California Personal Injury Lawyers Blog

Super Bowl Sunday, Enjoy Responsibly

February 5, 2011 | by Robert Walch

This Sunday, at 3:30 p.m. Pacific Time, the Pittsburgh Steelers play the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl XLV. Many people will be watching the game throughout California in home parties or at sports bars.

Due to the serious and potentially disastrous effects of drunk driving, including the possibility of a dui arrest, a car accident, injuries or death, we wish to remind everyone to enjoy the game responsibly. If you are going to be drinking while watching the game, make sure you have a designated driver or a taxi lined up to take you home.

The Super Bowl should be enjoyed, but not at the expense of someone’s life, including your own. Please do not drink and drive and have safe and fun Super Bowl watching experience.

Hit and Run Driver Kills Pedestrian in Pasadena Accident

February 4, 2011 | by Robert Walch

A 52 year old woman was killed last week, while on her motorized wheelchair, when she was hit by a car in Pasadena, California. The wrongful death pedestrian accident allegedly occurred when DeShaun Chapman, a 28 year old man, was driving at a high speed at about 6:30 p.m. when he swerved to avoid a car pulling out from a driveway. Chapman went into oncoming traffic, overcorrected and lost control of his vehicle, hitting the woman and a wall, resulting in the woman being pinned underneath.

Chapman, who fled the scene after the Pasadena pedestrian accident, later returned to the scene and was arrested and charged with vehicular manslaughter.

The driver of the sedan, who also fled the scene, has not been found. If found, the driver of this car may also face similar criminal charges.

The family of the victim will likely make a Pasadena wrongful death claim against Chapman, and may also be able to pursue an uninsured motorist claim, where the uninsured motorist coverage, if any, would take the place of the driver who fled the scene and was not located.

5 Car Los Angeles Freeway Accident Injures 3 on 101

February 3, 2011 | by Robert Walch

According to the Los Angeles Times, a five car accident in Los Angeles, California on Sunday injured three people, including one person who suffered severe injuries. The cause of the Los Angeles car accident is currently unknown, but because it occurred as rain began to fall on Sunday morning, it is believed that the rain played a part in the crash.

The Los Angeles accident occurred on the 101 freeway, near Barham Boulevard in the Cahuenga Pass, according to the California Highway Patrol, who responded to the scene. The person who was seriously injured in the collision, who has not yet been identified, had to be extricated from the car by Los Angeles County firefighters who responded to the crash.

All three injured victims were taken to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, where it can be assumed the two minor injury victims were treated and released.

Wind Causes Big Rig Truck Accidents in San Bernardino

February 2, 2011 | by Robert Walch

According to the Los Angeles Times, The California Highway Patrol has reported that the strong winds being experienced in San Bernardino, California, today, have caused five big rig trucks to overturn this morning.

The San Bernardino big rig truck accidents have caused lane closures on the 15 freeway as well as the 10 freeway in Rancho Cucamonga. The winds, which were as high as 58 miles per hour, also caused big rig trucks to overturn on the 10 freeway near the Etiwanda exit in Rancho Cucamonga and on the 60 freeway where Rancho Cucamonga meets Riverside.

Due to the danger from a big rig truck accident in San Bernardino, as well as the freeway closures and expected traffic delays, it is advisable to stay away from those areas today.

As readers of our blog know, California big rig truck accidents occur very frequently and often have disastrous effects. Due to their size and lack of maneuverability, it is advisable to keep a safe distance from big rig trucks whenever possible. Cases have shown that even a very small impact from a big rig truck can cause a much smaller car to lose control. Sometimes, the driver of the big rig truck will not even feel the impact, or he/she will claim as much.

Los Angeles Big Rig Truck Crash on 101 Freeway

February 1, 2011 | by Robert Walch

A major Los Angeles truck accident occurred this morning on the 101 freeway, closing most of the freeway and causing a SigAlert until 10 a.m. It has now emerged that the Los Angeles truck crash injuries may have been caused by a drunk driver driving the big rig.

The big rig truck, which was hauling two trailers that were filled with sand, hit a divider north of the 170 freeway split. According to eyewitnesses, the truck then hit numerous vehicles on the westbound side of the freeway, before bouncing back onto the eastbound lanes where it landed on top of a sport utility vehicle.

Due to their injuries from this Los Angeles big rig crash, the drivers of both the big rig and the sport utility vehicle were transported to the hospital. The Times reports that the injuries suffered by the driver of the SUV are major, but not fatal. Judging by the Los Angeles Times picture from the scene, it can be assumed the injuries are very serious and we wish the driver a full recovery.

Investigation will show if the driver of the truck was intoxicated at the time of the Los Angeles truck collision. If he was in fact drunk, or under the influence of other substances, it can be expected that criminal charges will be filed against the driver.

Fog Advisory Warning for Los Angeles County Today

January 31, 2011 | by Robert Walch

To avoid Los Angeles car accident injuries, Los Angeles County drivers should be aware of a fog advisory issued today by the National Weather Service. The advisory warns of dense fog that will cause visibility to be reduced to a quarter mile in certain areas near the coast.

