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Woman Killed in Head-On Crash on Highway 101 Near Goleta
An Orange County woman is dead after a flatbed truck crossed the median on Highway 101 near Goleta and crashed head-on into her pickup truck. The California Highway Patrol (CHP) is still investigating why the accident happened.
Noozhawk.com reports that the 2008 International Durastar flatbed truck was traveling north on Highway 101 and was hauling agricultural containers for Greenheart Farms when the accident occurred. The driver of the flatbed truck claimed that the brakes on the truck locked up, which caused him to veer into the southbound lanes of Highway 101. The CHP has not confirmed that as the cause of the devastating head-on crash.
Playground Accidents and Injuries: What You Should Know
With school out for the summer, children are outside and enjoying the southern California sunshine. Many children will end up playing at local playgrounds, which can be a bittersweet experience if the playground equipment is defective or the playground is out-of-compliance with safety standards.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), each year some 200,000 children under the age of 14 sustain playground-related injuries severe enough to require emergency care. About 70 percent of those children injured were at public playgrounds when the accident happened. More than a third of these injuries are severe, with children sustaining concussions, fractures internal injuries, and amputations.
Sadly, about 15 children die each year due to a playground accident.
Area Cyclists Demand Bike Lanes for Old Town Goleta
Cyclists recently appeared en masse before a Goleta City Council meeting, demanding that the city restripe the roads in Old Town to allow for dedicated bicycle lanes.
The Santa Barbara Bicycle Coalition (SBBC) claims that Old Town residents, businesses, and visitors have been waiting for 15 years for bike lanes on Hollister Avenue. The Director of SBCC spoke to the Goleta City Council and asked once again that the city consider painting bike lanes on Old Town roads.
“Three bicyclists have been killed in the last 15 years,” he told the council. “We’d like to request a process that can end up with those bike lanes.”
Mother Files Lawsuit for Wrongful Death in Fatal Santa Barbara Hit-And-Run
The family of a 22-year-old Santa Barbara man who was the victim in a fatal pedestrian hit-and-run accident on Highway 101 in Santa Barbara has filed a lawsuit for negligence and wrongful death against several parties.
The young man was struck and killed just after 1 a.m. on January 15 on Highway 101 near the Ortega Street footbridge.
There had been reports that the victim had been staggering along the highway — and later toxicology reports confirmed that he had a blood alcohol concentration of .256, which is three times over the limit at which a driver is considered too drunk to be behind the wheel.
The mother of the young man is suing the driver of the car who struck him, two of his family members, and the driver of a cab and the company he was employed with.
Denial of Workers’ Comp Benefits Spurs Call for Criminal Investigation
A workers’ compensation advocacy group is asking the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office to launch a criminal investigation into the death of a Camarillo Ralph’s employee who died from complications after being injured on the job.
There is no doubt that the grocery worker suffered neck and back injuries while on the job at Ralph’s. In fact, he was given worker’s compensation benefits to cover the cost of a surgery to repair the injury. However, the man developed a severe staph infection during the operation that required further care.
The advocacy group alleges that a third-party workers’ compensation insurance adjuster for Tennessee-based Sedgwick Claims Services refused to pay for the expensive follow-up medical care needed to deal with the infection and that the refusal of benefits lead to the worker’s death five years ago.
The group claims that Ralph’s, which is a part of the Krogers food chain, and Sedgwick denied the worker’s medical claims 11 times. Reportedly, a court order and a decision by the Worker’s Compensation Appeals Board that the companies needed to pay for the medical care allegedly was not enough incentive to spur the grocer and insurance company to do so.
The Appeals Board was blunt in its assessment of the insurance company, calling its actions a “blithe disregard for its legal and ethical obligation to provide medical care to a critically injured worker.” The board determined that Sedgwick had “unreasonably” delayed medical care. Allegedly, the insurer even delayed the final payment for hospitalization after the patient had died.
Baby Recliners Allegedly Linked to Deaths Recalled
As part of a settlement with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Baby Matters LLC of Pennsylvania is recalling baby recliners that have allegedly been linked to five infant deaths.
Baby Matters recalled its Nap Nanny and Nap Nanny Chill recliners under pressure from the CPSC,,which had filed an administrative complaint against the company in December of 2012 after Baby Matters refused to recall the product voluntarily. Filing an administrative complaint, which seeks a court ruling to have a product mandatorily removed from the market, is a rare action for CPSC to take.
