7-Year-Old Girl Sustains Critical Injuries in Dana Point Hit-and-Run Accident

It is advisable for drivers to reduce speed when they are traveling near schools or residential areas because kids are usually found along these areas. A driver who may have failed to do so hit a 7-year-old girl in Dana Point and fled after the incident.

According to reports, the victim sustained critical injuries after she was hit by a white pickup truck with a blue stripe in front of her house along La Paz Avenue and Silver Lantern Street.

The girl’s 6-year-old friend saw the whole incident and immediately called the victim’s older sister, who then asked the help of her father.

Reports said the girl was first brought to Mission Hospital in Laguna Beach. However, the injuries she sustained were too severe to be treated there so she was then transported to Children’s Hospital in Mission Viejo.

According to police, the girl is now under a guarded condition.

Authorities are still trying to locate the whereabouts of the hit-and-run driver.

Eleven-Year-Old Boy Causes Fatal Tulare Crash

Only persons aged 16-years-old and above are permitted by law to operate a vehicle. An age requirement was imposed because younger persons are presumed as incapable of driving properly and responsibly and they may endanger the lives of many in the event of an accident.

True enough, an 11-year-old driver caused an accident in Tulare County that ended the lives of three people, including his own, and injured another.

According to authorities, Jose Silva was driving a 1993 Honda eastbound on Avenue 168 and ran a stop sign along Road 152. The Honda, which was carrying four occupants, all from Woodville, was then hit broadside by a 1999 Ford headed southbound.

The Ford driver who was identified as Charles Seguin, 44, from Porterville, sustained minor injuries and received treatment at the accident area. Meanwhile, Froylon Gonzales, 34, one of the Honda’s passengers, sustained life-threatening injuries and was brought to Community Regional Medical Center in Fresno.

Jose, his 6-year-old sister named Elizabeth, and his mother Maria were all killed in the incident.

Parents should not let their children drive because young ones are not yet aware of what their actions can cause. In addition, children are not yet physically and mentally ready to handle the pressures that they may face while out on the roads.

Sparing other People's Lives from Vehicle Accident

Life does not go back to the same path wherein the word normal fits a person after he recovered from a truck accident. It is never easy to accept the consequences of an accident, especially when one’s life was taken away. No amount of surgeries or therapies can bring back what has been damaged or destroyed by an accident.

Severe injuries were what a young woman got from a semi trailer truck accident in California. Her body suffered serious injuries—fractured bones and severe cuts on her skin. She was riding her bike on the beach that time.

Who would have thought that a simple bicycle ride on the beach would lead next to a horrific accident like that? The truck driver was driving on the right side of the lane when it happened.

The damages she sustained from an accident had put her life on a halt. Her life, her work, her activities before now hang on a thread. And if she recovers fully from her injuries, not every single thing will revert back to normal.

Drivers should be more careful when driving because hitting someone is not what they would want to happen. Their actions will cause someone’s life to change drastically. As time passes by, the law becomes stricter and stricter to lessen accidents like this.

But it does not stop other drivers to become irresponsible with driving. They should know that for every action that they do, there are repercussions. Roads are not race tracks. Drivers should be aware of traffic rules and regulations.

They should not use their cell phones when driving. They should not drive when they have taken drugs or drank alcohol. When they are tired, they should rest or sleep and refrain from driving. Drivers should not treat the roads like race tracks thus over speeding should not be done.

Investigators Cite Human Error in Plane Crash

Human error is one of the factors investigators look into in every accident. In fact, it is the more dominant contributor to accident cause.

Human errors could be attributed to many individuals not only the pilot. Errors committed by the crew and ground personnel such as the controller could also result to fatal accidents.

In an investigation conducted in the March 25 jet fighter crash, investigators revealed that the fatal crash was due to human factors. Investigators determined that Lockheed Martin test pilot David Cooley, who was performing tests under gravitational forces, had experienced an increased psychological stress specifically in the third test. His lack of awareness delayed a recovery maneuver which caused him to almost lose his consciousness.

