California Injury Lawyer Blog

One person was arrested and another person was taken to a hospital following a two-vehicle accident Sunday evening in Penngrove, the Press Democrat reported. The June 27th collision occurred at about 6:20 p.m. at Petaluma Hill Road and Valley House Drive.

According to news reports, Rush Bowers, 31, of Santa Rosa, crashed his Toyota 4-Runner SUV with a Toyota Camry driven by Ann Stafford, 70, of Petaluma. Stafford suffered non-life threatening injuries and was taken by ambulance to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital. Bowers was arrested on suspicion of felony drunken driving and child cruelty, and booked in the Sonoma County Jail. Bowers had two children and one adult in the car at the time of the accident. They were not injured.

Cause of the Sonoma County Crash

If news reports are accurate, the driver of the 4-Runner is responsible for the Petaluma Hill Road collision. However, the crash remains under investigation by the California Highway Patrol.

DUI Accidents and Personal Injury Liability

In addition to criminal charges for drunken driving, a drunk driver may also be held financially liable for injuries sustained in an accident in a civil claim. While this accident remains under investigation by law enforcement, the family of Ann Stafford would be well-advised to consult with a California personal injury attorney who is experienced in representing victims of drunk driving accidents. Victims of car accidents may be entitled to financial compensation for medical care expenses, any lost earnings, emotional pain and suffering, and other accident related expenses. In some cases, punitive damages may also be recovered.

Continue reading "Petaluma Woman Injured in Suspected DUI Crash in Penngrove " »

A couple vacationing in San Francisco from Ohio was tragically killed shortly after their taxicab left the SFO International Airport on Monday, the San Francisco Examiner reported. The solo-vehicle accident occurred moments before 11:00 a.m. June 14th. According to news reports, the man and woman from Cincinnati, Ohio, Dennis Marshall, 61, and his wife Karen Marshall, 59, had just caught a DeSoto Cab Co. taxi at the airport and were on the Interstate 280 off ramp at Mariposa Street in the Potrero Hill neighborhood, on their way to the Mark Hopkins hotel. Apparently, the brakes on the Dodge Intrepid taxi failed and the vehicle struck a steel and concrete freeway support pillar at about 40 mph, coming to rest against a steel mesh fence.

Three sheriff's deputies were driving an empty jail van behind the taxi cab, which burst into flames after the collision. The deputies helped pull the two passengers out of the burning cab and the driver was able to escape on his own. Karen Marshall died at San Francisco General Hospital shortly after arrival, and her husband died at 4:20 p.m. The driver, Fageh Hassan Behbahani of Daly City, was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries and later released.

Cause of the Taxi Cab Accident

The cause of the June 14th taxi accident is under investigation. Law enforcement will no doubt have the Dodge Intrepid inspected to determine exactly what happened. If news reports are accurate and this accident was caused by brake failure, the taxicab company, DeSoto Cab Co., may be liable for this accident, along with the driver and possibly other parties. CBS 5 News reported that the driver of the cab noticed smoke was "pouring out of the front" of the cab before the accident, which may be an indication that he knew there was a problem with the vehicle, but kept driving it. Authorities said Tuesday Fageh Hassan Behbahani is under criminal investigation for not immediately pulling over when he first saw smoke.

Taxi companies are considered "common carriers" and owe passengers a higher duty of care. When taxi drivers are negligent, the taxicab company is also liable. Unlike other taxi companies in San Francisco, DeSoto Cab Co. rents its vehicles to cab drivers on a shift-by-shift basis. Under municipal code, taxi cabs must be inspected at least once a year with valid registration, proof of insurance, and brake certification.

Continue reading "Ohio Couple Killed in San Francisco Taxi Cab Crash " »

The Press-Enterprise reported that one person died and at least five others people were injured in a multi-vehicle accident Thursday afternoon in Menifee. The June 10th crash occurred at about 1:34 p.m. on Newport Road, about 75 feet east of the on-ramp to northbound Interstate 215.

According to the Menifee Police Department, the initial investigation determined that a white Hyundai Santa Fe that had been traveling northbound on the I-215 freeway and had exited the Newport Rd. freeway offramp. The vehicle went through the intersection and struck the center divider of Newport Rd., causing the vehicle to become airborne where it collided with a Mazda minivan in the number one westbound lane of Newport Rd. Another vehicle rear-ended the minivan, and several other vehicles were involved in minor fender-benders trying to avoid the wreckage.

