accident Via Metro Bus

March 7, 2011 | by Robert Walch

A man fled the scene of a downtown Los Angeles car accident yesterday by boarding a Metro bus, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. The suspect in the hit and run collision has not yet been identified or located.

The car accident in downtown Los Angeles occurred at the intersection of 7th Street and Alvarado Street, when one of the vehicles apparently ran a red light. While the LAPD was saying it is unknown which vehicle ran the red light, the odds are that the driver who fled the scene was the culprit.

In our experience, hit and run drivers have fled the scene of the accident for many reasons, including because they have been intoxicated, the vehicle is stolen, their status in the country is not legal, they are in a hurry to get somewhere, etc. Usually it is the person who is not responsible for the accident that flees and does not exchange information at the scene.

The other vehicle in this Los Angeles hit and run accident had three occupants who were taken to a hospital with injuries that were described as non-life-threatening.

Because the vehicle was left at the scene of the downtown Los Angeles auto collision, police investigators will be able to determine who the owner of the vehicle is. Once they locate the owner, they can determine through eyewitness testimony if the owner was in fact the driver who fled the scene by bus.

Actor Injured in Beverly Hills Car Accident

March 5, 2011 | by Robert Walch

David Arquette, an actor, perhaps best known for his rolls in Never Been Kissed and Scream, allegedly was injured in a head on collision car accident in Beverly Hills on Friday. The accident apparently happened when the car in front of Arquette stopped and Arquette, who allegedly did not have enough time to stop as well, swerved into a car that was going in the opposite direction.

Both Arquette and the driver of the other car were taken to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles and their injuries were described as minor or moderate. The Beverly Hills car accident occurred at Elevado Avenue and Doheny Drive, according to the Beverly Hills Police Department, who responded to the scene.

It is unknown at this time why the driver in front of Arquette stopped or if that driver has been identified. It is possible that the driver of the car hit by Arquette will make a personal injury claim for his injuries and damages against Arquette’s insurance company. The insurance company may claim that some of the liability for this Los Angeles car accident rests with the driver who allegedly stopped in front of Arquette, but this may depend on the reason for the stop discovered through investigation.

Drivers have a duty to maintain sufficient distance between them and vehicles in front of them, often referred to as a space cushion, so that if a car in front of them stops, they have enough time to react and stop without rear ending the car or taking drastic measure such as swerving into another lane or head on traffic. Because Arquette allegedly may not have allowed sufficient distance between his car and the vehicle in front of him, he may be held responsible for causing this car accident and then could be found responsible for causing the personal injuries and property damage to the driver of the other car.

Malibu Man Killed After Being Hit By Car on Ventura Freeway

March 2, 2011 | by Robert Walch

Hollywood animator, Jean-Maxime Perramon, was killed after he was hit by a car on the 101 Freeway, while checking on his Ferrari. According to the Los Angeles Times, Perramon apparently believed that metal had hit his 2010 Ferrari, so he pulled onto the shoulder of the Ventura Freeway to check on his car. As he was getting out of his car, Perramon apparently stepped into the slow lane and was hit by a Lexus.

According to the California Highway Patrol, the Lexus swerved into that lane, colliding with the man, while trying avoid colliding with another vehicle. Perramon was taken to Los Robles Hospital in Thousand Oaks where he passed away from his injuries from the accident.

If Mr. Perramon’s family brings a California wrongful death claim, there are many potential legal issues in this situation. First, the fault for the freeway accident must be determined. It is possible that multiple parties share liability, as the man should not have gotten out of his car on the freeway, the driver of the Lexus may have been able to avoid him and it is unknown what other cars may have played a role in causing the driver of the Lexus to feel the need to swerve to the right.

The man’s family may be able to bring a California uninsured motorist claim on the grounds that the unknown vehicle caused the accident or if the driver of the Lexus has no insurance. If the Lexus does not have enough insurance, there may be an underinsured motorist claim brought.

Ventura Rain Accident Danger This Weekend

February 26, 2011 | by Robert Walch

Last weekend, according to the Thousand Oaks Acorn, heavy rain was the cause of several Ventura County car accidents and injuries. One particular Thousand Oaks car accident occurred on the Northbound 23 freeway, wherein a car was turned over on its side.

The occupants of the vehicles in that car accident in Thousand Oaks were taken to Los Robles Hospital. The Acorn reports that more rain is expected to fall this weekend and that drivers should take extra precaution on the roads.

Some tips for driving in the rain, from Edmunds.com, include allowing for more travel time so you can drive slower, using your headlights, giving extra distance to any buses or trucks, and not to use cruise control.

These extra precautions can be key in avoiding a rain accident in Thousand Oaks and throughout California.

Tragic Orange County Car Accident Kills Pedestrian Helping a Dog

February 16, 2011 | by Robert Walch

According to the Orange County Sherriff’s Department, a very sad car accident occurred in Laguna Niguel, wherein a woman jogger, who was helping a dog who had ran onto the street, was killed after two cars collided and one of the cars struck her.

The woman, who rescued the dog from the street, was kneeling next to the dog on the street corner, possibly checking its tags, when she was hit by the car. The two car collision was apparently unrelated to the dog, but resulted in one of the cars running onto the sidewalk, striking the woman, who died at the scene of the accident. The dog apparently left the scene before rescuers arrived, and has not been located.

