California Personal Injury Lawyers Blog

Avid Motorcyclist Killed by Drunk Driver in Lancaster Motorcycle Accident

April 29, 2015 | by Robert Walch

A Lancaster motorcycle accident on Sunday, April 19, 2015, resulted in the death of Glenn Arnold Grimm. According to the Antelope Valley Times, Mr. Grimm, who was 69 years old, was struck by a drunk driver in a pick up truck. Mr. Grimm was stopped at the intersection of 90th Street East and Avenue K when he was rear ended by the truck.

Sadly, Mr. Grimm, who was involved in another motorcycle accident in 2005, where a vehicle ran a rad light and struck him, causing him to tear ligaments in his ankle, had spent much time searching for the yellow Harley Davidson that he was riding at the time of this accident. Mr. Grimm felt that the yellow color would help avoid a future motorcycle crash.

Mr. Grimm was a very experienced motorcyclist who often participated in motorcycle related charities for good causes. Bikers Against Child Abuse (BACA) will be honoring Mr. Grimm and accepting charitable donations for its cause.

The Los Angeles County District Attorneys’ Office said that the man who struck Mr. Grimm, Javier Guzman Pena, was found to be intoxicated at the time of the motorcycle accident. He apparently had a .08 blood alcohol content, has been charged with murder and is being held on one million dollars bail.

Agoura Car Accident Injures 4 people

April 27, 2015 | by Robert Walch

Four people suffered injuries on Friday in a three car accident in Agoura. The Agoura car accident happened on Kanan Road, near Castle View Drive. This is about a mile and a half from the 101 Freeway. The Malibu Patch reports that the accident occurred when a Toyota went into oncoming traffic and struck a Lexus. The Lexus was then rear ended by a Honda.

The most serious injuries from this Agoura accident were suffered by Elizabeth Bowlus, a 51 year old Malibu woman, who was the driver of the Lexus. Her injuries were described as “major” and she was taken to the UCLA Ronald Reagan Medical Center. One other person suffered serious injuries in this car accident on Kanan Road, while two other people suffered what were described as minor injuries.

The three vehicle crash was investigated by the California Highway Patrol. It appears that the driver of the Toyota caused the series of collisions and will most likely be found responsible by the accident investigators. However, the reason the car veered into oncoming traffic has not been released. Sometimes drivers will veer off the road or into opposing traffic if they are distracted while driving, including while texting or eating while driving. Other times a driver will swerve to avoid a hazard on the road and may end up causing more damage and more injuries than had he or she struck the original hazard.

Pedestrians Suffer Critical Injuries when hit by car in Winnetka

April 24, 2015 | by Robert Walch

A Winnetka pedestrian accident on Tuesday resulted in critical injuries to two pedestrians and car accident injuries to two other people. The accident occurred Tuesday afternoon in Winnetka, California. According to the Calabasas Patch, the accident happened in a multi vehicle collision on Winnetka Avenue near Roscoe Boulevard.

The pedestrians who suffered critical injuries when they were hit by a car were a 40 year old woman and a young girl only six years old. A man and woman also suffered injuries, apparently when at least two other cars collided. The man and woman were taken to a hospital and their condition was described as “fair.”

As of now, we do not have information as to who was at fault for this car crash and pedestrian accident in Winnetka. It is possible that a car may have struck the pedestrians and then the car was struck by another vehicle. It is also possible that one car stopped for the pedestrians and another car behind that car did not stop in time, rear ending the first car into the pedestrians. These are all types of accidents that we have seen and handled over the years in our personal injury law office.

One Person Killed in Hawthorne Car Accident

April 2, 2015 | by Robert Walch

According to laist.com, one person was killed in a Hawthorne car accident today when a minivan struck a light pole. The minivan struck the light pole so hard that pictures show the van wrapped around the pole. The car accident fatality happened at the intersection of Hawthorne Boulevard and 135th Street, in Hawthorne, Los Angeles County, California.

