Catastrophic Injuries

80 Killed in Spanish Train Accident

July 31, 2013 | by Robert Walch

A train accident on July 24th in northwestern Spain resulted in the death of 80 people and many train accident injuries. According to the Los Angeles Times, the driver of the train, Francisco Garzon, was going too fast for the conditions, as he had to go around a curve. Garzon, who was going approximately twice the speed limit, apparently did not see that there was a curve coming.
Garzon has been charged with reckless homicide for the train passenger deaths. In addition to the wrongful death train accident victims, many passengers were taken to the hospital with very serious train accident injuries. We wish a speedy recovery to these victims of this tragic train crash.

Unfortunately, we see many train accidents happening around the world. Many get reported, but most train accident injuries are less severe and do not make international news. Many people around the world, including in Los Angeles, have been injured by metro, subway and other trains. These train accident injuries range from relatively minor falls, sometimes caused by a rapid acceleration of the train, or more serious incidents involving loss of life.

3 People Killed in Tragic Pico Rivera Car Accident

June 14, 2013 | by Robert Walch

A Pico Rivera car accident last night has resulted in the death of a man and two children, who were thrown from the car after the head on collision. According to the Los Angeles Times, the car accident in Pico Rivera apparently happened when the man, who was driving a Honda home from a party, went into the southbound lanes of San Gabriel Parkway, colliding head on with another vehicle.

The Honda was also carrying a woman and another child. Both of them were listed in critical condition from the serious injuries they suffered in this car accident. The other vehicle, a Nissan, had two female occupants. They were both taken to the hospital and their injuries were listed as serious.

The cause of this Pico Rivera accident has not yet been determined by police. Often, in night time accidents where a car goes into the other lane of traffic, alcohol or other intoxicating substances are involved and play a part in causing the crash. However, there are plenty of other scenarios that may have occurred. For example, there may have been a hazard in the roadway that caused the driver to swerve into oncoming traffic.

Critical Injuries Reported in 19 Car Accident in Antelope Valley

June 26, 2012 | by Robert Walch

A 19 car accident in Antelope Valley, involving a big rig truck, has caused serious injuries to some of the occupants of the vehicles and major travel delays and closures on the 14 freeway near Acton, California. The Los Angeles Fire Department has reported that 17 people were injured in the Antelope Valley car accident, including two people who suffered serious critical injuries.

According to the Los Angeles Times, the LAFD reported that seven ambulances and 50 firefighters were sent to the scene of the Antelope Valley accident on the 14 freeway. According to the California Highway Patrol, as a result of the 19 vehicle pileup, all of the southbound lanes of the 14 freeway were closed, as well as two of the northbound lanes.

According to Fox 11 News, the Antelope Valley crash occurred at around 9:40am, north of Escondido Canyon Road, in Agua Dulce. The Agua Dulce accident involved a big rig truck that was hauling sand or dirt. It is unclear at this time if the big rig truck caused this collision. An extensive investigation is currently ongoing to determine what caused the Antelope Valley truck accident.

Hemet High School Accident – Possible Mechanical Failure and Products Liability

May 31, 2012 | by Robert Walch

New information has emerged in the Hemet High School accident that occurred yesterday. According to The Press-Enterprise, there are claims that a mechanical problem in the 1994 Ford Ranger pick-up truck may have contributed to or caused this Hemet pedestrian accident.

The California Highway Patrol’s Major Accident Investigation unit will be thoroughly examining the vehicle to determine if in fact there was a mechanical defect that caused this horrific accident. The driver of the vehicle involved, Daniel Carrillo, who is 18 years old, reportedly claimed that his breaks failed, causing him to run the red light and strike and run over students in the crosswalk.

According to investigators, about 30 students were crossing in the crosswalk when the vehicle ran the red light, at a speed higher than the 25 mile per hour speed limit. Thankfully, the three students who were first reported to be in critical condition now have a good prognosis. Two students however remain in critical condition after suffering serious or catastrophic injuries.

10 Students Injured in Hemet High School Pedestrian Accident

May 30, 2012 | by Robert Walch

We are receiving early reports of a serious pedestrian accident in Hemet, California, earlier today. The car versus pedestrian accident apparently occurred outside Hemet High School, and ten students of the high school were injured when they were hit by a car. The Hemet car accident resulted in three of the students suffering critical injuries. All ten injured students were taken to local hospitals. Two other students reported minor injuries in the Hemet accident but did not require emergency transportation.

The Riverside County Fire Department and California Highway Patrol apparently responded to the Hemet High School accident, which occurred at approximately three o’clock this afternoon. According to the Los Angeles Times, the Hemet students were hit by the car near the front of the school, on Stetson Ave.

UPDATE: The Press-Enterprise is reporting that witnesses said that a Ford Ranger pick-up truck, driven by a student of the school, allegedly ran a red light and hit the students who were crossing the street in a crosswalk. Apparently the truck versus pedestrian accident was recorded on school cameras and the student was detained by the California Highway Patrol.

Car Accident in Westminster Injures 2 and Causes 1 Wrongful Death

April 5, 2012 | by Robert Walch

A wrongful death car accident in Westminster occurred earlier today. A female passenger in one of the cars was killed in the Westminster crash. Two other people were seriously injured in the auto accident. The female passenger died at the scene of the accident and the other two injured people had to be extricated from a vehicle by firefighters.

