LAKE ELSINORE – A two-vehicle crash on Greenwald Avenue Saturday afternoon left five people injured, including two critically, the Union Tribune reported. The accident was reported shortly after 1 pm. Northeast of Greenwald Avenue, and involved a red GMC truck and a white Honda. The Lake Elsinore Patch reported that the driver of the white Honda was travelling southbound on Greenwald when she made a left-hand turn toward Tyson Road and was broadsided by the GMC. The impact caused the GMC to overturn. According to Cal Fire, it took 30 minutes to extricate all of the passengers who were injured from the collision. No other information was immediately available. Alcohol and drugs were not believed to have played a role in the crash.
CHICAGO – The relatives of a Bridgeview man who died six days following a hernia repair surgery have filed a wrongful death lawsuit, the Chicago Tribune reported last week. According to the news report, Jiries Hattar, 61, complained of pain in his abdomen, began vomiting and experienced other adverse symptoms until his death on December 21, 2005. The suit alleged that a physician’s assistant at Advocate Christ Medical Center didn’t report the adverse symptoms quickly enough when Hattar’s symptoms became severe. The lawsuit also stated that the hospital did not adequately staff its hospital with personnel skilled in post-operative care. The hospital responded that they were unable to provide a comment.
In consumer product safety news, 4moms has recalled their breeze Cotton Jersey Playyard Sheets due to an entrapment hazard that could lead to suffocation. According to a press release, the play yard sheets (sold as an accessory to the 4moms breeze play yard) are a cotton jersey fabric and cream in color. They were sold at buybuy Baby and other juvenile product stores nationwide from December 2012 through January 2013 for about $15. Although no injuries or incidents were reported, the sheets are being recalled because they are too small for the play yard and pose an entrapment hazard that could lead to suffocation. The CPSC would still like to hear incident or injury reports from consumers. Anyone who has had an experience with this product should report it at saferproducts.gov.
The tragic Highway 38 bus accident near Yucaipa that killed seven passengers and the driver of the pickup truck that was coming in the opposite direction of the bus on the two-lane road is currently being investigated by the California Highway Patrol and the National Transportation Safety Board. The Mexican tour bus is owned by a company called Scapadas Magicas which had received 36 safety violations in 2012. One of those violations the bus had received was for a faulty axel and brakes. According to passengers on the bus, driver Norberto Perez of San Ysidro shouted that he could not stop the bus and to call 911. A detailed inspection of the accident is currently underway to determine if brake failure, engine steering, driver controls, suspension system, mechanical issues or driver error is to blame. The investigation will most likely take several months to be completed. According to government records, the bus scored worse than 75 percent of U.S. bus companies with a similar number of inspections for vehicle maintenance. It is a scary thought to think that there are so many other buses on the road that also have safety issues like this bus. Yucaipa Bus Crash Accident Recreation Please note, this accident recreation is not to scale.
In personal injury news, a jury in Gloucester County, VA recently awarded $5 million to a woman who suffered a severe traumatic brain injury while shopping at a Food Lion store in August 2006. The 64-year-old woman’s empty shopping cart was struck “head-on” by an employee’s 200-pound stocking cart piled high with beauty items. The employee was pushing the cart rather than pulling it, a violation of a safety policy that would have prevented the accident. The impact forced the woman backwards, causing her to hit the back of her head on the ceramic floor. As a result, the woman, now 70, is severely mentally impaired and needs around-the-clock supervision and care. The case was initially tried in 2010, and the jury found that the victim should have gotten out of the way and was “contributorily negligent”. In Virginia, someone who contributes to an accident can’t recover damages. The woman’s attorney appealed on the basis that Food Lion did not properly account for the accuracy of the surveillance system that was running the day the accident occurred. In January 2012, the Virginia Supreme Court reversed the 2010 jury’s finding and ordered a new trial. A spokeswoman for Food Lion said the company was very disappointed with the verdict, and considering appealing the verdict. The verdict tied the largest verdict ever recorded in Gloucester [...] Read more »
LOS ANGELES – In Estey Bomberger news, a jury awarded $23 million Tuesday to a fifth grader represented by Estey Bomberger in a sexual molestation case. According to the LA Times, the damages may be the largest ever for a single victim in a molestation case in the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD). The school district will be responsible for $6.9 million. With interest and costs, the net verdict against the district was approximately $8 million. The perpetrator in the civil case was Forrest Stobbe, a teacher in the Mid-Wilshire district at Queen Anne Elementary School. Stobbe pleaded no contest to continuous sexual abuse of a child younger than 14 and two counts of a lewd act on a child in September 2011. The victim was his student, a 10-year-old boy. The abuse began in October 2008 through the following July, when Stobbe was arrested. Although Stobbe had a clean record, incidents and previous complaints foreshadowed the 2008-2009 abuse. Attorneys for the school insisted insisted that that there was no credible evidence that Stobbe posed a threat to children. The total verdict for the victim was $23 million. The jury found the school district 30% responsible for the events, and Stobbe 70% responsible The cases could have significant implications for the more than 100 pending molestation claims in the LAUSD, including the Mark Berndt [...] Read more »