The advisory warns that drivers should take extra care when driving in certain roadways near the coast, including Pacific Coast Highway and the 405 and 710 freeways.

There was also a fog advisory for Orange County earlier in the morning, but it has since been lifted.

Please take extra care, drive slower and keep an extra space cushion if driving in areas affected by the fog.

Pedestrian Killed in Los Angeles Hit and Run Accident

January 30, 2011 | by Robert Walch

According to the Los Angeles Times, an 18 year old pedestrian has been killed in Los Angeles when she was struck by a pickup truck. The driver of the pickup truck, who apparently slowed down after hitting the woman, but did not stop, has been identified as a Latino man who had a large beard.

The hit and run auto v. pedestrian accident in Los Angeles occurred in the Vermont Vista neighborhood, in South Los Angeles. The woman was crossing Figueroa Street where it meets 66th street, at about 10:30pm, when she was hit by the car.

The woman was taken to California Hospital Medical Center, where she died of her injuries from this collision.

If the driver of the vehicle who hit the woman is not found, the family of the victim may still have a Los Angeles wrongful death claim, but it will need to be filed with uninsured motorist coverage (if any). If the victim, or, in some cases, a family member who she resides with, has uninsured motorist coverage, the uninsured motorist coverage may step in to take the place of the responsible driver. This only occurs if the driver is not found, if the driver is found but does not have insurance, or if he is found but does not have enough insurance and the value of the uninsured motorist coverage exceeds the liability coverage on the responsible party’s insurance.

Street Racer Sentenced to 7 Years for Glendale Crash

January 28, 2011 | by Robert Walch

Aren Aznavoleh, a Glendale resident, has been sentenced to seven years in prison as a result of a car crash he caused while allegedly racing his car through the streets of Glendale. The Glendale auto accident, which left one man paralyzed, occurred in 2009.

The victim, Rafick Daroosee, an Iranian, had only been living in the United States for 3 months before this car accident. Mr. Daroosee suffered severe brain damage and is paralyzed from this Glendale auto collision. His wife, who does not speak English or have a job, has been left to care for him.

A restitution hearing, in which Mr. Daroosee’s family will be able to appeal to the court to order Mr. Aznavoleh to pay them money for the damages they have caused, will be held on March 8, 2011. Unfortunately, all too often in these types of situations, the perpetrator of the crime does not have the money or assets to pay the amount ordered in the restitution hearing. Mr. Daroosee’s family will also be able to make a claim against Mr. Aznavoleh’s automobile insurance coverage, if he had coverage. In this case, it can be assumed that there will not be sufficient insurance coverage to cover the significant injuries and damages suffered by Mr. Darooosee.

Man Killed in San Bernardino Motorcycle Accident

January 27, 2011 | by Robert Walch

A high speed chase, involving a stolen pickup truck, has resulted in a motorcyclist getting killed in San Bernardino, California. The incident began when a man called police as he was following his car, which had been stolen.

Police followed the 2001 Ford F-150 pick up truck until it entered the wrong way onto the exit ramp of Interstate 215. Police chose to no longer follow the pickup truck due to the risks involved. However, the truck continued and hit a motorcycle, driven by a 57 year old man from Riverside, California, who was killed in this San Bernardino motorcycle accident.

The assailant, described as a 5’6″ Hispanic male, approximately 25 years old, with average build and a shaved head, fled the scene on foot, and was not caught by police.

It will have to be determined if there was more that police could have done to prevent this tragic San Bernardino wrongful death accident. In the past, we have discussed how high speed chases, of non-violent offenders, have resulted in very serious and catastrophic injuries to innocent bystanders. If at all possible, when police see a car acting erratically to evade them, a helicopter should be called in to watch overhead until the suspect stops, rather than exposing the public to this risk of harm.

Be Very Careful — Avoid Traffic Tickets in Los Anageles

January 26, 2011 | by Robert Walch

A client of ours just forwarded to us an email based on information from the Los Angeles Times about California using traffic ticket revenue from Los Angeles, the San Fernando Valley and other areas to collect money to try to balance its budget. The email states:

THE LOS ANGELES TIMES HAS AN ARTICLE ON THE SUBJECT:

Please be extremely careful in your driving and car registration & insurance matters. State of California is broke and it is trying hard to squeeze all of us hard to collect money.

Effective immediately, if you do not stop at a red light, be ready to pay $436 in fines or if you pass a school bus with flashing red signals, you will be charged $616. The state of California is going for blood, so be extra careful in driving. It has been reported that the Calif. Highway Patrols are under pressure to issue a lot more tickets than last year with at least 30% increase in fines over 2009, so beware of radar guns, highway and traffic cameras and the tougher enforcement of parking rules.
Just for your info, the next time you park in the handicapped zone, even for a minute, you could be looking at almost $1000 in parking tickets, so don’t do it!

Traffic Ticket Fines (Effective 01/06/2011)

VC 12814.6 $214 Failure to obey license provisions.

VC 14600(A) $214 Failure to notify DMV of address change within 10 days [Note: The fine may be reduced with valid proof of correction].