California Injury Lawyer Blog

SISKIYOU COUNTY - A 50-year-old Yreka woman was airlifted to Mercy Medical Center Tuesday night following a car crash in Yreka, the Siskiyou Daily reported. The accident was reported in the 1000 block of North Foothill Drive. According to reports, the driver, Leta Faris, was travelling westbound on North Foothill Drive at approximately 45 miles per hour when her right front tire went off the roadway and onto the soft shoulder. The vehicle spun out, and the driver's side impacted with some trees. The Yreka Police Department is investigating the March 29, 2011 Siskiyou County car accident.

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SANTA CLARA - A 23-year-old woman leaving her job at a bowling injuries suffered serious injuries Sunday night when she was struck by a Mercedes involved in a street race, the San Jose Mercury News reported. The woman was reportedly leaving her job at the AMF Moonlite Lanes Bowling Center on El Camino Real and pulled out of a driveway and completed a southbound left turn. Her vehicle was struck almost head-on by a Mercedes driven by Vincent Mergonoto, 19. The woman was found unconscious inside her Honda, was taken to Stanford University Medical Center with critical injuries.

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MERCED COUNTY - A passenger was taken to a Merced-area hospital with non-life-threatening injuries Friday night, following a suspected drunk driving crash in the 2300 block of R Street, the Merced Sun Star reported. The suspected drunk driver, Shaneil Pollard, 27, was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence and booked in the Merced County Jail. The cause of the accident remains under investigation. Anyone with information about the crash is asked to contact officer Chavez at (209) 388-7713 or the Merced Police Department Tipster Line at (209) 385-4725.

DUI Accident Passenger Injury Liability

In addition to criminal charges for driving under the influence, the suspected drunk driver may also be liable for the injuries sustained by his passenger. If the investigation confirms the driver is responsible for this accident, the injured victim may be entitled to damages for medical care expenses, time away from work, and pain and suffering. While this March 18th accident remains under investigation, the family members of the injured passenger would be well-advised to speak with an experienced drunk driving accident injury victim lawyer. A knowledgeable attorney who has represented numerous victims of DUI accidents can advise the victim and his or her family of their best course of action to hold the responsible driver - and anyone else who contributed to this accident - fully accountable.

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SUNNYVALE - A 63-year-old resident of Columbia, MD suffered major injuries March 18th when his car went off the road on Highway 85 in Sunnyvale, the Sun reported. The accident occurred Wednesday afternoon in rainy weather about a mile north of Fremont Avenue. According to news reports, the victim, Peter Olsen, was driving a 2011 Kia northbound on the highway, when for reasons unknown, his car veered off the right side of the road and struck a tree on the shoulder. Authorities responding to the Santa Clara County accident found Olsen out of the vehicle and walking in traffic lanes, apparently disoriented. He was taken to Stanford Hospital with major injuries, including rib fractures, a broken right forearm, a broken sternum, bruised lungs and internal bleeding. Anyone who witnessed the crash is asked to call the CHP at 650-369-6261 ext. 355. The cause of the Sunnyvale car accident remains under investigation.

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DALY CITY - A Daly City police motorcycle officer lost control of his bike Tuesday afternoon on Highway 92 and was subsequently struck by a utility truck, the San Francisco Examiner reported. At about 4 p.m. on March 8th, the CHP received reports of a disabled 2000 Ford utility truck in the eastbound lanes of traffic near Skyline Boulevard. It later became apparent that the motorcycle officer was also involved in the crash, and had initially lost control of his bike due to oil in the roadway and was subsequently struck. The CHP is investigating the March 8th Highway 92 accident.

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Unilever United States, the manufacturer of Skippy Peanut Butter, has recalled two of its products sold in 16 different states after a routine testing indicated salmonella may be present. According to a press release from the FDA, the recall is limited to Skippy® Reduced Fat Creamy Peanut Butter Spread and Skippy® Reduced Fat Super Chunk Peanut Butter Spread.

The recalled peanut butter was distributed to retail outlets in 16 states: Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Wisconsin.

The jars of contaminated peanut butter can be identified by the UPC code and the 'best if used by date.' The UPC codes under recall are 048001006812 and 048001006782. Best if used by dates to avoid are MAY1612LR1, MAY1712LR1, MAY1812LR1, MAY1912LR1, MAY2012LR1 and MAY2112LR1. Consumers who have purchased the product are urged to discontinue use and call the company for a replacement coupon.

What is Salmonella?

Salmonella is a bacteria that can cause infections in humans. Although there are more than 2,300 serotypes (different antigenic strains) in the salmonella family, two types of salmonella - Salmonella Enteritidis and Salmonella Typhimurium - account for half of all human infections. When present in food, salmonella does not usually affect the taste, appearance or smell. According to the Centers for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, salmonellosis, the infection caused by the bacteria Salmonella, is responsible for 1.4 million cases of foodborne illnesses and more than 500 deaths every year in the United States.

Do you have a foodborne illness case?

If you have suffered a foodborne illness from salmonella contamination, you may be entitled to substantial compensation from the manufacturer of the peanut butter for medical care, lost earnings, and pain and suffering. Peanut butter salmonella illness attorneys at Estey Bomberger are screening potential cases from this outbreak at 1-800-724-3817 or via our contact form. The lawyers at Estey Bomberger have represented and recovered millions of dollars in settlements numerous victims of foodborne illnesses, including salmonella and e. coli. From our offices in California, our attorneys represent foodborne illness victims around the country.