It is not yet clear if any other cars were involved in this car accident in Hawthorne, or how many people were in the minivan at the time of the crash. The fire department reported that they found the deceased occupant of the minivan dead on arrival. The car may have also caught on fire after the accident, which may have contributed to the death.

From a personal injury legal standpoint, an accident like this can be evaluated in different ways. First, if this was a one vehicle accident and the driver of the vehicle caused the crash and he or she was the person who was deceased, with no other occupants, there probably would not be a personal injury wrongful death claim that could be made.

However, if another car negligently struck the minivan, causing the minivan to hit the pole, a Hawthorne wrongful death claim would be made against the driver of the vehicle that struck the minivan. If that vehicle fled the scene or does not have insurance, then an uninsured motorist wrongful death claim could be made, as long as there is uninsured motorist coverage for the minivan.

Alleged DUI Driver Causes Agoura Hills Car Accident

April 1, 2015 | by Robert Walch

Four people suffered injuries in an Agoura car accident on Sunday when a driver, who is suspected of being under the influence, collided with another vehicle. The DUI suspect and the three occupants of the other vehicle all suffered injuries in the car accident in Agoura Hills, California. All four were taken to hospitals. Fortunately, the injuries were described as minor.

According to the Agoura Hills Patch, the driver suspected of driving under the influence was Joshua Maquindang, who is from Canyon Country, California. The driver of the other vehicle was Johanna Krause, a resident of Malibu, California, who was driving with her two daughters in the car.

The Agoura accident happened on Kanan Road close to Camino Tranquil. According to the California Highway Patrol, Mr. Maquindang apparently swerved off the road then into oncoming traffic, where he struck the other vehicle, causing the car accident injuries. Mr. Maquindang was booked after receiving treatment for his injuries.

Hopefully Mr. Maquindang carries automobile liability insurance sufficient enough to cover the injuries and damages suffered by Johanna Krause and her children. They will have ambulance and hospital bills to pay, as well as bills for any subsequent medical care they receive. There could also be a claim for loss of earnings if any time is missed from work.

LOS ANGELES METRO CRASH OUT OF EXPOSITION STATION INJURES 12

March 30, 2015 | by Robert Walch

On Saturday, March 28, 2015, at almost 11 a.m, after the downtown bound Metro Expo Line train pulled out of its station in Exposition Park, a driver in a silver Hyundai sedan turned left towards a USC campus entrance gate and collided with the Metro train. The Los Angeles train crash, consisting of three (3) light-rail train cars filled with passengers, caused two of the Metro rail cars to be pushed onto Exposition Blvd. and caused twelve (12) people to be hurt, one reportedly hurt critically.

Such collisions, most unfortunately, are not uncommon. The system was designed so that three (3) of the six (6) rail lines of the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority actually sometimes run along surface streets. As a result, collisions at surface street crossings are NOT uncommon.

The Los Angeles Times reported that Saturday’s collision was at least the 18th crash in the last twelve (12) months between cars and Metro rail train cars; and at least four (4) of those occurred on this same Expo Line that has caused the most concern.

Shockingly, another line, the Blue Line, between downtown and Long Beach, has had more than 120 people killed in accidents involving cars, trucks and pedestrians since it commenced operation in 1990. As a result, it is one of the deadliest light-rail train lines in the entire United States.

4 Injured in Lancaster Accident

March 24, 2015 | by Robert Walch

Four people suffered injuries in a car accident earlier this afternoon in Lancaster, California. According to The Antelope Valley Times, the Lancaster car accident occurred when a fire truck, that was responding to an emergency call, struck another vehicle in an intersection. Apparently, according to the Lancaster Sheriff’s Department, the fire truck, with lights and siren activated, stopped at a red light, then cleared the lanes to travel through the intersection, when a Toyota Avalon, in the #2 lane on 10th Street West, changed to the #3 lane to get around stopped traffic, entered the intersection and was struck by the fire truck.

