May 5, 2012--Santa Ana, CA--Santa Ana officials are hoping to find more witnesses in an odd hit-and-run accident that left two victims injured on Saturday night, despite the fact that video footage is available of the accident, according to ABC News.

The two victims, Pablo Ortiz and Karina Tejeda, were hit by a van separately as they were leaving a nightclub in Santa Ana.

Surveillance video outside of Spoons Nightclub shows the van hitting Tejeda then running over Ortiz as he chased after it.  Ortiz was hospitalized with his injuries, although there is no word on whether Tejeda was injured.

The van was later found and impounded.  Fernando Toscano of Oakland, CA, appeared to claim the van and was arrested for attempted murder.  Authorities are still investigating whether Toscano was indeed the driver seen on the video footage, and the Santa Ana police are asking for witnesses to come forward with any available information regarding the car accident in Santa Ana.

I want to extend my sincere wishes for a speedy recovery to Mr. Ortiz and Ms. Tejeda after this terrible accident. Read More

Newport Beach! With a trend setting, world class city, every situation is major, even a supposedly minor car collision. Even the most ordinary fender bender can turn a highly ordered world upside down for those involved. BISNAR | CHASE understands when a traffic mishap has occurred and the confrontations faced by families are inconceivable. That is a prime reason for our focus on concern and care.

Figuring out responsibility in an auto mishap is a matter of deciding who was slack. In many cases routine rationale will tell you that a driver, cyclist, or pedestrian acted hurriedly, but you may not know what laws or policy that person violated. Your clash to an insurance group that another person was at fault for a accident can be strengthened if you find some "official" support for your conclusion.

If you have been injured in a Newport Beach car accident, it is a good idea to call or contact a Newport Beach car accident attorney for more information.

March 19, 2012--Santa Cruz Mountains, CA--A head-on collision north of Scotts Valley resulted in one death this morning, according to the California Highway Patrol. The accident occurred around 10:45 a.m. on Highway 17 in the northbound lane. A Toyota 4Runner and a small sedan were involved, along with a third vehicle, a Chevy Suburban.

A Nissan Altima driven by an unidentified driver cross from the southbound into the northbound lanes and struck a Chevy Suburban, at which the time the Nissan's driver was killed. The vehicle continued to drift into oncoming traffic and struck a Toyota 4Runner carrying a Scotts Valley family. Three members of the family were transported to a local hospital with unspecified injuries, according to CHP reports.

Northbound traffic was suspended while rescue workers tried to clear the lanes, and Caltrans issued a slow-down warning for the southbound lanes.

I want to extend my sincere condolences to the family of the victim and to the injured parties with my hopes for a speedy recovery. Read More

Volvo is known for their safety, and rightly so. Since their formation, Volvo has remained at the forefront of safety progression. For those of you who may not be aware, Volvo was the first car company to offer a frontal airbag, which is now standard. They are now embarking on a new safety mission, that of protecting pedestrians.

In this country there were more than 46,000 pedestrians killed from 2000 to 2009. Pedestrian accidents are common place and little has been done in the means of protecting pedestrians in the accident itself. Volvo is changing all of that with the announcement that their 2013 V40 will feature the world’s first pedestrian airbag system. According to an ABC News report, "the five-passenger hatchback features front bumper sensors that register the physical contact between the car and a pedestrian. When impact occurs, a section of the hood closest to windshield is released and elevated by the deployment of the airbag."

As if it were not enough to add the airbag, the car also features another system that automatically triggers the brakes to prevent low-speed impacts. This system uses cameras and radar to alert when someone steps in front of the car or when an object is getting too close, if the driver does not hit the brakes the car will. Read More

March 8, 2012--Windsor, CA -–An argument between husband and wife turned into a serious traffic accident when the husband hit his wife with the vehicle in which the couple had been riding.

According to the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office, the Windsor police and emergency personnel responded to reports of a vehicular injury on Mallory Avenue about 3 p.m. on Friday afternoon. Upon arrival, officers found that the woman had fallen to the ground after exiting the vehicle and her husband had accelerated, striking her in the head with the car. It was not immediately apparent if the woman fell or was pushed to the ground.

