Glendale Personal Injury Lawyer - Automobile Accidents

Toddler Killed in Auto Accident on Golden State Freeway

Greg Owen — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 19:37:43 GMT

According to a Los Angeles Fire Department spokesman, the fatal accident occured Saturday around 9:30 a.m. near the San Fernando Blvd. offramp on the southbound 5 Freeway. A 50-year-old woman from Bakersfield was driving her husband and 3-year-old daughter in a Ford pickup when she struck a larger truck and then hit a pole. The toddler was later pronounced dead at Holy Cross Hospital.

The mother, Mariana Ruiz, was said to be travelling at an unsafe speed on a road still wet from from earlier rain showers. She was treated at Holy Cross for chest pain.

The father, Juan Torres, 43, fractured his arm and may have suffered a concussion.

The condition of the driver of the larger truck was unavailable.

Authorities were continuing to investigate the incident, but said alcohol was not a factor.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Greg Owen

Man Arrested at Border Involved In USC Hit-and-run

Greg Owen — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 12:07:59 GMT

The man, Josue Luna, 32, was booked early Saturday as an accessory to a crime. He was attempting to cross back into the US from Mexico. According to the LAPD, he was released after posting $50,000 bail.

Luna was a passenger when his wife, Claudia Cabrera, 30, ran a red light at Jefferson Blvd. and Hoover, near USC, on March 29th. The couple's 2000 Infinity Sedan hit two students, killing Adrianna Bachan and leaving Marcus Garfinkle severely injured.

According to investigators, Marcus Garfinkle, 19, was carried 300-400 feet on the windshield when the car stopped and Luna pulled him off. Luna returned to the car and his wife drive off. The couple's 7-month old baby was in the back seat at the time of the accident.

Garfinkle suffered two broken legs and multiple other injuries. He remains hospitalized.

Claudia Cabrera, 30, was arrested April 2 and has pleaded not guilty to vehicular manslaugter and hit-and-run. She is being held on one million dollar bail.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Greg Owen

Long Beach Man Killed in Car Crash

Greg Owen — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 21:23:33 GMT

Steven Mieli, 52, of Long Beach was driving a 2003 Toyota Camry when he crashed just north of Ocean Blvd in Long Beach on Sunday. The crash occurred at around 3:30am.

The car is said to have hit several parked vehicles before finally bursting into flames. Police were unable to get Mieli out of his vehicle due to the fire. The man died at the scene.

Anyone with information about the crash is asked to call Long Beach Police Detective David Lauro at (562) 570-7355.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Greg Owen

Drunk Driver Kills Self and Second Driver in Four-Car Collision

Greg Owen — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 08:00:00 GMT

The accident occurred in Riverside, CA on Sierra Avenue, just north of Karen Lane. According to CHP, Angel Sandate, 49, was driving at an excessive speed while under the influence of alcohol when he crashed head-on with 44-year old Delana Elizabeth Jones of San Bernardino. Sandate’s car then struck another vehicle, a Ford-F150, which was eventually hit by a fourth vehicle.

Sandate and Jones were killed. The conditions of the other two drivers and three passengers were unknown.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Greg Owen

Sheriff’s Office Offering Teen Driving Course

Greg Owen — Fri, 09 May 2008 22:41:05 GMT

Statistics in America show that the leading cause of death for young adults is automobile accidents. As a result, a teen driving course is being offered by the Santa Rosa Sheriff's Office.

In addition to impaired driving being a course topic, other topics such as vehicular maintenance, vehicular dynamics and aggressive driving are covered. The Sheriff's department also offer driving course exercises such as braking, swerving and recovering their vehicle from spin outs. More than just teen drivers could use that particular course. All of the driving courses offered are directly supervised by instructors from the Sheriff’s department.

Additional Information Pertaining to Automobile Accidents

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Greg Owen

Road Texting: An Accident Waiting to Happen

Greg Owen — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 15:23:01 GMT

Along with the ability to send text messages while driving comes the likelihood of more traffic accidents. Psychologists at the University of Utah say that texting behind the wheel is 50 percent more dangerous than talking on a cell phone while driving. Think about it, if someone was to use a typewriter or a laptop while driving it would be clearly insane. Although, the devise is smaller, texting is really no different. It is just as distracting.

