Catastrophic Injuries

Pitbull Owners Arrested After California Dog Attack Injury

July 1, 2011 | by Robert Walch

A 75 year old woman had to have her leg amputated due to injuries she suffered from a pitbull dog attack in San Diego. The woman is still being treated in the hospital due to dog bite injuries to her back, legs and arms.

The owners of the pitbull dogs, Carla Cornelio and Alba Cornelio, have been arrested and face felony charges for owning the dogs that caused the serious injury to the woman. The two pitbull dogs were euthanized by the Department of Animal Services.

According to the Los Angeles Times, the dogs had previously attacked another neighbor’s dog and the neighbor, and the Cornelios apparently paid the veterinary bills for that San Diego dog attack.

New Details Emerge in Nevada Amtrak Train Crash

June 29, 2011 | by Robert Walch

It has emerged that the truck driver who allegedly caused the Nevada Amtrak train crash has been cited multiple times in various states. These citations were for violations including a 2007 truck accident wherein he rear ended a Toyota on the freeway, causing injuries to a family, and tickets for speeding and driving with a cell phone in his hand.

There was also an Amtrak train crash lawsuit filed this week by an Amtrak train attendant, against Lawrence Valli, the truck driver, and John Davis Trucking, the presumed owner of the vehicle and the company that employed Valli.

The personal injury attorney for the train attendant claims that Valli was negligent and careless in failing to follow the road signs, causing this truck-train crash and the resultant injuries and damages to his client. The attorney also claims that after reviewing Valli’s record and the record of the trucking company, that Valli should not have been driving this truck at the time of the Amtrak train accident.

Nevada Truck Accident with Amtrak Train – Update

June 28, 2011 | by Robert Walch

Although previous reports said four people died in the Amtrak train accident with the big rig truck in Nevada, that number has been revised to six deaths, including the truck driver and the train conductor. The number of missing people, however, has been reduced from 28 to five.

The Amtrak train crash, which happened 70 miles east of Reno, Nevada, appears to have been caused by the either the truck driver or problems with the truck. The trucking company, John Davis Trucking Company Incorporated, based in Battle Mountain, Nevada, has been cited 17 times for having faulty equipment and has had two other crashes since 2009. Those cases involved a truck operating with bald tires and another truck with defective or missing springs.

Amtrak Truck Accident in Nevada Kills 4, Injures Scores

June 25, 2011 | by Robert Walch

An Amtrak Train, headed to Emeryville, California from Chicago, Illinois, was struck last night by a semitrailer truck near Reno, Nevada in a tragic truck versus train accident. According to the Los Angeles Times, the Amtrak train accident in Nevada killed four people, including the driver of the truck, and over 20 people had to be taken to hospitals.

According to witnesses, the driver of the truck apparently tried to stop before colliding with the side of the train, but was unable to do so in time. Witnesses also reported that the warning gates and lights at the crossing were working at the time of the Nevada Amtrak train accident.

It is unknown at this time why the big rig truck driver was unable to stop before colliding with the Amtrak train, but possible reasons could be malfunctioning brakes, inattentive driving, lack of visibility, or speeds that were just unsafe for conditions.

Irvine Car Accident Leaves Girl with Irreversible Brain Damage

June 1, 2011 | by Robert Walch

Ashton Sweet, a 14 year old girl, was left with brain damage after the vehicle she was in was struck by a drunk driver in an Irvine car accident. Doctors have declared that the brain damage is irreversible and Sweet is being kept alive while doctors determine if her organs are suitable for donation. Other girls in the vehicle suffered injuries, including Krista Merassa, 15 years old, who suffered serious or catastrophic injuries, and was listed in critical condition.

The girls were passengers in a car driven by one of the girl’s father, when they were struck by the alleged drunk driver, Austin Farley, a 26 year old Irvine man. Farley was arrested on suspicion of DUI and is awaiting his court appearance. Farley and the passenger in his vehicle were not injured in the car accident in Irvine.

According to the Los Angeles Times, Farley pled guilty to DUI in 2009 and also pled guilty to driving with a suspended or revoked license and refusal to take a chemical test for DUI in 2005.

In addition to the serious criminal charges that Farley will be facing, he will also likely be held liable for Irvine wrongful death damages, for the tragic eventual death of Ashton Sweet.

Man Killed and Wife Seriously Injured in Ventura Car Accident

May 31, 2011 | by Robert Walch

Eric Doran, a 36 year old restaurant owner from Newport Beach, was killed this weekend in a freeway accident in Ventura County, California. The Ventura car accident occurred on the 101 freeway in Thousand Oaks.

