California Personal Injury Lawyers Blog

Woman Rescued After Sherman Oaks Truck Accident

May 10, 2012 | by Robert Walch

A Sherman Oaks truck accident last night caused injuries to the occupant of the pickup truck and to the driver of another vehicle. The Sherman Oaks accident occurred at about 11:40pm when, according to the Los Angeles Times, a woman crashed into a light pole and took down the pole as well as high voltage power lines. The driver of the truck was arrested based on a suspicion of DUI.

According to Los Angeles KTLA news, a bystander heard the Sherman Oaks truck crash and helped the woman escape from her vehicle. The bystander said the woman was in shock as the truck went up in flames. The driver of another vehicle also sustained what the fire department described as minor injuries in the Sherman Oaks car accident.

Given the nature of this collision, with downed power lines and a truck fire, including a possible burn injury, it is very lucky that the injuries were not more serious. Downed power lines pose particular dangers and must always be avoided. Anyone who spots down power lines should immediately call 911 for emergency assistance.

2 Killed in California Bicycle Accident Wrongful Death

April 10, 2012 | by Robert Walch

The 17 year old driver of a Cadillac Escalade was allegedly driving erratically when he struck a family of bicycle riders, killing a father and his daughter in a tragic California bicycle accident wrongful death. The driver of the Cadillac sustained minor injuries in the Northern California bike accident.

According to the Los Angeles Times, witnesses reported that the driver of the Cadillac was speeding, passing cars and changing lanes erratically. The family was riding on the sidewalk when they were struck by the SUV. The deceased were Solaiman Nuri, a 41 year old man, and his daughter Hadessa Nuri, only nine years old. Another daughter sustained minor injuries in the bike accident in California.

The Concord, California police sergeant Matthew Morrissey said the driver of the Escalade was arrested and faces charges of vehicular manslaughter and may be charged as an adult. Further, authorities are investigating whether the teenager was using his cell phone at the time of the California bicycle crash.

This tragic auto versus bicycle collision should have been avoided. It appears from the facts that the driver of the sports utility vehicle was reckless and careless in the operation of his vehicle. The surviving family members of the victims of this California wrongful death bicycle accident should contact a California bicycle accident lawyer to help them recover the full amount of California wrongful death damages available to them.

Riverside Dog Attack Injures Young Boy

April 8, 2012 | by Robert Walch

A Riverside dog attack on Friday resulted in dog bite injuries to an eleven year old boy. According to the Los Angeles Times, the Riverside dog bite occurred when a pit bull dog, belonging to a neighbor, somehow escaped from a leash and attacked the boy. The father of the boy then got his gun and shot the dog.

Riverside police said the pit bull dog attack victim should recover fully from his dog bite injury. The dog was taken by animal control and is expected to be put down. It was not reported what part or parts of the body of the boy were bitten by the pit bull dog. Usually, the wounds occur to the hands, arms or legs, as these are the areas that dogs frequently strike.

Some very serious dog attack injuries occur when dogs bite near the head or neck area of a victim. These dog bite wounds may leave unsightly scars and/or cause severe emotional distress in their victims. Many dog attack victims often suffer from nightmares associated with the incident and have trouble getting back to their normal lives, including trusting other dogs.

The California dog bite law is that the owner of a dog is strictly liable for the damages caused when the dog bites another person. This means that the owner is responsible for any dog bite damages, regardless if the dog has attacked anyone in the past. Some people mistakenly think that there is a “one bite rule” in which the owner is not responsible the first time his or her dog attacks and bites a victim. However, it does not matter if there was a prior bite in the dog’s history or what type of dog is involved.

Car Accident in Westminster Injures 2 and Causes 1 Wrongful Death

April 5, 2012 | by Robert Walch

A wrongful death car accident in Westminster occurred earlier today. A female passenger in one of the cars was killed in the Westminster crash. Two other people were seriously injured in the auto accident. The female passenger died at the scene of the accident and the other two injured people had to be extricated from a vehicle by firefighters.

