Thursday, August 27, 2009

Tijuana Man Dies of Hit and Run Injuries

Leaving the scene of the accident is penalized especially if you are the driver at fault. Leaving the accident scene leads to a case of hit and run.

In San Diego, a 65 year-old man and his passenger were left to endure their injuries while the man responsible for it ran off.

The victims pulled over to clean their 1988 Chevrolet truck’s windshield near the top of the 28th Street ramp to eastbound SR-94. A man driving 1989 Nissan Sentra hit the truck’s rear end and then hit the victims.

The Nissan Sentra driver pulled in front of the truck and got out of the car just to tell the victims to put the flashers on then ran away in the direction of the 28th Street ramp.

The impact of the crash severed the 65 year-old man’s left leg and almost detached his left leg. He was taken to the hospital but died eventually. The passenger sustained minor cuts to his knees.

The culprit who was facing charges of felony hit-and-run and vehicular manslaughter remained at-large. Police efforts to locate his whereabouts were futile. Authorities impounded the Nissan as evidence.

In several cases of hit and run, drivers speed off with the knowledge that someone got hurt. In this case, not only he had the knowledge that people are hurt but he saw what really transpired and how they were in bad need of medical help.

Moreover, the authorities could bank on the impounded Nissan. They can check under whose name it was registered and start their search from there.

For the victims loved ones, they can only wait for the arrest of the driver. Upon arrest, they can file a wrongful death case and/or damage suit against him. A personal injury lawyer may be asked to pursue the case in their behalf.

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Rollover Crash Seriously Hurts 4 Children and 1 Woman who were Unrestrained

In Pittsburg, Contra Costa, a Chevrolet crashed after the driver failed to overtake a vehicle in front of it and left four children and a woman badly hurt and three other men injured when their vehicle struck a road median and a tree before it rolled over.

The woman, 34 years old, and all four children aged 3, 6, 7 and 9 years old who were sitting in the back seat were unrestrained. Two of the children should have been in child safety seats. Two children and the woman were ejected when the vehicle overturned.

According to the authorities, alcohol was not a factor in the crash and the driver was not cited or arrested. However, the police are now investigating possible child endangerment and the Contra Costa County Child Protective Services have been contacted.

All the children were flown to Oakland Children’s Hospital with serious injuries while the woman is currently in critical condition at the John Muir Medical Center.

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), a total of 10,182 passenger vehicle occupants died in rollover crashes in 2007. Likewise, 35 percent of passenger vehicle occupant deaths in 2007 were due to rollover crashes.

Pickups and SUVs have a consistently higher percentage of rollover deaths than cars and unrestrained passengers greatly contribute to the death rate as occupants who are ejected from the vehicle, increase the likelihood of a fatality.

While accidents can be inevitable, there are a lot of things that people can do in order to minimize the damage to themselves and their passengers. The use of proper restraints such as a seat belt can be the best defense in a rollover accident.

The law has also recognized the importance of seat belts in motor vehicle crashes. There are mandatory safety belt laws in 49 states and the District of Columbia.

According to the IIHS, safety belt use is the most effective way to reduce the risk of injury or death in a rollover. Without safety belts, occupants in vehicles that roll can be thrown from the vehicle. In fact, 66 percent of people killed in passenger vehicle rollover crashes in 2007 were unbelted.

Just like the crash in Pittsburg, it could have been just a simple, unfortunate accident. But the fact that the children and the woman were not properly restrained gives rise to criminal liability.

Thursday, August 20, 2009

Authorities Identify DUI Crash Victim

The suspected DUI crash victim was identified as Patrick Michael Elerding, a 34 year old resident of Santee.

Elerding was a passenger in a 1990 Volvo 240 DL station wagon driven by 37-year-old Nico Faulk of San Diego. Witnesses said that Faulk lost control of the car, ran in to the north shoulder of the road, overcorrected then crossed the double lane before it eventually collided head on with a large oak tree.

The wreck was discovered by an off-duty San Diego police officer who reported the matter to the authorities.

Faulk sustained lower back pain injuries and was brought to a hospital. California Highway Patrol Officer Brian Pennings said that Faulk would be charged of vehicular manslaughter and felony driving under the influence upon his release.

Driving while intoxicated is a dangerous act. No wonder it is penalized in most places. In most states, a certain alcohol level should be reached in order to be punished.

Upon scrutiny, however, it is not a question of whether a certain driver is legally intoxicated or not. But it is a question of whether it is safe to drive whenever a driver has consumed any amount of alcohol.

Research shows that impairment starts long before a driver reached the prohibited alcohol concentration level. Just when you think that you are sober, you are not.

For Elderling’s loved ones, they could file a case for wrongful death against Faulk. The suit could be best pursued with the help of a personal injury lawyer.

Monday, August 17, 2009

Rescuers Safely Tows Flooded Yacht to Shore

For unknown reasons, a luxury motor yacht from Long Beach was flooded while cruising to Catalina Island.

The two people on board the 36-foot Grand Banks named Angel’s Gate were rescued by the joint efforts of the lifeguards and the U.S. Coast Guard. The occupants could not explain why the boat was taking on water.

The rescue crews used several pumps to control the flooding on the yacht as it was being towed back to the harbor.

Incidents like this happen. While no crash was involved, it could be equally fatal had the rescuers failed to save the boat’s occupants on time.

In 2008, a total of 4,789 boat accidents transpired with 709 deaths and 3,331 injured. The statistics only implied that the requirement of utmost care and diligence is equally important in water as it is on land.

If after investigation, it would be found that someone has been negligent, a damage suit could be filed against such person. The assistance of a boat accident attorney could be an advantage.

Friday, August 7, 2009

5 Died in Fiery Crash

Mere crash could cause a devastating consequence. But a fiery crash could be too much to handle.

In Mission Viejo, five bodies burned beyond recognition were found inside a toppled SUV down a steep embankment on the southbound I-5 freeway at La Paz Road.

Authorities failed to identify the victims due to their condition. However, they revealed that the SUV crashed into a sign post before turning over two to three times down the hill, slammed a fence, hit a tree then engulfed in fire.

A Multi-disciplinary Accident Investigations Team arrived at the scene to conduct an in-depth analysis of the crash.

Unconfirmed report was gathered that the crash could have been due to a tire blow up.

In 2005, out of more than 35,000 fatal car crashes, about 550 involved deaths due to burn injuries while around 3,300 people received non-lethal burn injuries.

As car could catch fire easily, it is advised that you be as cautious as you can to prevent incidents like this.

Should you be involved in a burning car accident, you should hire a personal injury attorney to file a case against whoever is or are negligent.