The company had been in negotiations with CPSC to keep the products on the market since the complaint was filed, but finally voluntarily recalled the products. CPSC says it will now drop the complaint.
Five infant deaths were allegedly linked to the baby recliners. The president of the company contended that the products were used improperly in four out of the five deaths, despite clearly labeled warnings against such use. She rejected the CPSC’s contention that businesses are responsible for their products’ misuse.
In response, a spokesman for the CPSC said that the commission believed that the products presented a substantial hazard and the allegations that the products may have been used improperly did not absolve Baby Matters from responsibility.
“A company needs to anticipate the ways in which consumers will use their products,” he stated.
The company has had one wrongful death suit filed against it in connection with an infant death. Baby Matters will not be accepting returns because it is no longer in business. CPSC urged consumers to immediately dispose of the products and to contact the consumer commission concerning returns and refunds.
If you believe that a defectively designed or manufactured product has caused an injury or a death, the product liability attorneys at the Law Office of Reneé J. Nordstrand want to speak with you. By law, it is a manufacturer’s duty to produce products that are safe for consumers — especially when those products are targeted for children.
If you have questions about your legal rights, call us or contact us online for a free, no-obligation review of your case today.
Drivers Not Distracted Using ‘Hands-Free’ Devices? Think Again
In California, texting and driving is completely banned, but a motorist can still use hands-free device technology for talking and making calls while on the road.
A recent survey conducted by the Automobile Association of America’s (AAA) Foundation for Traffic Safety found that three out of four Americans nationwide believe that the use of hands-free devices, such as speech-based technologies, is risk free.
However, a recent study found that this is simply not the case.
“We know now that devices like voice-detect or voice-to-email systems can create substantial mental distractions, which can lead to degradation of driving performance, “ said Peter Kissinger, president and CEO of the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety.
Kissinger said that a recent study prepared for AAA by researchers at the University of Utah shows that the human brain isn’t really wired to multi-task and that it is “virtually impossible for the brain to do two complex things at the same time.”
Researchers tested reaction time in drivers who were being presented with a variety of distractions, such as conversing with a passenger or talking on hand-held phones or using hands-free devices.
The study found that some distractions, such as listening to the radio while driving, posed the lowest risk on a distraction scale of one to three. However, on that same scale, using voice-activated technology posed the highest risk of distraction (level three).
What does this mean if you have been involved in an automobile injury accident that was not your fault? The automobile accident attorneys at the Law Office of Reneé J. Nordstrand point out that even if a motorist is complying with the California cell phone law, it does not mean he or she is not dangerously distracted while behind the wheel.
Distracted driving is still negligent driving. A distracted driver who causes an accident is still liable for damages — whether that motorist was following the law or not.
If you have been injured in an accident caused by a distracted driver, call our Santa Barbara car accident attorneys at (805) 962-2022 or our Encino office at (818) 981-3530. We can also be contacted online. Your case review will be complimentary.
Summer is Here: Preventing Drowning Deaths and Injuries
A recent news story about the tragic drowning death of a three-year-old boy in a Paso Robles swimming pool reminded the pool accident attorneys at the Law Offices of Reneé J. Nordstrand that summer is here and that homeowners, parents and institutions need to take precautions to prevent drowning deaths and injuries.
Last year, during the traditional summer season from Memorial Day to Labor Day, 137 children younger than 15 years old drowned in pools and spas, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). An additional 168 children of that age required emergency treatment for near-fatal incidents during the same time period.
Nationwide, some 390 children under 15 drown in pools and spas each year and some 5,200 are treated by emergency crews for submersion injuries. Most of the fatal drownings and injuries occur during the summer months.
California ranked second in the nation in pool and spa drowning deaths of children less than 15 years of age in 2012.
The CPSC has labeled child drowning accidents a “serious public health problem.”
The state of California passed the Pool Safety Act in 2007, which requires homeowners to have at least one of seven required safety features for pools and spas. Those safety features include: enclosures around a pool, self-closing safety latches on pool enclosures and in homes, alarm doors, pool and spa covers, and safety alarms that sound when an unauthorized person is in a pool or spa.