The driver of the minivan, Roland G. Seneff, 69, of Hemet, died as a result of his injuries at Menifee Valley Medical Center. The front passenger in the minvan suffered serious injuries. Three children in the minivan were taken to the hospital and later released. The driver of the Hyundai suffered a broken neck. It was not clear if anyone else was injured.

Cause of the Menifee Crash

According to the Press-Enterprise, the driver of the Hyundai told authorities that when she exited northbound Interstate 215 at Newport Road, she was unable to slow down at the end of the offramp. Regardless of whether the driver of the Hyundai was negligent, or if her vehicle somehow malfunctioned, the driver of the minivan and all of the occupants in his vehicle were victims of this crash.

Continue reading "Hemet Man Killed, At Least Five People Injured in Crash on Newport Road in Menifee" »

A grandfather was critically injured after a woman lost control of her Dodge pickup truck and collided with three other parked cars and ran over him next to Wolters Elementary School in Northeast Fresno. The accident occurred around 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, just as school got out on the day before the last day of the school year.

The 31-year-old woman, who was driving without a license, claimed to have suffered some type of medical condition and told police before the crash. According to the Fresno Bee, the driver of the pickup truck was initially travelling westbound on San Jose Avenue near First Street. In front of Wolters Elementary, she struck a Honda that had three people in it. Her pickup truck then crossed the roadway and struck the grandfather pushing a one-year-old girl in a stroller, dragging him and the baby about 20 feet. The driver then struck another vehicle.

The grandfather suffered severe injuries and was pinned under the vehicle until firefighters could remove him. He and the one-year-old girl were taken to Community Regional Medical Center. The unlicensed driver complained of neck pain and was also taken to a local hospital. According to Fresno Police, she may be cited. Many children waiting to be picked up by their parents witnessed the crash.

Continue reading "Grandfather Critically Injured After Being Struck by Out-of-Control Vehicle in Northeast Fresno " »

Two people suffered serious injuries following a head-on collision in Riverside County Tuesday night, the Press-Enterprise reported. The accident occurred around 6 p.m. at Corydon Avenue and Sunny Hills Drive, and involved a Honda sedan and a Toyota sedan. According to the Press-Enterprise, the driver of one car and a passenger in the other vehicle were taken to a local hospital with moderate injuries. Both are expected to survive.

Cause of the Accident

Based on the limited information provided in news reports, it is not clear what exactly happened in this June 8th Norco crash, who was responsible, or even what direction the vehicles were travelling. In most head-on crashes, one vehicle crosses into oncoming traffic, resulting in a collision. These "lane departure" accidents occur for countless reasons, including unsafe passing, street racing, the driver being distracted, fatigued, or drunk, or due to the driver losing control of the vehicle due to a tire blowout or mechanical malfunction.

Head-on Crash Personal Injury Liability

The family members of the injured victims of this crash would be well-advised to speak to a Riverside personal injury attorney as soon as possible, while the accident remains under investigation. An attorney can help the victims understand and protect their legal rights following this Riverside car accident, and obtain full and fair compensation from the party responsible for their injuries, including monetary damages for medical expenses, lost earnings and wages, and pain and suffering.

Continue reading "Two People Hurt in Head-on Collision in Norco " »

In personal injury news, after a three-week trial and two days of deliberation, a jury in Barstow has awarded $32.2 million to a 17-year-old boy who was left quadriplegic after he jumped from a moving pickup truck and struck his head on the pavement on Highway 127 in 2003. The family of Dillon Elkins will receive 80% of the award, as the jury found the driver 80% at fault, and Dillon 20% at fault.

According to the LA Times, back in 2003, Dillon Elkins (who was 10 at the time) and another 10-year-old boy approached a football player, Robert Murchison, who was 18 at the time, and asked for a ride. Murchison alleged he said no, because the cab of the truck was full, and that Dillon and the other boy got into the cab of the truck on their own.

