2009 September Archive

Junior Nelson Carrera, 26, was killed in a San Francisco car accident on the Interstate 680 on September 25, 2009 when he was waiting on the highway to get a tire fixed. According to a news report in the Contra Costa Times, Carrera and another man were in a Nissan pickup that had a flat tire. They pulled over to the side of the freeway, called for help and waited on a dirt embankment while a mechanic fixed the tire, California Highway Patrol officials said.
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The Los Angeles personal injury lawyers at BISNAR | CHASE have always been concerned about the danger posed by elderly drivers on our roadways. This serious public safety concern continues to grow with a new wave of aging baby boomers. I have also been a strong advocate of frequent retesting for seniors so their competency to drive can be determined. If they shouldn't be driving, they should not have a license. But when that doesn't happen we have incidents like the one recently in Tehachapi, California, where 82-year-old Eilene Huber drove her Nissan Frontier pickup truck through the wall of the local post office on September 15, 2009. Injured in the crash was 68-year-old Isaac Allen who was checking his mail at the P.O. box section. Allen sustained a broken kneecap and multiple deep bruises and cuts.
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Two women were injured in an Orange County car accident after the van they were in collided with a motor home in Anaheim, California. According to a news article in The Orange County Register, the accident occurred at the intersection of Harbor Boulevard and the northbound 5 Freeway off-ramp, the morning of September 25, 2009. The collision involved a Dodge van and a Ford motor home towing a Jeep Rubicon. The two women who were in the Dodge, sustained injuries and were taken to an area hospital. The driver of the motor home was apparently not injured.
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A woman was killed and her 3-year-old niece suffered major injuries in a Los Angeles car accident after a car struck them as they crossed a street in Sylmar, California. The fatal car accident occurred at Dronefield Avenue and Paddock Street the morning of September 23, 2009, according to a CBS news report. The woman, who has not yet been identified, died at the hospital. The 3-year-old girl was taken to the hospital for surgery, Los Angeles police officials said. The driver of the car stopped at the scene and was questioned but hasn't been cited or arrested pending a police investigation.

I offer my deepest condolences to the family and friends of this victim for their tragic and heartbreaking loss. I sincerely hope and pray the little girl makes it through her serious injuries and has a speedy and complete recovery. Please keep the victim's family and the girl in your prayers.

Los Angeles Pedestrian Accident Statistics

According to California Highway Patrol's 2007 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), there were 90 deaths and 2,690 injuries reported in the city of Los Angeles as a result of pedestrian accidents. In the Los Angeles County as a whole, 210 fatalities and 5,095 injuries occurred in 2007 as a result of pedestrian accidents.

Based on this news report, it is not clear whether the woman and her niece were in a crosswalk at the time of the car accident. However, it does appear that they were crossing at an intersection. Still, there are many questions at this point. Did the driver of the car have a green light as he or she was driving through the intersection? Was the driver distracted, impaired or negligent in any other way? Was there a dangerous condition at that intersection that prevented the driver from seeing the woman and the girl crossing the street? The answers to these questions should help determine the facts of the case and how or why this tragic accident occurred.

Car Accident Laws and Liability Issues

If the woman and her niece were crossing the street at a crosswalk or intersection and had the light, then the driver could be held liable for the accident and major injuries caused. California Vehicle Code Section 21950 states: "The driver of a vehicle shall yield the right-of-way to a pedestrian crossing the roadway within any marked crosswalk or within any unmarked crosswalk at an intersection." The same section also states that the driver of a vehicle approaching a pedestrian within any marked or unmarked crosswalk “shall exercise all due care and shall reduce the speed of a vehicle or take any other action relating to the operating of the vehicle as necessary to safeguard the safety of the pedestrian."

In such cases, victims and/or their families would be well-advised to retain the services of a truly reputed Los Angeles personal injury lawyer who will help analyze all aspects of the case and make sure the negligent parties are held accountable. If there was a dangerous condition at that Sylmar intersection, which caused this accident, the city or governmental agency responsible for maintaining that roadway could also be held liable. Any such claim against a governmental entity in California must be properly filed within 180 days of the accident or injury.

The BISNAR|CHASE personal injury law firm is not representing any of the parties mentioned in this article at the time the article was posted. Our source for the facts is cited in the article. If you were involved in this incident or a similar incident and have questions as to your rights and options, please contact us or another reputable law firm. Do not act solely upon the information provided herein. Get a consultation. Most of the best law firms will provide accident victims a free consultation.

We cannot fully inform any party or family member about their rights, options or the economic viability of any claim for compensation without a full investigation and consultation. We will not be conducting an investigation into this matter unless we are retained by a party. We will provide a free, confidential consultation to any, not at fault, person named in this article. The free consultation offer extends to family members as well.

A 16-year-old boy was injured in an Orange County car accident when he was struck by a car at a street intersection in Tustin, California. According to a news report in The Orange County Register, the teenager was hit by a Chevy Venture van the morning of September 24, 2009 near Foothill High School. Officials say the boy suffered moderate-trauma head injuries.
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If you work more than the standard eight hours a day or 40 hours a week, you are entitled to overtime pay. According to California employment lawyers, most employees, even independent contractors are supposed to receive overtime pay. If you have not been getting paid for your extra hours of work, you may be entitled to additional wages.
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Joseph Barela, 40, was killed in an Orange County car accident after he was struck by a car the night of September 19, 2009. According to a news report in The Orange County Register, Barela was crossing East Katella Avenue at North Cambridge Street in Orange, California, when the accident occurred. Officials questioned the female driver of the Toyota Camry that hit Barela. But she was released pending an investigation. Police don't believe speed or alcohol were factors in this accident. Barela was apparently walking in a crosswalk, but traffic investigators are not sure whether he had the right-of-way at the time. If you saw this fatal accident, please call traffic investigators at 714-744-7460.
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Elena Firme, 82, was killed in a San Diego car accident the evening of September 20, 2009 in National City, California, according to a 10news report. Firme was walking in a traffic lane for unknown reasons in the 800 block of Euclid Avenue when she was hit by a pickup truck pulling out of a business parking lot. Firme was transported to a local hospital where she died.
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The Los Angeles car accident lawyers at BISNAR | CHASE have represented many clients over the years who were injured as a result of dangerous roadways and intersections. We recently came across another instance of an unsafe road condition where residents are pushing for improvements, at the intersection of Baseline Road and Citrus Avenue. Apparently 12 car accidents have been reported over the last 12 months, including two in late August. According to a news report in the Pasadena Star News, six vehicles were broadsided at the intersection last year and eight injuries were reported.
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Have you been forced to work through your lunch and rest periods in your place of employment without compensation? Or has your employer failed to provide you with meal and rest periods? If so, you may be entitled to additional wages. According to California employment lawyers, non-exempt employees, including independent contractors, are entitled to receive meal and rest periods.
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