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Dana Point Girl In Critical Condition Following Hit and Run Incident

By Renee Nordstrand on May 12, 2010

http://www.ocregister.com/news/girl-248396-year-old.html

Seven-year-old Tabatha Cope remains in critical condition today after she was struck by a hit and run driver while skateboarding with friends on Monday evening, the Orange County Register reports.

Tabatha, of Dana Point, was playing in a group of fifteen to twenty children on Silver Lantern Street and La Paz Avenue at approximately 6:30 pm on Monday, when she was struck by a light-colored raised pick up truck.  The truck’s driver did not stop following the collision and has not contacted authorities.

Tabatha sustained serious injuries in the incident, including a broken collarbone, broken ribs, the loss of most of her teeth, and a lacerated liver.  Tabatha’s father, Joseph Cope, urged the hit and run driver to come forward. 

Our thoughts and best wishes are with this Tabatha as she recovers from her injuries.

 If you or a loved one has been the victim of a hit and run driver, please contact experienced accident attorneys today to learn about your legal rights to monetary compensation for medical expenses, lost earnings, and future care and treatment.  At the Law Office of Renee J. Nordstrand, you pay no attorney fees until we win your case.

Motorcyclist in Critical Condition Following Crash

By Renee Nordstrand on May 10, 2010

http://www.vcstar.com/news/2010/may/09/simi-valley-man-critically-injured-in-motorcycle/?print=1

Bill Williams, of Simi Valley sustained serious injuries in a motorcycle crash on Sunday, the Ventura County Start reports.  Williams, age 35, was operating an off-road motorcycle on the 2500 block of Angela Street when he collided with a parked car and injured his head, leg, and arm.

Witnesses state that Williams was attempting a wheel stand when the accident occurred.  He was not wearing a helmet.

According to the NHTSA, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in 2008, “5,290 motorcyclists were killed—an increase of 2 percent over the 5,174 motorcyclists killed in 2007. There were 96,000 motorcyclists injured during 2008”.  Further, “NHTSA estimates that helmets saved 1,829 motorcyclists’ lives in 2008, and that 823 more could have been saved if all motorcyclists had worn helmets.”  These staggering statistics substantiate the need for helmets to protect motorcyclists during accidents.

May 2010 is Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month, and we at the Law Office of Renee J. Nordstrand urge both motorcyclists and vehicle drivers to be aware of motorcycle safety during this time. For example, motorcyclists may benefit from taking rider-training programs dedicated to lowering crash rates. Vehicle drivers and the general public can prepare for the summer months where the number of motorcycle riders will increase on busy highways and roads, necessitating an attitude of all drivers and riders to be willing to share the road.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a motorcycle accident, contact experienced motorcycle attorneys today for a free consultation.

Garden Grove Pedestrian Struck and Killed by Car

By Renee Nordstrand on May 7, 2010

http://www.ocregister.com/news/hit-247500-street-car.html

A man was killed Wednesday afternoon following a pedestrian to car accident on Ward Street in Garden Grove, the Orange County Register reports. 

According to the article, the pedestrian was crossing a marked crosswalk at approximately 4 pm when a car traveling northbound on Ward Street failed to stop at the cross walk and struck the unidentified pedestrian, who was pronounced dead at the scene of the incident. 

Police state that drugs and alcohol were not a factor in causing the accident, however, gave few additional details as to how the incident occurred. 

If you have been the victim in a pedestrian to car accident, you may be entitled to monetary compensation for lost earnings, medical expenses, and pain and suffering. Contact skilled personal injury attorneys today for a free consultation and to learn how Law Office of Renee J. Nordstrand will fight for your legal rights.

Los Angeles Police Office Seeks to Crack Down on Distracted Drivers’ Destruction

By Renee Nordstrand on May 4, 2010

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/crime/la-me-lopezcolumn-20100503,0,4276097,full.column

Los Angeles Times columnist Steve Lopez teamed up with Los Angeles Police Officer Kamaron Sardar this week on a mission to catch distracted drivers.  Lopez’s editorial, which appeared in the Times on Monday, highlighted four of the many citations issued during his traffic observation with Sardar at Hillhurst Avenue in Los Feliz.

According to Lopez, it took only five minutes for the duo to spot their first distracted driver, who was talking on a cell phone without a hands-free device.  Sardar went on to write four citations within a one-hour time period.