In court documents, Dillon's attorney contended that Murchison told the two young boys that if he saw a cop, he would yell or honk, and they should jump out. On northbound CA-127, Murchison saw a CHP vehicle going in the opposite direction, and reportedly told the boys to jump.

Dillon's mother was told at the hospital that he might mot make it through the night. He remained in a coma for three weeks. He sustained a massive traumatic brain injury that left him unable to talk, walk or eat anything except through a feeding tube.

Continue reading "Barstow Jury Awards $32 Million to Baker Boy Left Quadriplegic After 2003 Accident " »

A 30-year-old Bakersfield woman died following a horrific head-on collision on Highway 395 Monday afternoon in Hesperia, the San Bernardino Sun reported. The June 7th collision was reported on Highway 395 at Eucalyptus Street at about 4:55 p.m. According to news reports, Cynthia Guerra was driving a 2004 Nissan Quest minivan on Hwy 395 when a 2005 Chevy Silverado truck drifted into her lane and struck her vehicle head-on. Guerra was flown to Desert Valley Hospital in Victorville, where she died of her injuries. The San Bernardino Sheriff's Department is investigating the cause of the accident

The Victorville Daily Press reported that five vehicles, including a tractor trailer were involved in the collision. Further information about the other vehicles involved was not available. Five ground ambulances and four helicopters responded to the accident. Along with the one fatality, three people suffered critical injuries and three others suffered moderate injuries. The victims were taken to Arrowhead Regional Center and Loma Linda University Medical Center, fire officials said.

Continue reading "Bakersfield Woman Killed, Six Others Injured in Head-on Crash on Highway 395 in Hesperia " »

Two window washes were very critically injured in an accident Saturday in Orinda, Mercury News reported. The two men, Jose Herrera, 51, and Eduardo Guerra, 30, were working for Santa Clara-based Delta Window Cleaning, when the accident occurred outside a three-story Orinda office building around 9:48 a.m. The incident occurred in the parking lot of the Village Square Shopping Center on Orinda Way where the Orinda Farmers Market was underway.

According to ABC News, Herrera and Guerra were in a cherry picker about 50 feet in the air when they hit some high-voltage power wires. Both men were electrocuted and suffered burns over more than 95% of their bodies. Several people at the nearby farmer's market witnessed the explosion and watched helplessly as they cherry picker bucket burned above the ground.

According to the Moraga-Oranda Fire District, when firefighters arrived, they found two victims on a lift platform about 50 feet off the ground, a large crowd in the area, and a live high voltage electrical wire down on the ground. Working cooperatively with police personnel, bystanders were moved back from the arcing power lines while firefighters tried to find a way to lower the lift platform. They were unsuccessful due to electrical damage to the lift controls. Rescue operations were complicated because the victims were trapped fifty feet above the ground near the power lines. Battalion Chief Randy Trumpf said, "We could not affect a rescue until the electrical power could be handled safely to avoid injury to bystanders and rescuers".

The two men were airlifted to the burn center at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center with second- and third-degree burns. A nurse said they were both in very critical condition. Please keep both Jose Herrera and Eduardo Guerra in your prayers.

Continue reading "Two Window Washers Critically Injured in Electrical Accident " »

A crash in Nevada County Saturday morning left three people injured, the Union reported Monday. The June 5th accident occurred at about 10:45 a.m. on Highway 20 above Nevada City.

According to news reports, a 62-year-old Washington woman was driving westbound on Hwy 20 in a Hyundai Accent, when for unknown reasons, she lost control of her vehicle. The CHP reported that her car spun out into eastbound traffic, into the path of a Toyota Camry driven by a 77-year-old Penn Valley man. The driver of the Camry reportedly attempted to swerve but was unable to avoid the collision. The Hyundai went off the road and took down a street sign.

The driver of the Hyundai was airlifted to Sutter Roseville Medical Center with a traumatic brain injury and blunt force trauma to the chest. The driver of the Camry and his passenger, an 80-year-old Penn Valley woman, were taken to Sierra Nevada Memorial hospital with moderate injuries. We hope that all three of the victims make a full and fast recovery from their injuries.

Continue reading "Three Injured in Head-On Crash on Highway 20 in Nevada County " »

A man died early Thursday morning in a crash on Interstate 5 near Patterson, the Tracy Press reported.

