California Personal Injury Lawyers Blog

UCLA MOURNS DEATH OF WIDE RECEIVER KILLED IN SAN CLEMENTE CAR V. PEDESTRIAN ACCIDENT

September 10, 2013 | by Robert Walch

UCLA football player, Nick Pasquale, was killed Sunday, September 8, 2013, when, while he was walking, he apparently was struck by a car in San Clemente, California. The car reportedly stopped and the driver was not cited. The specific causes of this fatal pedestrian accident are reportedly still under investigation.

According to the Los Angeles Times, Nick was a highly regarded high school athlete at San Clemente High School. At UCLA he was an undersized receiver at 5’7″ and 172 pounds, but was quick, a vocal leader and played in UCLA’s first game this season, a 58-20 victory over Nevada on Saturday, August 31, 2013. That was Nick’s first game ever for UCLA, and so sadly his only game for his university.

Nick was a red shirt freshman, also contributing to UCLA’s success by playing on UCLA’s scout team against its starting defense.

IRWINDALE BUS ACCIDENT CHAOS ON THE 210 FREEWAY

August 25, 2013 | by Robert Walch

The Thursday morning California tour bus accident on the 210 Freeway, just past the 605 Freeway interchange, allegedly occurred when the bus driver braked hard then swerved across lanes, ending up on its side. The bus had picked up its passengers in Monterey Park and San Gabriel and was going to San Manual Indian Bingo and Casino in Highland when this California bus accident occurred.

Reportedly over 50 passengers were hurt, some with injuries described as moderate. Such injuries typically are not accurately described and often are much more serious and painful to the victims than the investigating police officers state.

A truck driver, Jeff Lewis, who apparently witnessed this bus accident, was reported by the Los Angeles Times to have stated that elderly people ended up stuck on top of each other. He estimated that the bus was going approximately 70 miles per hour before the crash.

As a result of this accident, with so many injured, multiple ambulances and other emergency personnel arrived. A triage was set-up, with a helicopter landing area. As a result, the 210 Freeway was closed with traffic clogged for many hours.

Although the injuries were stated to be minor to moderate, seven passengers hurt in this bus crash were airlifted to hospitals. That does not sound like minor injuries, especially with the high cost for such emergency helicopter air medical service.

30 People Injured in 210 Freeway Irwindale Bus Accident

August 22, 2013 | by Robert Walch

A charter bus accident in Irwindale this morning, occurring on the 210 Freeway, resulted in bus accident injuries to approximately 30 people. Fortunately, according to the Los Angeles Times, none of the bus crash injury victims appear to have sustained critical injuries. However, this was a serious incident this morning in which a bus apparently careened off of the highway and ended up on its side.

Although there was a big rig truck stopped close to the scene of the bus crash, it is not clear if the truck had anything to do with the accident, or if the driver possibly just stopped to help after the accident. The California Highway Patrol is investigating the cause of the bus accident and has not yet announced who or what caused this Irwindale, California charter bus accident.

The bus accident, which occurred near the interchange with the 605 Freeway, resulted in all lanes of the 210 freeway being closed. Some of the injured bus passengers had to be airlifted to hospitals for treatment for their injuries.

Parts of Beverly Hills Evacuated Due to Ruptured Gas Line

August 7, 2013 | by Robert Walch

According to the Los Angeles Times, due to the apparent risk of gas explosion injuries, parts of Beverly Hills, California were evacuated today after a rupture occurred in an underground gas line at a construction site. The construction site is for a public works warehouse on 3rd Street in Beverly Hills.

Various entertainment companies had to evacuate their offices due to the risk of a Los Angeles gas explosion. Only minutes ago, it was announced that the gas line rupture had been successfully repaired and the evacuation order was lifted. Fortunately, no injuries were reported from the Beverly Hills gas line rupture.

Southern California Gas Company as well as the Beverly Hills Fire Department worked on repairing the ruptured Beverly Hills gas line.

Just this week, unfortunately, residents of the city of Rosario, in Argentina, were not as lucky when a gas explosion killed at least 10 people and left many others unaccounted for. Apparently, according to Stuff.co.nz, work was being done on the gas system for an apartment building shortly before the gas explosion occurred. That explosion completely destroyed a 10 story apartment building and also caused many gas explosion injuries. Our hearts go out to the victims of this gas explosion, which has particular significance as it was in the home town of Barcelona soccer legend, Lionel Messi.

80 Killed in Spanish Train Accident

July 31, 2013 | by Robert Walch

A train accident on July 24th in northwestern Spain resulted in the death of 80 people and many train accident injuries. According to the Los Angeles Times, the driver of the train, Francisco Garzon, was going too fast for the conditions, as he had to go around a curve. Garzon, who was going approximately twice the speed limit, apparently did not see that there was a curve coming.
Garzon has been charged with reckless homicide for the train passenger deaths. In addition to the wrongful death train accident victims, many passengers were taken to the hospital with very serious train accident injuries. We wish a speedy recovery to these victims of this tragic train crash.

Unfortunately, we see many train accidents happening around the world. Many get reported, but most train accident injuries are less severe and do not make international news. Many people around the world, including in Los Angeles, have been injured by metro, subway and other trains. These train accident injuries range from relatively minor falls, sometimes caused by a rapid acceleration of the train, or more serious incidents involving loss of life.

