California Personal Injury Lawyers Blog

California Personal Injury Lawyers Blog Gets New Look!

January 17, 2011 | by Robert Walch

We are pleased to announce the launching of our new blog design, located at: www.CaliforniaPersonalInjuryLawyersblog.com. Please let us know how you like the new design, which will match with our new website (located at: www.walchlaw.com, which is in its final stages and coming soon!). In addition, if there are any current legal topics that you feel our blog should address, please let us know.

Our office continues to strive so that injury victims, who have suffered as a result of the negligence of another, can be made whole. This may include help with finding the right doctors, medical care and physical therapy, finding a good Los Angeles body shop to take a damaged vehicle, proving a complicated loss of earnings claim, and getting our clients financially compensated for their pain, suffering and loss of enjoyment of life activities.

We continue to work hard and give personal attention to all our cases so that our clients can relax and know that they are in passionate, capable and responsible hands. If you or a loved one has been injured, please call our office right away. Our goal is to get involved in a case as soon as possible to prevent mistakes that many injured parties make before they are represented by a good California personal injury lawyer. We handle cases throughout all of California. Call toll free: 1-866-INJURY-2 [1-866-465-8792].

Driver Charged After Los Angeles Crash, Killing Passenger

January 16, 2011 | by Robert Walch

Luicci Nader, a Huntington Beach resident, has been charged with vehicular manslaughter, a felony, after a Los Angeles car accident death. Nader was allegedly speeding in his 2008 Ferrari F-430 Spider, on Coast Highway, on December 24, 2010, when he lost control of his vehicle, careening to the opposite side of the road, and colliding head on with a tow truck.

Nader’s Ferrari split into two as a result of this car accident in Los Angeles and Nader’s cousin, Ralph Abinader, who was sitting in the passenger seat, died as a result of the car accident. Abinader was 24 years old.

Nader is being charged with the felony because he was allegedly driving with gross negligence.

Besides the felony count, Nader will also face a possible Los Angeles wrongful death claim against him, for the death of his passenger. A driver of a vehicle that causes an accident is not only responsible for occupants of the other vehicle, but is responsible for his/her passenger’s safety as well. The claim should be made with the driver’s insurance company, barring any exceptions in the insurance policy, which sometimes exist for people such as live-in family members.

San Bernardino Man Charged In California Wrongful Death Accident

January 15, 2011 | by Robert Walch

A 70 year old San Bernardino man, Edward Stanley Baker, has been charged with a felony count of vehicular manslaughter, without gross negligence, in the wrongful death of a woman from an Orange County car accident. Mr. Baker, who allegedly failed a field sobriety test, was found to have a blood alcohol level of .22%, which is .14% higher than the California legal limit of .08%.

After the car accident in Orange County, Mr. Baker, who had nearly three times the legal limit of alcohol in his blood, had an empty vodka bottle in his car.

According to prosecutors, the Orange County wrongful death car accident allegedly happened when Mr. Baker did not slow down or stop for the other vehicle, which was making a legal left turn out of a parking lot. The driver of the other vehicle, Tamiko Kaminaga, 60 years old, was killed in the accident. Her passenger, her son, Jorge Maresch, suffered a broken nose and other facial lacerations.

Mr. Butler faces a potential maximum prison sentence of up to four years and prosecutors requested that he be held on $100,000.00 bail.

High Winds Cause Fallen Power Lines and 3 Deaths in San Bernardino

January 14, 2011 | by Robert Walch

In a tragic San Bernardino electrical accident, high winds, which went up to 40 miles per hour, caused power lines to fall in a family’s yard. Apparently, family members tried to put out the small fires that the downed power lines caused.

In what may have been a chain reaction electrocution, three family members were killed. Apparently, Sharon Vego, who was in the front yard when she heard an explosion in the back, came to the back to try to help. When she got to the back, she tried to help her son and husband, when she was also electrocuted. All three members of the family were killed by the electrocution.

After firefighters arrived at the scene, they had to wait approximately 15 minutes before the crews from Southern California Edison were able to arrive and shut off power to the line that had fallen, so firefighters could safely reach the victims.

It is advised that if you see a power line that has fallen to the ground, never touch, move or go near it, even if it looks harmless. Also, if you see a person being shocked, attempts to pull the person away may cause you to become a victim, which is apparently what happened in San Bernardino today. If you see a downed line, it is best to get as far away as safely possible and call 911 for emergency help, and call the emergency number for the local utility company.

Officials Aim to Reduce Glendale Car Accidents by Placing Traffic Signs in English, Spanish and Armenian

January 13, 2011 | by Robert Walch

City officials are trying a new measure to help reduce pedestrian and car accidents in Glendale, they are putting signs in English, Spanish and Armenian. One such sign, which says “LOOK” in all three languages, will be placed at numerous intersections, a warning to pedestrians to look for oncoming traffic before crossing the street.

According to the Glendale Police Department, there were 2,300 Glendale car accidents last year. Of those collisions, there were 660 that resulted in injuries. There were also six fatal Glendale accidents last year. Of the 2,300 car accidents, 64 involved pedestrians.

Glendale Mayor, Ara Najarian, said that the city has reached its limit of such accidents. Najarian said that traffic safety needs to be one of the communities top priorities because “we are losing children, elderly and disabled people, and babies in baby carriages are getting hit, and drivers who are the ones who failed to yield are having their lives ruined.”

