Car Accidents

Woman Killed By Her Daughter’s Car in Strange Los Angeles Car Accident

January 5, 2011 | by Robert Walch

In a tragic set of circumstances, Boon Soon Yang, a 71 year old woman, was killed when she was hit by her daughter’s car in a strange Los Angeles car accident. Apparently, Ms. Yang, who was waiting to be picked up outside her nursing room, was hit by her daughter’s car and pinned against a wall.

According to the Los Angeles Times, the strange set of events occurred when Sung S. Lim, who lives in La Mirada, was attempting to make a left turn or a U-Turn, when her 2011 Audi A5 Quattro vehicle was struck by a 2005 Honda Civic, which was being driven by a Priya Shah, 19 years old, of Buena Park. According to police, Shah was driving within the speed limit. This impact caused Ms. Lim’s vehicle to jump the curb and pin her mother against the wall.

Ms. Yang was taken to West Anaheim Hospital after the Los Angeles car collision, but she was pronounced dead on arrival. Neither one of the drivers was injured in the collision. However, Ms. Lim was taken to the hospital due to the emotional distress of the incident.

It appears from what is known that the police are not putting blame for the car accident in Los Angeles, nor the Los Angeles wrongful death, on Shah, who was apparently traveling straight and within the speed limit. Therefore, the assumption is that Ms. Yang caused the car accident by making an unsafe turn.

New Years Car Crash Deaths Caused by Drunk Driver Fleeing Police

January 4, 2011 | by Robert Walch

In a tragic New Years Day Los Angeles car accident, two people were killed when their vehicle was hit by a drunk driver fleeing the police. Demetria Dorsey, and her husband, Kelvin Dorsey, were in their Infiniti, traveling South on Crenshaw, when they were struck by a Geo Prism, driven by Jorge Alberto Molina.

Molina, from Culver City, had allegedly sped through multiple red lights before colliding with the Dorsey’s Infiniti, causing the Infiniti to roll and hit a pole, killing both of its occupants. The Dorseys were driving home from a New Years party. Mr. Molina then fled on foot before collapsing and being arrested. Mr. Molina has been booked on two counts of murder and is being held on $1 million bail. The Los Angeles Police Department has said that Mr. Molina was driving while under the influence and that it was unclear if he knew that the police were chasing with him at the time of the Los Angeles auto collision.

Unfortunately, we see time and again innocent commuters or pedestrians in Los Angeles who are killed by drivers as a result of high speed pursuits. Here, Mr. Molina faces a Los Angeles wrongful death claim against him. We have previously proposed a re-thinking on when police should engage such pursuits, as the ends oftentimes do not justify the means. This allegedly drunk driver may have caused worse damage had he not been pursued, but more likely than not it was the LAPD vehicles which caused him to travel at high speeds and cause this collision. If the police had simply taken down his plates and watched with a helicopter overhead, without pursuing at high speeds on the ground, this tragedy might have been avoided.

California Crash Taxes Increasing

January 3, 2011 | by Robert Walch

After a California car accident, new laws put in place by many California cities allow the cities to bill the insurance company, or at fault driver, for the police and firefighting services that their car accident in California has necessitated.

These laws, which are designed to increase revenue for cities that are struggling financially, face a challenge from insurance companies who say that it will cause insurance premiums to go up. The other argument is that tax dollars already pay for California firefighters and police officers. However, Costa Mesa Fire Battalion Chief Bill Kershaw says that the local taxpayers should not have to pay for emergency responses to accidents that they did not cause, so it would be more appropriate to bill ther responsible parties.

Some cities, countering the taxation argument, only apply these California car crash taxes to nonresidents. This, critics argue, could hurt tourism in California.

Tony Strickland, a California State Senator from Moorpark, is trying to outlaw the California auto crash taxes, by proposing measure SB 49, which will be heard by the legislature in February. His argument is that Californians are hurting enough from the economy, and simply cannot afford this extra charge when they are in a car accident.

Strickland is backed by the insurance lobby, which has given him over $200,000 in political contributions over the last four years.

California Personal Injury Attorneys Wish You a Happy New Year!

January 1, 2011 | by Robert Walch

We would like to wish all of our readers a very happy and healthy new year!

As many of you know, the holiday season, including New Years, is a very dangerous time for road travel and many Los Angeles auto accidents happen during this time.

This year, the harsh weather, including extensive rain and, in some places, ice or snow, will make driving conditions extra dangerous in the greater Los Angeles area and throughout California.

For this reason, it is advisable to stay off of the roads during this time, whenever possible. If you plan on consuming alcohol to ring in the new year, take a taxi or have a designated driver. If you are planning on taking a taxi, you should make sure to have the number to a few taxi companies (as they are particularly busy on New Years) ready, to avoid any last minute problems.

As readers of our blog know, drunk drivers not only face the possibility of injuring themselves and others, but also expose themselves to a great risk of criminal prosecution if stopped by police or if they cause a California drunk driving accident. The small hassles of finding a designated driver or calling a taxi are more than worth it in the long run, as driving while impaired is not a risk worth taking.