The victim was taken to a local hospital with serious injuries. Police are asking for cooperation from anyone who might have witnessed the incident. No arrests have been made at this time.

I want to offer my sincere wishes to the victim for a speedy recovery from her injuries. Read More

March 1, 2012—Cottonwood, CA—A local firefighter was killed Wednesday when a skidding truck hit him as he was helping remove wreckage from an earlier accident. Another bystander and a California Highway Patrol officer were also injured in the accident.

35-year-old Captain Mark Ratledge of the Cottonwood Fire Protect District, a local volunteer firefighting company, was assisting the cleanup of a wreck along the side of Interstate Five near Cottonwood when a pickup truck slid out of control due to hail on the highway. Ratledge was the first Cottonwood firefighter to be killed in the line of duty.

The CHP officer and bystander who were also injured in the accident are expected to make a full recovery.

I want to extend my heartfelt sympathy to the City of Cottonwood, Mr. Ratledge’s family, and his fellow firefighters, and to wish the other two victims a speedy recovery.

Accident Statistics

The Bisnar and Chase car accident lawyers in California report a large number of accidents that result from dangerous roadways. Ice in the form of hail, black ice, and other frozen surfaces can cause terrible accidents because it is so difficult for drivers to maneuver on these surfaces. Lack of traction causes skidding, as happened in this accident, and hail can also be responsible for broken windshields which lead to lack of visibility.

Nearly 500 car accident deaths each year are directly attributable to icy road conditions. Although some areas receive little "true" ice in the winter, almost anywhere in the country can be hit with hail. Furthermore, while the times you are at risk for ice are fairly predictable, in many areas hail can hit at almost any time throughout the year.

What Happened In This Accident

Given the fact that there had already been one accident on this particular stretch of highway, it is likely that the road conditions were indeed hazardous. However, that does not relieve the driver from the responsibility of handling his or her vehicle, especially if emergency vehicles are present on the roadside.
As a driver, you always have a responsibility to maintain control of your vehicle at all times. It is possible that this accident was due to driving too fast for conditions, although there may also have been other contributing factors.
Liability Issues

The driver of the pickup truck will likely be liable for all damages, including Mr. Ratledge’s wrongful death and the police officer’s and bystander’s injuries. It is possible that liability could attach to another driver if that person did something which precipitated the accident, as well. Contact a Bisnar and Chase personal injury lawyer in California today to receive a free consultation from experienced legal professionals.

Call 866-990-8787 today for Free Legal Advice from Bisnar and Chase attorneys.

March 4, 2012—San Francisco, CA—a joyride came to a quick halt Sunday morning when the 38-year-old driver plunged his car into the icy Bay waters near the Marina District. In the vehicle with the driver were three teenage passengers. Although no serious injuries were reported, the three passengers were said by the police to be suffering from shock and exposure to the cold water. Police arrested the driver, Agatito Hernandez, for child endangerment, reckless driving, driving without a license and failure to provide proof of insurance.

The three passengers, aged 17, 18, and 19, were able to exit the vehicle promptly after Hernandez jumped the curb while performing a series of “donuts” or circular maneuvers in the car. No report has been released on whether alcohol was a factor in the crash.
I am glad that these three teenagers were not badly injured in what could have been a very serious accident, and I hope they will recover from this incident quickly.

Accident Statistics

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention reports that injuries are the leading cause of death for people ages one through 44, and motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of death for all young people age five to 34. The San Francisco personal injury attorneys at Bisnar and Chase report that teen drivers account for one in three deaths in their age group, and a teenager dies in an automobile crash every three hours.

What Happened In This Accident

Ironically, this crash did not involve teenaged drivers but an older driver with teenaged passengers. Although it is not clear why the driver was engaging in such risky behavior with the young passengers in his car, hopefully a good personal injury attorney will soon investigate the causes of this crash and determine why this man acted in such a dangerous manner.
Liability Issues

While it is clear that the driver is liable for any damages and injuries caused by his risk behavior, what is less clear is the role played by the young passengers in encouraging him to drive recklessly. However, even if the young people encouraged the driver to perform these circus stunts, that does not excuse him from exercising responsible and careful driving skills. It is also unclear at this point whether alcohol was consumed by the driver, the passengers, or both, and if that had any impact on their behavior. If the driver was consuming alcohol or drugs while operating the vehicle, this could open further liability issues.

