Accident Attorneys' Group

Personal Injury Lawyers of CA

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Arrest Made for Fatal Stabbing in Hollywood

English: A band plays on the Hollywood Walk of...

English: A band plays on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (6801 Hollywood Blvd), 21 April 2006. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

On Tuesday evening, a 23 year old woman was fatally stabbed by three people. Police initially did not know who was responsible, but on Wednesday they arrested the culprits.

Three panhandlers are being held accountable at this point. They are currently detained and face criminal charges for the slaying of Christine Darlene Calderon.

Calderon was in Hollywood with a friend and while she took photos of the stars on the “Walk of Fame,” she was assaulted by the three. According to the police report, Calderon was harassed by the three because she was taking photos in their area without paying money.

She was then stabbed in the torso. Police found her bleeding on the street from multiple stab wounds at Hollywood Boulevard and Highland Avenue around 8:30 p.m. This is a commonly used area for homeless beggars or street performers as the tourist traffic is heavy.

Calderon was taken to a nearby hospital; however, her injuries were too severe and she died there.

Her death is an unfortunate reminder of how dangerous it can be on the streets, even if they are surrounded by other people.

If you or someone you know has been injured in any type of accident, contact a Los Angeles injury attorney who can assist you with identifying negligence, filing claims; and can ensure that you receive the highest possible compensation for the damages that you have suffered, including punitive damages in the event of serious injury or death.

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Bicyclist Pleads Guilty to Assault with Deadly Weapon

English: A busy day on Third Street Promenade ...

English: A busy day on Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica, California; the south end is the entrance to Frank Gehry’s Santa Monica Place. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

On June 24, 2012, Rocky Martin was riding his bike and hit a pedestrian. The victim was injured in the accident and now Martin has pleaded guilty to assault.

Martin was riding east on Santa Monica Boulevard at the Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica, California prior to the accident. He then ran a red light on his bicycle and struck a person crossing the street.

The victim who was not identified suffered serious injuries.

Now, almost a year later, Martin has received his sentencing. He will serve three years on felony probation and 30 days of community services for his actions.

Though Los Angeles is heavily reliant on vehicles for transportation, bicycling is becoming much more prominent, especially in areas like Santa Monica. The police claim that they are cracking down on bicycle infractions to ensure safety of the others around riders.

Santa Monica Police Sergeant Richard Lewis states that the department plans to “focus on bicycle violations” from July through September to decrease these types of incidents.

If you or someone you know has been injured in an accident, whether in a vehicle, on a bike, or on foot, contact a Los Angeles accident attorney. A lawyer will assist you with identifying negligence, filing insurance claims; and can ensure that you receive the highest possible compensation for the damages that you have suffered, including punitive damages in the event of serious injury or death.

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Areas of 405 Freeway Closing Tuesday through Friday

Interstate 110 and State Route 110 (California)

Interstate 110 and State Route 110 (California) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Los Angeles is about to experience more inconvenient driving this week, beginning Tuesday evening. Parts of the 405 Freeway through the Sepulveda Pass will be closed in order to address the work that needs to be done on the Skirball Bridge.

Freeway ramps will begin closing at 7:00 p.m., and some lanes will be closed by 10:00 p.m. The full closure is expected to be completed by midnight and will reopen at approximately 5:00 a.m.

The working crews will install girders during the closure, beginning in stages for the southbound lanes.

On the northbound side, the same areas will be closed beginning Wednesday night at 7:00 p.m. Those closures will be in effect Wednesday and Thursday from 7:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. as well on Friday morning from 1:00 a.m. to 6:00 a.m.

The Skirball Bridge will be closed each night from 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m., but Sepulveda Boulevard will remain open for the duration of the work.

The 405 Freeway is a major highway for Los Angeles travelers, so it is important to know how this may affect you. Find alternate routes, such as Sepulveda Boulevard; and allow yourself extra time for commuting.

It is also vital to remain alert and safe as you may be driving new routes with which you are not familiar. If you happen to be involved in an accident, contact a Los Angeles injury attorney who will assist you with identifying negligence, filing claims; and can ensure that you receive the highest possible compensation for the damages that you have suffered, which is a major step toward your recovery.

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Orange County Accident Injures Sheriff Deputy

Orange County Sheriff's Department (California)

Orange County Sheriff’s Department (California) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Early Monday morning, an Orange County Sheriff’s Department deputy was injured in an auto accident after he was ejected from his vehicle.

The collision occurred around 3:00 a.m. in Mission Viejo. The deputy’s police vehicle struck a pole on Marguerite Parkway and Alarcon and was removed from the car.

Officials have not released the identity of the victim at this point. He was immediately taken to Mission Hospital to be treated for unknown injuries. Though based on the conditions of the accident, his injuries are likely serious; however, he is expected to survive.

The accident is still under investigation at this point, but the scene has been cleared. There were no other vehicles involved in the crash and no other injuries have been reported.