Doran was the owner of the Eat Chow restaurant, located in Costa Mesa, California. The Thousand Oaks car accident allegedly happened when Doran slowed his vehicle as they approached lanes that were coned-off for early morning construction.

According to the Los Angeles Times, Doran’s vehicle was rear ended by a 1998 Dodge Ram, which smashed their vehicle into the Honda Accord which was in front of them. Doran was pronounced dead at the scene while his wife was taken to hospital with serious injuries.

The car accident in Thousand Oaks occurred shortly after 5:00am. It is unknown if poor visibility or if the fact that Doran was in a Model A roadster contributed to this collision or the injuries and death.

1 Officer Killed, Another Critically Injured in Torrance Motorcycle Accident

May 27, 2011 | by Robert Walch

A Hawthorne police officer was killed and an El Segundo police officer was critically injured in a motorcycle accident in Torrance, California. The officers were taken to Harbor-UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles, where their situations were first described as being in “extremely critical condition.”

According to the Los Angeles Times, the Torrance motorcycle accident occurred during a funeral procession for deceased Manhattan Beach Police Officer, Mark Vasquez, who died of cancer. The funeral procession was traveling from Manhattan Beach to Rancho Palos Verdes, and motorcycle officers were apparently being used to go ahead of the procession to stop traffic.

According to reports, the two officers on motorcycle collided with each other, causing the Hawthorne officer to be thrown from his bike into traffic, where he was hit by a vehicle on Hawthorne Boulevard. The California motorcycle accident is being investigated by the Highway Patrol.

Los Angeles Dodgers Opening Day Spoiled By Assault & Battery Attack

April 5, 2011 | by Robert Walch

The Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants have one of the most storied rivalries in all of sports, dating back before both teams moved west to when they were in New York. Last year the Giants won the World Series, making opening day this year at Dodger Stadium even more special.

According to the Los Angeles Times, after the Dodgers 2-1 opening day victory, most tragically, two alleged Dodgers fans attacked three Giant fans in the parking lot, resulting in a serious brain injury to one of the Giants fans.

Brian Stow, age 42, a paramedic from Santa Cruz and a father of two children, wearing Giant apparel, was walking through the parking lot with two friends when he was violently attacked, punched, knocked to the ground and kicked. As a result, Stow suffered a catastrophic injury to his brain and is in a medically induced coma at Los Angeles County – USC Medical Center, and remains in critical condition. The attackers reportedly fled in a car driven by a woman.

Huntington Beach Man Sentenced In Car Accident Wrongful Death

March 8, 2011 | by Robert Walch

A man from Huntington Beach has been sentenced to three years of probation after a tragic car accident in which he rear ended a truck, which collided with a mother as she was walking with her baby in a stroller in a crosswalk. The baby was launched approximately 70 feet from the impact and died from her injuries in this California wrongful death accident. The mother sustained a dislocated shoulder and fractured vertebrae. The 11 year old niece of the woman was also injured and sustained a broken femur in the Orange County pedestrian accident.

The man was charged criminally for his actions, and plead guilty to misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter, because he caused the Orange County car accident when he was distracted while trying to prevent his laptop from falling off of the seat to the floor of his car. Usually we see vehicular manslaughter charges where the driver who causes the car accident was found to be driving while intoxicated.

However, to be convicted of vehicular manslaughter, it is only necessary to show ordinary negligence and a misdemeanor, infraction or other lawful act that may cause death, such misdemeanor, infraction or other act in fact causing the death. This is another reason to be especially careful while driving and not to talk on your cell phone, text or be involved in other distractions, as engaging in such behavior at the time of an accident could have a serious criminal effect.

Costa Mesa Apartment Fire Kills One and Injures 3

March 1, 2011 | by Robert Walch

According to the Los Angeles Times and Daily Pilot, an apartment fire in Costa Mesa, California has killed a 17 year old boy, who apparently died at the hospital from his smoke inhalation and burn injuries. Two other people and a firefighter also sustained injuries from the fire, which may have included burn injuries and/or smoke inhalation, but they were able to be treated and released from the hospital.

The cause of the Costa Mesa apartment fire is unknown, and may have started in a garage that was converted into a living space. Investigators are also trying to determine the legality of the living space. Depending on what investigators find as to liability, the family of the deceased boy may be able to make a wrongful death claim against the responsible party.

We have previously commented on the many dangers of apartment fires in Los Angeles and throughout California, including the serious risks of burn injuries. Burn injury victims should obtain proper medical care right away as these injuries can be very serious and potentially life threatening. The proper medical care can make a huge difference in the recovery time and the extent of scarring. Depending on where the burn is, scar damage from burn injuries can be traumatizing and life altering.