According to distraction.gov, a US Department of Transportation website, there are three primary types of distracted driving: Visual (taking one’s eyes off the road), Manual (taking one’s hands of the wheel), and Cognitive (taking one’s mind off of what one is doing).  Distracted driving activities include talking or texting on a cell phone, eating and drinking, talking to passengers, grooming, reading maps, changing the radio station, or using a navigational device.  According to the website, there were nearly 6,000 deaths in accidents related to distracted driving in 2008, with an additional 515,000 injuries.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a car accident due to a distracted driver’s negligence, please contact experienced and aggressive personal injury attorneys today to learn about your legal options.  At Law Office of Renee J. Nordstrand, we offer free consultations and no fees until we win your case.

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Doctor Brings Suit Against Allergen Following Botox Injections

By Renee Nordstrand on April 23, 2010

http://inyourface.freedomblogging.com/2010/04/18/doctor-sues-claiming-botox-caused-years-of-pain/16761/

An Oklahoma doctor has filed the second recent lawsuit against Botox manufacturer Allergen, the Orange County Register reports.  Dr. Sharla Helton, 47, alleges that the Botox injections she received in 2006 to alleviate wrinkles caused physical symptoms that included weakness, shortness of breath, double vision, and arm, hand, and foot pain.

Allergen denies that Botox injections caused Dr. Helton’s symptoms.

There are at least five other plaintiffs who have filed suits against Allergen, according to the article.  Helton’s attorney, Ray Chester, recently tried another case against Allergen regarding Botox injections and lost.  In that case, a young girl stricken with cerebral palsy was administered Botox injections to relax her limbs.  Allergen paid for the girl’s physician (and many other doctors nationwide) to be trained to inject an amount of Botox in patients that was equivalent to an overdose. The girl later died of respiratory failure, which Allergen’s attorney successfully argued could not be conclusively linked to the Botox injections as the cause of her death.

Court documents reveal that in 2005, a year before the girl began Botox treatments, Allergen reported 38 patients who had suffered seizures following Botox injections to the Federal Drug Administration, including nearly 20 children with cerebral palsy.

As Helton’s trial gets underway in the next month, Chester will seek again to prove Allergen’s negligence in disclosing the risks of using Botox.

If you or a loved one has suffered physical injuries after a drug manufacturer failed to disclose its side effects and risks, please contact compassionate, experienced product liability attorneys who will aggressively fight to bring your case to justice.  All initial consultations are free, and you won’t pay attorney fees until we win your case.

Bicyclist Injured in San Diego Crash

By Renee Nordstrand on April 21, 2010

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/apr/17/woman-injured-in-bike-accident-by-utc/

A 24-year-old San Diego woman was seriously injured on Saturday in a bicycle to car collision on Genesee Avenue at La Jolla Village Drive, the San Diego Tribune reports.

The woman, whose name has not yet been released, was riding her bicycle northbound on Genesee when she was struck by a sedan traveling westbound on La Jolla Village Drive.  The cause of the accident is still under investigation, although police have determined that alcohol was not a contributing factor.

Many details of this accident remain unclear. Which person had the right of way? Was distracted driving (eating, texting, talking on a cell phone while driving) a factor?  Did dangerous road conditions cause either the biker or driver to swerve?  By answering these questions, we may begin to see a clearer picture of who was at fault in this situation.

At the Law Offices of Renee J. Nordstrand, we put 20 years worth of knowledge, success and resources to work toward helping victims of negligence recover fair compensation for bicycle and car accidents.  Call us today for a free consultation.

DUI Hit and Run Kills San Diego Man

By Renee Nordstrand on April 16, 2010

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/apr/06/family-man-mourned-family-friends/

27-year-old Oscar Lopez was killed Sunday night after being hit by a drunken driver on the Interstate 5, the San Diego Tribune reports.  Lopez was sleeping in the back seat of while his wife, Angela Lopez, drove their 2004 Ford Explorer, when 43 year old William Romero struck the Lopez’ car after drifting into their lane.

Oscar Lopez was ejected from the vehicle and pronounced dead at the scene. The Lopez’ son, Oscar Jr., was also ejected from the back seat of the vehicle but sustained only minor injuries.  Angela Lopez and a front seat passenger Ashley Lopez, Oscar’s sister, were uninjured.

Romero, who was driving while intoxicated, fled the scene of the accident and was later caught by authorities and arrested.  He is being held on bail with felony charges of drunken driving and vehicular manslaughter.