In most cases, an ejected victim leads to more unfortunate outcomes. This deputy is quite lucky to have only sustained injuries from the collision.

If you or someone you know has been injured in an accident, contact an Orange County Accident Attorney who will assist you with identifying negligence, filing claims; and can ensure that you receive the highest possible compensation for the damages that you have suffered, including punitive damages in the event of a fatality.

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Fatal Accident in Pico Rivera

English: Pico Rivera Library - County of Los A...

English: Pico Rivera Library – County of Los Angeles Public Library (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Thursday night, three people were killed in an accident in Pico Rivera. The collision was caused by a speeding driver.

A Honda Civic was traveling northbound on San Gabriel River Parkway in the 3500 block. A 22-year-old man was driving the Civic, and had a female and three children as passengers.

The Civic was going very fast while on a curve and was then forced over the line onto the southbound side of the parkway. The Civic then crashed head-on into a Nissan Sentra.

Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department officials arrived at the accident and began conducting the investigation.

The Civic driver and two boys, ages 11 and 13, died at the scene as they were ejected from the vehicle. The woman in the front seat and the third child were both taken to the hospital in critical condition. According to the police, the driver was taking the kids home after a party.

Two women were in the Nissan that was hit in the collision. They were both rushed to a hospital with serious injuries.

The fatal accident occurred around 8:45 p.m. by the 605 freeway. None of the victims’ identities has been released at this point and their conditions are still unknown.

The accident is still under investigation; however, there is no doubt that speed is a major factor in this crash.

If you or someone you know has been in an accident, contact a Los Angeles Accident Attorney who can assist you with filing claims; and can ensure that you receive the highest possible compensation for the damages that you have suffered, including punitive damages in the event of a death.

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More Gun Fire in Santa Monica

English: Santa Monica College Boardwalk, 2011.

English: Santa Monica College Boardwalk, 2011. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Los Angeles grieves for those affected by the Friday shooting at Santa Monica College. And its grief must now be extended as more victims have been added to the list of the city’s shootings.

Early Tuesday morning, just blocks away from the anguished college, police responded to a report of shots fired. Two men were taken to the hospital.

The shooting occurred on the 1500 block of Michigan Avenue and police arrived around 8:20 a.m.

Each victim was in serious condition and were both taken for medical operations. However, one man has died due to his injuries. The other victim’s current condition is unknown.

According to the police, the suspect was possibly driving a blue Infiniti. The shooter approached the two men in an alley and began firing shots at them and then left.

Police are still investigating the attack and searching for the suspect and the vehicle.

Friday’s shooting in Santa Monica was conducted by John Zawahri, a 23-year-old former student of the college. He first went to his childhood home and killed his father and brother. He then traveled to the campus where he killed three more victims and injured others until police came bearing arms. Zawahri was shot and died later from the injuries.

Los Angeles can only hope that the police apprehend this new shooter and the two men and their families receive justice.

If you or someone you know has been injured in any type of accident, contact a Los Angeles Injury Attorney who can assist you with identifying negligence, filing claims; and receiving the highest possible compensation for the damages that you have suffered, including punitive damages in the event of fatalities.

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Stranger Saves Two Children’s Lives

Collins Lake, Spring 2004

Collins Lake, Spring 2004 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Over the weekend, a woman was vital in the rescue of two children at Collins Lake, California. More interesting is that she had no affiliation with them prior to the incidences.

Lori Carpenter is from Yuba City, California. She and her husband were at the lake this weekend, enjoying the break. He was in the water and rushed to his wife after he had seen a child in danger.

David Cole remembers the event and recalls how he ran out of the water and yelled, “Lori, Lori, Lori go help that girl!” There was a crowd around a young child who had evidently struggled in the water. Carpenter pushed though and then administered CPR to the three year old girl.

Once she was revived, the family crowded around the toddler and Carpenter edged away from the scene. No one involved had learned her name or had even be able to properly thank her as she escaped so quickly.

As if that was not enough, Carpenter rushed to assist once more with another kid. 45 minutes she saved the three year old, she was attempting to save a thirteen year old girl. According to Carpenter, the teenager was unresponsive for several minutes and had a weak pulse.

She was yelling the girl’s name and splashing water on her face for bit and then she had finally come around. Once again, Carpenter left the scene as the child was embraced by her friends and family.

Carpenter’s identity was revealed by her proud parents. She explains how she is just “a regular person who knew what to do at the right moment.” Indeed she did; she had just completed her CPR class three days before the accidents.

Friends, family, and those who were present for her saving lives all call her a hero and an angel.

The two children were quite fortunate to have a woman like Lori Carpenter around after their accidents. Not all situations turn out this way, though. If you or someone you know has been injured in an accident, contact a Los Angeles Injury Attorney today to receive assistance with identifying negligence, filing claims; and to receive the highest possible compensation for the damages that you have suffered, including punitive damages in the event of a fatality.