The Stanislaus County accident occurred around 3:15 a.m. Thursday June 3rd, on southbound I-5, just south of Sperry Road. According to reports, the 68-year-old man driving the truck lost control of the vehicle for unknown reasons.

The vehicle veered off the roadway and the driver, a Tracy man who was not identified, died at the scene. Bee cages and at least 30 beehives were scattered across the highway and thousands of bees escaped.

Cause of the Crash

According to a CHP spokesman, the highway patrol is still looking into the cause of the crash, and whether or not a medical emergency may have sent the truck into the barrier. The agency will also look into other possible factors, such as whether a dangerous road condition or mechanical malfunction in the vehicle caused or contributed to the collision with the concrete barrier.

Continue reading "Tracy Man Killed in Interstate 5 Crash in Patterson " »

In personal injury lawsuit news, on May 29th, a jury in Yolo County awarded a 63-year-old man $1.5 million for injuries he suffered in a truck accident on October 2, 2004. According to the Daily Democrat, plaintiff Michial Jacobs was driving his pickup truck pulling a trailer on I-505 north of Highway 16 when the driver of a big rig truck behind him fell asleep at the wheel.

The big-rig, loaded with 40,000 pounds of sugar, rear-ended Jacobs' pickup truck and trailer at about 55 mph. Jacobs reportedly suffered a concussion, fractured a left rib, and an injury to his mid back which resulted in chronic back pain. He has not been able to return to work as a carpenter since the accident.

The truck driver was employed with Washington state-based companies Pacific Transportation Services and Ernie Newland. The Daily Democrat reported that the plaintiff offered to settle on June 20, 2007, for the insurance policy limits. As a result of the defendants' refusal to accept that offer, the plaintiff is entitled to an additional $442,000 in interest plus all costs. The jury's award is the largest known verdict for a single person's injury in Yolo County.

Continue reading "Yolo County Jury Awards $1.5 Million to Man Injured in Interstate 505 Truck Accident " »

Two women from Coachella died Wednesday in a solo vehicle rollover crash on Highway 86, near the Riverside/Imperial County Line, the Desert Sun reported. The accident occurred at about 4:30 p.m. June 2nd on northbound Highway 86, about a half-mile north of Treadwell Boulevard, the Riverside County Coroner's office said.

According to authorities, Maria Lopez de Mora, 64, was driving a 2007 Chevrolet minivan northbound on Highway 86. A 28-year-old Coachella man was in the right front seat, and Silvia Lopez Gastelum, 61, was in the back seat. The van was travelling around 70 mph when for unknown reasons, the driver lost control of the vehicle. The van overturned several times across the center median and came to rest in the southbound lanes of Highway 86. Gastelum was ejected from the vehicle.

Both of the women were flown to Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs, where they died. The male passenger, who was not identified, suffered non-life-threatening injuries.

Continue reading "Two Women Killed, Man Injured in Rollover Crash on Highway 86 Near Salton Sea Beach " »

A 28-year-old Bakersfield woman died Wednesday night after the car she was riding it was struck by a suspected drunk driver, ABC News reported. The victim was identified as Perla Gonzalez, 28, of Bakersfield. The accident occurred at about 10:40 p.m. at the intersection of Mt. Vernon Avenue and Kentucky Street. KERO ABC News reported that 23-year-old Marcus Trevino of Fallbrook (San Diego County) was speeding in an orange Mitsubishi on Kentucky Avenue toward Mount Vernon Avenue.

Authorities believe Trevino ran a stop sign, broadsiding an Infiniti driven by Cherie Marie Lopez, 19. Lopez, passenger Perla Gonzalez, and her 1-year-old Jayden Gonzalez were pinned in the Infiniti and were rescued by bystanders. Lopez suffered minor injuries. Perla Gonzalez died of her injuries at Kern Medical Center. Trevino, the suspected drunk driver, was not hurt. He was arrested on charges of felony DUI and gross vehicular manslaughter.

Drunk Driving Liability

Crashes caused by drunk drivers are 100% preventable. Drunk driving destroys not just lives, but entire families. While this absolutely devastating crash is under investigation, the family of Perla Gonzalez would be well-advised to contact a Bakersfield wrongful death lawyer as soon as possible. An attorney can help hold the driver responsible for his actions in a wrongful death suit, and obtain compensation for the victim's unexpected loss, including damages for funeral and medical expenses, lost earnings, and loss of love, care and companionship.

