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Unlicensed Drivers in California Have High Fatality Rates
A newly released study by the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) shows that unlicensed drivers are three times more likely to cause a fatal traffic accident as those who drive legally. Although there is no hard and fast numbers as to how many unlicensed drivers there are in California, the DMV estimates that the tally runs in the millions.
Researchers for the DMV looked at fatal accident statistics for the years 1987 and 2009. They then divided those drivers into three categories: those who were licensed; those who were driving with suspended or revoked licenses; and those who never received a license.
One percent of licensed drivers were found to be the cause of fatal accidents in California, whereas about three percent of drivers who were unlicensed or driving with revoked or suspended licenses were found to be responsible for fatalities.
According to the study, there are nearly two million Californians at any given time who will have their licenses revoked or suspended. There are no reliable statistics on how many of those drivers continue to drive thereafter.
This data adds fuel to the fire of an already potent debate as to whether those driving without licenses should have their vehicles impounded by police if they are stopped for motor vehicle infractions. The DMV researchers concluded that impounding vehicles was “strongly justified … to control (illegal) drivers and to reduce crashes caused by those drivers.”
Whether driving illegally or legally, negligent, inattentive, and reckless motorists can cause automobile accidents, which lead to serious injuries and deaths on Southern California’s roads and highways. If you believe you have a wrongful death case, contact the attorneys at the Law Offices of Renée J. Nordstrand for a free, no-obligation review of your case. Let our experienced team explain what your legal option might be.
Contact our Southern California Offices in Santa Barbara (805) 962-2022 or in Encino (818) 981-3530 today.
Santa Barbara Family Can’t Sue Employer in Wrongful Death Suit
A Santa Barbara Superior Court judge has ruled that the family of a teenager who was struck and killed on Milpas Street cannot bring a wrongful death allegation against the employer of the 19-year-old who was driving the flatbed truck that struck him.
The 15-year-old San Marcos High School student was crossing in the crosswalk at Ortega and Milpas on Oct. 7, 2011 when the truck, which was heading southbound on Milpas, struck him. The driver allegedly had been collecting shopping carts in the local area and was speeding when the accident occurred. The teen was taken to Cottage Hospital, but later died of his injuries.
The parents sued the driver of the truck for wrongful death and negligence in the California pedestrian accident. The family was seeking compensation for funeral expenses, medical costs, loss of use of property, and loss of earning capacity. The lawsuit also stated that they had “been deprived of love, companionship, affection, society, comfort, protection, services and support of their son.”
The suit also contended that the driver, who had been driving his father’s truck, had also been operating the vehicle as part of his job, and had named the father, the California Shopping Cart Retrieval Corporation, Inc. and Scolari’s Food & Drug Company as defendants.
The incident spurred an outcry from local residents who claimed the Milpas traffic corridor lacked proper safety controls. Months later, during a crosswalk sting at the same intersection where the teen was hit, Santa Barbara police cited 28 drivers for not stopping for a decoy pedestrian in the crosswalk.
There is no word as to why the judge denied the plaintiff’s wrongful death allegation against the driver’s employer, but the ruling now leaves the driver as the lone defendant in the civil suit.
Bringing a wrongful death suit is a complex endeavor that requires the skills and experience of an experienced law firm. The wrongful death lawyers in Santa Barbara at the Law Offices of Renée J. Nordstrand can help your family recover compensation for both economic and emotional losses. If you believe you have a case, call our Santa Barbara office at (805) 962-2022 for a free, no-obligation review of your case.
Sheriff and County Settle Goleta Wrong Way Crash Suit for $4.8 Million
Santa Barbara County officials, as well as the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department, have agreed to pay a family a $4.8 million settlement after a wrong way crash on Highway 101 in Goleta left two people dead and two seriously injured.
The Goleta auto accident happened in Nov. 2009 when a report went out of a vehicle driving down the wrong side of the road on Highway 101. A Santa Barbara sheriff’s deputy, responding to the call, entered the highway and merged slowly into the right lane in front of two cars. According to reports, he didn’t have his siren or emergency lights on.
Unaware of what was going on, the two cars behind the sheriff pulled into the lane beside him to pass — unwittingly putting them right into the path of the speeding, wrong-way vehicle. The sheriff then hit his lights and siren. The driver of the first vehicle, thinking he was being pulled over, turned into the right lane — just barely avoiding the wrong way vehicle.
The wrong way vehicle then plowed head-on into the second car, killing two people in the front and seriously injuring two others in the back seat.
The lawsuit brought by the family alleged that the California Highway Patrol should have handled the call and that the sheriff’s deputy had violated department policy. It also claimed that the sheriff’s actions contributed to the crash.