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PISMO BEACH - A 37-year-old Visalia man was killed Saturday when he was thrown from a Yamaha Rhino UTV at the Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area. The March 5th accident happened just before 1:30 p.m. at the Sand Highway Marker 13 area. The victim, Jose Lopez, Jr., was riding a Yamaha Rhino that overturned. Lopez died of his injuries at the scene. Another passenger was unharmed. According to the Fresno Bee, the state Department of Parks and Recreation is the primary agency investigating the accident.

Yamaha Rhino Safety Issues

The causes of fatal accidents on sand dunes vary widely. Fatal accidents may be attributed to rider inexperience, riding under the influence, and defects in the vehicles themselves. Although there are inherent risks with any utility terrain vehicle, Yamaha Rhinos are widely regarded as dangerous - more than 50 deaths have been attributed to Yamaha Rhinos. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) begain investigating Yamaha Rhino safety issues in 2008, and the vehicles were recalled by Yamaha on March 31, 2009.

Yamaha Rhino Design Defect Wrongful Death Liability

After any fatal accident, family members may have many questions. Why did the accident happen? Could their loss have been prevented? Was the manufacturer of the vehicle responsible? Especially when loved ones are killed in recalled vehicles, family members would be encouraged to consult with an experienced California wrongful death attorney who has represented numerous victims of Yamaha Rhino rollover accidents. A skilled attorney can stay on top of the investigation into the cause of the accident and arrange to have the vehicle involved in the accident inspected by an expert. If the accident was likely attributed to a defect in the Yamaha Rhino, an attorney can help the family protect their rights to file a claim against Yamaha for their loss.

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THOUSAND PALMS - One person was injured in a crash Thursday afternoon in Thousand Palms, KPSP News reported. The accident, which involved a big rig, a small car, and a pickup truck, was reported on eastbound Interstate 10 at Monterey Avenue, just after 12 p.m. on Thursday, March 3, 2011. According to news reports, the three vehicle Riverside County crash was triggered by a tire blowout in one of the vehicles. One person - who was not injured - had to be cut out of a vehicle by firefighters. Another person suffered "moderate injuries" and was taken to a local hospital.

Cause of the Crash

The CHP reported that one of the vehicles involved in the crash had a tire blowout. Tire blowouts are serious situations, and it is very fortunate that no one was killed in this crash. There are numerous causes on tire blowouts, from negligent vehicle maintenance to tire manufacturing defects. It is also possible that the tire was punctured by debris in the road.

Personal Injury Liability Issues

Although this Interstate 10 accident remains under investigation by the CHP, the injured victim, or his or her family would be well-advised to speak with a California car accident attorney about the accident and the victim's legal rights. A lawyer who has handled numerous tire blowout accident injury claims can review the accident report, as well as determine whether the tire that rapidly deflated has been recalled for a manufacturing defect, and advise the victim of their best course of action to protect their rights following this accident. If negligence of another driver, or the manufacturer of a tire caused this crash, the victim may be able to recover damages for medical care expanses, lost earnings, pain and suffering, and other damages.

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TEHAMA COUNTY - A 64-year-old Corning man tragically died Friday afternoon when his motorcycle was struck from behind on South Avenue in Corning, the Corning Observer reported. The accident occurred west of Mary Avenue at about 4:40 p.m. on Friday, February 25, 2011. According to news accounts, the victim, Gary Jackson, was riding his 2006 Harley Davidson eastbound on South Avenue, behind a BMW driven by Joylynn Aanenson, 51, of Corning. When Aanenson and Jackson slowed for a truck pulling into a driveway, Curtis Guzman, the 18-year-old driver of a Dodge Ram truck behind Jackson did not see the two vehicles slow down. Guzman plowed into the back of Jackson's motorcycle, ejecting him, and then striking the BMW. Gary Jackson died at the scene of the crash. Neither Aanenson or Guzman were hurt.

Cause of the Crash

The cause of the February 25th crash remains under investigation by the California Highway Patrol. However, if news accounts are accurate, the driver of the Dodge Ram pickup truck is likely responsible for this accident for failing to pay attention to traffic conditions ahead of him. Alcohol or drugs reportedly did not appear to be a factor in the fatal collision. The CHP reported that they would file a report with the Tehama County District Attorney's Office and manslaughter charges against Guzman are pending.

Motorcycle Accident Wrongful Death Liability

While this accident remains under investigation by the CHP, the family members of Gary Jackson would be well-advised to contact a California motorcycle accident lawyer about their legal rights in a wrongful death claim. If Guzman is indeed responsible for this fatal collision, he may be financially liable for the death of the motorcyclist, and the family may be able to recover damages for funeral and burial expenses, lost earnings, and loss of love, care, guidance and companionship. An experienced California wrongful death lawyer can review the accident report and advise the victim's family of their best course of action to protect their legal rights to hold the at-fault driver (and any other responsible parties) accountable for their loss.

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CONCORD - A man was injured Wednesday morning after his Toyota pickup truck struck a tree in Concord, the Concord Patch reported. The solo-vehicle car accident occurred on Wednesday, March 2, 2011 near the intersection of Clayton Road and Alberta Way, at about 1:45 p.m. Witnesses reported seeing the truck travelling eastbound before it spun out of control on the wet roadway and struck a tree. Five Concord police cars, a Concord fire truck, and an ambulance responded to the Contra Costa County car accident. The incident remains under investigation; based on the news reports, it is unclear why the man lost control of his vehicle.

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