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All Elderly Passengers Escape Limo Fire

English: Lincoln Town Car Limousine

English: Lincoln Town Car Limousine (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

On Sunday morning, in Walnut Creek, California, ten women successfully evacuated a limousine after it had caught fire. This accident occurred just a little over a month after the limousine fire that claimed the lives of five female nurses in the San Francisco Bay area.

Many of the women who escaped the flames were in their 90s. According to the report, they were all traveling to Sonoma to celebrate a friend’s 96th birthday.

According to the passengers’ statements, the driver told the women to exit the vehicle and the first ones out assisted the others who could not move as quickly. They were dependent on canes and walkers. Once they were all outside of limo, the passengers smelled smoke and seconds later, the flames erupted.

Fire crews arrived around 11:35 a.m. and were able to quickly extinguish the fire. The cause of the fire is still being investigated; however, the car’s electrical system is a likely cause at this point. The owner, Claudius Oliveira explains how the car is new, is maintained, and has been inspected; so the issue is the fault of the manufacturer.

The actual cause of the fire will not be immediately known, but the fact that they all were able to leave the vehicle without any injury is amazing. Many times, such as the one at the beginning of May, passengers are not as lucky.

If you or someone you know has been in an accident, contact an Orange County-based Accident Attorney today. A lawyer can assist you in identifying negligence, filing claims, and can ensure that you receive the highest possible compensation for the damages that you have suffered.

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Federal Plan to Decrease Distracted Driving

Distracted driving

Distracted driving (Photo credits: www.smartsign.com)

Texting while driving is illegal in California, as well as other states; however, people are continuing to fiddle with their phones while stopped at a red light or worse, while in motion. The federal government has a plan to eliminate the distraction to increase general safety for drivers, but it will take a really great technology development and time.

More than 3,000 people are killed each in year in America from distracted drivers. That accounts for about ten percent of the fatalities caused by vehicular collisions. Though states can pass laws and police officers can issue tickets, there is no way to ensure that drivers keep their hands on the wheel and their eyes on the road; but the government is working hard to get there.

The ultimate solution would be to make it impossible to send a text message or update social media while driving. The government is working with automobile manufacturers to create a technological obstruction, one that would deactivate the mobile device upon attempted usage in a car. The vehicle would sense the driver attempting to text or browse Facebook and would immediately shut it down. Though this idea seems outlandish and maybe impossible to some critics, advances thus far in the technology world have already proven that so many ideas can realistically be executed.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has made a proposition that outlines its ideas for restricting distracted driving. The key objective is to limit the amount of time a driver removes his/her hands from the wheel or his/her eyes from the road. The Administration wants car manufacturers to make it impossible to enter text for messaging and browsing while the car is in motion; and to disable video and social media content from being displayed.

A large issue that the NHTSA will face is that the change will require full participation from drivers; and if the pairing is not done easily, then drivers will opt out of it and continue to use their handhelds illegally. This is why it is looking for an innovative technological idea that will embed it within the car requiring compliance beyond being aware of it at the time of purchase.

This change may be inconvenient for some drivers; however, it could also save thousands of lives each year. Though distractions come in more forms than cell phones, it is likely that removing this specific diversion will reduce the amount of accidents that occur in the country.

Accidents are an unfortunate part of our lives. If you or someone you know has been injured in an accident, whether it was caused by a distracted driver or something else; contact an Orange County Accident Attorney today. A lawyer can assist you in identifying negligence, filing claims; and can ensure that you receive the highest possible compensation for the damages that you have suffered, including punitive damages in the event of a fatality.

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Young Boy Killed by Iron Gate

Alms Houses #3

Alms Houses #3 (Photo credit: stevecadman)

In Citrus Heights, California, a five year old boy was killed after a sliding security gate fell on him.

Jason Kolyadich was pulling on the wrought iron gate to close it after a guest was leaving his house when the tragedy occurred. His uncle heard his screams and immediately ran out to him to see what had happened.

The gate was put up in front of the house five or six years ago and the family has never had an issue with it before. Sergeant David Moranz of the Citrus Heights Police Department explains how in his 22 years as a police officer, this is only the second time that an accident like this has occurred.

The case is still under investigation; however, at this time there do not appear to be any broken pieces connected to the gate. Relatives of the victim believe that a back stopper may have been bent and that permitted the gate to come off of the track.

The gate that fell on the child is estimated to weigh between 250 and 400 pounds; five year old boys like Jason usually weigh about 40 pounds. There was no way that he could have held up that gate by himself once it escaped the track.

Law enforcement officers do not feel that there was any criminal activity involved in the child’s death; however, they are still looking into the reasons why the gate malfunctioned.

Accidents like this are terribly unfortunate and sometimes impossible to prevent. If you or someone you know has been injured or killed in any type of accident, contact a Sacramento Accident Attorney today. A lawyer can assist you in identifying negligence, filing claims; and can award to you the highest possible compensation, including punitive damages in the event of a fatality.