Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Santa Ana Train Accident Injures One Person

A train accident occurred in Santa Ana when a Ford pickup truck failed to cross the tracks before the Amtrak passenger train arrived.

According to reports, the collision decoupled at least 2 train cars.

Fortunately, the train was not derailed and the passengers were not injured.

The truck driver was brought to a hospital but is expected to survive his injuries.

Obviously the truck driver has liability over the accident.

Trains always have the right of way in crossings because unlike other vehicles, trains cannot make abrupt changes, or make sudden stops to avoid a collision.

But does the railroad have liability as well?

It depends.

The duties of a railroad company include informing other motorists of their approach to the crossing.

Did they blow their horns to announce that the train is incoming?

They also have a duty to keep crossings reasonably safe for pedestrians and other vehicles.

Were there safety and warning signs, railroad gate and/or safety fences to prevent collisions?

The answers to those questions would indicate the level of liability of the railroad company.

Train accident laws can also be complicated as it may involve federal and state laws.
It is best to consult a train accident attorney for advice.

Sunday, January 24, 2010

Madera Man Killed after Surviving Accident

A 32-year-old man who exited his vehicle after it spun out of control in Coyote Valley in the middle of a heavy rainstorm died after jumping out of the way of an oncoming vehicle.

Abundio Prudente reportedly got out of their vehicle with another occupant when they noticed an approaching vehicle that was spinning out-of-control and dove to opposite directions. He ended up falling some 30 feet onto Coyote Creek Trail.

Rescuers had a hard time securing Prudente because of the heavy rains and lack of daylight to guide them. Prudente died at the hospital after less than an hour of being rescued.

In the initial vehicle accident on Highway 101 that Prudente got involved in, no one was reportedly injured. But in the second one, he probably did not notice the dive that he was about to take after jumping out of the path of an oncoming vehicle that was probably spinning out of control because of the slippery road.

In weather conditions like this, motorists should maintain their speed limit as they should expect a rain-drenched road that may be too slippery.

Thursday, January 21, 2010

Man Pulls Gun on Undercover Cops, Leads Police in a Car Chase along Hollywood

The scene could have been funny if it weren’t for real.

A man apparently pulled a gun on undercover officers and even had the gall to ask them what they’re looking at.

The exchange resulted to an 18 minute car chase along the streets of Hollywood that ended in a collision with another car in an intersection in Korea town.

If the driver just knew how stupid the stunt he just pulled, I am pretty sure he would not have done it.

Guns are not for everyone and a guy who gets infuriated by a mere exchange of looks is very susceptible to road rage as well.

If the men on the car were not cops and handled the situation in a different manner, it could have ended in a violently.

You could just imagine this guy getting into an argument over traffic and pulling a gun to end it.

Fortunately, nobody was seriously hurt in this fiasco.

The owner of the car that stopped the chase would probably file property damages claim against the gun toting driver.

The police, on their part, have already booked the driver on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon against a police officer.

Chula Vista Mobile Home in Flames

At least one person was injured in a fire accident near E Street recently that engulfed a mobile home in Chula Vista. He was treated for smoke inhalation.

The recent accident in mobile-home Park on Broadway could have injured other residents had the firefighters not responded immediately.

If a person will be proven to be responsible for a fire accident because of his negligence in his property, he may have to shoulder all the expenses that resulted from the fire which includes hospitalization of the victims and replacement of damaged property.

To avoid claims for premise liability, owners must be careful in maintaining the good condition of their property.

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Woman Dies from Drowning After Fall Accident

A Huntington Beach woman died from a “freak” accident when she slipped and fell while crossing a creek. She and her boyfriend was said to be staying near Telluride, Colorado for snow boarding when the accident happened.

MaryScott King’s snowboard guide tried to keep water off her face when her helmet got stuck between two rocks trapping her below the surface. King was no longer breathing and had no pulse when rescuers responded.

King and her boyfriend, Carlo Nafarrete, both loved extreme sports and so they were always taking risks each time they engaged in it, but, caution should never be disregarded as danger can strike when a person is most vulnerable.

Slip and fall accidents can happen to anyone at any given time especially if they are walking on a slippery surface.

Friday, January 15, 2010

NTSB about to Release Findings on Chatsworth Train Accident

The National Transportation Safety Board is close to releasing the results of its investigation on the Chatsworth train accident that claimed the lives of 25 people in 2008.

The NTSB will convene a board meeting to address the final report about the now infamous collision.

The full report will also be posted on their website.

The agency will also be releasing a summary of probable causes and safety recommendations.

Many expect that the agency’s findings will be similar to what investigators believe to be the cause of the train accident.

Investigators believe that the Metrolink Engineer have been text messaging seconds before running a red light and crashing into the freight train.

Metrolink has taken several measures to address the problem of having negligent engineers, including the placement of video cameras in strategic locations of the train.

However, even with these cameras, at least four red light violations have been reported last year.

Hopefully the report will contain sound safety recommendations that will eliminate or at least cut down on the incidence of engineer negligence.