When Cooley’s attempted recovery, he realized that he had an inadequate altitude and ejected. However, he suffered fatal blunt force trauma due to the aircraft's speed and windblast.

This incident is an example of how fatal human error could be. In this case, the jet fighter was at its A-1 condition. However, Cooley’s string of error caused the flight to an abrupt and tragic end.

Human errors are not only prevalent in plane crashes as it practically exists in all accidents. It only proves that safety lies in one’s own hands. Observance of utmost care and diligence in everything could help us live an accident free life.

For victims of negligent aircraft operation, they can file a personal injury case through the assistance of a plane accident attorney.

Illinois Woman Dies in Pedicab Accident

Pedicabs are common scenery at downtown San Diego. Surely, pedicab is enjoyable but it is hard and dangerous as well.

Moreover, pedicab drivers are mostly young and untrained.

On July 4th, a pedicab accident took the life of 60-year-old Sharon Miller, a retired teacher from Sherman, Illinois. Miller was in San Diego to attend the National Education Association convention.

Authorities said that Miller flew off from the pedicab when the driver, 23-year-old Sukru Safa Cinar swerved quickly. Cinar was driving unsafe and performing serpentine pattern which lead to Miller being swayed from side to side.

Police said the accident occurred on an area where pedicabs and bicycles were prohibited.

Cinar may have a permit to drive a pedicab but he could still face a misdemeanor manslaughter charge.

Other passengers said that some pedicabs have seatbelt while others have not. Some travel for 5 miles an hour while others exceed. Some have a maximum of 3 passengers while others have more. This only means that a pedicab as means of transportation must be regulated. Certain standards must be implemented to prevent further waste of life.

For the victims of negligent operation of pedicab, personal injury lawyers could ensure that you are properly compensated and your rights are protected.

Traffic Violations: Risking the Lives of People

Traffic laws are implemented to maintain peace and order and to ensure the safety of people. If such laws are violated, injuries and damages may occur.

Last March 23, an accident happened in Chula Vista where a suspected drunk driver who was on probation for DUI (driving under the influence) led police officers on a short chase, resulting in major property damage ended only after the driver crashed into a house.

Because the accident started when the 30-year-old driver, who was driving a full-size Chevy pickup at around 2:15 a.m., was stopped by police officers because of a traffic violation and then sped off as the officers approached him. Some drivers, including this one, may think that they can get away from such a violation so they flee from the scene, without taking into consideration the possible consequences of their actions. After the driver sped off, he lost control of the vehicle, crashing into a house.

The accident resulted in major damage to the garage and to a car inside it, as well as two more vehicles, one in the driveway and the other one in a neighbor’s adjoining driveway. The driver sustained moderate injuries.
All these resulted because of the driver’s refusal to abide by the traffic laws, not knowing that such rules are intended to protect people from harm, including himself.

Rare Mountain Car Accident

There was one car accident in the Angeles National Forest, near Glendora, that happened and turned fatal very recently.

The single accident reportedly happened one early morning in the area of Glendora Mountain Road and Glendora Ridge Road. The Los Angeles County Fire Department reported the accident.

The agency said that the car slid for about 100 feet into the side of Glendora Mountain Road. One individual was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident, while a passenger in the same vehicle was taken to the hospital.

The cause of the accident is still under investigation. No other information was released regarding the accident.

The personal injury and wrongful death which resulted from car accident have become a major tort case in the country today, especially in states where car accidents and motorcycle accidents happen too frequently.

Accidents could be a combination of driver error, defective condition of vehicle, or defective condition of roads.

Cases should be filed for rightful compensation – car accident lawyers can be of help.

Big Rig Killed a Man on a Wheelchair

It’s bad enough that for some reason you were in a wheelchair. To be struck by a big rig truck that eventually caused death is way more than what anyone or his/her family can possibly bear.

During the first week of the first of the “-ber months”, the Los Angeles Times reported an accident involving a man in a wheelchair who was struck and killed by a big rig truck in downtown Los Angeles.

