Wrongful Death

Man Killed in Calabasas Bicycle Accident

July 14, 2012 | by Robert Walch

A bicycle accident in Calabasas resulted in the death of a male bicyclist, who is believed to be about 50 years old. The Calabasas bicycle accident occurred this morning, at about 9:20am, in the Santa Monica Mountains. According to the Los Angeles Times, the bicyclist apparently veered off of the road and ended up falling down a ravine.

The cause of this Calabasas bicycle accident wrongful death is still under investigation by the California Highway Patrol. At this point, it is too early to determine why this bicycle accident death occurred. Authorities will investigate whether the bike accident was caused by the negligence of the bicyclist, or if the negligence of a vehicle possibly caused the bicyclist to veer off the road and down the ravine.

In order to determine the cause of this California bicycle accident, it will be necessary to look for any witnesses who may have seen the bicyclist prior to the incident, or if they saw any speeding or recklessly driven vehicles at around the time of the bike crash. Investigators will also look for skid marks or any other indication of a vehicle contributing to the cause of this wrongful death accident.

Man Killed in 405 Freeway Motorcycle Accident

July 1, 2012 | by Robert Walch

This morning, a Los Angeles 405 freeway motorcycle accident, near LAX, resulted in the death of the 39 year old motorcyclist. The Los Angeles Times reports that the 405 freeway accident apparently occurred when the motorcyclist collided with the rear end of a pick up truck. The Los Angeles rear end accident caused the motorcycle and truck to spin out of control and the cyclist was thrown from the cycle.

The cyclist, who hit the median of the freeway, was pronounced dead at a Los Angeles hospital. The driver of the pickup truck apparently was not injured in the Los Angeles rear end collision. The California Highway Patrol is still investigating the cause of the motorcycle accident in Los Angeles.

If the driver of the pick up truck was at fault, the heirs of the motorcycle rider may make a Los Angeles wrongful death claim against the insurance company for the pickup truck driver. However, legally, it is usually very difficult to prove that the vehicle that was rear ended actually caused the rear end collision. This is because there is usually a presumption that the vehicle that was rear ended was struck because the vehicle in back was not keeping a safe distance.

2 Killed in California Bicycle Accident Wrongful Death

April 10, 2012 | by Robert Walch

The 17 year old driver of a Cadillac Escalade was allegedly driving erratically when he struck a family of bicycle riders, killing a father and his daughter in a tragic California bicycle accident wrongful death. The driver of the Cadillac sustained minor injuries in the Northern California bike accident.

According to the Los Angeles Times, witnesses reported that the driver of the Cadillac was speeding, passing cars and changing lanes erratically. The family was riding on the sidewalk when they were struck by the SUV. The deceased were Solaiman Nuri, a 41 year old man, and his daughter Hadessa Nuri, only nine years old. Another daughter sustained minor injuries in the bike accident in California.

The Concord, California police sergeant Matthew Morrissey said the driver of the Escalade was arrested and faces charges of vehicular manslaughter and may be charged as an adult. Further, authorities are investigating whether the teenager was using his cell phone at the time of the California bicycle crash.

This tragic auto versus bicycle collision should have been avoided. It appears from the facts that the driver of the sports utility vehicle was reckless and careless in the operation of his vehicle. The surviving family members of the victims of this California wrongful death bicycle accident should contact a California bicycle accident lawyer to help them recover the full amount of California wrongful death damages available to them.

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.

Hit and Run Accident Causes Los Angeles Wrongful Death

April 2, 2012 | by Robert Walch

Police have not yet apprehended the motorist who struck a pedestrian in a Los Angeles wrongful death pedestrian accident on Sunday. According to the Los Angeles Times, a man was crossing the street, in a crosswalk, at the intersection of Normandie Ave. and W. 5th Street, in Koreatown, when he was hit by a car making a right turn. The driver of the vehicle involved in the Los Angeles pedestrian accident was going east on W. 5th Street, turning onto Normandie, when he struck the man crossing the street.

The suspect in the Los Angeles hit and run accident then left the scene without providing aid and without identifying him or herself. Police said the pedestrian was deceased at the time first responders arrived at the scene of the Koreatown accident.

Anyone with information as to the car or driver of the vehicle, no matter how insignificant the information may seem, should call the Los Angeles Police Department and give the information to investigators. Oftentimes small tips add up to enough information to locate the suspect.

Woman Killed in Oxnard Car Accident

March 13, 2012 | by Robert Walch

An Oxnard car accident on Tuesday resulted in the death of a woman who apparently drove her car into oncoming traffic. According to the Ventura County Star, the woman, Jill McDonald, an Oxnard resident, apparently caused the collisions when her BMW, going south on Victoria Avenue, went over the dirt median and into the opposing lanes of traffic. There, it had head on collisions with two other vehicles.

