California Personal Injury Lawyers Blog

Father and Daughter Killed in Palmdale Accident

February 14, 2017 | by Robert Walch

Sunday evening, an apparent street race led to a violent crash and two people killed. The Palmdale car accident allegedly occurred when two vehicles were racing and one of the vehicles lost control and struck a traffic pole.

According to TheAVTimes, the two people killed were in a 2014 Chevrolet Camaro that was headed southbound on 25th Street East in Palmdale. The father was driving the vehicle and the daughter was in the passenger seat. The father, Manuel Paniagua, was 54 years old. His daughter, Vanessa Paniagua, was only 17 years old.

According to witnesses at the scene, the two vehicles were speeding and probably racing. The other vehicle possibly involved in the race drove away from the scene without stopping to render assistance to the occupants of the Chevy. The driver of that other vehicle faces possible criminal charges for being involved in a street race and for leaving the scene.

San Bernardino Wrongful Death Victim Identified

February 12, 2017 | by Robert Walch

On Saturday, February 11, 2017, Cesar Manuel Floriano Ortiz of Highland was killed in a single car crash that allegedly occurred at about 12:45 am, when he was riding as a passenger in the vehicle. Apparently, Brien Jesus Reyna of San Bernardino was driving the car when the driver lost control and struck a light pole on H Street in San Bernardino, California.

Cesar Manuel Floriano Ortiz of Highland was only 22 years of age.

Brien Jesus Reyna of San Bernardino was only 18 years of age.

Reportedly both the driver and passenger were killed in this tragic San Bernardino car accident.

Allegedly the men were driving eastbound on West Ninth Street at about 12:45 am early on Saturday morning on the 215 Freeway overpass when the driver lost control and struck the light pole located on H Street in San Bernardino.

6 Children Deceased In Bus Accident

November 23, 2016 | by Robert Walch

Sadly, a sixth child has passed away from the tragic bus accident in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The bus crash occurred on Monday when the students were being driven home from school. According to cnn.com, the driver of the bus, Johnthony Walker, went off the road and collided head on with a tree and turned over.

Surprisingly, blood tests on the driver did not find any drugs or alcohol in his system. In addition to the six children who were killed, another 12 suffered significant injuries, including serious head injuries and spinal injuries. Six of those 12 students are still hospitalized.

Apparently the bus was not on the regularly scheduled path and the driver was speeding. There are also reports that the bus driver asked the students if they were ready to die before the crash. This indicates that the bus driver may have intentionally caused this horrible crash.

Our sincerest condolences go out to the families of the young victims who were killed in this crash and we wish a fast recovery to those who suffered injuries.

Palm Desert Tour Bus Collision With 13 Deaths Update – USA Holiday Bus Driver and Owner, Elias Vides, Had Many Prior Safety Violations, Accidents and Citations

October 25, 2016 | by Robert Walch

Elias Vides, the well liked owner, operator and driver of the tour bus that crashed into the rear of a big rig truck on Sunday, October 23, 2016, killing 13 people, including himself, and injuring 31, not surprisingly to our team of lawyers had many prior safety violations, traffic tickets and lawsuits filed against him for prior bus versus car accidents alleging deaths and injuries.

According to data obtained from the federal government, the bus drove 68,780 miles in 2015 and the company had been in business for five years. Statistics show that the more miles and time one drives, clearly the more likelihood of accidents, collisions and traffic violations.

As previously reported in our blogs, the tour bus was traveling back from the Red Earth Casino in Thermal, near Salton Sea, on the I10 Freeway towards the intersection of Vermont Avenue and Olympic Boulevard located in the Koreatown community of Los Angeles, California, when it violently rear ended the big rig truck in front of it.

Thirteen people died and will have California wrongful death claims, including driver Vides (age 59) and 13 passengers. 31 people were injured, including the driver of the big rig truck, identified as Bruce Guilford, age 50, a resident of Covington, Georgia, that was rear ended by the tour bus.

According to the Los Angeles Times, Vides had been sued at least twice for negligence after collisions between his bus and other vehicles. One of these collisions allegedly resulted in the deaths of three (3) persons in another vehicle.

NTSB Launches Investigation into USA Holiday Desert Hot Springs Tour Bus Collision Which Killed 13

October 24, 2016 | by Robert Walch

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) announced that it had launched an investigation into the horrific tour bus accident which killed 13 and injured at least 31 others this past Sunday morning, October 23, 1016, at approximately 5:17 a.m. in Desert Hot Springs, California.

The NTSB has sent a “Go To Team” to Desert Hot Springs to investigate the causes of this collision. For more information about the NTSB, simply click here.

The tour bus, allegedly owned and operated by USA Holiday, was returning from the Red Earth Casino in Thermal near the Salton Sea, traveling westbound on the I10 Freeway, with its destination in Los Angeles, in the Koreatown area, at the intersection of Olympic Boulevard and Vermont Avenue. Many of its passengers were asleep when the tour bus allegedly rammed into and crashed into the rear of a big rig truck. Apparently the tour bus was traveling so fast and the impact was so violent that one-third of the bus was crushed.

