California Injury Lawyer Blog

According to KCRA News, a motorcyclist died Tuesday night and 10 people were injured, including two young children, in a crash on Interstate 505 near Winters that the CHP says was alcohol related. The Yolo County crash occurred around 10 p.m. when a vehicle carrying six people spun out of control and struck a guardrail near SR 128. The driver of that vehicle was suspected of driving under the influence of alcohol. Two cars travelling southbound on 505 were not able to avoid the wreckage. A motorcyclist also swerved to avoid the wreckage, but ended up losing control and crashing. The motorcyclist died at the scene. The injured victims were taken to four area hospitals with injuries ranging from minor to major.

Cause of the Winters Crash

The California Highway Patrol is investigating the cause of the August 3rd multi vehicle crash near Winters. However, if news reports are accurate, it appears that the accident was at least partially, if not completely, caused by a drunk driver. Toxicology tests are pending and the CHP is also investigating other possible contributing factors.

Liability for Injuries and Deaths Resulting From Drunk Driving Accidents

Drinking and driving kills more than a thousand people a year in California alone. At Estey Bomberger, our personal injury attorneys fight to protect the rights of injured victims of car vs. motorcycle drunk driving accidents, and families who have lost loved ones in accidents caused by drunk drivers. In situations such as this one, the family members of the victims of this Highway 505 crash would be well-advised to contact a northern California drunk driving accident injury lawyer about their legal rights following this accident. A skilled lawyer can help them hold the at-fault parties responsible and recover the maximum compensation they may be entitled to for their injuries or loved one's wrongful death.

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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.

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