According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, San Francisco’s cable cars are among the most accident-prone means of mass transportation in the country─averaging one accident every month, per vehicle mile traveled annually. San Francisco city officials acknowledge the cable cars have safety issues. The city has reported 126 accidents injuring 151 people over the last 10 years. According to the Associated Press, public records show the city paid nearly $8 million to settle about four dozen legal claims generated by cable car passengers. The city pays $12 million annually to settle all claims relating to its mass transportation system, which includes cable cars, electric street cars and buses. Federal transportation accident statistics document 19 injuries and 16 cable car accidents last year, the second highest amount reported in the last 10 years. There were 36 cable car accidents reported in 2004. Recently, a cable car came to a sudden stop, injuring five passengers and two cable car workers, who suffered facial and internal injuries, including cracked ribs, transit officials reported. The incident occurred after the cable car slammed into a bolt in the track. Legal settlements for injuries sustained aboard the cable car have ranged from $4 million to $2,500. If you or a loved one has been hurt in a San Francisco cable car accident, you may be entitled to compensation. Estey & Bomberger [...] Read more »
KERN COUNTY – An 18-year-old girl was tragically killed in a drunk driving car accident early Monday morning, reports The Bakersfield Californian. According to police, 33-year-old Martin Juarez nearly hit two other vehicles before he collided with the victim’s car as he drove the wrong way in the number one lane of Coffee Road near Stockdale Highway. The 3:47 a.m. crash tragically killed Breana Webb and left her four passengers with severe injuries, including facial fractures and a lacerated kidney. A police report described Juarez as having blood shot eyes, slurred speech, and an odor of alcohol coming from his breath. Reportedly, Juarez refused to take any sobriety tests and instead had his blood drawn. Juarez is being held on multiple charges, including second-degree murder charges. He was convicted of a DUI in 2005 and in California, a person who was previously convicted of a DUI can be charged with second-degree murder if they subsequently kill a person while driving under the influence. Drunk Driving Accident Liability Based on the news report, the drunk driver is at-fault for this heartbreaking October 29, 2012 accident. If the drunk driver is convicted of the criminal charges, his conviction will do nothing to help the victims with the many damages related to a serious injury or tragic loss. If the victims and the family members of the [...] Read more »
KERN COUNTY – A 40-year-old woman was tragically killed when a tire flew off another vehicle and hit the windshield of the woman’s car while she was driving south on State Route 99 near Bakersfield. As a result of the impact, the woman’s Jeep Wrangler crashed into a guardrail. The woman, identified as Souraya Sourayanezhad of Pasadena, died at the scene of the crash. Sourayanezhad was traveling with her parents when the tragic October 23, 2012 accident happened. Sourayanezhad’s parents were sitting in the back seat of her Jeep Wrangler and sustained minor injuries in the crash. According to police, the fatal accident happened at about 8 p.m. Kern County Road Debris Accident Liability Based on the Pasadena Star-News report, the driver of the vehicle that lost the tire may be at-fault for the tragic accident. Was the tire not properly installed? Did the driver know the tire was loose, but did nothing to secure it? Hopefully, authorities can determine how and why this heartbreaking accident occurred. While police conclude their investigation, the family members of the victim should speak to a wrongful death attorney. A skilled attorney can provide surviving family members with the information they need to decide if filing a claim is within their best interests. If surviving family members decide to move forward with the claims process, an attorney can [...] Read more »
LOS ANGELES COUNTY – A 69-year-old driver was tragically killed early Tuesday morning when his car collided with a horse in Rancho Palos Verdes, reports the Daily Breeze. The driver of a Mercedes SL 500, identified as Ryan Y. Koyama, was driving south on Crenshaw Boulevard north of Palos Verdes Drive North when at approximately 2 a.m. the front of his car hit the left side of a horse that was on the road. After hitting the animal, Koyama’s car rolled south and hit a fence. Koyama was taken to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Reportedly, the horse had escaped from a nearby stable, Seahorse Riding Club. However, it is not known how the horse escaped. The horse sustained major injuries in the crash and died at the scene of the tragic September 18, 2012 collision. Determining Responsibility for the Accident Following a tragic accident such as this one, the family members of the victim should speak to a knowledgeable California wrongful death attorney at Estey Bomberger immediately. We can help determine how and why the accident occurred and ultimately, who is responsible for the accident. If an investigation reveals that the accident was caused by another person’s negligent or careless actions, the victim’s family members may be able to take legal action against the at-fault party. With one of our [...] Read more »
KERN COUNTY – An 8-year-old boy was tragically killed in a single-vehicle car crash that took place on Highway 99, reports The Bakersfield Californian. According to the Kern County Sherriff’s Department, the boy, identified as Arushver Gill, was a passenger in a vehicle that crashed at about 10:05 p.m. Tuesday night on the northbound lanes of Highway 99 at Sandrini Road. The California Highway Patrol is investigating the cause of the heartbreaking September 11, 2012 car crash. Talk to a California Wrongful Death Attorney Following a devastating accident such as this one, the victim’s family members should speak to a competent car accident attorney at the law firm of Estey Bomberger. We have more than 70 years collective experience helping people who have tragically lost a loved one in a tragic car accident and have the resources needed to litigate a complex wrongful death case. Our success in complex personal injury and wrongful death cases has allowed us to partner with some of the best in forensics and accident reconstruction. Surviving family members can rest assured that every resource we have will be used to get them the funds they need to move forward after a devastating loss. Contact Estey Bomberger Today We know it can be difficult for grieving family members to begin the legal process, but do not wait to contact one [...] Read more »
SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY – A San Bernardino County sheriff’s deputy was involved in a fatal car crash in Victorville Sunday night, reports The Press-Enterprise. The deputy was transporting a juvenile prisoner to Apple Valley Juvenile Detention Center when his patrol car rear-ended a Honda Accord on the eastbound lanes of the Air Expressway in Victorville at approximately 8 p.m. As a result of the impact, the Honda swerved into westbound lanes and hit a Mercedes. Vanessa Rosales, who was a passenger in the Honda, suffered serious injuries in the crash and was taken to a local hospital, where she died 45 minutes later. The driver of the Honda sustained minor injuries in the crash and another passenger in the Honda was taken to an area hospital for treatment of moderate injuries. According to the news report, the driver of the Mercedes, the sheriff’s deputy, and the juvenile prisoner sustained minor injuries in the tragic September 9, 2012 collision. The cause of the crash is under investigation. Expert Legal Assistance for Victims of a Devastating Car Crash While authorities conclude their investigation of this heartbreaking car accident, the victims and the family members of the victim would be well advised to seek the counsel of a skilled California car accident lawyer at Estey Bomberger. We work with some of the best in accident reconstruction, forensics, and [...] Read more »
SOUTH CAROLINA – A popular Charleston restaurant, Husk, will pay $1.1 million to the family of a man tragically killed in a fiery car crash caused by a former assistant manager. The wrongful death claim, filed in February by the victim’s father, claimed Husk Restaurant allowed its then assistant manager, Adam Burnell, to not only drink excessively on the premises long after the 2 a.m. closing time for bars, but let him get on the road after drinking. Burnell had a blood alcohol concentration level of 0.24 – three times the legal limit – the night of the crash. On December 17, 2012 Burnell rear-ended a Mustang driven by 32-year-old bartender, Quentin Miller. The impact of the collision sent the Mustang spinning into a concrete barrier and the vehicle burst into flames. Miller was trapped inside the Mustang and “suffered an excruciating death when his body was consumed by flames in the burning vehicle,” the lawsuit stated. Although Miller was not named as a defendant in the wrongful death claim, he is awaiting trial for criminal charges. Filing a Wrongful Death Claim A drunk driver can change the future of a family in an instant. The pain, sadness, and grief associated with the loss of a loved one in a DUI accident can never be taken away, however, family members can experience some [...] Read more »
ILLINOIS – The family of three people who died in a tragic car crash last year filed a wrongful death lawsuit against a construction company whose driver was responsible for causing the fatal collision. The lawsuit, which named the driver, Nathan Merrill, and his employer, Martin & Company Excavating, claims both parties acted negligently. On June 17, 2011 Merrill drove a company car through a stop sign and hit a vehicle driven by John Parrett. Parrett and two passengers, Kimberley Gregorich and Inara Parrett, were tragically killed in the collision. The family of the three victims claims that as a result of the collision, they have been deprived of “comfort, society and valuable services.” Seek Quality Legal Representation If you tragically lost a loved one in a car accident caused by the negligent, careless, or reckless actions of another person or entity, your legal rights need protecting. When you are at your most vulnerable, it is advised you seek quality legal representation. With a skilled attorney by your side, you can rest assured every available resource will be used to secure you the highest amount of compensation possible for the various types of damages associated with a devastating loss, including funeral and burial expenses, victim’s anticipated earnings, and loss of love, companionship, and support. Please visit www.esteybomberger.com/wrongful_death.html to learn how to schedule a free consultation [...] Read more »
KERN COUNTY – On July 11, 2012, one person was tragically killed and three people were injured in a five-vehicle pile-up on State Route 99 Wednesday afternoon. The multi-vehicle collision happened at about 3:00 p.m. when the 39-year-old driver of a white pickup truck didn’t notice that traffic had slowed for road construction. The driver of the white pickup truck didn’t stop in time and rear-ended a silver Hyundai, which rammed into the vehicle in front of it. The driver of the Hyundai, 85-year-old Arletta McIsaac, suffered major injuries in the crash and was taken to Kern Medical Center (KMC), where she died about an hour later. The driver of the pickup truck sustained severe head injuries in the crash and was also taken to KMC. Two of the other three drivers involved in the pile-up suffered injuries in the crash – one driver had head and chest pain, the other driver had chest pain and face lacerations. Both drivers were taken to KMC by ambulance. San Bernardino County Car Accident Liability If news reports are accurate, the driver of the white pickup truck is at-fault for this tragic multi-vehicle car accident. At this time, it is not known why the driver of the white pickup failed to see traffic slowing. Many times, drivers are not paying attention to the road because they are talking [...] Read more »
DES MOINES – The family of an elderly woman who was killed in a September 2011 car crash filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the driver of the truck that hit the vehicle the woman was a passenger in. According to Dallas County court papers, the driver of the truck, Kenneth Snow Jr., and his employer, Panama Transfer Inc., were both named in the lawsuit, which accused Snow and the trucking company of negligence. Snow allegedly admitted to running a red light at the intersection where the fatal collision occurred. The lawsuit also claims that Panama Transfer Inc. failed to properly maintain the truck Snow was driving. Margaret Bannister and three other elderly woman, Arlene Laughlin, Frances Sechler, and Marilyn Harper were riding in a 2000 Infiniti I30 when the accident occurred. All four women were tragically killed in the crash. In the lawsuit, Bannister’s family is seeking compensation for medical bills, pain and suffering, diminished value of Bannister’s estate, and loss of parental guidance, companionship, comfort, and affection. If you lost a loved one in a truck accident, car accident, motorcycle accident or any other type of accident, justice can be served. Please call a California wrongful death attorney at the law firm of Estey Bomberger to discuss your legal rights in a free, one-on-one consultation. We can offer legal guidance and support during [...] Read more »