13 People Killed in Palm Springs Tour Bus Accident

October 23, 2016 | by Robert Walch

A tragic bus accident in Palm Springs this morning caused the deaths of 14 people and left over 30 people with injuries. The Palm Springs bus accident occurred at about five o’clock in the morning on Interstate 10, near Indian Canyon Road.

According to LAIST.COM, the tour bus slammed into the rear of a big rig truck, which crushed the front end of the bus. Of the 31 injured people, five are reported to be in critical condition.

Investigators have not yet determined the cause of the crash, but based on photos of the scene, it appears the bus was traveling at a high speed when it struck the big rig truck. Most likely the bus driver and bus company, USA Holiday, will be found responsible for the crash and will have to pay for the wrongful death and injury claims. If the big rig truck driver did anything negligent to cause the crash, the truck company may also have to pay extensive damages.

Our California personal injury lawyers handle bus accident injury and wrongful death claims throughout the state of California. Recently, attorney Robert Walch went to arbitration on a Northern California bus accident case and won over $350,000 for his injured client. That client sustained arm injuries and scarring from broken glass from the bus.

LOS ANGELES CITY SETTLES BRAIN INJURY CASE BY BICYCLIST INJURED ON VICTORY BLOULEVARD IN THE SAN FERNANDO VALLEY FOR $3 MILLION

September 29, 2016 | by Robert Walch

A bicyclist, who alleged permanent traumatic brain injury (often referred to as TBI) and memory loss will be paid three million ($3,000,000.00) dollars by the city of Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Times reported on Thursday, September 29, 2016.

The bicycle versus car collision occurred on Victory Boulevard, just east of the San Diego (405) freeway, in the San Fernando Valley, when Shelaim Furst, a rabbi, allegedly was hit from behind while driving his bicycle in a posted bicycle lane by a car driven by Antoine Shehata, who was attempting to change lanes to enter the freeway.

As a result of the impact, Rabbi Furst struck the car’s front windshield and was thrown approximately 27 feet onto the street. Rabbi Furst reportedly suffered multiple injuries, including permanent brain injury and memory loss, from this collision.

A basis of his lawsuit was reported to be that L.A. City allowed Victory Blvd. to become “dilapidated” which created a false sense of security since the city posted bike route signs. For more information on bicycle injury accidents, please see our Bicycle Accident injury page.

Man Killed in Culver City Crash

September 10, 2016 | by Robert Walch

A tragic Culver City car accident occurred earlier today when a woman who was fleeing police collided with another vehicle and killed the driver of that vehicle. The man who was killed also had his young son in the car who also suffered injuries.

According to the Los Angeles Times, the car accident in Culver City occurred when Culver City Police were in pursuit of a woman who was driving an allegedly stolen car. The woman then ran a red light and collided with the BMW in the intersection of Washington Boulevard and La Cienega.

The crash and wrongful death of the driver of the BMW are being investigated by the California Highway Patrol, most likely because it would not be appropriate for Culver City Police to investigate the accident involving its officers.

Walch Lawyers Obtain Over $200,000 for dog bite victim

August 19, 2016 | by Robert Walch

We are happy to report that we have obtained a settlement of over $200,000.00 for one of our clients who was the victim of a dog bite in Van Nuys, California. This particular client was walking her dogs when a neighbors dog came out of the house and attacked one of her dogs. Our client did what any responsible dog owner would do and attempted to help her dog.

Unfortunately, in the process, the neighbor’s dog bit our client’s finger and bit off a small piece of our client’s pinky finger. Our client attempted to resolve the matter on her own without hiring an attorney. The owners of the dog refused to even pay for our client’s medical bills and she hired our firm.

Fortunately, the other party had insurance. Their insurance adjuster first tried to argue that our client assumed the risk of injury by trying to help her dog. The adjuster also tried to argue that it was not a bad injury. We successfully argued and proved the severity of the injury, as well as the psychological effects of such an attack, and resolved the case for more than $200,000.00.

Kris Jenner Involved in Calabasas Car Accident

August 8, 2016 | by Robert Walch

The Calabasas Patch is reporting that last Wednesday Kris Jenner, of the well known Kardashian family, was involved in a car accident in Calabasas. The Calabasas car accident occurred in the early afternoon right near Calabasas Road and the Parkway Calabasas freeway off-ramp. The Calabasas accident actually happened very close to our personal injury law office, which is also located on Calabasas Road.

Fortunately, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, which handles car accidents in Calabasas, neither the other person involved in the car accident or Kris Jenner had to be transported to the hospital by ambulance. Other details of their injuries from the accident were not presently available.

We all remember when Kaitlyn Jenner, formerly known as Bruce Jenner, was in a serious car accident on Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu, which caused the tragic wrongful death of a woman from Calabasas.