If you or a loved one have suffered injuries as a result of a car accident, it is in your best interest to contact an experienced attorney. The lawyers at Bisnar and Chase have over 30 years of experience assisting victims of motor vehicle accidents and have done so with a 97.5% success rate. Call 866-990-8787 today to receive a free consultation from a Bisnar and Chase San Francisco car accident attorney and get your life back on track.

February 27, 2012--San Mateo County, CA--Traffic was delayed for an hour on California Highway 84 in San Mateo County when a motorcycle rider hit an oncoming car after losing control of his bike. The car accident in San Mateo took place west of Portola Valley on February 25 at around 1:30.

The unidentified motorcycle operator was a 20-year-old man from Stockton who was traveling westbound on Highway 84. He apparently tried to negotiate a left turn and lost control of the bike. The California Highway Patrol states that the motorcycle crossed the dividing line and traveled into the eastbound lane, where the rider struck a 2007 Lexus head on. The driver of the car, an unnamed 67-year-old man from Menlo Park, was not injured. The motorcycle operator suffered severe injuries and was taken to a local hospital. However, the CHP stated that his injuries did not appear to be life-threatening.

I want to extend my sincere wishes for a speedy recovery to the motorcycle operator.

Accident Statistics

Due to the rising number of motorcycle accidents, the federal government has finally issued an order for a new report to be done on motorcycle accident statistics. The Hurt Report in 1981 was the last full-scale investigation of motorcycle accidents, and the new report, conducted by the Oklahoma Transportation Center through Oklahoma State University, is expected to take until 2013 to complete.

Current statistics show that motorcycle fatalities decreased from 5,312 in 2008 to 4,462 in 2009. However, the death rate has risen every year up until 2009 since the Hurt Report released its findings. It is clear that motorcycle fatalities are a problem that will not simply "go away."

What Happened In This Accident

According to the California Highway Patrol’s report, the motorcycle operator lost control of his vehicle when trying to negotiate a steep turn. It is possible that some obstruction in the road contributed to the accident, although this is not recorded in the police report. It is also possible that the motorcycle rider was traveling at too high a rate of speed for the conditions.
Liability Issues

If the accident was indeed the motorcyclist’s fault, he will be liable for the damages to the other person’s car. However, if some road obstruction caused the accident, it is possible the motorcycle rider may be able to pursue a case against the State Highway Commission that is charged with keeping the road safe for drivers. The question of signage may also enter into this case, as there is no indication if there were warning signs about the dangerous curve.

A car accident in San Diego involving a hit-and-run driver resulted in major injuries for a bicyclist the night of February 15, 2012. Fox 5 News reports that the injury crash happened at Dayton Street and El Cajon Boulevard when a bicyclist was struck by a driver who was attempting a turn. The driver fled the scene of the crash. The injured bicyclist was hospitalized with severe injuries. Police are still looking for the hit-and-run driver. They found the hit-and-run vehicle, a white Mercedes, abandoned a short distance away from the scene of the crash. An investigation is ongoing.

My thoughts and prayers are with this seriously injured hit-and-run car accident victim. I pray that he makes a speedy and complete recovery from whatever injuries he has sustained.

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A car accident in Anaheim resulted in injuries for two drivers the morning of February 15, 2012. The Orange County Register reports that the injury car accident occurred at Lincoln and Manchester avenues when a silver Infiniti J30 and a Ford F-150 pickup truck collided. Both drivers sustained injuries, but are expected to survive. Officials are still investigating the incident to determine who was at fault.

I’m relieved to note that neither one of the drivers sustained major injuries in this crash. I wish both the injured victims the very best for a swift and full recovery. They will be in my thoughts and prayers.

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