A wrongful death lawsuit is a complex and multi-faceted undertaking that involves emotional as well as legal issues. The wrongful death attorneys in California at the Law Offices of Renée J. Nordstrand understand these nuances and will do everything in their power to pursue the compensation your family will need while recovering from a devastating loss.
If your family has suffered the wrongful death of a loved one, call our Santa Barbara office at (805) 962-2022 for a free, no-obligation review of your case.
Santa Barbara Man Struck and Killed by Motorist
http://www.independent.com/news/2010/may/17/homeless-man-killed-traffic-accident/?print
A Santa Barbara man was struck by a car and killed on Saturday evening, the Santa Barbara Independent reports. The accident occurred at State and Islay Streets around 8:30 pm. The victim, who was homeless and whose identity has yet to be released, was crossing the intersection of State and Islay Streets as Javier Castillo, 23, proceeded northbound on State Street in a 2004 Mazda RX-8. Castillo told investigators he believed the man was going to make it across the intersection on foot before he reached it by vehicle; however, he miscalculated and struck the victim.
The victim sustained a broken leg and chest wounds before passing away from his injuries at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital.
According to police, witnesses have substantiated Castillo’s account of how the incident occurred, and to date no criminal charges have been filed against him. The investigation is still ongoing, however, and any witnesses to the accident should contact Officer Mark Hunt at (805) 897-3719.
If you’ve been forced to cope with sudden loss of a loved one due to someone else’s negligence, we at the Law Office of Renee J. Nordstrand understand your concerns and want to help. Our resources, experience, and depth of legal knowledge consistently result in successful settlements for families who have experienced tremendous loss. Contact Los Angeles and Santa Barbara wrongful death attorneys today for a free consultation.
Lawsuit Filed Against LAPD Following Deadly Crash
The parents of Devin Leigh Petelski, who was killed following a car crash with a Los Angeles Police Department Patrol car on October 15, 2009, have filed a lawsuit against the police department, the LA Times reports.
Petelski, who was 25 at the time of the incident and working as a substance abuse counselor, had entered the intersection of Venice Boulevard and Glyndon Avenue when a patrol car, driven by LAPD officers Ramon Vasquez and James Eldridge on Venice Boulevard, struck Petelski’s vehicle. The accident spun the police car, which slammed into a tree and traffic sign. Petelski was hospitalized and died two days after the accident from her injuries.
The Petelski’s lawsuit alleges negligence, citing that the patrol car was driving above the posted speed limit of forty miles per hour and that the officers were using neither lights nor sirens to warn other motorists as they sped. According to LAPD Commander Stuart Maislin, the police department had recently implemented a policy before the crash that required all officers to use both lights and sirens when exceeding the speed limit in response to an emergency. Vasquez and Eldridge were responding to a burglary call, however they had not told dispatchers that they were responding to the call, and there was another unit that had already been dispatched to respond.
If you have lost a loved one in an a car accident due to someone else’s negligence, please contact experienced and compassionated wrongful death attorneys who will fight for your legal rights during your time of need. At the Law Office of Renee J. Nordstrand, we offer free consultations and you won’t pay legal fees until we successfully settle your case.
Thirteen Year old Pedestrian Struck and Killed By Car on the PCH
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2010/04/fatal-malibu-pedestrian-accident.html
Los Angeles County Sheriff’s officials are continuing to search for witnesses to a fatal car to pedestrian accident on the Pacific Coast Highway on Saturday. According to an article in the Los Angeles Times, 13-year-old Emily Rose Shane was walking northbound on the right side of the Pacific Coast Highway near Kanan Dume Road when she was struck and killed by a car driven by Sina Khankhanian, 26.
Authorities believe Khankhanian may have purposefully crashed his vehicle, although he did not intend to strike the victim. Anyone who witnessed the accident or has information may call the investigating Sheriff’s Department at (323) 890-5500.
This article does not give many details on how the accident occurred. Many questions arise from the lack of information, such as whether the driver was distracted, under the influence of alcohol or drugs, or facing road conditions that may have caused him to swerve suddenly. As the Sheriff’s Department continues their investigation, some of these details may come to light and help piece together why this terrible accident occurred.
If you have lost a loved one in a car to pedestrian accident, please contact wrongful death and car accident attorneys who can answer your questions and explain your legal rights.
Studies Shows Half of America’s 20 Most Dangerous Roads Are Located in California
http://www.vcstar.com/news/2010/feb/06/simple-steps-for-staying-alive/
A recent study by the Scripps Howard News Service finds that 10 of America’s 20 most dangerous roads (in terms of highest number of fatalities) are located in California, the Ventura County Star reports. The top three most dangerous roads are all in Los Angeles. What makes California susceptible to so many dangerous roads and traffic deaths? According to the California Department of Transportation; speeding, drinking, and unfastened seat belts are the common causes for California’s high ranking.