According to the Los Angeles Times, one of the vehicles was traveling north on Hoover and the other car was going south. Police did not say if this was a head on collision, but under the circumstances this seems likely. The two critically injured people were taken to local trauma centers in Santa Ana and Irvine.

The Orange County car accident occurred near the intersection of Hoover St. and Hazard Ave., at about five o’clock in the afternoon. Police are investigating what caused this fatal Orange County crash. These types of collisions, possibly a head on collision, can be caused by one driver’s inattentiveness or by a distraction such as a cell phone. Sometimes a driver tries to avoid an obstacle in the road or another car and ends up swerving into opposing traffic.

Hit and Run Accident Causes Los Angeles Wrongful Death

April 2, 2012 | by Robert Walch

Police have not yet apprehended the motorist who struck a pedestrian in a Los Angeles wrongful death pedestrian accident on Sunday. According to the Los Angeles Times, a man was crossing the street, in a crosswalk, at the intersection of Normandie Ave. and W. 5th Street, in Koreatown, when he was hit by a car making a right turn. The driver of the vehicle involved in the Los Angeles pedestrian accident was going east on W. 5th Street, turning onto Normandie, when he struck the man crossing the street.

The suspect in the Los Angeles hit and run accident then left the scene without providing aid and without identifying him or herself. Police said the pedestrian was deceased at the time first responders arrived at the scene of the Koreatown accident.

Anyone with information as to the car or driver of the vehicle, no matter how insignificant the information may seem, should call the Los Angeles Police Department and give the information to investigators. Oftentimes small tips add up to enough information to locate the suspect.

St. Patrick’s Day – Los Angeles Car Accident Warning

March 16, 2012 | by Robert Walch

This Saturday is Saint Patrick’s Day, a holiday recognizing Saint Patrick, a patron saint of Ireland. As the holiday is often associated with the lifting of restrictions on drinking alcohol, this is a day that many people will be drinking throughout Los Angeles County. This holiday, combined with the rain showers that are expected throughout the weekend, can lead to heightened car accident dangers on the roads.

We at Gary K. Walch, A Law Corporation, wish to remind our readers to be extra cautious when driving this weekend. As with most holiday weekends, there will be people drinking and driving. It is important to remember that no matter how short the trip, or how costly the transportation, never drink and drive. If you plan on drinking, make sure you have a designated driver or can arrange for a taxi or other transportation. The cost of a taxi is always cheaper than a DUI arrest or, even worse, a drunk driving car accident.

If you are intoxicated and cause a Los Angeles car accident, not only will you be financially responsible for any personal injuries you cause, you may also be subject to criminal liability, which may include jail or prison time. It is anticipated that the Los Angeles Police Department will set up checkpoints throughout the city to try to preemptively stop drunk drivers, before they cause a car accident in Los Angeles.

Woman Killed in Oxnard Car Accident

March 13, 2012 | by Robert Walch

An Oxnard car accident on Tuesday resulted in the death of a woman who apparently drove her car into oncoming traffic. According to the Ventura County Star, the woman, Jill McDonald, an Oxnard resident, apparently caused the collisions when her BMW, going south on Victoria Avenue, went over the dirt median and into the opposing lanes of traffic. There, it had head on collisions with two other vehicles.

Oxnard police said it was not yet clear why McDonald crossed the median and went into oncoming traffic. According to Oxnard police, Roberto Ramos, the driver of one of the vehicles struck by McDonald, suffered a leg injury and also experienced chest pain in the car accident in Oxnard. The other car struck by McDonald, driven by Donna Leitte, also had four young children inside. Fortunately, according to police, the children and Leitte only sustained what were described as minor injuries in the Oxnard accident.

This is a complicated legal situation. Those who were injured in these collisions should contact an Oxnard personal injury lawyer to investigate the cause of the crashes and why McDonald went into oncoming traffic. There are numerous possible reasons why McDonald could have crossed over the median. Possible explanations include avoiding a hazard, a sudden health incident (such as a stroke or heart attack), a tire blowout or a suicide attempt. The coroner’s office should be able to determine the cause of death and whether McDonald died before or after the impacts.

