California Personal Injury Lawyers Blog

Night Driving: How to Keep Yourself Safe

September 14, 2017 | by Robert Walch

One of the most dangerous times to be on the California roadways is nighttime. There’s a number of reasons behind why the darkness makes it inherently more dangerous. Did you know that when it comes to fatal wrongful death accidents, almost half of them happen at night, even though there are fewer people on the roadways at this time? It’s unfortunately true.

With that in mind, here are some tips to help you to be more aware of potential problems, and make you feel more confident about night driving.

Seatbelt: Too many people still ignore the need for their seatbelt. Your seatbelt is one of the first lines of defense against injuries and fatalities that can happen from a car accident. No matter the time of day or night, taking the step to buckle up your seatbelt can save your life.

Riverside Grandmother Critically Injured By Alleged Street Racers in Crash

September 7, 2017 | by Robert Walch

A car coming off of the 215 freeway in San Bernardino was hit by two cars that witnesses described as racing each other. A 62 year-old grandmother was in the backseat of the car when it was struck. Her injuries from this San Bernardino car accident are very serious and it is unknown if she will ever walk or talk again due to the injuries she sustained. She is currently being treated for a broken neck, severe internal injuries and traumatic brain injury.

According to CBS Los Angeles, the accident took place as the first car clipped the back end of the car that the grandmother was riding in. This caused the car to spin before it was struck by the second car allegedly involved in the illegal street racing. This second hit caused the car to roll. The first car fled the scene while the second car remained with those inside being injured themselves in the crash. The driver and passenger both were treated and released from the hospital, but no further information has been available about whether or not they’ll be facing charges.

California Laws and Street Racing

Knott’s Berry Farm Injury Lawsuit One of Several

August 31, 2017 | by Robert Walch

A California personal injury lawsuit was recently filed against Knott’s Berry Farm for several individuals that have been injured while riding the log ride at the theme park. The suit claims that improper maintenance of the ride was the cause of the injuries. One of the individuals involved in this lawsuit is a six-year-old child that had fractured his eye socket on the ride when it came to an abrupt halt after the final drop. The lawsuit notes that this injury is not an isolated occurrence, but that this ride has caused similar injuries in at least 10 other theme park guests.

The Los Angeles Times reports that California’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health investigated this particular log ride for nine injuries reported on the ride between 2010 and 2012. These reports include injuries to the passengers including cuts around the eye and teeth that have been chipped from the force. As a result of these reports, an investigation was performed in 2015 by the California Department of Industrial Relations that found that there was a device in the ride that was not working correctly. Typically this device would monitor the level of water in the ride. Due to this maintenance problem, the park had to make the necessary repairs and had to pay inspection fees.

Dog Attack: How to Protect Yourself and Your Family

August 15, 2017 | by Robert Walch

Dogs are one of the most popular pets in the United States. People love their dogs, but not all dogs love people. Any dog can bite and our dog bite lawyers have seen bad dog bite injuries caused by all sizes of dogs. Knowing what to do and not to do in the face of an unknown dog can make a difference in the outcome for you and your family. Of course every situation is different and you should rely on what you think is the best thing to do if you are being attacked or see someone being attacked. Below is some general advice:

What You Should Never Do: Dog experts tend to agree that you typically should not try to run away from the dog you are confronted by, even if it seems to be the most prudent thing to do to get out of the situation. Dogs are instinctively hunters, and running away can trigger their instinct to chase down their prey. Running away may make the dog want to chase you, and this is not something you want once they catch you. In addition, you should avoid hitting a dog if it attacks you. Fighting back against the dog can make the dog feel even more defensive which can make them try to attack you even harder. This defensive drive is what often makes a dog want to kill their prey and bring it home.
What You Should Do: Knowing that you usually should not run or try to attack a dog is good, but you should also know what the right steps to take are. The first is that you want to try to relax and be still. Your body being more relaxed means that the dog won’t feel apprehension from you, and it may help the dog relax their defensive posture. You don’t want to make eye contact with the dog. You don’t want to put yourself in a submissive position by laying down or lowering yourself. Stay in an upright position.

Do You Need a Bicycle Helmet? Yes! You do!

July 30, 2017 | by Robert Walch

Our California personal injury lawyers have seen many serious bicycle accident injuries over the years. In fact, we recently recovered over one million dollars for a client who was injured while riding his bicycle. Many people opt to not wear a bicycle helmet, and that can turn into a deadly decision. In fact, 800 people were killed while riding a bicycle with 515,000 people being injured in bicycle accidents that required a trip to the emergency room or doctor’s office back in 2010. One of the most common injuries that occur in bicycle accidents are head injuries. Neglecting to wear a bicycle helmet can increase your chances of death after a bicycle accident. There are a few other reasons that wearing a bicycle helmet is a must.

Visibility: Bicycle helmets are often brightly colored or have reflective features on them that make them more noticeable to drivers. Often, accidents happen when drivers are unable to see bicyclists that are traveling close to them. If your helmet doesn’t have reflective stripes, and you bike at night, you’ll want to consider adding some reflective tape to it.
Protection From the Weather: A bicycle helmet also protects your head from the weather. In addition, if you’re riding your bike and a storm happens, you’ll have protection from the rain and even hail. If you like to bike when it’s chilly outside, there are some helmets meant to help keep your head warmer.