Statistics
According to the Star, there have been nearly 320 drunken-driving related deaths from 1994-2008 in Ventura County. In the same time period, over 260 deaths have involved unfastened seat belts, and 220 have involved speeding. 37.6% of all traffic fatalities occurred on state highways, and nearly 200 fatalities occurred on Saturday- the most fatalities of any day of the week.
Your Legal Options
The best way to practice driving safety is to take simple steps to ensure that preventable accidents caused by the most common factors do not occur. However, even the safest drivers, who always wear a seatbelt, drive within the speed limit, don’t drive intoxicated, and limit driving distractions such as cell phones or eating while driving, aren’t immune to car accidents. Sometimes accidents are simply unavoidable due to the conduct of other drivers and road conditions. When an accident occurs beyond your control, you may be entitled to monetary compensation to cover your injuries and damages. Experienced, aggressive personal injury attorneys will pursue legal action to obtain compensation for medical appointments, missed time from work, and future care and treatment. Call today to set up a free consultation.
Bail Set in Fatal San Diego Hit and Run
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/feb/11/bn11hitrun/
Bail has been set for $2 million in the case of a fatal San Diego hit and run, the San Diego Tribune reports. The defendant, Tiffany St Ives, is accused of striking and killing 17-year-old Marlene Resendiz in 2007, as Resendiz crossed East Grand Avenue near Rose Street on foot. After striking the victim, St. Ives drove for 400 yards with the victim on the hood of her car. After the victim fell off of her car, St Ives continued driving and did not stop, allegedly going to great lengths to hide guilt through secret car repairs. Since this incident, St Ives has been involved in four other traffic collisions.
St Ives has pleaded not guilty to hit and run driving with death, which carries a sentence of up to four years in prison.
The Law Office of Renee J. Nordstrand represents wrongful death victims and their families in civil court. Our wrongful death cases include car accidents, bike accidents, train accidents, and dangerous property conditions. If you have lost a loved on to any of these conditions, please contact experienced and aggressive wrongful death attorneys who will fight for the fullest and fairest compensation possible.
Orange County Wrongful Death Trial Underway
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-botox27-2010jan27,0,4691075,full.story
The trial in a complicated case involving botox injections, cerebral, palsy, and a tragic death of a seven-year-old girl is underway in Orange County, the Los Angeles Times reports.
Dee Spears, whose young daughter, Kristen, received Botox injections to calm leg spasms that resulted from cerebral palsy, is suing Botox manufacturer Allergan Inc. Spears alleges that the company knew that one of the drug’s components, botulinum toxin, could cause “potentially life-threatening swallowing and breathing difficulties and even death”, yet encouraged pediatricians to use the drug in treating cerebral palsy patients. Kristen died in November 2007 of breathing and swallowing difficulties and pneumonia that developed rapidly after she began receiving botox treatments in June of 2006. Spears says Kristen’s health was stable before that time.
Kristen’s own doctor, Rolf Habersang, M.D., was trained by Allergan at a Texas seminar to use Botox to treat patients like Kristen. Dr. Habersang testified that he was taught at the seminar to dose children with 15 units of Botox per kilogram of body weight. According to an Allergan executive’s testimony, that dosage amount is nearly two times the amount of Botox that is safe to use in treating children, however Allergan never shared that information with physicians.
Court documents reveal that in 2005, a year before Kristen began Botox treatments, Allergan reported 38 patients who had suffered seizures following Botox injections to the Federal Drug Administration, including nearly 20 children with cerebral palsy.
As the trial continues to unfold, Ms. Spears will seek to prove Allergan’s negligence in the wrongful death of her young daughter.
If a loved one has been the victim of a wrongful death situation, please contact compassionate and understanding wrongful death 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.
Driver Strikes and Kills Wheel-Chair Bound Man
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/jan/20/charges-recommended-wheelchair-accident/
San Diego police officers are considering misdemeanor manslaughter charges against a driver who ran a red light, struck another vehicle, drove up onto the sidewalk, and crashed into an elderly man in a wheelchair, the San Diego Tribune reports.
After extensive surgeries, 69-year-old Willie Robinson died from his injuries in late November, six weeks after the accident occurred on Ninth Avenue and E Street in San Diego on October 13, 2009.
Reports have not yet been confirmed that the driver was talking on a cell phone at the time of the incident. Although these reports are still pending confirmation, cell phone use while driving is a serious problem that causes an increasingly high number of accidents each year. Should the driver be found to have been using a cell phone at the time of the crash, he or she may also be found negligent and criminally liable for causing the crash and Mr. Robinson’s subsequent injuries and tragic death.
If you have lost a loved one due to another driver’s negligence, please schedule a free consultation to discuss your legal options with compassionate, experienced wrongful death attorneys today.