California Injury Lawyer Blog

NAPA COUNTY - Five people were injured in a violent head-on collision Tuesday night on Highway 29 (St. Helena Highway) near Calistoga, the Press-Democrat reported. The collision was reported around 9:20 p.m. near Larkmead Lane when a northbound 2008 Honda Odyssey collided with a southbound 2000 Honda Accord.

According to the Napa Valley Register, the preliminary investigation by the CHP indicated that the driver of the Honda, a 60-year-old Calistoga man, drifted across double yellow lines into the path of the Honda Accord, driven by Refugio Espinoza, 39, of Glen Ellen. It was reportedly raining at the time of the March 27th accident.

Espinosa and another passenger, Vitalina Rosas, 32, of Sonoma, suffered major injuries. Two other occupants of the Accord, Ignacio Cortes, 31, and Alfredo Bermudez, 37, both of Sonoma, suffered moderate injuries, as did the driver of the Honda Odyssey. Both vehicles sustained significant damage.

Head-On Collision Personal Injury Liability

Head-on collisions can have countless causes, including driver distraction, falling asleep at the wheel, drunk driving or unsafe passing. If the CHP investigation confirms that the driver of the Honda Odyssey was responsible for this crash, the injured occupants of the Honda Accord may be entitled to compensation for their injuries and related expenses.

Following a serious head-on collision such as this March 27th accident on Highway 29, the injured victims or their family members would be well-advised to speak to an experienced and knowledgeable Napa car accident attorney. A skilled California personal injury lawyer can review the CHP report and advise the victims of their legal rights and best course of action to recover the maximum compensation they are entitled to receive.

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NAPA - A bicyclist was seriously injured when he was struck by a car Tuesday afternoon in Napa, the Napa Valley Register reported. The accident was reported on Jefferson Street near Trancas Street at about 12:15 p.m. Tuesday, July 5, 2011. The bicyclist, Jesus Castro, 50, of Napa, was leaving the shopping center in the 3300 block of Jefferson street when his bicycle collided with a vehicle driven by Darlene Long, 65, of Napa. Castro was taken to the helipad at Queen of the Valley Medical Center, where he was flown to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital.

Cause of the July 5th Napa Bicycle Accident

The cause of the injury accident is under investigation by the Napa Valley Police Department's accident reconstruction team. According to the Register, alcohol did not appear to be a factor. Castro was reportedly not wearing a helmet. Based on the limited information provided in the news report, the cause of the accident is unclear.

Bicycle Accident Personal Injury Liability

Depending on the unique circumstances of this accident, if the negligence of the driver was a cause or factor in this accident, the injured victim may be entitled to recover damages for his injuries. Damages recovered in a personal injury claim may include medical care and treatment expenses, lost wages or earnings, pain and suffering, and other damages. While this accident remains under investigation, the injured victim or his family may benefit from speaking with an experienced Northern California bicycle accident attorney. A personal injury lawyer who specializes in cycling accidents can advise the victim or his family of his legal rights to obtain compensation and best course of action following the accident.

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The Napa Valley Register reported a 61-year-old Napa man suffered a broken ankle after he was struck by a car while riding his bicycle on First Street Monday afternoon. The accident was reported at the intersection of First Street and Freeway Drive at 2:55 p.m. According to news reports, the cyclist, David Mitchell, 61, collided with a Toyota Prius driven by Andrew Healy, 40, of Napa. Healy was driving westbound on First Street and Mitchell was riding northbound on Freeway Drive. Mitchell was taken to Queen of the Valley Medical Center. According to the Napa Valley Register, the incident remains under investigation by Napa Police. Fault has not yet been determined.

Bicycle Accident Personal Injury Liability

Bicycle accidents have unique legal issues. If police determine that the driver of the Prius caused the Napa car accident, the victim may be entitled to financial compensation for his injuries, including medical care expenses and lost earnings as a result of the accident, as well as pain and suffering. After an accident such as this one, where the cause of the collision is unclear, the injured victim or his family would be well-advised to speak with an experienced and knowledgeable northern California bicycle accident lawyer about the accident and the victim's legal rights and options resulting from the incident.

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Two people were injured Monday in a head-on collision near Yountville, the Napa Valley Register reported. The injury accident happened shortly before 5 p.m. on Monday, November 22, 2010. According to news reports of the incident, Iveth Guetierez, 29, of Napa, was driving a 2000 Volkswagen Jetta southbound on the Highway, while at the same time, Janice Craven, 72, of St. Helena, was driving northbound in a 2007 Hyundai Sonata. For reasons still under investigation, Guetierez lost control of her vehicle and drifted across double yellow lines and collided with Craven's northbound vehicle. Both Guetierez and Craven were taken by ambulance to Queen of the Valley Medical Center.

Cause of the Head-on Collision

The California Highway Patrol is continuing to investigate the Napa head-on crash. Based on the limited information in news reports, it is not clear what caused Guetierez to lose control of her vehicle. Alcohol was reportedly not a factor in the collision. If news reports are accurate, the driver of the Sonata likely could have done nothing to prevent this crash. Accidents likely this one are very often caused by driver distraction, but there are dozens of possible causes. Without more information, it is impossible to tell what happened.

Car Accident Personal Injury Liability

While the crash remains under investigation, the family of Janice Craven may benefit from speaking with a knowledgeable and experienced California car accident lawyer about the victim's rights in a personal injury claim. If negligence was a factor in the crash - either on the part of the driver, the manufacturer of the vehicle, or even the agency responsible for maintaining the highway, the injured victim may be entitled to compensation for her injuries. A skilled lawyer who has represented numerous victims of head-on crashes on state highways can advise the victim of her best course of action to protect her rights and recover the maximum compensation she may be entitled to for her injuries.

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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.

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NAPA COUNTY - Authorities are investigating a pedestrian accident at the intersection of Main Street and Fulton Lane/Madrona Avenue Thursday evening. According to police, Elsie "Alice" Stefani, 82, was walking eastbound on Main Street (Highway 29 / Highway 128) in a crosswalk at the intersection of Fulton Lane and Madrona Avenue. Westbound traffic stopped to wait for Stefani, but a car turning left from Madrona onto Main did not yield to Stefani's right of way and struck her.

The St. Helena Star reported that Stefani was trapped under the vehicle, which was driven by a 52-year-old Calistoga woman. Stefani was extracted from beneath the car and flown to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital, where she died shortly before 7 p.m. Her two dogs were transported to the city kennel. Police are investigating the cause of the fatal Napa County pedestrian accident. The driver was not cited at the scene.

Our deepest sympathy goes out to the family of Elsie "Alice" Stefani and everyone who knew and loved her. The St. Helena Star said that Stefani was a dog lover who took her two dogs for a walk "every day, rain or shine." Please keep her family in your prayers as they are grieving this tragic loss.

The pedestrian accident was the second fatal pedestrian accident within a day in the North Bay area. Michelle Cordova, 15, was killed in a crosswalk on West College Avenue at Link Lane in Santa Rosa on Wednesday night, just a few dozen yards from her apartment complex.

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