Continue reading "Bakersfield Woman Killed, Two Injured in Suspected Drunk Driving Crash in Kern County " »

The Napa County Sheriff's Department has reported four people in the same family spanning three generations were killed in a crash involving two big rig trucks on state Highway 12 (Jamieson Canyon Road) Thursday morning. The accident occurred around 8:20 a.m. on Highway 12, just east of Kirkland Ranch Road.

According to news reports, just moments before the crash occurred, a big-rig was travelling westbound on Highway 12 directly behind a Subaru. Traffic began to slow, and the driver of the big-rig did not stop in time, resulting with a rear-end collision with the Subaru in front of it. The impact pushed the car into oncoming traffic and into the path of an eastbound big-rig. The eastbound truck struck the Subaru and pushed it about 200 feet up the road.

According to the San Francisco Chronicle, killed were the four occupants of the Subaru: the driver Matthew Jay Smith, 48, of Ashland, Ore.; his daughter, Laura Katharine Smith, 19, of Downingtown, Pa.; and his parents, Richard Smith, 80, and Sally Smith, 74, of Simsbury, Conn.

The driver of the westbound big-rig in the initial rear-end collision suffered minor to moderate injuries. The westbound big rig also clipped a Chevy commercial truck that was reportedly in front of the small passenger car. A driver and passenger in the commercial truck were not seriously injured. The driver of the eastbound big-rig truck was also not seriously hurt.

The scene of this horrific accident must have been completely devastating. The fact that four innocent lives were lost is incredibly sad and heartbreaking. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family members of the four victims of this tractor-trailer crash.

Continue reading "Four Family Members Killed in Highway 12 Crash Involving Two Big Rigs in Napa County " »

Four people, including a 12-year-old boy, were airlifted to hospitals after a head-on collision on Highway 53 Wednesday morning in Lake County, the Lake County Record Bee reported. Stephen Phipps, 46, of Clearlake, was driving a 2002 Ford Ranger pickup truck northbound on Highway 53 near Anderson Ranch Parkway, when he crossed over the center turn lane and into southbound traffic, directly in the path of a 2000 Oldsmobile van driven by Luisa Enriquez, 43, of Clearlake. The June 2nd collision occurred at about 7:40 a.m., and the vehicles came to a rest blocking one of the southbound lanes.

Luisa Enriquez was flown by a REACH air ambulance to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital with broken bones in her legs. A 12-year-old boy in her vehicle was taken by ambulance to St. Helena Hospital and then flown to Oakland Children's Hospital with fractured bones in his leg, arm and face.

Phipps was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of a controlled substance. He was blown by REACH to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital with internal injuries. A passenger in his pickup truck was also flown to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital with internal injuries. According to the CHP, all parties were wearing their seat belts and airbags deployed in both vehicles.

Continue reading "Four Airlifted After Lake County Crash; Clearlake Man Arrested " »

An 85-year-old Rodeo woman died following a two-vehicle collision on Highway 29 over Memorial Day weekend, the Santa Rosa Press Democrat reported. According to news reports, Helen R. Valentine, 85, was a passenger in a 2001 Toyota Corolla driven by Angelo Accurso, 85, of Hidden Valley Lake.

While attempting a turn from westbound Hartmann Road onto Highway 29, Accurso's Corolla was struck by a southbound 1998 Ford Windstar van driven by Vidal Montanez, 51, of Clearlake. The crash occurred at around 8:30 a.m. May 29th. Montanez was not injured in the collision. Both Valentine and Accurso were flown by helicopter to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital. Valentine died of her injuries; Accurso suffered a broken hip. The cause of the collision is still under investigation by the California Highway Patrol.

Highway 29 Accidents

Last August, two people died in an accident on Highway 29 at Spruce Grove Road, about two miles away from the location of the May 29th accident. In January of this year, a 82-year-old pedestrian was struck and killed on Highway 29/Highway 128 in Napa County.

Continue reading "Elderly Woman Dies Following Weekend Crash in Lake County " »