VETPAW – A Great Cause to Donate Money

July 6, 2017 | by Robert Walch

If you love animals like we do, we highly support contributing money to VETPAW – Veterans Empowered to Protect African Wildlife. This organization not only helps protect African wildlife like elephants and rhinos from hunters and poachers, but it also employs United States military veterans. Essentially, it is contributing to two great causes – protecting animals and employing veterans.

To learn more about the amazing job that VETPAW is doing with our veterans, to help protect animals, please visit their website at www.vetpaw.org. Also, to donate money to their cause, visit the following page: https://donatenow.networkforgood.org/vetpaw2015.

Our California personal injury attorneys at the Walch Law Corporation are animal lovers and support and donate money to many different animal welfare causes, including again today to VETPAW. Attorney Robert Walch is a member of the Animal Legal Defense Fund and, in addition to donating money to the cause, attended their last symposium in May in downtown Los Angeles, to learn about more ways to help animals.

Los Angeles Motorcycle Risks

June 30, 2017 | by Robert Walch

Riding a motorcycle on the freeways of Los Angeles is a very exhilarating experience, yet many of the reasons it feels so freeing are the same reasons why it can be quite dangerous. Risks inherent in driving—such as potholes, construction hazards, water or ice, and uneven pavement—can cause far more damage to a motorcyclist than a person driving an automobile. Since motorcycles lack many of the safety features of cars, we have seen how motorcyclists can experience severe injuries, even from more minor accidents.

It is important to remember that due to certain prejudices against motorcyclists, many times the police or witnesses will erroneously blame the motorcyclist in a collision with another vehicle. Do not be too alarmed if this happens to you. We offer a free consultation and many times we are able to still obtain a financial recovery for a motorcyclist when they were originally blamed for the accident.

Our California motorcycle accident lawyers have handled motorcycle accident injury and wrongful death cases for many decades. Accordingly, we have seen all sorts of motorcycle accidents, we advise you to drive carefully and below are some of the risks specific to motorcycles, that all motorcyclists should be aware of:

What Reports Should I Make After an Orange County Car Accident?

June 25, 2017 | by Robert Walch

If you’ve been in an Orange County car accident, you’re aware of the shock and fright brought on by such an event. Car accidents can shake you up physically and mentally. Immediately after an accident, you’re likely thinking of how badly you’ve been injured, whether the people in the car with you are okay, and the damage to your car. Yet, in the days to come, there are several reports you should file. Here’s a handy list for you to keep track of the reports to make:

File a Police Report Within 24 Hours of the Crash: You will need to file a police report even if no one involved in your accident was injured. According to the California Vehicle Code, Section 20008, any driver of any vehicle who has been in a car accident must report the accident to either the California Highway Patrol, or the local police department where the crash took place. This report has to be filed within 24 hours of your accident. Generally, the police officer arriving at the scene will write this report. You should tell the officer your version of what happened and whether you are injured. Try to get a copy of the police report to take home with you, because your insurance company will likely require a copy.
File a Report with the California DMV: If any of the following events happened because of your accident, you are required to report the crash to the California DMV:

Lakeside Crash Kills Motorcyclist

June 20, 2017 | by Robert Walch

Two motorcyclists in Lakeside, California were struck from behind and tossed off their Yamaha motorcycles around 9 p.m. on Saturday evening, June 10th. A driver of a sedan, heading north on Winter Gardens Boulevard, drifted off the road and directly into the area where the two motorcyclists had briefly stopped.

Fox 5 News reports that the 37-year-old female motorcyclist from El Cajon died at the scene. Her fellow rider, a 32-year-old male who was also from El Cajon, suffered injuries and was hospitalized. The driver of the sedan was also taken to the hospital for moderate injuries.

Although intoxication of the driver is not suspected, the California motorcycle accident wrongful death remains under investigation by the California Highway Patrol (CHP). If, upon concluding its investigation, CHP determines that the driver negligently caused the accident—whether because he was texting, speeding, or otherwise at fault—then the family of the motorcyclist who was killed should bring a wrongful death claim against the driver of the sedan. Before taking any action, the victim’s family should contact a California wrongful death attorney to discuss details and determine the possibility of seeking compensation.

Suspected DUI Driver Kills Jogger in Vista

June 14, 2017 | by Robert Walch

The San Diego Union Tribune reports that on Friday, June 2, at around 6:30 p.m., the driver of a Jeep Grand Cherokee jumped onto the sidewalk of Melrose Drive and crashed right into a couple out for their evening jog. Nanglee Vang—the father of five children ranging from toddlers to teens and a refugee from Southeast Asia—died at the scene of this California pedestrian accident. His wrongful death came just one day before his 41st birthday. His wife, 34 years old, was hospitalized with critical injuries.

Attorney Robert Bruce stated that, based on the circumstances of the accident, the other driver must have been traveling incredibly fast. A witness to the San Diego wrongful death accident stated that the Cherokee flipped several times before ramming into a light pole. Once the Cherokee stopped moving, the witness ran to the vehicle and held the driver’s hand until authorities arrived. The driver, who had to be cut out from his car and who also suffered serious injuries, was identified as Abraham Juarez Perea, aged 24.

Perea was charged with drunken driving and gross vehicular manslaughter. The Superior Court Judge ordered him to be jailed in lieu of $750,000 bail. On Tuesday, Perea pleaded not guilty.