California Injury Lawyer Blog

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 " »

Five people, including three children, were killed during a crash in pouring rain on Interstate 5 north of Los Angeles just moments before midnight Sunday night, the California Highway Patrol reported. The Newhall Pass crash, which was reported at 11:55 p.m. Sunday, April 11th , involved several vehicles, including a Nissan Altima a red Mazda pickup truck, and a Chevy Suburban. Authorities believe the chain of events was triggered by the driver of the Mazda pickup truck spinning out into the center divider. The pickup truck overturned, and was then struck by the Nissan Altima. The Altima was then hit by the Chevy Suburban.

Injuries and Fatalities

According to the LA Times, the driver of the pickup truck, John J. Blackburn, 53, of Frazier Park, was killed in the accident. The driver of the Nissan Altima, Francisco Encisco, 25, of Daly City, suffered major injuries. A passenger in the Nissan, Yessica Milan, 27, was hospitalized in critical condition. Three of her children, Xochitl M. Hernandez, 5, Edgar A. Hernandez, 8, and Cynthia J. Hernandez, 9, all of Whittier, were killed, along with her nephew, Luis Villegas, 16, of Oakland. Four people in the Chevy Suburban, including a toddler and an infant, sustained non-life threatening injuries.

Update: The driver of the Suburban, Victor Jarillo, has been arrested for allegedly driving without a license. His passenger was also taken into custody on suspicion of providing false information to law enforcement.

Fault and Liability

Although it was pouring rain at the time of the crash, weather was only a contributing factor, authorities reported. The main cause of the crash was still under investigation. In multi-vehicle accidents, it is possible that more than one party may be at-fault for a crash. It is also possible that mechanical failure in one of the vehicles contributed to this accident. While this crash remains under investigation, the families of the victims involved in this multi-vehicle Interstate 5 accident would be well-advised to speak to a California auto accident attorney who can protect their legal rights and recover compensation for their injuries or the loss of their loved one following this multi-vehicle Interstate 5 accident.

Continue reading "Five People, Including Four Children, Killed in Interstate 5 Crash North of Los Angeles " »

A crash on interstate 5 involving a big rig, a fire truck and as many as 20 other vehicles left at least one person with major injuries and several others with less serious injuries, the CHP reported. The crash occurred during cold, snowy conditions Friday morning at about 11:20 a.m., near the Black Butte exit on Interstate 5, north of Redding. The CHP closed interstate 5 from Shasta Lake to Mount Shasta while the scene was cleaned up and investigated.

Who Is At Fault?

Chain reaction, pileup accidents are common occurrences in poor visibility situations. Especially at highway speeds, wet, snowy, or icy conditions can cause drivers to lose control of their cars when they try to stop suddenly. In multi-vehicle accidents, each driver may share some percentage of fault. Having an attorney on your side can be beneficial because your lawyer can negotiate a lesser degree of fault, and ultimately recover more compensation for your injuries.

Multi-Car Accidents and Insurance Claims

The California injury lawyers at Estey Bomberger have recovered millions for people seriously injured in multi-vehicle, chain reaction and pileup accidents. From experience, we understand the unique legal issues that these cases present, and the tactics insurance companies will use to try and assign fault to other drivers and delay compensation to victims. If you have been injured in this Interstate 5 accident, or any other multi-vehicle highway accident, and would like to discuss your case with a lawyer, call Estey Bomberger at (800)724-3817. All consultations are free, with no obligation.