Car Accidents

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.

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.

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.

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.

Woman Killed By Her Daughter’s Car in Strange Los Angeles Car Accident

January 5, 2011 | by Robert Walch

In a tragic set of circumstances, Boon Soon Yang, a 71 year old woman, was killed when she was hit by her daughter’s car in a strange Los Angeles car accident. Apparently, Ms. Yang, who was waiting to be picked up outside her nursing room, was hit by her daughter’s car and pinned against a wall.

According to the Los Angeles Times, the strange set of events occurred when Sung S. Lim, who lives in La Mirada, was attempting to make a left turn or a U-Turn, when her 2011 Audi A5 Quattro vehicle was struck by a 2005 Honda Civic, which was being driven by a Priya Shah, 19 years old, of Buena Park. According to police, Shah was driving within the speed limit. This impact caused Ms. Lim’s vehicle to jump the curb and pin her mother against the wall.

Ms. Yang was taken to West Anaheim Hospital after the Los Angeles car collision, but she was pronounced dead on arrival. Neither one of the drivers was injured in the collision. However, Ms. Lim was taken to the hospital due to the emotional distress of the incident.

It appears from what is known that the police are not putting blame for the car accident in Los Angeles, nor the Los Angeles wrongful death, on Shah, who was apparently traveling straight and within the speed limit. Therefore, the assumption is that Ms. Yang caused the car accident by making an unsafe turn.

New Years Car Crash Deaths Caused by Drunk Driver Fleeing Police

January 4, 2011 | by Robert Walch

In a tragic New Years Day Los Angeles car accident, two people were killed when their vehicle was hit by a drunk driver fleeing the police. Demetria Dorsey, and her husband, Kelvin Dorsey, were in their Infiniti, traveling South on Crenshaw, when they were struck by a Geo Prism, driven by Jorge Alberto Molina.

Molina, from Culver City, had allegedly sped through multiple red lights before colliding with the Dorsey’s Infiniti, causing the Infiniti to roll and hit a pole, killing both of its occupants. The Dorseys were driving home from a New Years party. Mr. Molina then fled on foot before collapsing and being arrested. Mr. Molina has been booked on two counts of murder and is being held on $1 million bail. The Los Angeles Police Department has said that Mr. Molina was driving while under the influence and that it was unclear if he knew that the police were chasing with him at the time of the Los Angeles auto collision.

Unfortunately, we see time and again innocent commuters or pedestrians in Los Angeles who are killed by drivers as a result of high speed pursuits. Here, Mr. Molina faces a Los Angeles wrongful death claim against him. We have previously proposed a re-thinking on when police should engage such pursuits, as the ends oftentimes do not justify the means. This allegedly drunk driver may have caused worse damage had he not been pursued, but more likely than not it was the LAPD vehicles which caused him to travel at high speeds and cause this collision. If the police had simply taken down his plates and watched with a helicopter overhead, without pursuing at high speeds on the ground, this tragedy might have been avoided.

California Crash Taxes Increasing

January 3, 2011 | by Robert Walch

After a California car accident, new laws put in place by many California cities allow the cities to bill the insurance company, or at fault driver, for the police and firefighting services that their car accident in California has necessitated.

These laws, which are designed to increase revenue for cities that are struggling financially, face a challenge from insurance companies who say that it will cause insurance premiums to go up. The other argument is that tax dollars already pay for California firefighters and police officers. However, Costa Mesa Fire Battalion Chief Bill Kershaw says that the local taxpayers should not have to pay for emergency responses to accidents that they did not cause, so it would be more appropriate to bill ther responsible parties.

Some cities, countering the taxation argument, only apply these California car crash taxes to nonresidents. This, critics argue, could hurt tourism in California.

Tony Strickland, a California State Senator from Moorpark, is trying to outlaw the California auto crash taxes, by proposing measure SB 49, which will be heard by the legislature in February. His argument is that Californians are hurting enough from the economy, and simply cannot afford this extra charge when they are in a car accident.

Strickland is backed by the insurance lobby, which has given him over $200,000 in political contributions over the last four years.

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.

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.