According to the Los Angeles Times, one of the vehicles was traveling north on Hoover and the other car was going south. Police did not say if this was a head on collision, but under the circumstances this seems likely. The two critically injured people were taken to local trauma centers in Santa Ana and Irvine.

The Orange County car accident occurred near the intersection of Hoover St. and Hazard Ave., at about five o’clock in the afternoon. Police are investigating what caused this fatal Orange County crash. These types of collisions, possibly a head on collision, can be caused by one driver’s inattentiveness or by a distraction such as a cell phone. Sometimes a driver tries to avoid an obstacle in the road or another car and ends up swerving into opposing traffic.

Man Killed in Simi Valley Motorcycle Accident Wrongful Death

March 9, 2012 | by Robert Walch

A Simi Valley motorcycle accident on Wednesday night caused the wrongful death of the male motorcycle rider and caused serious injuries to the female passenger of the motorcycle. The motorcycle crash apparently occurred when the motorcycle, driven by a Chatsworth resident, struck a Honda CRV that was making a left turn from the eastbound direction of Cochran Street to the Northbound direction of Stearns.

Both the man and woman were thrown from the motorcycle. The man died at the scene and the woman was taken to Los Robles Medical Center in Thousand Oaks. The woman suffered serious neck, rib, pelvis, and head injuries. We wish her the best in her recovery from these motorcycle accident injuries.

According to the Ventura County Star, police said the driver of the Honda CRV did not appear to be impaired at the time of the Simi Valley motorcycle crash. It is also unlikely that the Honda driver suffered injuries, but it is possible.

There are many possible causes to this Ventura County motorcycle accident. One possible cause is that the driver of the CRV did not see the motorcycle coming and made the left turn in front of the motorcycle, causing this accident. In this case, the driver would be responsible for the motorcycle accident wrongful death damages. However, the driver of the CRV may claim that when he started the left turn it was safe, but the motorcycle was speeding and unable to stop, which caused the collision.

Volunteers Searching for Driver in Oxnard Pedestrian Accident

February 27, 2012 | by Robert Walch

According to the Ventura County Star, volunteers are searching for the driver of a hit and run vehicle that collided with three young girls in a tragic Oxnard pedestrian accident. Apparently, on February 4th, three young girls were walking on a bicycle path when a vehicle, which is believed to be a silver Toyota Camry, traveling on Victoria Avenue, near the intersection with Santa Monica Drive, struck all three girls.

One of the girls, only six years old, suffered serious injuries in the Oxnard accident and was taken to Children’s Hospital in Los Angeles. The girl’s mother, Joel Aronson, said that her daughter suffered a serious head injury, as well as injuries to her femur, spine, neck and chest.

Volunteers have been distributing fliers around the neighborhood, including at car repair shops, to see if anyone has any information that could lead to locating the driver of the hit and run car that injured the three girls. The California Highway Patrol has also requested that anyone with information on the driver or owner of the vehicle contact the Ventura office at 805-477-4100.

The two other girls who were hit by the car in Oxnard, also suffered injuries, but they are not believed to be as serious. Head and brain injury accidents are very serious and much medical care will be needed for this severely injured girl. Sometimes a brain injury can have lasting effects that can be difficult to diagnose and treat.

3 Killed in South Los Angeles Car Accident – Driving Without a License

February 7, 2012 | by Robert Walch

The Los Angeles Times reports that a South Los Angeles car accident has caused the death of three women. The single car accident occurred when the driver of the vehicle, Tenina Calhoun, a resident of Moreno Valley, crashed into a tree near the intersection of Normandie and West Florence Avenue in South Los Angeles.

Ms. Calhoun had five passengers in the vehicle, all of whom suffered serious injuries in the South Los Angeles car wreck. Five of the occupants of the vehicle were ejected from the car and three of the women died as a result of the accident. The driver of the vehicle was reportedly driving without a license and police said they found alcohol in the vehicle.

This wrongful death car accident highlights the debate over what to do when police stop unlicensed drivers. Some argue that it should be mandatory that the unlicensed driver’s vehicle be impounded for thirty days. They argue that statistics show that unlicensed drivers are involved in more car accidents than licensed drivers. Opponents of this rule argue that it is unfair to illegal immigrants, who cannot obtain a license to drive. The L.A. Times writes that a police commission will be hearing a debate on this issue on February 14, 2012.

Other recent accidents involving unlicensed drivers include a Panorama City pedestrian accident in December that caused the death of a 60 year old woman who was struck by a sports utility vehicle and a Jefferson park car accident last week where two LAPD officers were injured and had to be hospitalized.

No Injuries in Mall Accident in Baldwin Hills

October 5, 2011 | by Robert Walch

A Baldwin Hills car accident this morning involving a woman who drove her car through the doors to a mall before her vehicle was stopped by the second floor guardrail fortunately did not result in any injuries to the driver, passenger or any bystanders. The car accident in Baldwin Hills happened before 9:00am, and fortunately the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza mall had not yet opened.

According to the Los Angeles Times, the woman, who is 37 years old, who is reportedly not a licensed driver, accidentally hit the gas when she meant to hit the brake, causing her to crash through the mall doors, into the mall and almost halfway through the second floor railing, which was 20 feet high. Had the 1986 Acura Legend gone completely through the railing and crashed down into the first floor, serious injuries to the driver and passenger would likely have occurred.