The severity of those injured in the accident is not currently known. However, the driver of the fire truck’s injuries were described as being very minor. He was transported to Antelope Valley Hospital regardless. One of the passengers in the Toyota Avalon, a pregnant woman, was ejected from the vehicle, but the severity of her injuries, including injuries to the unborn baby, are not yet known.

The Los Angeles Police Department provides many important tips for what to do when you are driving and hear or see an emergency vehicle approaching. We advise that all of our readers click here to read the LAPD safety tips. Following these directions might help prevent an accident with an emergency vehicle.

Motorcyclist Killed in Brentwood Hit and Run Accident

March 23, 2015 | by Robert Walch

A motorcyclist was killed last Wednesday when he was hit by a van in Brentwood, California. The driver of the van did not stop to render aid or identify him or herself after the collision and has not yet been identified. According to the Los Angeles Times, the victim of this hit and run accident was Ehsan Fazel, who lived in Woodland Hills, California.

Apparently, this Brentwood motorcycle accident occurred when Fazel was lane splitting, which is when motorcyclists ride between lanes of cars. Lane splitting is a common act done by motorcyclists and it is not illegal in California, as long as it can be done safely. The California Highway Patrol advises that lane splitting, also known as lane sharing, is neither specifically allowed, nor prohibited, under California law.

This Brentwood accident happened on Sunset Boulevard, near Kenter Avenue. The driver of the white van continued on Sunset Boulevard and was not identified. Anyone with any information on the accident, including a possible license plate for the van, should call the LAPD right away at 213-473-0234.

Man Killed Today in Simi Valley Pedestrian Accident

March 2, 2015 | by Robert Walch

A 23 year old man, named Jerome De La Cruz Castro, was killed today in a tragic car accident in Simi Valley on Highway 118. The crash occurred a little after five in the morning today when Castro, according to the Ventura County Star, lost control of his car, possibly due to rain, hit a guard rail on the 118 freeway and came to a stop in the far left lane.

Apparently, Mr. Castro got out of the car and was standing near it when another vehicle, driven by a woman who has not yet been identified, struck Castro’s car, causing his car to hit Castro and kill him. The California Highway Patrol said the crash occurred on the westbound 118 freeway, east of Keuhner Drive. This area of freeway has a curve and goes downhill.

It was not reported whether the woman sustained any injuries in this Simi Valley car accident. We wish our sincerest condolences to the family and friends of Jerome De La Cruz Castro, who lived in North Hollywood, California. We also feel that Mr. Castro’s family should hire an experienced California wrongful death lawyer to examine the facts of this situation and determine if there is any liability for wrongful death damages. There may be a claim against the insurance of the woman who struck Castro’s vehicle, if it can be determined that she did something wrong, such as driving too fast for the conditions, or texting and not paying attention to the road.

Serious Injuries Reported In Oxnard Metrolink Train Accident

February 24, 2015 | by Robert Walch

A Metrolink train accident in Oxnard this morning has caused many serious injuries to the occupants of the train, including the conductor. The accident apparently occurred after a produce or farm equipment truck got stuck on the railway and was struck by the commuter train. The Metrolink accident occurred near the intersection of East 5th Street and South Rice Avenue in Oxnard, Ventura County, California.

According to the Ventura County Star, after the train accident, authorities were able to locate the driver of the truck between one and two miles from the location of the train crash. The driver was not placed under arrest, but was taken in for questioning. Fortunately, it appears that the train was equipped with new safety “crash energy management” system that may have prevented much more serious injuries or deaths from this crash.

As of now, it appears that the driver of the truck turned onto the tracks, while pulling a trailer, and became stuck on the tracks. By the time the train engineer applied the brakes, it was too late as the heavy train, which was traveling approximately 79 miles per hour, according to the Los Angeles Times, needed more time to stop.

The Metrolink train was traveling to downtown Los Angeles and had five cars with 51 total passengers. 28 passengers were reportedly taken to the hospital right after the incident.