This street sign campaign to reduce Glendale pedestrian accidents has also reportedly been used in both England and Ireland.

Los Angeles Gas Explosion Injures Two

January 12, 2011 | by Robert Walch

Two men inside a garage in Whittier, a city in Los Angeles County, were severely injured when a high pressure gas tank exploded. The gas explosion in Los Angeles, which occurred at 2:40 a.m., caused one of the men to have the lower part of his leg severed and caused burn injuries to the other man. The two injured men, who have not yet been identified, were taken to University of California Irving Medical Center.

Lieutenant Carlos Solorza, of the Whittier Police Department, stated that the cause of the Los Angeles gas explosion was unknown. He also did not know the type of gas that was being used in the tank.

Los Angeles explosion injury cases can be very difficult and complicated. First, it will be necessary to determine the cause of the explosion. It is currently unknown if it was human error, a defect in a product, or both, that caused these gas explosion injuries.

West Los Angeles Car Accident Kills Pedestrian, Severely Injures Motorist

January 11, 2011 | by Robert Walch

A multi-vehicle collision in Los Angeles on Sunday killed a pedestrian and critically injured the driver who apparently caused the collision. The Los Angeles car accident, which happened on Federal Avenue, near Santa Monica Boulevard, was apparently caused when a vehicle went out of control and hit a pedestrian who was standing on the corner at the intersection.

The pedestrian, a man in his 40s, was killed as a result of this impact. The car continued out of control and hit a vehicle stopped at a gas station. That vehicle had two occupants, who were apparently not injured by this collision. However, oftentimes police may not note an injury in their report, but occupants of a vehicle will often feel the effects of their injuries after a day or two.

The driver of the vehicle who allegedly caused this car accident in Los Angeles was critically injured in this series of collisions. Although it is unclear why the vehicle lost control, the driver, if he recovers, will likely face a wrongful death suit against him, from the family of the pedestrian who was killed. If the driver does not recover, and dies as a result of his injuries, his insurance coverage and, potentially, his estate, could be used to pay for the damages he has allegedly caused.

5 People Injured In Woodland Hills Car Accident

January 10, 2011 | by Robert Walch

On Sunday morning, a car accident in Woodland Hills, a suburb of Los Angeles, resulted in injuries to five people, including one serious injury. The crash occurred on De Soto Avenue, north of the 101 freeway.

The seriously injured occupant to one of the vehicles involved in this collision had to be extricated from the vehicle, most likely by the Los Angeles Fire Department and paramedics. The other four injured in this two car Woodland Hills car collision were taken to local hospitals. Although it is not mentioned in the article, it can be assumed they were taken to the Kaiser Permanente Emergency Room, as it is just down the street from the accident location, on De Soto Avenue.

At time of writing, facts of the Woodland Hills vehicle collision are unknown. Once it is determined who is at fault, which will likely be aided by the Traffic Collision Report, the injured parties may have a personal injury claim against the at fault driver and/or owner(s) of the at fault vehicle. Passengers in the at fault vehicle may be able to make a claim against the driver, depending on certain issues, including familiar relationships, which affect insurance coverage.

California Truck Crash Causes Serious Injury on Interstate 5

January 7, 2011 | by Robert Walch

On Thursday afternoon, a California truck collision on Interstate 5, near the Grapevine, seriously injured at least one person and caused a traffic backlog.

The person who suffered major injuries in this big rig truck crash in California was transported by air to a Bakersfield hospital. Investigators with the California Highway Patrol said the truck accident occurred when two big rig trucks collided with each other. It is unclear if any other vehicles were involved.

The investigators added that they suspect the California truck accident may have been caused by a mechanical problem with one of the trucks.

If a mechanical problem caused this California truck collision injury, the victim may be able to make a products liability claim against the makers of the big rig truck that had the problem. Additionally, if the driver of one of the trucks acted negligently, there would potentially be a more standard personal injury claim against that driver and the company he/she works for. Because of the reports of a possible serious or catastrophic injury involved, the fact that the big rig truck company should carry a larger commercial insurance policy should aid in recovering damages to any injured parties.

In addition, because the big rig truck drivers are likely working while they are driving, they may have a California workers compensation claim against their employers.

Seat Belt Use Rises and California Car Accident Deaths and Injuries Decrease

January 6, 2011 | by Robert Walch

A new report from the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that California has the second highest rate of seat belt users in the United States, only slightly behind Oregon. According to the report, 93.2% of Californians say they always use a seatbelt. This seatbelt data shows that California car accident injuries and deaths have been reduced due to increased seatbelt use.

California is one of the states with strict seatbelt enforcement laws, where a driver can be pulled over when police see an occupant of the vehicle without a seatbelt on.

The Center for Disease Control’s report also found that between 2001 and 2009, the injury rate for occupants of a motor vehicle dropped by 16%. This correlates with the report’s finding that seatbelt use rose 4% from 2002 to 2008.

In news that would come as a surprise to many, the report showed that in 1982, only 11% of residents of the United States said they used seatbelts. This huge increase in seatbelt use is a big reason why car accident deaths and serious injuries have decreased. This should cause a reduction in California wrongful death and injury claims.

Using data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the CDC said in its report that in 2009, 450 lives would not have been lost if vehicle occupants were wearing their seatbelts. In addition, 12,000 car accident injuries would have been prevented.