If you have been forced to cope with sudden and wrongful death of a loved one due to a drunken driver’s negligence, please contact a wrongful death attorney today for a free consultation and to learn more about how Los Angeles and Santa Barbara wrongful death attorneys will competently and aggressively obtain compensation for funeral expenses and pain and suffering after your loss.

Stuntwoman Killed in LA Motorcycle Crash

By Renee Nordstrand on April 15, 2010

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2010/04/stuntwoman-28-killed-in-freeway-motorcycle-crash.html

April Erin Stirton, a 28-year-old stuntwoman from North Hollywood, was killed on Tuesday in a motorcycle crash on the 101 Freeway near Laurel Canyon Boulevard.  According to the Los Angeles Times, Stirton attempted to pass a tow truck ahead of her in the same lane when she lost control of her motorcycle and fell, hitting the back wheels of the truck she was attempting to pass.  Stirton’s motorcycle then crossed two lanes and became stuck underneath the wheels of another truck.

According to a recent Los Angeles Times article (http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-motorcycle-safety18-2009oct18,0,6000706.story), there are about 100,000 motorcycle crashes annually in the United States.  In 2008, 5,290 of these crashes resulted in death.  In 2007, there were 85 fatalities resulting from motorcycle crashes in Los Angeles County alone, according to the Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System.

If you ride motorcycles, please be aware of the added precautions and risks you take when riding.  If you are injured in a motorcycle accident due to another driver’s negligence, protect your rights by contacting experienced attorneys. At the Law Office of Renee J. Nordstrand, we waste no time in beginning our own independent investigation of the accident by visiting the scene, preserving evidence, identifying and interviewing potential witnesses and working with experts to determine both the cause of the collision and the full extent of the injuries suffered by our clients.

Ventura Teen Struck by Car

By Renee Nordstrand on March 5, 2010

http://www.vcstar.com/news/2010/mar/05/police-identify-buena-high-school-student-struck-c/

17-year-old Candice Fulcher was struck and critically injured by a vehicle while running across an intersection to catch a school bus on Thursday, the Ventura County Star reports.

According to witnesses, Fulcher, of Ventura, was crossing north Telephone Road in a crosswalk against a red light when a car driven by 24-year-old Monique Rodriguez, also of Ventura, struck her.  Rodriguez was not cited for the crash and was fully cooperative with authorities.  Fulcher is currently being treated at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital.

One witness to the incident noted that he often sees students crossing the same intersection against a red light in order to catch the school bus on Petit Avenue, highlighting an area in which school district and city officials may need to improve student safety and facilitate discussion on student bus stops.

I wish the victim a full and speedy recovery from her injuries.

Law Office of Renee J. Nordstrand has successfully handled numerous cases involving pedestrians and motor vehicles.  If a car has injured you as a pedestrian, please contact experienced personal injury attorneys today to discuss your legal options.  We offer free consultations and there are no legal fees to pay unless you win.

Amtrak Train Collides with Pick Up Truck in Moorpark

By Renee Nordstrand on March 2, 2010

http://www.vcstar.com/news/2010/mar/01/train-hits-truck-near-moorpark/

36-year-old Joseph Tillery was killed Monday morning when the pick up truck he was driving collided with a westbound Amtrak train on Highway 118 near Hitch Boulevard at the Peach Hill Soils crossing, the Ventura County Star reports.

Tillery’s car was pushed a quarter mile down the tracks after being broadsided by the Amtrak surfliner train, which was carrying 125 passengers at the time of the crash.  There were no injuries reported onboard the train.

The Peach Tree Soils crossing, which is a private railroad crossing with no signals or railroad gates, had already been scheduled to receive public funding to improve the crossing’s safety –including installing devices to warn drivers who cross the tracks of oncoming trains.   According to the Ventura County Transportation Commission, two other private railroad crossings have already been improved thanks to public funding in the past five years.

This is a terrible tragedy and I offer my deepest sympathies to Mr. Tillery’s loved ones in this time of loss.

If you have lost a loved one in a train accident, I encourage you to contact compassionate, veteran personal injury and wrongful death attorneys to learn more about your legal options.  Our experienced attorneys expertly determine whether another entity is responsible for your losses, and will fight to obtain compensation for funeral expenses as well as pain and suffering.  Law Office of Renee J. Nordstrand offers confidential, free consultations.