California Personal Injury Attorneys

A bicyclist was injured in a Riverside car accident involving a SuperShuttle van on Highway 111. According to a news report in The Desert Sun, the injury collision occurred near Gateway Road the morning of February 11, 2010. The van driver told police that he was headed north in the right lane of the highway when he saw the bicyclist on the right shoulder, also traveling north. When the cyclist made a "sudden left turn" into the travel lanes, the van driver said he slammed on the brake and swerved. He however ended up hitting the bicyclist with the front passenger side of the van. The van then collided with a car. The driver of the SuperShuttle and two people in the other car where not injured. Police said the bicyclist seemed to have a significant head injury. Read the rest of this entry »

Francisca Reyes, 87, was killed in a Riverside car accident after the vehicle in which she was a passenger was broadsided by a pickup truck at an intersection in Indio. According to The Press Enterprise, the fatal car accident occurred at the intersection of Avenue 48 and Indio Boulevard the morning of February 1, 2010. Reyes was transported to an area hospital where she died a few hours later. One other person in the sedan had to be extricated from the wreckage and sustained moderate injuries.

I offer my deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Francisca Reyes for their devastating loss. They will certainly be in my thoughts and prayers. I also wish the injured victim the very best for a speedy and complete recovery.

Car Accident Statistics

According to California Highway Patrol's 2007 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), nine fatalities and 222 injuries were reported as a result of car accidents in Indio, California. In Riverside County as a whole, 279 fatalities and 9,925 injuries occurred during the same year, involving car accidents.

Deadly Side Impact Crash

Based on the information provided in this news report, it is not clear how or why this collision occurred. But we do know that it occurred at a street intersection. This is a broadside or "T-bone crash," which means typically, that it involves a collision occurring at a right angle. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), most deadly side-angle crashes in the year 2005 nationwide were broadside crashes. The NHTSA estimates that about 62.5 percent of all fatal side-angle crashes each year, are broadside crashes. Side-impact crashes can cause catastrophic injuries or death because the sides of vehicles offer less protection from the impact of the collision than the front or back of the vehicle.

Who is At Fault?

In such cases, one of the drivers is at-fault for failing to yield right-of-way or running a red light. I trust investigators are looking into which one of the drivers failed to yield right-of-way at this intersection and caused this deadly crash. If the driver of the pickup is determined to have caused this crash, he or she could be held liable for the accident, fatality and injuries caused. If that individual was on-the-job at the time, then his or her employer could also be held liable.

Victims and their families in such cases would be well-advised to contact a reputed Riverside personal injury lawyer, who will stay on top of the official investigation and make sure that their legal rights and best interests are protected. The best personal injury law firms will always provide a free consultation and comprehensive claim evaluation to injured victims and their families.

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 information source 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, call us or another reputable law firm. Do not act solely upon the information provided herein. Get a consultation. The best law firms will provide a free consultation. We provide a free, confidential consultation to not at fault persons named in this article. The free consultation offer extends to family members as well.

Paul John Rado, 62, was killed in a Riverside car accident the morning of January 19, 2010 after the company truck he was driving left Highway 189 and crashed. According to a news report in The Mountain News, Rado, an employee with Arrowhead Alarms, was returning to his company's headquarters after his morning rounds, in the Blue Jay area, when the fatal accident occurred. Rado's 2003 Ford Ranger pickup truck was located down an embankment off the roadway, and on its roof, by one of his co-workers, who went out to look for him when he did not return to work. California Highway Patrol officials said Rado was found in the driver's seat with his seatbelt in place. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Read the rest of this entry »

A man sustained injuries in a Riverside car accident after his bicycle was hit by a vehicle near Murrieta. City News Service reports that the man was riding his bicycle the afternoon of December 9, 2009 near Clinton Keith road and Avenida La Cresta when he was struck by the sedan. The driver did not stop at the scene of the injury accident. According to California Highway Patrol officials, the suspect vehicle was a dark blue Honda Civic. The suspected hit-and-run vehicle was last seen going westbound on Clinton Keith. It is not clear what type of injuries the bicyclist suffered. Read the rest of this entry »

Derek Short, 23, was seriously injured in a Riverside car accident after he was struck by a suspected drunk driver on a Palm Springs street while he was pushing a disabled SUV the afternoon of November 28, 2009. According to a news report in The Press Enterprise, Short had been a passenger in an SUV that was being driven by 23-year-old Ernesto Paz. Short got off the car and was attempting to push the disabled vehicle along North Sunrise Way at Via Escuela, when Seth Arsenault, 52, rear-ended the Toyota SUV and slammed into Short. Short sustained major injuries in this accident and was transported to an area hospital. Arsenault was arrested on suspicion of drunk driving.
Read the rest of this entry »

Michael Hughes, 26, was killed in a Riverside car accident after a driver turned in front of him on Highway 62 in Morongo Valley the afternoon of November 11, 2009. According to a news report in the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin, Hughes was riding his 2007 Yamaha motorcycle east on the highway near Samel Drive when a man driving a GMC SUV turned ahead of him. Hughes' motorcycle swerved and headed into oncoming traffic. He crashed into a Toyota Sienna and was pronounced dead at the scene. Four people were taken to an area hospital with minor injuries. California Highway Patrol officials have determined that alcohol or drugs did not play a part in this fatal car accident.
Read the rest of this entry »

A 2-year-old girl has been hospitalized in critical condition after she was personally injured in a Riverside swimming pool accident, CBS News reports. The toddler had nearly drowned in a backyard pool in the 11500 block of Valle Lindo the afternoon of May 3, 2009. Riverside County firefighters responded to the incident and took the girl by ambulance to an area hospital. The young victim's name was not released and there are no updates on her condition.

It is extremely fortunate that this little girl has survived this swimming pool accident at least as far as we know. Young children in near-drowning incidents can be left with catastrophic brain injuries because very often, in these cases, oxygen supply to the brain can get cut off. The cost of treating these brain injuries can be extremely high and could run into millions of dollars. I hope and pray that this little girl has a speedy and complete recovery.

Southern California has the highest number of swimming pool accidents in California. Los Angeles County has more than 200 near-drowning incidents on an average each year. Los Angeles, Orange and San Diego counties alone account for nearly half of all near-drowning incidents in California. Summer is almost here and almost every summer, the Bisnar | Chase law firm represents a family whose loved one drowned or almost drowned because of a homeowner's negligence. Southern California swimming pool accidents and near-drowning incidents can happen at any time. Almost always it happens quietly without warning and without any one noticing, during pool parties or family get-togethers.

In this particular incident, it's not really clear where the near-drowning occurred. Was the toddler in her own backyard? Was she placed under someone's care? Was she being supervised? If a child is placed in the care of a friend, an acquaintance, a babysitter or a neighbor and is involved in a swimming pool accident on their watch, then that person could be held liable for the personal injuries caused. If you believe your child was injured in a California swimming pool accident, please contact reputed California swimming pool accident attorneys, who can give you advice and information about how to pursue your legal rights.

Also, please be safe around the water as we are nearing the summer season. If you own a backyard pool, please be sure to install a gate around the pool and make sure it is locked at all times. Have a safe and enjoyable summer!