It is unclear at this time which vehicle caused the Orange County car accident. The occupants of the vehicles suffered injuries including a broken collarbone as well as bumps and bruises. The family of the woman, who was an innocent bystander, may make an Orange County wrongful death claim against the driver and/or owner of the car that caused the collision. If it remains unclear which car caused the initial collision, the family should make the claim against both vehicles.

2 Police Officers Injured in Los Angeles Hit and Run Accident

February 15, 2011 | by Robert Walch

Two Los Angeles Police Department officers were injured when their vehicle was rear ended in Los Angeles. The two occupants of the car that rear ended the patrol car fled the scene and were not located by police.

The Los Angeles rear end accident happened near the intersection of Whitworth Drive and Fairfax Boulevard. According to the Los Angeles Times, the two officers who were injured in the accident sustained back and neck injuries and were treated at a local hospital.

This will likely be considered a work accident and the officers should be able to make a workers’ compensation claim for their injuries. Also, because the suspects left the vehicle and fled the scene on foot, police will be able to determine who the owner of the vehicle was. This will help investigators determine if the owner was involved in the Los Angeles car accident or if the car was stolen from the owner prior to the accident, in which case the owner may not bear any legal liability.

If the owner carried liability insurance, and was the driver or allowed someone else to drive the car, the police officers may make a bodily injury insurance claim against the owner’s insurance coverage. If no insurance is found, then the police officers may make a claim with their own uninsured motorist coverage, which may be covered by the police department for this type of situation.

Porsche Totaled in Huntington Beach Car Accident With City Truck

February 8, 2011 | by Robert Walch

A Huntington Beach car accident has resulted in a government claim for payment made on behalf of a man who had his Porsche totaled by a city truck. The claim is being made by the man’s insurance company, Mercury Insurance Group, against the city for the value of the vehicle.

The likely reason why the insurance company is making the claim would be that the insurance probably already reimbursed the man for his damages, and now is seeking subrogation from the responsible party, the city of Huntington Beach.

In the car accident in Huntington Beach, the city truck allegedly ran a red light, which was confirmed by a witness, and collided with the Porsche, rendering it a total loss. Even though the police report placed the city vehicle at fault, the driver of the city vehicle said that he had a green light.

Our office is currently handling a case against the city of Los Angeles for a client who was also hit by a city truck, in a disputed red light case. Even though there is a witness saying that the driver of the city truck, and not our client, ran the red light, the city driver is claiming, like in this case, that he had a green light at the time he entered the intersection.

5 Car Los Angeles Freeway Accident Injures 3 on 101

February 3, 2011 | by Robert Walch

According to the Los Angeles Times, a five car accident in Los Angeles, California on Sunday injured three people, including one person who suffered severe injuries. The cause of the Los Angeles car accident is currently unknown, but because it occurred as rain began to fall on Sunday morning, it is believed that the rain played a part in the crash.

The Los Angeles accident occurred on the 101 freeway, near Barham Boulevard in the Cahuenga Pass, according to the California Highway Patrol, who responded to the scene. The person who was seriously injured in the collision, who has not yet been identified, had to be extricated from the car by Los Angeles County firefighters who responded to the crash.

All three injured victims were taken to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, where it can be assumed the two minor injury victims were treated and released.

Fog Advisory Warning for Los Angeles County Today

January 31, 2011 | by Robert Walch

To avoid Los Angeles car accident injuries, Los Angeles County drivers should be aware of a fog advisory issued today by the National Weather Service. The advisory warns of dense fog that will cause visibility to be reduced to a quarter mile in certain areas near the coast.

The advisory warns that drivers should take extra care when driving in certain roadways near the coast, including Pacific Coast Highway and the 405 and 710 freeways.

There was also a fog advisory for Orange County earlier in the morning, but it has since been lifted.

Please take extra care, drive slower and keep an extra space cushion if driving in areas affected by the fog.

Street Racer Sentenced to 7 Years for Glendale Crash

January 28, 2011 | by Robert Walch

Aren Aznavoleh, a Glendale resident, has been sentenced to seven years in prison as a result of a car crash he caused while allegedly racing his car through the streets of Glendale. The Glendale auto accident, which left one man paralyzed, occurred in 2009.

The victim, Rafick Daroosee, an Iranian, had only been living in the United States for 3 months before this car accident. Mr. Daroosee suffered severe brain damage and is paralyzed from this Glendale auto collision. His wife, who does not speak English or have a job, has been left to care for him.

A restitution hearing, in which Mr. Daroosee’s family will be able to appeal to the court to order Mr. Aznavoleh to pay them money for the damages they have caused, will be held on March 8, 2011. Unfortunately, all too often in these types of situations, the perpetrator of the crime does not have the money or assets to pay the amount ordered in the restitution hearing. Mr. Daroosee’s family will also be able to make a claim against Mr. Aznavoleh’s automobile insurance coverage, if he had coverage. In this case, it can be assumed that there will not be sufficient insurance coverage to cover the significant injuries and damages suffered by Mr. Darooosee.