California Personal Injury Lawyers Blog

California Personal Injury Attorneys Wish You a Happy New Year!

January 1, 2011 | by Robert Walch

We would like to wish all of our readers a very happy and healthy new year!

As many of you know, the holiday season, including New Years, is a very dangerous time for road travel and many Los Angeles auto accidents happen during this time.

This year, the harsh weather, including extensive rain and, in some places, ice or snow, will make driving conditions extra dangerous in the greater Los Angeles area and throughout California.

For this reason, it is advisable to stay off of the roads during this time, whenever possible. If you plan on consuming alcohol to ring in the new year, take a taxi or have a designated driver. If you are planning on taking a taxi, you should make sure to have the number to a few taxi companies (as they are particularly busy on New Years) ready, to avoid any last minute problems.

As readers of our blog know, drunk drivers not only face the possibility of injuring themselves and others, but also expose themselves to a great risk of criminal prosecution if stopped by police or if they cause a California drunk driving accident. The small hassles of finding a designated driver or calling a taxi are more than worth it in the long run, as driving while impaired is not a risk worth taking.

Update: Woman Killed by Car in Los Angeles Hit and Run Identified

December 31, 2010 | by Robert Walch

In an update of our California Personal Injury Lawyers Blog entry of December 29, 2010, the woman who was killed in the Los Angeles hit and run accident has been identified as Brigitte Burdine.

According to the Los Angeles Times, Burdine, who was 48, was a well known video game casting director, who worked on games such as “World of Warcraft” and “Socom 3: U.S. Navy Seals.”

The Los Angeles Police Department has said that the car that struck Burdine was a dark sedan, which allegedly left the scene after the collision. The driver of the sedan has not yet been located. Unfortunately, there is currently no description of the driver available.

The LAPD is investigating the Los Angeles pedestrian collision and notes that the car may have front end damage.

If the driver of the vehicle that killed Brigitte Burdine is located, it must be proven that the driver was responsible for the hit and run collision before his/her insurance company will pay for the Los Angeles wrongful death damages to Burdine’s family, if there was a valid liability insurance policy in effect.

California Truck Crash Injures 3, Caused by Black Ice

December 30, 2010 | by Robert Walch

According to the Los Angeles Times, several big rig trucks apparently skidded on very dangerous black ice, causing the trucks to crash and overturn. Los Angeles County firefighters transported three people to hospital with currently unknown injuries, as a result of the California truck collision.

The California Highway Patrol has closed part of the 138 freeway near Interstate 5, in Gorman, California, as a result of one of the overturned big rigs. There is also fuel that has spilled onto the road, causing an increased danger to commuters.

California California Highway Patrol officer, Ed Jacobs, stated that the California truck accident was probably caused by drivers driving too fast over black ice. Black ice, according to Wikipedia, is “a thin coating of glazed ice on a surface.” Because the ice is not truly black, it is more transparent in appearance, drivers often do not know it is there until it is too late and they have been in a car accident.

Black ice is not only dangerous to drivers, but it can be potentially hazardous to people walking in an affected area, due to the possibility of a slip and fall accident. Many people do not realize quite how slippery the black ice can be.

Woman Killed in Los Angeles Hit and Run Accident

December 29, 2010 | by Robert Walch

At about 2:00 a.m. this morning, a woman was killed when she was hit by a car in Los Angeles, California. The accident happened in Marina del Rey and, according to the Los Angeles Times, the Los Angeles Police Department is currently looking for the driver of the car that hit the woman, as it apparently left the scene of the accident in this Los Angeles hit and run case.

The woman, whose name has not been released, was crossing the street at Culver and Jefferson in Marina del Rey, when she was struck by the vehicle. She was taken to a local hospital where she was pronounced dead.

We hope that the driver of the hit and run vehicle is brought to justice as soon as possible. If you ever witness a Los Angeles hit and run accident, it is very important to try to write down the license plate number and any other information about the driver and car that is leaving the scene. Next, you should call 911 to report the incident so that police can locate the hit and run driver. If it is safe to do so, we have seen witnesses who have followed the hit and run driver, while talking to 911 operators and providing the location of the car, so that the police can catch the responsible driver.

If you have been injured in a Los Angeles hit and run collision, there are important things to know, such as the fact you may have a claim with your own insurance company, under the uninsured motorist coverage, if you have it. If you do have such a claim, your own insurance takes the place of the responsible party, so that you can get compensated for your damages.

Strange Los Angeles Wrongful Death Could be Medical Malpractice

December 28, 2010 | by Robert Walch

The Los Angeles Times is reporting that the negligent care of Dr. Ehab Aly Mohamed, a plastic surgeon, may have led to the wrongful death of one of his patients. The California state medical board has moved to suspend Dr. Mohamed’s license.

