California Injury Lawyer Blog

ASHLAND - The San Jose Mercury News reported a 56-year-old San Leandro man died Wednesday morning in a car vs. bicycle accident at Fairmont Drive and Foothill Boulevard. The accident was reported at about 9:40 a.m. on Wednesday, June 15, 2011. According to news accounts, Timothy Bucher was riding his bicycle when he was struck by a 1995 Honda Civic driven eastbound on Fairmont Drive. Bucher, who was wearing a helmet, was taken to Eden Medical Center in Castro Valley, where he died. The driver of the Honda, a 32-year-old San Francisco woman, was not injured.

Cause of the Alameda County Accident

The California Highway Patrol is investigating the June 15th accident. The news reports provide only limited information as to what happened, and do not offer any explanation into why the driver struck Bucher. Hopefully, the CHP investigation will reveal exactly what happened and whether the driver of the Honda was responsible for the collision.

Bicycle Accident Wrongful Death Liability

Following any fatal accident such as this one in Ashland, the victim's family may benefit from speaking with an experienced and knowledgeable northern California bicycle accident attorney. If negligence of the driver (or a third party) was the cause or a contributing factor to this accident, the victim's family may be entitled to compensation in a wrongful death claim. As a general rule, it is advisable to contact a lawyer soon following an accident, while important evidence and witness recollections can most easily be preserved.

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OAKLAND - A hit-and-run driver killed a 72-year-old man who was walking across southbound Interstate 880 early Monday morning, Mercury News reported. The man, who was not immediately identified, was reportedly crossing the interstate just south of Park Street at about 12:30 a.m. when he was struck by an unidentified vehicle. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The CHP has no information about the vehicle that struck the man. Anyone with information about the May 23, 2011 Oakland hit-and-run accident is asked to contact the Oakland CHP at (510)450-3821.

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SAN LEANDRO - Police reported a pregnant woman and her child passenger escaped serious injury in a hit-and-run collision in San Leandro on Tuesday, April 19, 2011, the Contra Costa Times reported. The accident was reported just before 9 p.m. on Interstate 880 (Nimitz Freeway) near the Davis Street exit. The pregnant woman's vehicle was struck by a 2005 Mercedes travelling northbound at an estimated 100 miles per hour. After stopping briefly to check the woman, the driver of the Mercedes fled the scene. Two suspects were subsequently chased down and taken into custody, but were not publicly identified. The incident remains under investigation.

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ALBANY - A Ford Explorer SUV rollover tragically killed a 48-year-old Oakland man Monday morning in Alameda County, Mercury News reported. The accident was reported on eastbound Interstate 80, just west of Buchanan Street, at about 10 a.m. on Monday, April 18, 2011. The victim, identified by the Alameda County coroner's bureau as Napoleon Quintero, was driving a white Ford Explorer with his wife and two children when for unknown reasons, he lost control of the vehicle, causing the SUV to roll multiple times. Quintero's wife suffered a broken leg, and his two children suffered minor to moderate injuries.

Cause of the April 18th Accident

The cause of the SUV rollover accident remains under investigation by the California Highway Patrol At this point, the news reports raise more questions than answers as to what happened. It is not clear why Quintero lost control of his vehicle. Vehicle rollovers can occur for many reasons, from unsafe steering maneuvers to tire blowouts to dangerous road conditions. Hopefully, the investigation by the CHP will provide answers as to why this tragic rollover occurred.

SUV Rollover Accident Liability

Ford Motor Co. and other vehicle manufacturers have paid out hundreds of millions of dollars in verdicts and settlements to victims of SUV rollover accidents and their families. If a design defect in the vehicle is determined to have caused or contributed to the fatal accident, the manufacturer of the car may be liable for the wrongful death of the driver, Napoleon Quintero, and the injuries sustained by his family members in the vehicle with him. Following a fatal Ford Explorer rollover crash such as this April 18th crash on Interstate 80, the family members of the victims of this crash would be well-advised to speak with a California SUV rollover accident lawyer.

Although no money awarded in a verdict or settlement can bring back a loved one's life taken too soon, a personal injury or wrongful death claim can ensure responsible parties are held accountable, and that future similar occurrences may be prevented. Damages awarded in wrongful death claim may include compensation for anticipated future earnings and financial contributions the decedent would have earned, funeral and burial expenses, and loss of love, care, affection, guidance and companionship.

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SAN LEANDRO - A 27-year-old San Lorenzo man tragically died Sunday, January 2nd in a car accident on Interstate 580, the San Leandro Patch reported. According to news reports, the victim, Ranjeet Singh, was driving a Toyota Corolla around 6 a.m. when his vehicle collided with the center divider. His vehicle was then struck by a Toyota Rav4 and then a Honda Accord. The accident occurred between the Golf Links and Dutton Avenue exits. The cause of the incident remains under investigation; further details regarding the circumstances of the accident were not available.

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SAN LEANDRO - A 31-year-old San Leandro man died Friday after he was struck by an Amtrak train at the Hesperian Boulevard railroad crossing, the Alameda County coroner's bureau reported. The accident was reported at 6:40 p.m. on October 29, 2010. The victim was identified as Michael Whitney. Whitney was reportedly attempting to move a railroad crossing gate arm out of the tracks when he was struck. Details regarding the circumstances of the accident were limited; San Leandro police and Amtrak are investigating the incident.

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A 32-year-old Lodi man died at the Carnegie State Vehicular Recreation Area Sunday afternoon, the California Highway Patrol reported. The man was riding a Yamaha dirt bike motorcycle with his daughter at about 2:50 p.m. when the accident occurred. Ahead of the trail uphill, a 16-year-old boy on an ATV stopped to help another rider. His ATV rolled downhill and struck the Lodi man on his motorcycle. He died at the scene of the accident before park rangers and the Alameda County Fire Department arrived. His daughter, who was riding a separate vehicle, was not injured.

This heartbreaking accident is a tragic reminder of the dangers of off-road vehicles. Our sympathy goes out to the family of the man who died in this accident and everyone who knew and loved him. Please keep his family in your prayers.

Based on the news reports of this incident, it is not clear exactly how this accident occurred. It is possible that the 16-year-old was inexperienced and caused this accident. It is also possible that the ATV brakes malfunctioned and caused the vehicle to roll down the hill. Without more information, it is impossible to determine what happened and who was responsible. Hopefully the CHP investigation will answer some of these questions. Although this incident is still under investigation, the family of the man killed would be well-advised to consult with a California wrongful death attorney as soon as possible. An attorney can help the family of the man killed in this accident protect their rights and determine whether they may be eligible to compensation for their loss in a wrongful death claim.

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A California Highway Patrol was taken to Valley Care Medical Center in Pleasanton, CA after he crashed his motorcycle on Highway 84 Wednesday evening, near Sunol. The officer, based in San Jose, was riding east on Highway 84 when the back wheel reportedly began to wobble, near the rear tire or rear axle area. The officer crashed and fell onto the road at speeds between 25 to 40 mph. The accident in unincorporated Alameda County happened at about 6:15 p.m., authorities reported. The official cause of the motorcycle accident is still under investigation, but authorities believe it is due to a malfunction in the motorcycle. It sounds as though this officer's injuries were relatively minor, and we hope he makes a full recovery.

Defective parts in motorcycles are responsible for a small percentage of injury and fatal motorcycle accidents. If you are injured in a motorcycle accident, it is important that you not discard or repair the motorcycle until an investigation can be completed. If your accident was caused by a defective part, or negligence in the assembly or maintenance of your bike, you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries or a family member's wrongful death.

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