Man Killed in Simi Valley Motorcycle Accident Wrongful Death

March 9, 2012 | by Robert Walch

A Simi Valley motorcycle accident on Wednesday night caused the wrongful death of the male motorcycle rider and caused serious injuries to the female passenger of the motorcycle. The motorcycle crash apparently occurred when the motorcycle, driven by a Chatsworth resident, struck a Honda CRV that was making a left turn from the eastbound direction of Cochran Street to the Northbound direction of Stearns.

Both the man and woman were thrown from the motorcycle. The man died at the scene and the woman was taken to Los Robles Medical Center in Thousand Oaks. The woman suffered serious neck, rib, pelvis, and head injuries. We wish her the best in her recovery from these motorcycle accident injuries.

According to the Ventura County Star, police said the driver of the Honda CRV did not appear to be impaired at the time of the Simi Valley motorcycle crash. It is also unlikely that the Honda driver suffered injuries, but it is possible.

There are many possible causes to this Ventura County motorcycle accident. One possible cause is that the driver of the CRV did not see the motorcycle coming and made the left turn in front of the motorcycle, causing this accident. In this case, the driver would be responsible for the motorcycle accident wrongful death damages. However, the driver of the CRV may claim that when he started the left turn it was safe, but the motorcycle was speeding and unable to stop, which caused the collision.

Camarillo Car Accident Kills Passenger

March 8, 2012 | by Robert Walch

A female passenger in a car making a left turn was killed in a Camarillo car accident on Monday. The victim, Antje Curphey, a 69 year old Fillmore resident, died from her injuries from the crash. The Camarillo crash happened at around 6:30pm when Richena Curphey, the victim’s daughter, allegedly made a left turn onto Carmen Drive, when it was struck by a truck crossing through the intersection.

The truck struck the passenger side of the victim’s Honda, leading to a direct impact where Antje Curphey was seated. The crash caused the truck to flip over and land on its roof. Both drivers were taken to hospitals, but their injuries were described as non-life threatening. The Camarillo Police Department is currently investigating what caused this Camarillo truck accident. If the truck driver bears any responsibility for the crash, the victim’s family may seek Camarillo wrongful death damages. The Camarillo Acorn reports that police do not expect that alcohol or drugs played a part in causing the Camarillo accident.

Left turn accidents occur all the time throughout Ventura County and the greater Los Angeles area. Usually, there is a presumption that the vehicle making the left turn is at fault for causing the crash. However, there are instances when the driver going straight is at fault or shares liability. Sometimes, the driver going straight is speeding or runs a red light, causing the collision. However, if a person attempting to make a left turn suspects that an oncoming vehicle is speeding or may run the red light, it is best to wait for the vehicle to pass and for the intersection to be clear before attempting the turn.

Volunteers Searching for Driver in Oxnard Pedestrian Accident

February 27, 2012 | by Robert Walch

According to the Ventura County Star, volunteers are searching for the driver of a hit and run vehicle that collided with three young girls in a tragic Oxnard pedestrian accident. Apparently, on February 4th, three young girls were walking on a bicycle path when a vehicle, which is believed to be a silver Toyota Camry, traveling on Victoria Avenue, near the intersection with Santa Monica Drive, struck all three girls.

One of the girls, only six years old, suffered serious injuries in the Oxnard accident and was taken to Children’s Hospital in Los Angeles. The girl’s mother, Joel Aronson, said that her daughter suffered a serious head injury, as well as injuries to her femur, spine, neck and chest.

Volunteers have been distributing fliers around the neighborhood, including at car repair shops, to see if anyone has any information that could lead to locating the driver of the hit and run car that injured the three girls. The California Highway Patrol has also requested that anyone with information on the driver or owner of the vehicle contact the Ventura office at 805-477-4100.

The two other girls who were hit by the car in Oxnard, also suffered injuries, but they are not believed to be as serious. Head and brain injury accidents are very serious and much medical care will be needed for this severely injured girl. Sometimes a brain injury can have lasting effects that can be difficult to diagnose and treat.