2017 - California Personal Injury Blog

Federal Officials Warn Public About the Danger of Hoverboard Fires

A Milwaukee couple bought their daughter a hoverboard for Christmas even as they were skeptical about doing so after all those reports of fires and explosions. As it turned out, their concerns were justified. The 7-year-old girl’s Christmas gift, the hoverboard, sparked a fire that destroyed their apartment on Christmas Day. The girl apparently got the gift on Christmas Eve. …Read the rest »

American Medical Association Urges Ban on Vaping Products

Just this month, two men, one in Hawaii and another in Michigan, suffered serious injuries when their respective e-cigarettes exploded. According to news reports, 25-year-old Matt Yamashita of Oahu says he lost four front teeth after his e-cigarette exploded in his face. Around 40 stitches are holding his mouth together. Yamashita will need surgery to have dental implants installed. …Read the rest »

Dashcam Video Shows SpaceX Rocket Led to Pileup on SoCal Freeway

The launch of the latest SpaceX rocket the night of Dec. 22 wasn’t just a rage on social media. According to the Los Angeles Times, it appeared to have resulted in pileups on Southern California freeways as well. A video posted to YouTube hours after SpaceX’s Falcon 9 launched from the Vandenberg Air Force base shows a three-car crash as seen on another driver’s dashboard camera and has garnered more than one million views. …Read the rest »

New Year Brings New Laws for California Drivers

2018 is ushering in a number of new laws for California motorists. Come Jan. 1, there are several laws that will go into effect, which drivers should know about. Here is a list of the new laws that will go into effect on Jan. 1 or July 1, 2018 that could have an impact on California motorists. …Read the rest »

California Leading List of States for Most DUI Fatalities

Two people were killed on Orange County highways in the first 60 hours of the Christmas holiday reporting period, the California Highway Patrol reports. According to a City News Service article, last year, there were no deaths reported in Orange County during the Christmas holiday weekend. This year, however, was a different story. Officers arrested 39 drivers on suspicion of driving under the influence in Orange County compared with 24 in 2016. …Read the rest »

Diesel Jeep SUVs and Ram Pickup Trucks Recalled for Potential Stall Risk

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) has issued a vehicle defect recall for more than 1.8 million Ram pickup trucks that could unexpectedly roll away under certain circumstances. According to a report on trucks.com, the problem affects vehicles with gear shifters that are mounted on to the steering column. Those with electronic dial shifters or floor-mounted shifters are not included. The recall will include 2009-17 model year Ram 1500 light duty trucks and 2010-17 Ram 2500 and 3500 heavy-duty trucks. The 2011-17 Ram 3500, 4500 and 5500 chassis cabs are also part of the recall. …Read the rest »

One Death Linked to Recalled Polaris Vehicles That Pose Fire Risk

Off-road vehicle maker Polaris issued 15 recalls over the last 12 months many of them to do with fire risks. According to a news report in the Miami Herald, fires caused by these defective vehicles have resulted in at least one death, serious injuries and property damage. The first occur in the 2013-17 Polaris RZR 900 and 1000 recreational off-highway vehicles or ROVs while consumers are driving. This poses a serious danger of burn injuries to both drivers and passengers. …Read the rest »

Officials Suspect Fatal Los Angeles Car Accident Was Caused by Street Racing

Andrew Camilleri, 33, a California Highway Patrol officer, was killed on the job on Christmas Eve after he was rear-ended by a suspected drunk driver. According to an NBC Los Angeles news report, the collision was first reported late Dec. 24 on Highway 880 near State Route 92 and the Winton Avenue on-ramp in Hayward. Officials say a red Cadillac driven by a 22-year-old man was going at a high rate of speed, veered into the shoulder and collided with the CHP patrol vehicle. …Read the rest »

Massive Facebook Data Breach: 533 Million Users' Phone Numbers and Personal Information Leaked Online

Three plaintiffs have filed a class action lawsuit against T-Mobile, Amazon, Cox and several other large U.S. employers for allegedly excluding older workers from seeing job ads on Facebook’s paid advertising platforms. According to a report on RT.com, Linda Bradley, Maurice Anscombe, and Laura Callahan, say hundreds of major U.S. employers and employment agencies routinely exclude older workers from seeing their recruiting ads on Facebook thereby targeting younger workers and denying older workers those job and career opportunities. …Read the rest »

Apple Customers Can Submit Claims in Class Action Settlement Over Slowing iPhones

Two Los Angeles-based iPhone owners have filed a lawsuit against Apple seeking class action status a day after the company admitted that it slows down older iPhones to prevent unexpected battery-related shutdowns. According to a report in the San Jose Mercury News, the plaintiffs, Stefan Bogdanovich and Dakota Speas, filed the lawsuit in the Central District Court of California. …Read the rest »