California Truck Crash Injures 3, Caused by Black Ice

December 30, 2010 | by Robert Walch

According to the Los Angeles Times, several big rig trucks apparently skidded on very dangerous black ice, causing the trucks to crash and overturn. Los Angeles County firefighters transported three people to hospital with currently unknown injuries, as a result of the California truck collision.

The California Highway Patrol has closed part of the 138 freeway near Interstate 5, in Gorman, California, as a result of one of the overturned big rigs. There is also fuel that has spilled onto the road, causing an increased danger to commuters.

California California Highway Patrol officer, Ed Jacobs, stated that the California truck accident was probably caused by drivers driving too fast over black ice. Black ice, according to Wikipedia, is “a thin coating of glazed ice on a surface.” Because the ice is not truly black, it is more transparent in appearance, drivers often do not know it is there until it is too late and they have been in a car accident.

Black ice is not only dangerous to drivers, but it can be potentially hazardous to people walking in an affected area, due to the possibility of a slip and fall accident. Many people do not realize quite how slippery the black ice can be.

Woman Killed in Los Angeles Hit and Run Accident

December 29, 2010 | by Robert Walch

At about 2:00 a.m. this morning, a woman was killed when she was hit by a car in Los Angeles, California. The accident happened in Marina del Rey and, according to the Los Angeles Times, the Los Angeles Police Department is currently looking for the driver of the car that hit the woman, as it apparently left the scene of the accident in this Los Angeles hit and run case.

The woman, whose name has not been released, was crossing the street at Culver and Jefferson in Marina del Rey, when she was struck by the vehicle. She was taken to a local hospital where she was pronounced dead.

We hope that the driver of the hit and run vehicle is brought to justice as soon as possible. If you ever witness a Los Angeles hit and run accident, it is very important to try to write down the license plate number and any other information about the driver and car that is leaving the scene. Next, you should call 911 to report the incident so that police can locate the hit and run driver. If it is safe to do so, we have seen witnesses who have followed the hit and run driver, while talking to 911 operators and providing the location of the car, so that the police can catch the responsible driver.

If you have been injured in a Los Angeles hit and run collision, there are important things to know, such as the fact you may have a claim with your own insurance company, under the uninsured motorist coverage, if you have it. If you do have such a claim, your own insurance takes the place of the responsible party, so that you can get compensated for your damages.

North Hollywood Drunk Driving Accident Injures 2

December 27, 2010 | by Robert Walch

In what could have been a much worse disaster, two people survived a head on collision from a North Hollywood man driving on the wrong side of the road. Ezekial Rodriguez was allegedly driving on the wrong side of the road when he caused a drunk driving accident in North Hollywood. The drunk driving collision happened on San Fernando Boulevard, under the I-5 freeway.

Mr. Rodriguez was taken into custody by Burbank police after he fled the scene of the North Hollywood car accident to a nearby McDonald’s. He was arrested on suspicion of driving while intoxicated, contributing to an injury collision and fleeing the scene. Mr. Rodriguez is being held on $10,000 bail.

The victims, a driver and passenger of a Toyota Corolla, whose names have not yet been released, had to be extricated from their car by Burbank firefighters responding to the North Hollywood auto accident. Their vehicle was demolished by the drunk driver and will be considered a total loss. We can only hope that the injuries to these innocent commuters are not life threatening or permanent.

Happy Holidays From Your Los Angeles Personal Injury Lawyer

December 25, 2010 | by Robert Walch

We would like to take this opportunity to wish all our readers a very happy and healthy holiday season!

We would also like to remind our readers that we know there are many temptations to drink in excess at holiday festivities, but please, given all the recent California drunk driving accidents, do not drink and drive. Remember to have a designated driver or take a taxi to avoid a California drunk driving accident or arrest.

Simple measures to avoid drunk driving can make the holidays more festive and enjoyable for you and all of your friends and family.

Drunk Driver Who Killed Los Angeles Angels Pitcher Gets 51 Years to Life

December 23, 2010 | by Robert Walch

On April 9, 2009, Andrew Gallo, who was on parole for a felony DUI conviction, ran a red light and T-boned a car carrying Los Angeles Angels pitcher Nick Adenhart, and three friends, in a horrific California drunk driving collision.

Adenhart, as well as Courtney Stewart and Henry Pearson, were killed in the collision. Another passenger, Jon Wilhite, sustained catastrophic injuries as a result of this impact.

According to ESPN.com, Mr. Gallo, who had a blood alcohol level nearly three times the California legal limit of .08%, had been drinking beer and shots at three different bars with his stepbrother before causing this collision. Mr. Gallo’s Criminal defense attorney requested one sentence of 15 years to life for her client, with the argument being that he did not intend to hurt anyone.

Tragedy: Two Killed in Palmdale Automobile Accident

December 19, 2010 | by Robert Walch

The details are unclear at this time, but it can probably be assumed that the weather can at least partly be to blame for a two car collision in Palmdale that left two people dead and another three people injured, according to the Los Angeles Times. Two of the injured are in critical condition at Antelope Valley Hospital.

The California Highway Patrol reports that the Palmdale car accident, involving a Mercedes-Benz and a sport utility vehicle occurred on Pearblossom Highway at Sierra Highway.