RIVERSIDE COUNTY – A two-vehicle car crash that took place in Perris Saturday night hospitalized four people, reports The Press-Enterprise. Riverside County Fire Department officials said the crash happened at about 11:54 p.m. at the intersection of Nuevo Road and Perris Boulevard in a shopping district east of Interstate 215. According to the news report, one victim sustained moderate injuries in the collision. The new report did not comment on the condition of the other victims or include any other information about the November 24, 2012 car collision. Identifying the Cause of the Crash Due to the limited amount of information provided by the news report, it is unclear how or why the accident occurred. While police determine the cause of the crash, the victims would be well advised to seek the counsel of a California auto accident attorney. With the assistance of a qualified attorney, victims can quickly identify their ability to take legal action. Compensation for Accident-Related Damages If one or more of the victims are able to file a lawsuit against the party or parties responsible for the collision, a skilled attorney can help victims with the entire legal process, including the investigation, preparation, and filing of a lawsuit. A properly prepared lawsuit can prevent the victims from being denied the opportunity to seek compensation for accident-related damages, including medical bills, [...] Read more »
KERN COUNTY – Two pedestrians were struck and injured by a passing vehicle Monday afternoon, reports The Bakersfield Californian. A news release from the Bakersfield Police Department said the two men were standing in the roadway when an approaching vehicle careened out of control and struck them in the 3000 block of Lotus Lane. Both pedestrians were transported to an area hospital for treatment of minor to moderate injuries. At press time, the identity of the two men had not been released. The driver of the vehicle was not under the influence of drugs or alcohol and police have yet to determine if the driver will face criminal charges. Pedestrian Accident Liability Based on The Bakersfield Californian news report, the driver of the vehicle is at-fault for this devastating November 19, 2012 pedestrian accident. If the victims would like to know what their legal rights are and if those rights allow them to file a lawsuit against the driver, they should contact a California pedestrian accident attorney as soon as possible. A skilled attorney can provide the victims with the information they need to decide if moving forward with a lawsuit is within their best interests. In a personal injury lawsuit, victims may be able to obtain compensation for ambulance transportation, hospital stays, and other medical expenses related to the accident. Victims may also [...] Read more »
SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY – One worker was tragically killed and another worker was seriously injured when a cable under high pressure snapped and struck them at the Oldcastle Precast plant in Fontana. Police and firefighters were called to the scene at about 7:20 a.m. Monday morning and identified the dead worker as Fernando Quezada. The injured worker, whose identity was not released, suffered a severe lower leg injury and was transported to Arrowhead Regional Medical Center in Colton. According to authorities, the two men were wrapping the cable on an industrial size spool using a tension device when the cable snapped. The winding process took place on a football field size yard at the plant and no one else was injured in the accident. The cause of the accident is being investigated by several agencies: the California division of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, police, and the San Bernardino County Coroner’s Office. OSHA inspectors were on the scene of the tragic November 12, 2012 industrial accident, but the inspectors were not available to comment. More than 70 Years Experience Helping Victims and Victim’s Family Members While authorities conclude their investigation, it is highly recommended the victim and the family members of the deceased contact a California construction accident lawyer at Estey Bomberger immediately. Not all personal injury law firms are the same. Our [...] Read more »
RIVERSIDE COUNTY – According to a news report by Kesq.com, a woman was tragically killed and three children were injured in a SUV rollover crash that occurred Tuesday morning in Thousand Palms. The California Highway Patrol said a woman (identity unknown) was killed when the GMC Yukon she was driving flipped onto its roof at the intersection of Thousand Palms Canyon Road and Ramon Road at about 9:20 a.m. Three children riding in the Yukon sustained minor injuries in the crash and were taken to an area hospital. SUV Rollover Accident Causes The cause of the tragic November 6, 2012 SUV rollover accident is not known. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that SUV rollover crashes cause more than 10,000 deaths every year in the U.S. What causes an SUV rollover crash? One of the most common causes of rollover collisions is the “top-heavy” design of sport utility vehicles. Because SUVs are top-heavy, they are less stable and more likely to flip or roll over. Another cause of SUV rollover accidents is defective or worn tires. Providing Answers for Victims’ Family Members While police conclude their investigation, the victims’ family members should not wait to speak to a SUV rollover accident attorney. An experienced attorney can provide answers for family members and help determine how and why the crash occurred. If the flawed [...] Read more »
