California Injury Lawyer Blog

SAN LUIS OBISPO - A 53-year-old San Luis Obispo man was tragically killed Monday evening in a head-on collision on Buckley Road, the San Luis Obispo Tribune reported. The accident occurred just after 6 p.m., west of Thread Lane, and involved a 2003 Lexus ES300 and a 2002 Toyota Tacoma. The victim, Allen Nadalsky, was a passenger in the Lexus, which was driven by Hussan Najami, 47, also of San Luis Obispo. According to the CHP, Najami was driving at a high rate of speed when he lost control in a curve of the road. The Lexus veered into eastbound lanes and collided head-on with the front of the eastbound Toyota.

Nadalsky died at the scene of the crash, according to the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff-Coroner's Office. The driver of the Toyota, Alan Everson, 51, of Arrow Grande, suffered serious injuries and was taken by ambulance to the hospital, along with Najami. All three of the men were wearing seatbelts, according to the California Highway Patrol.

Cause of the Buckley Road Accident

The cause of the fatal September 19th collision remains under investigation by the CHP. If statements by investigators are accurate, it appears that speed may have played a role in the crash. The CHP stated that the Lexus was travelling "at a high rate of speed" when the driver lost control. As a passenger, Nadalsky likely could have done nothing to prevent this horrific collision that ultimately took his life.

Car Accident Personal Injury Liability

This collision is surely devastating for all parties involved. If it is determined by investigators that the driver of the Lexus was in fact speeding, he may cited for violating California Vehicle Code Section 22350, which states: "No person shall drive a vehicle upon a highway at a speed greater than is reasonable or prudent having due regard for weather, visibility, the traffic on, and the surface and width of, the highway, and in no event at a speed which endangers the safety of persons or property." Additionally, he may be financially liable for the wrongful death of his passenger and the serious injuries sustained by the driver of the Toyota pick-up. Following this collision or any other head-on collision resulting in serious injury or death, the family members of the victims would be well-advised to consult with an experienced and knowledgeable Monterey car accident lawyer. A skilled attorney can advise victims' families of their legal rights to recover compensation from whoever is determined responsible for causing this accident.

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Police are continuing to investigate a fatal head-on collision in Paso Robles Sunday night that authorities say was caused by a suspected drunk driver. According to the Paso Robles Police Department, the accident occurred at 8:17 p.m. on Serenade Drive. The suspected drunk driver, Jennifer Chill, 45, was driving up the hill, while at the same time, Jacob Scott Keller, 20, was driving down the hill in the opposite direction. Chill's car reportedly crossed into oncoming traffic and struck Keller's pickup truck head-on. As a result of the impact, the pickup truck overturned and both Keller and his passenger, Nolan Martinez, 19, were ejected. Keller died at the scene of the crash and Martinez was taken to Twin Cities Hospital with serious injuries.

Cause of the October 3rd Paso Robles Crash

The Paso Robles Police Department reported Jennifer Chill was arrested for felony driving under the influence of alcohol/ drugs and was also charged with vehicular manslaughter. She was booked at the Paso Robles Police Department and later taken to the San Luis Obispo County Jail. If news reports are accurate, Chill made the choice to drink and drive - head-on collisions such as this one are not mere "accidents." They are 100% preventable. Drinking and driving destroys lives and families, and must stop. Our condolences go out to the families of the two victims. We wish Nolan Martinez the best for a full recovery.

DUI Accidents and Driver Liability for Injuries and Deaths

In addition to the criminal charges Jennifer Chill is facing for causing this fatal accident, she also may be civilly liable for the death of Jacob Keller and the serious injuries sustained by Nolan Martinez. In situations such as this San Luis Obispo County accident, where a drunk driver is suspected of causing a head-on collision, the family members of the two victims of this crash would be well-advised ton contact an experienced and knowledgeable DUI accident head-on crash lawyer. An attorney who has aggressively represented victims of drunk driving accidents can help the victims' families understand and protect their rights to pursue the maximum available compensation in a personal injury or wrongful death claim, and hold the driver financially accountable for the devastation that she caused.

Continue reading "One Person Killed, One Injured in Suspected DUI Crash in Paso Robles " »

A 38-year-old Fresno man was killed in an off-road vehicle crash Friday in eastern San Luis Obispo County, the California Highway Patrol reported. The accident occurred about 4:50 p.m. Friday on a dirt service road about 1.6 miles west of Soda Lake Road, and 6.9 miles north of Highway 166, in the Carrizo Plain National Monument.

On Tuesday authorities identified the victim as Matthew Drake, 38, of Fresno. Drake had been riding a 1996 dual sport motorcycle with three other people when for unknown reasons, he did not stop the motorcycle before hitting the edge of the ravine. Drake was wearing a helmet but still sustained fatal injuries when he was thrown from his bike. The CHP is investigating the cause of the crash.

Please keep Matthew Drake's family in your prayers. Our sympathy goes out to everyone who knew and loved him.

Based upon the reports of the accident in the Fresno Bee and the Taft Midway Driller, the cause of the accident is not clear. Why was Drake not able to stop his motorcycle? While this off-road motorcycle accident remains under investigation, the family of Matthew Drake may benefit from a consultation with a Fresno wrongful death attorney. An attorney can determine if the motorcycle was possibly defective and contributed to the accident. Honda has issued dozens of recalls over the years for problems and safety issues in their motorcycles. If a malfunction of the motorcycle caused or contributed to the fatal accident, the family may consider filing a wrongful death claim against Honda for their loss.

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The family of an 18-year-old Austin honor student who died in an alcohol related hazing incident on December 2, 2008, has filed a lawsuit against the Sigma Alpha Epsilon and other parties they believe responsible for their son's death.

Carson Starkey of Austin, TX died December 2, 2008 after binge drinking with his fraternity. According to police reports from the incident in San Luis Obispo County, Starkey, a Cal Poly freshman, and other Sigma Alpha Epsilon pledges were taken to an off-campus location and given a bag of alcoholic beverages to consume. The pledges were given 90 minutes to drink the alcohol. Starkey was later found unresponsive. Fraternity members claimed they had intended to take Starkey to the hospital, but when he vomited, they took him home instead. He was pronounced dead several hours later. An autopsy revealed his blood alcohol level was between 0.39 and 0.48.

Starkey's family filed the wrongful death lawsuit seeking unspecified damages against the national Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity, the SAE chapter at California Polytechnic State University, and nine individual fraternity members. The suit also seeks an injunction preventing the SAE fraternity from subjecting future fraternity members to dangerous hazing rituals. The suit names other examples of fraternity chapters nationwide being involved in hazing incidents that have led to serious injury and death. A jury ordered Sigma Alpha Epsilon to pay $16.2 million in the hazing-related death of a University of Texas student in 2006.

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