Oxnard police said it was not yet clear why McDonald crossed the median and went into oncoming traffic. According to Oxnard police, Roberto Ramos, the driver of one of the vehicles struck by McDonald, suffered a leg injury and also experienced chest pain in the car accident in Oxnard. The other car struck by McDonald, driven by Donna Leitte, also had four young children inside. Fortunately, according to police, the children and Leitte only sustained what were described as minor injuries in the Oxnard accident.

This is a complicated legal situation. Those who were injured in these collisions should contact an Oxnard personal injury lawyer to investigate the cause of the crashes and why McDonald went into oncoming traffic. There are numerous possible reasons why McDonald could have crossed over the median. Possible explanations include avoiding a hazard, a sudden health incident (such as a stroke or heart attack), a tire blowout or a suicide attempt. The coroner’s office should be able to determine the cause of death and whether McDonald died before or after the impacts.

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.

Camarillo Car Accident Kills Passenger

March 8, 2012 | by Robert Walch

A female passenger in a car making a left turn was killed in a Camarillo car accident on Monday. The victim, Antje Curphey, a 69 year old Fillmore resident, died from her injuries from the crash. The Camarillo crash happened at around 6:30pm when Richena Curphey, the victim’s daughter, allegedly made a left turn onto Carmen Drive, when it was struck by a truck crossing through the intersection.

The truck struck the passenger side of the victim’s Honda, leading to a direct impact where Antje Curphey was seated. The crash caused the truck to flip over and land on its roof. Both drivers were taken to hospitals, but their injuries were described as non-life threatening. The Camarillo Police Department is currently investigating what caused this Camarillo truck accident. If the truck driver bears any responsibility for the crash, the victim’s family may seek Camarillo wrongful death damages. The Camarillo Acorn reports that police do not expect that alcohol or drugs played a part in causing the Camarillo accident.

Left turn accidents occur all the time throughout Ventura County and the greater Los Angeles area. Usually, there is a presumption that the vehicle making the left turn is at fault for causing the crash. However, there are instances when the driver going straight is at fault or shares liability. Sometimes, the driver going straight is speeding or runs a red light, causing the collision. However, if a person attempting to make a left turn suspects that an oncoming vehicle is speeding or may run the red light, it is best to wait for the vehicle to pass and for the intersection to be clear before attempting the turn.

Burbank Pedestrian Accident Wrongful Death

February 20, 2012 | by Robert Walch

An unidentified pedestrian was killed on Saturday in a Burbank pedestrian accident near the entrance to the Bob Hope Airport. According to the Los Angeles Times the victim of the Burbank accident died at the scene. The pedestrian accident wrongful death occurred at around four o’clock in the afternoon on Empire Avenue in Burbank, California.

Investigators with the Burbank Police Department will have to determine how this pedestrian accident happened and who was at fault. Many pedestrians are hit by cars when the car runs a red light, does not stop at a stop sign or makes a right turn while only looking to the left for oncoming traffic, not thinking about the possibility of pedestrians or cyclists coming from the right. Other types of pedestrian accidents happen when the pedestrian thinks it is safe to cross a street, sometimes miscalculating the speed of an approaching car.

In this Burbank accident, the driver of the car was apparently tested and not found to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Many times, when a pedestrian is hit by a car, the driver of the car will leave the scene without stopping. In these instances, police are often unable to determine if the driver was under the influence of any substances. However, if the driver is located, he or she will face felony hit and run charges as well as civil liability for the injuries or death to the pedestrian.

Man Killed in Hit and Run Fontana Pedestrian Accident

February 9, 2012 | by Robert Walch

A pedestrian accident in Fontana, involving a hit and run driver striking a pedestrian, has resulted in the wrongful death of a Fontana man. According to the Los Angeles Times, a sixty-one year old man was crossing the street near the Fontana Gardens apartment complex when he was hit by a car. The driver of the car did not stop and dragged the man one hundred and fifty feet before stopping, which released the man from the car. The driver then left the scene of the collision.

According to the California Highway Patrol, the car involved in the hit and run pedestrian collision was a Lincoln Navigator, which was champagne colored. The victim passed away due to his injuries from the Fontana pedestrian accident. Anyone who has any information about the driver or owner of the vehicle involved should immediately contact the CHP.

Unfortunately, we see many serious hit and run accidents throughout California, many involving pedestrians who suffer serious injuries. Many drivers think that they will not get caught after causing such accidents. It is important to remember that it is illegal to leave the scene of a car accident without exchanging information with the other people involved.