Another important safety feature is vigilance. A parent or caregiver should never leave a child unattended at a pool or anywhere else where there is standing water. A drowning can happen quickly. An infant or toddler can drown in just inches of water in an inflatable pool.
But the simplest safety feature you can implement is perhaps the most effective: teach your children to swim.
The Santa Barbara swimming pool injury attorneys Law Offices of Reneé J. Nordstrand know that summer fun comes with the summer heat. Pool and Spa drowning deaths are 100 percent preventable if people just take the proper precautions, remain vigilant and follow the laws concerning pool and spa safety.
Couple Seriously Injured In Motorcycle Crash Near Montecito
A 51-year-old Montecito man was arrested and charged with driving under the influence (DUI) after his SUV collided with a motorcycle head-on in the 800 block of Old Coast Highway. A 63-year-old man and his 59-year-old wife were seriously injured in the crash and were rushed to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital where they were listed in critical condition.
According to Noozhawk.com, the Canadian couple was behind another couple from Canada on their motorcycle when the tragic accident occurred. The driver of a Toyota 4Runner SUV allegedly crossed the center lane of the highway, and while the first motorcycle managed to swerve past the wrong-way vehicle, the second motorcycle was not so lucky. It was struck head-on.
Reportedly, both the victims suffered severe injuries to their left legs. Although it has not been confirmed, early reports indicated that one of them might also have suffered an amputated arm.
The driver of the SUV was taken to Santa Barbara County Jail, where he was booked and charged with felony DUI. A Santa Barbara Police Department spokesman said that it appeared that the suspect might have been driving under the influence of several different substances. Bail was set at $100,000.
The couple had shipped their Harley Davidson motorcycle down from Canada and had intended to take an extended tour of the United States.
“It’s a horrible thing,” the police spokesman said. “Just two couples out having fun, and the day ended in a horrific manner.”
If you have been injured in a motorcycle accident caused by a negligent motorist, it is important that you seek an experienced and knowledgeable attorney as soon as possible. The Santa Barbara motorcycle accident attorneys at the Law Offices of Reneé J. Nordstrand will properly investigate your accident to determine the cause of the crash. We are dedicated to seeing that our clients recover damages for any personal injuries sustained, as well as other costs associated with a crash.
If you have questions about your legal rights following an accident, call our Santa Barbara office at (805) 962-2022 or our Encino office at (818) 981-3530 for a free, no-obligation consultation from an experienced legal representative at the Law Office of Renee J. Nordstrand. We can also be easily contacted online.
Ventura Hepatitis A Illness May Be Linked to Contaminated Berries
Ventura County Public Health officials are reporting that the first case of Hepatitis A possibly linked to a contaminated frozen berry smoothie mix has been documented in Ventura County.
The berry mix, which was sold and distributed by Townsend Farms in Oregon, was recently recalled after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) started receiving reports of Hepatitis A cases in Illinois and South Carolina. The agencies determined that the outbreak might be linked to a frozen berry smoothie mix packaged and sold by Townsend Farms.
In California, the Townsend Farms Organic Antioxidant Blend frozen berries were sold in Costco stores. Ventura County officials say that about 400 packages were sold in the county before the recall took effect. Costco has removed the packages from its shelves and claims that it is trying to contact customers who may have bought the contaminated product.
So far, there have been 40 reported cases of Hepatitis A potentially linked to the contaminated frozen berries nationwide. Three cases have required hospitalization. There have also been seven reports of infections in California. The Ventura County victim reportedly has been ill for a couple of weeks, but has not required hospitalization.
The strain of Hepatitis A associated with this outbreak is fairly rare in North America and South America, but it is more prevalent in the Middle East and North Africa. A spokesman for Townsend Farms admitted that the frozen berry mix contained pomegranate seeds that had been imported from Turkey.
The product liability attorneys at the Law Offices of Reneé J. Nordstrand will be watching this story with great interest as it progresses. It is a manufacturer’s, a distributor’s or a retailer’s duty to assure that any product it manufactures, sells or distributes is safe for the consumer. If it is not, they should be held liable for injuries those products cause.
Have you or a loved one been sickened by a contaminated food product? Call our Santa Barbara office at (805) 962-2022 or our Encino office at (818) 981-3530 or contact us online to learn what your legal options might be.