California Personal Injury Blog – Bisnar Chase

Four people escaped without serious injuries after a runaway utility trailer smashed into the SUV in which they were traveling. According to a CBS 47 News report, the collision occurred the afternoon of May 14, 2013 on Highway 41, just south of Avenue 12 in Madera County.

California Highway Patrol officials say safety chains on a PG&E utility trailer sparked a grass fire on the side of the road. The trailer then broke away from the truck that was towing it and went hurtling down Highway 41 into oncoming traffic. The runaway trailer eventually struck an SUV, which overturned.

Passersby helped rescue the SUV’s occupants, including an infant and a toddler. Both children were secured in car seats properly, which, no doubt, saved their lives.

PG&E officials are in the process of examining their trailer to determine what went wrong. CHP officials also said that the occupants of the vehicle are lucky to be alive and fortunate that the injuries are not serious. Read the rest »

Alex Cuevas, 15, was seriously injured in a dog attack after a pit bull escaped from its owner’s yard and attacked her in a Corona neighborhood. According to a report in The Press-Enterprise, Alex and her 14-month-old Shih Tzu, Cocoa, were walking near Morales Way and Honors Lane the afternoon of May 10, 2013 when the loose pit bull went after the smaller dog. Alex said she was hurt as she attempted to save her dog. The pit bull bit her arms and her right ear.

The teen says she is haunted by the violent attack and relives the moment in her head. Alex’s right ear was nearly severed in the attack and barely hung by the bottom portion. It had to be surgically reattached. Alex’s mother said she was distressed to see her daughter covered in blood after the attack. Police said the unlicensed pit bull escaped from its owner’s yard, but no citations have been issued yet. The investigation is ongoing. Read the rest »

A 6-year-old boy was injured after he nearly drowned in an Irvine swimming pool accident. According to a news report in The Orange County Register, Orange County Fire Authority officials responded to a community swimming pool near the intersection of Dovecreek and Royal Oak the afternoon of May 12, 2013.

Witnesses told officials that the boy had been swimming with several other children when someone noticed he was not moving and pulled him out of the water. An off-duty nurse who was nearby began CPR on the boy and was able to get him breathing again before paramedics arrived. The boy was transported to a local hospital for observation. Read the rest »

A 63-year-old woman was killed in a Los Angeles County dog attack after a pack of four pit bulls brutally attacked her as she was jogging. According to a KTLA news report, the pit bulls attacked the woman at 115th Street and Avenue S in an unincorporated area of Littlerock the morning of May 9, 2013. The woman was discovered by a female driver on Avenue S, who stopped her car when she saw a pack of dogs surrounding something on the ground. When she got closer, she was it was a woman surrounded by biting animals. She immediately called 911 and stayed in her car. The victim died in the ambulance.

Deputies launched a search to locate the dogs and their owner, which led them to a home not far from the site of the mauling. At least four dogs were taken from the home and two men were arrested. Neighbors told detectives that the dogs had acted aggressively even before this incident. Officials say they will run DNA tests on the captured dogs so they can positively link them to the attack. The investigation is ongoing. Read the rest »

The American Association for Justice (AAJ), a leading plaintiff trial lawyers association, has asked the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to prevent the manufacturers of metal-on-metal hip implants from using a proposed change in the approval process to protect themselves from liability.

According to a Reuters news report, the defective metal hip implants were originally developed to be more long-lasting compared to plastic or ceramic devices. However, various studies worldwide have shown that the all-metal implants not only deteriorate sooner but also shed debris, damaging bone and tissue and causing metal toxicity in the patient’s blood, which could potentially lead to organ damage. Read the rest »

Here at Bisnar | Chase we like to spotlight other attorneys around the nation who have created positive change through giving and being selfless. Mike Schafer is one of those people.

Mr. Schafer is not just a true southern gentleman he is a true humanitarian and public servant. Recently I wrote an article about Mike as an attorney and today I am writing about Mike as a father and an advocate for safe teen driving.

As an attorney, Mike has experience with clients who have suffered a lot of pain and anguish due to auto accidents. Mike also has experience with teen drivers as his own children are now drivers.

Mike Schafer along with his daughter Rachael have written a book called “The Family Survival Guide to a New Driver”

The book consists of 2 parts. One for parents; the part Mike wrote, and the other for teens, the part his daughter Rachel wrote. The book is available for purchase, but it is also available as a free download. The main goal here is to help families discuss the needs of the family as well as the new driver and address these needs from the perspective of both sides. It is also a fun and interesting read. Read the rest »