Man Killed in Calabasas Motorcycle Accident Wrongful Death

June 17, 2013 | by Robert Walch

A 25 year old man from Calabasas, John Westerlund, was killed in a Calabasas motorcycle accident on Wednesday. According to The Acorn, the Calabasas accident occurred on Las Virgenes Road, when the driver of a pick up truck pulled out in front of the motorcycle, attempting to make a u-turn from a parked spot on the street.

Our Calabasas accident lawyers have seen this scenario over and over again. A car will be parked parallel to a street and then, without noticing a car coming in the same direction, will attempt a u-turn when the driver thinks it is safe to enter the opposite direction of travel. Many of these collisions result in a t-bone collision, where the car or motorcycle traveling straight broadsides the vehicle attempting the illegal u-turn.

Oftentimes, the auto insurance company for the vehicle making the illegal turn will try to deflect their liability (fault) by arguing that the vehicle traveling straight was trying to go around the turning vehicle. Insurance companies will often make up these bogus arguments in order to make it more difficult for the victim to get his or her vehicle repaired right away, which causes much frustration and inconvenience. These are among the many reasons to hire an experienced Calabasas car accident lawyer right away after an accident when you are not at fault.

3 People Killed in Tragic Pico Rivera Car Accident

June 14, 2013 | by Robert Walch

A Pico Rivera car accident last night has resulted in the death of a man and two children, who were thrown from the car after the head on collision. According to the Los Angeles Times, the car accident in Pico Rivera apparently happened when the man, who was driving a Honda home from a party, went into the southbound lanes of San Gabriel Parkway, colliding head on with another vehicle.

The Honda was also carrying a woman and another child. Both of them were listed in critical condition from the serious injuries they suffered in this car accident. The other vehicle, a Nissan, had two female occupants. They were both taken to the hospital and their injuries were listed as serious.

The cause of this Pico Rivera accident has not yet been determined by police. Often, in night time accidents where a car goes into the other lane of traffic, alcohol or other intoxicating substances are involved and play a part in causing the crash. However, there are plenty of other scenarios that may have occurred. For example, there may have been a hazard in the roadway that caused the driver to swerve into oncoming traffic.

California Medical Malpractice – Unfair Limits on Pain and Suffering

May 23, 2013 | by Robert Walch

In 1975, the Medical Injury Compensation Reform Act (“MICRA”) was set into law in California. This law unfairly limits the amount of money that a victim of medical malpractice can receive for his or her pain and suffering to only $250,000. This amount has not gone up with inflation in 38 years and is the limit regardless of how severe the injury and malpractice. For example, if a doctor were to negligently remove the wrong leg of a patient, the pain and suffering of the crippled patient is limited to the same $250,000.

For the protection of California’s citizens, this law obviously needs to be changed. We urge our readers to vote in the poll on the website for the Los Angeles Business Journal, by clicking here. The poll is on the bottom right of the page, and we urge a “yes” vote, that the limit on California medical malpractice is unfair and far too low. As of the time of publishing this blog post, 92% of the votes in the poll favor raising the unfair limit on pain and suffering damages.

Newbury Park Wildfire Threatens Homes

May 3, 2013 | by Robert Walch

The “Springs Fire,” which has now burned over 10,000 acres, is threatening about 4,000 homes in Newbury Park California. The California brush fire has caused damage to at least 15 homes and other properties so far. As of now, the Newbury Park fire has not been contained and many residents have had to evacuate their homes.

Fortunately, no incidents of injury or death, to residents or firefighters, have been reported. As always, with a fire as massive as this one, the risk of fire and burn injuries is significant. Adding to the danger is the fact that the Santa Ana winds have been blowing particularly strong this week. Further, the lack of rain in the Los Angeles area this year heightens the risk of brush fires and makes it easier for the fire to spread.

According to CNN, the California fire started on Thursday morning in Camarillo, California, and traveled all the way to Pacific Coast Highway. Due to the fire, a 10 mile area of PCH was closed, just north of Malibu.

As of now, the cause of the Newbury Park brush fire remains unknown. Sometimes these fires are caused by arson, in which case the arsonist, if caught, can face serious criminal charges, including murder if any deaths result from the fire. If caught, the arsonist would also face civil liability for the fire damage caused to property.

Police Looking for Suspect in Beverly Hills Bicycle Crash

April 24, 2013 | by Robert Walch

The Beverly Hills Police Department is looking for the suspect in a hit and run Beverly Hills car versus bicycle collision. According to the Los Angeles Times, the Beverly Hills bicycle crash occurred after a confrontation between the bicycle rider and the driver of a white 3 Series BMW. The bicyclist apparently punched the driver in the face prior to the bicycle crash.

The driver of the BMW then allegedly threatened to kill the bicyclist and crashed into him in an alley behind a restaurant. The car crushed the bicyclist against a steel trash bin, causing bicycle collision injuries to the bicyclist. The bicyclist was taken to the hospital for his injuries, but they were not life threatening.

Surveillance footage of the Beverly Hills bicycle collision can be found by clicking here, courtesy of the L.A. Times. The video shows the BMW swerving to the left, apparently to intentionally collide with the bicyclist, before driving off. The Beverly Hills auto v. bicycle collision occurred on April 3rd, 2013, but police still have not located the driver of the BMW.