Thursday, January 14, 2010

Two persons Injured in Truck and BMW Collision in Aromas

Authorities are investigating the cause of a truck accident that injured two people in Riverside Drive in Aromas yesterday.

The driver of the BMW that collided with the delivery truck sustained serious injuries.

It took about 40 minutes to extract the other driver as his truck flipped on its side due to the collision.

Both drivers were brought to a hospital.

It is not clear who is the liable party in this incident but both parties should inform their respective car accident insurance provider.

Most car accident insurance policies have a time limit on up to when they can be informed of the accident.

If that time lapses, they may have cause to deny any further claims.

Both drivers should also avail the services of a car accident attorney to guide them on their available legal options and to help them negotiate with insurance companies.

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

San Mateo Driver Arrested for Suspicion of DUI

A San Mateo bus driver was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence after she rear-ended a Toyota Avlalon in Burlingame last week.

Sharon Tebo-Davis admitted to the police that she had taken some prescription medication before driving the bus.

Fortunately, no one was injured in the bus accident.

Police reported that Tebo-Davis was arrested after the Avalon driver called 911 because she appeared confused and could not provide basic information about the crash.

A spokeswoman from SamTrans said that Tebo Davis is employed through MV transportation.

The spokeswoman declined to comment on what type of disciplinary measure will be given to Tebo-Davis.

If any of the passengers got injured, they can sue the bus company.

When the liable party are common carriers like taxi, train or in this case, a bus, it is much simpler to prove the liability compared to other vehicular accidents.

As common carriers or companies in the business of transporting people, they are required by law to practice a higher level of care when driving.

Instead of proving negligence, the injured party only needs to prove that the bus driver did not meet the standard of care required of him to prove his and the bus company’s liability.

Driving while under the influence of drugs, even legally obtained from a doctor, falls short of that standard.

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Homeless Man Struck and Killed by Mini-Van

Crosswalks are made so that pedestrians can cross the streets safely. If they do not use these designated areas, they are in danger of being hit by moving or crossing vehicles.

This is exactly what happened to a 58-year-old homeless man who died after he was struck by a mini-van in Laguna Beach.

According to authorities, Charles Reginald Conwell, 58, was struck by the van driven by a 45-year-old woman, from Mission Viejo, while he was crossing the street outside of a designated crosswalk along the 1700 block of Laguna Canyon Road.

Authorities believed that the man was not using the marked crosswalk area when he was hit.

Conwell was brought to Mission Hospital Laguna Beach where he died later in the day. Meanwhile, no occupant of the mini-van was harmed in the incident.

Authorities are still investigating the accident.

Although drivers are required to be cautious of pedestrians, vehicle accidents may still happen if the latter failed to use the designated crosswalks. Pedestrians can easily sustain severe or fatal injuries when they are hit by vehicles because their bodies are vulnerable to injuries caused by the massive impact and force of moving vehicles.

Thursday, January 7, 2010

Orange County Man Killed in Rollover Accident

The susceptibility of a vehicle to rollover has been continuously talked about due to the danger it brings to all road users. According to statistics, around 280 rollover accidents that cause 10,000 fatal injuries happen in the United States annually.

Another man recently died after the Toyota Camry he was driving was involved in a rollover accident.

Authorities said Alen Nazarian, 37, from Orange County was traveling on the freeway south of the border patrol checkpoint when he lost control of the vehicle for unknown reasons.

The Camry then rolled numerous times before coming to a stop along the right shoulder.

He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police suspect that alcohol may have been a factor in the crash.

Driving cautiously is one of the main ways to avoid being involved in fatal accidents. In addition, drivers should carefully choose which vehicle type they will buy because records show that some vehicle types are more prone to rollovers.

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Two Injured in Train Collision

A train accident in Orange County has seriously injured two occupants of a vehicle which crossed the tracks in Anaheim.

Witnesses say that the vehicle was driving on the street next to the tracks when it drove onto the crossing gates.

Firefighters had to extricate the passenger in the badly damaged vehicle that was pushed to a power pole because of the impact.

These train accidents can be prevented with cautiousness and following of traffic lights that would dictate on who has the right of way.

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Octuplet Doctor Faces Accusation of Negligence

Doctors are expected to provide their patients with the best care possible. If they failed to do so, disastrous results can materialize like in the case of a woman who was pregnant with octuplets.

According to the California Medical Board, the actions of Beverly Hills fertility doctor Michael Kamrava went beyond the logical judgment of a treating physician after he continually provided fertility treatment to a woman.

The state licensing body is now accusing the doctor of violating imposed personal guidelines and negligence.

Nadya Suleman earlier named Kamrava as her doctor. Documents show that his patient conceived octuplets.

She gave birth the previous year.

No hearing date has been currently set concerning the case.

Being accused of negligence is not something doctors can easily ignore because their credibility might be ruined even if the accusation is not yet proven. To avoid being involved in such situation, doctors should carefully study the case of all their patients before treating them.