In a strange set of circumstances, Dr. Mohamed allegedly misled patients that he had an affiliation with Harvard University and promised a $40,000 discount to a patient in exchange for the patient’s participation in a Harvard study. It appears that no such affiliation or study existed.

It is currently unclear as to what Dr. Mohamed did that led to the wrongful death of his patient, but it can be assumed that the patient’s family will have a Los Angeles wrongful death claim against the Doctor, based on medical malpractice.

It is important to remember that California medical malpractice cases have an entirely different set of rules from other types of California personal injury cases. These rules include a different statute of limitations, which must always be considered by victims of negligence.

Due to the complicated nature of the separate rules and guidelines, it is important for victims of negligence to contact a California personal injury attorney right away, to make sure that their rights are protected.

North Hollywood Drunk Driving Accident Injures 2

December 27, 2010 | by Robert Walch

In what could have been a much worse disaster, two people survived a head on collision from a North Hollywood man driving on the wrong side of the road. Ezekial Rodriguez was allegedly driving on the wrong side of the road when he caused a drunk driving accident in North Hollywood. The drunk driving collision happened on San Fernando Boulevard, under the I-5 freeway.

Mr. Rodriguez was taken into custody by Burbank police after he fled the scene of the North Hollywood car accident to a nearby McDonald’s. He was arrested on suspicion of driving while intoxicated, contributing to an injury collision and fleeing the scene. Mr. Rodriguez is being held on $10,000 bail.

The victims, a driver and passenger of a Toyota Corolla, whose names have not yet been released, had to be extricated from their car by Burbank firefighters responding to the North Hollywood auto accident. Their vehicle was demolished by the drunk driver and will be considered a total loss. We can only hope that the injuries to these innocent commuters are not life threatening or permanent.

Happy Holidays From Your Los Angeles Personal Injury Lawyer

December 25, 2010 | by Robert Walch

We would like to take this opportunity to wish all our readers a very happy and healthy holiday season!

We would also like to remind our readers that we know there are many temptations to drink in excess at holiday festivities, but please, given all the recent California drunk driving accidents, do not drink and drive. Remember to have a designated driver or take a taxi to avoid a California drunk driving accident or arrest.

Simple measures to avoid drunk driving can make the holidays more festive and enjoyable for you and all of your friends and family.

Pedestrian Killed in Laguna Beach Accident

December 24, 2010 | by Robert Walch

On December 22, 2010, an unidentified woman was killed after being hit by a sport utility vehicle. The Laguna Beach car accident occurred during heavy rains at about 6:40 a.m., according to the Los Angeles Times.

The woman was struck by the sport utility vehicle as she crossed South Coast Highway in Laguna Beach, California, in yet another rain related auto accident in California.

While the investigation into the accident is continuing, police investigating the accident said there was a lot of rain at the time. The rain, combined with poor visibility, has been the cause of many a car accident in Los Angeles, and its surrounding areas.

Drunk Driver Who Killed Los Angeles Angels Pitcher Gets 51 Years to Life

December 23, 2010 | by Robert Walch

On April 9, 2009, Andrew Gallo, who was on parole for a felony DUI conviction, ran a red light and T-boned a car carrying Los Angeles Angels pitcher Nick Adenhart, and three friends, in a horrific California drunk driving collision.

Adenhart, as well as Courtney Stewart and Henry Pearson, were killed in the collision. Another passenger, Jon Wilhite, sustained catastrophic injuries as a result of this impact.

According to ESPN.com, Mr. Gallo, who had a blood alcohol level nearly three times the California legal limit of .08%, had been drinking beer and shots at three different bars with his stepbrother before causing this collision. Mr. Gallo’s Criminal defense attorney requested one sentence of 15 years to life for her client, with the argument being that he did not intend to hurt anyone.

Teen Driver Charged in Orange County Drunk Driving Accident

December 22, 2010 | by Robert Walch

Another tragic California drunk driving collision resulted in the deaths of Steven Uselton and his son, Douglas Uselton. According to the Los Angeles Times, the driver of the other car, Rafael Lopez, has been charged with two felony counts of vehicular manslaughter, for allegedly driving while intoxicated.

The Orange County car accident, which occurred this past Sunday, happened in the early hours of the morning and apparently Mr. Lopez was traveling at high speeds when he collided with the Uselton’s Buick.

Mr. Lopez, who is only 18 years old, now faces significant time in jail or prison as a result of this tragic California drunk driving accident. The family of the victims also has a potential wrongful death claim against Mr. Lopez. If Mr. Lopez does not have adequate insurance coverage, he could be found personally liable for the excess damages he has allegedly caused.