There was a story reported on Wednesday on The Early Show relaying the clear message that the practice of texting while driving can cost lives - seems obvious enough. There are some horrible stories out there for example "On the day before Thanksgiving last year, high school senior Patrick Sims was driving less than a mile from his Denver home and texting a friend, when his girlfriend suddenly screamed. When Sims looked up, he was just inches from a cyclist in the bike lane." It was too late. Sims killed the 63-year-old grandfather and at the same time changed his life forever.

Liberty Mutual Insurance Company conducted a survay wherein 37 percent of teenagers admitted that texting is distracting while driving - how could it be otherwise. When you think about that survay, that 37 percent are just the teens admitting texting is distracting. What about the teens who are still under the misguided notion that texting does not take away from driving at all. Using the maze of logic it took to come to that conclusion should be grounds to take the car away from a teen who has demonstrated a clear inability to reason and a likelyhood of an auto accident. As for Sims, he now talks to teens about his crash while texting and the life he took. He no longer has his license or cell phone. He is on probation and has served 10 days in jail.

Additional informaiton pertaining to automobile accidents

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Greg Owen

Police officers indicted for insurance fraud

Greg Owen — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 19:30:02 GMT

Two veterans of Camden Police Deptartment were indicted on charges of official misconduct, conspiracy and insurance fraud. Miller, 44, of Sicklerville, a 21-year veteran and Jefferson, 42, also of Sicklerville, a 17-year veteran.

It is believed that the two officers defrauded three insurance companies out of $150,000. The two officers ran a business transporting patients in vans that were insured as vehicles for the personal use only. Subsequently, a fatal accident took place, and claims were denied due to the alleged fraud. The matter is currently under litigation.

Additional Information Pertaining to Automobile Accidents

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Greg Owen

New Safety Features to Aid in Auto Accidents

Greg Owen — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 17:38:43 GMT

Automakers have long sought to decrease risks associated with the use of their products. Honda, Toyota and Volvo have added safety features (see complete article for details on features) in order to reduce the impact to a given pedestrian who may be hit be one of their vehicles.

Because many cars weigh 4,000 pounds or more, "it's a big challenge," says Toyota's vice president of safety regulation Chris Tinto. Risks to people who are not inside a given vehicle are "not easy to engineer out."
More than 5 million Honda and Acura that have the pedestrian-safety features are currently on the road.

AUTOMOBILE & MOTORCYCLE ACCIDENT INFORMATION

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Greg Owen

Car Crash Due to Road Rage

Greg Owen — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 17:23:03 GMT

There is a great commercial that I have seen recently. It depicts two men in a supermarket pushing carts. One man is directly behind the other and is impatiently rolling his eyes and tapping his foot waiting for the man in front to move faster. After finally going around the guy in front he turns the isle only to find another man with a cart, and the unnecessary drama begins all over again. Then the listener hears similar words to these " You wouldn't behave this way in the market, so why would you behave this way while driving." The viewer can see how uncalled for and truly pathetic discourteous driving is.

What happened this week in the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles is a horrible example of what the television spot was getting at in a light-hearted way. Two men have been booked for an investigation of attempted murder, pertaining to a horrific car crash, after a mother and her two children, a 8-month old girl and a 4-year-old boy, where crushed between parked cars due to the two men's road rage.

The cars were driving at 50 mph to 90 mph, according to police. They were cutting each other off. At one point the Camero slammed on its brakes and the Nissan, while trying to avoid the Camero, hit a parked car. The mother has lost one leg and could loose another. The 4-year-old boy is in critical condition. Should he or the baby die, the two men will be charged with murder. Understandably, the father is inconsolable. Relatives have been telling the severely injured mother that her children are fine, as they are worried about what the truth would do to her.

Additional information pertaining to car and motorcycle accidents

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Greg Owen

FDA Drug Warning

Greg Owen — Fri, 28 Sep 2007 17:57:14 GMT

Due to recent deaths, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is cautioning consumers and heathcare providers alike about Fentora (fentanyl buccal) tablets. Fentora is a pain medication that is used for cancer patients. It appears the deaths were due to patients not being correctly selected, improper product substitution and dosing. Awareness of a fatal overdose is a must for all.

The FDA has made it clear that it is of critical importance that the drug is not used on patients who are not opioid tolerant. "On Sept.10, 2007, Cephalon Inc., the manufacturer of Fentora, sent letters to physicians and other health care providers advising them about the adverse events and deaths reported for Fentora. FDA is reviewing available information..."

For more information on this subject, please review our section on Drugs, Medical Devices, and Implants.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Greg Owen