A spokeswoman for the Los Angeles Fire Department said that the accident happened around 1.30pm in the vicinity of South Santa Fe Avenue. The victim was described to be in his 45. No other details were revealed as of the time of this writing.
Some sources say that the big rig truck was turning onto one street when the rig’s rear wheels struck the victim. Police report said the unidentified victim was dragged along the street and died almost instantly.

For the family of the victim, one thing I could suggest is to go after whosoever is responsible for the wrongful death of their loved one. Under the law, they may sue the driver, or the owner of the big rig or anyone, which contributed to the accident.

They may recover damages by hiring a competent car accident or personal injury lawyer. In doing so, they may realize that they can get rightful compensation for damages than opting for hasty out-of-court settlement of claims.

A good accident lawyer is the key. The erring driver can be facing vehicular manslaughter charges at the very least. And once proven, the punishment, under the full force of the law, is anything but light.

In the US, there are more than 6 million car accidents and from that figure, 42,642 lost their lives. One person dies every 13 minutes or 115 each day. Others suffer bodily injury which range from temporary to permanent injuries.

SUV pedestrian accident kills woman in Newport Beach

Another senseless death occurred just before the end of last month because of a pedestrian accident caused by a reckless, negligent unmindful-of-other-person’s-life-and-limb fellow human being.

This is actually the second accident to happen in Newport Beach in the span of only a week.

The first fatality was a Redondo Beach resident Michelle Kim, 54 years of age. She was struck and killed by a minivan when she was crossing Newport Palace Drive outside pedestrian crossing. The driver, a certain Sung Van Le of Santa Ana was questioned but was later on released.

The second time around, the senseless accident which could have been prevented claimed the life of a 32 year old Costa Mesa resident, Martha Ovalle. She was reportedly struck by a sports utility vehicle while crossing the road, in a marked crosswalk. The vehicle GMC Yukon was traveling west on Westcliff Drive near Dover Drive when the accident happened.

Martha was pronounced dead by the responding paramedics at the scene of the accident shortly after she was struck. The driver was identified as Martin Kuehl, 41 years old, also of Costa Mesa. He was cited for the fatal Buckingham Lane and Westcliff Drive pedestrian accident and arrested for parole violation as well, by the police.

Martin was found to be neither speeding nor under the influence. But the accident happened nonetheless. The authorities surmised he wasn’t paying attention to the road while driving.

The family of victims must vehemently and with full strength of the law pursue these reckless drivers. We hope that they locate and employ the services of a good accident lawyer to fight and win with them. These drivers may be facing negligence charges, if not the much graver manslaughter charges.

Fatal Anaheim Construction Accident Kills One

An unfortunate construction accident happened in Anaheim very recently. The accident was reported by the OC Register on line.

The report says that one Arturo Gonzales, 34, died after a forklift tipped over and hit him.

Arturo was taken by an ambulance to the hospital but he didn’t survive.

The “car-sized scoop on the end of an extension arm” of the forklift was reported to have hit him. One fellow construction worker said, “He got totally crushed” due to the accident.

The accident happened in a condominium construction site. Arturo was part of a six-person crew who were tasked to plaster stucco onto the condominium development.

We can just imagine the grief that his family is experiencing now. Presumably, he was their bread winner and they depend on him for support. But now, he is dead…

The California law is not exactly without say on this. But we all know that Arturo’s family won’t be getting much from workmen’s compensation benefits.

The same will not be enough. The loss of a loved one, and a breadwinner at that, entails great loss to the family. Even if they successfully claim for workmen’s compensation, as already mentioned, it won’t be enough.

A piece of legal advice – (1) the family should vehemently pursue the workmen’s compensation claim plus (2) they should also file a claim against his employer for construction liability.

They may also choose to file a third party claim suit. They might want to consult with lawyer whose expertise includes construction accident cases.

My deepest sympathies to the members Arturo’s family.