A DUI collision the morning of June 20, 2010 resulted in the death of 20-year-old Ruben C. Vasquez. According to a news report in the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin, Vasquez was driving on the 60 freeway near Chino when he was rear-ended by 33-year-old Daniel Rosas. Officials say Rosas was operating his vehicle under the influence. He was arrested on suspicion of DUI. Vasquez was taken to an area hospital where he was pronounced dead shortly after the accident. Read More

A San Francisco car accident seriously injured four people including a suspected drunk driver, who officials say, caused the crash. The Record-Bee reports that the accident occurred in Lake County on Highway 53 the morning of June 2, 2010, near Anderson Ranch Parkway. Read More

A 49-year-old man was seriously injured in a car accident in Napa after a driver turned left in front of the motorcycle he was riding. James Woolworth suffered multiple fractures and spinal injuries as a result of the crash. The Napa Valley Register reports that Woolworth was riding a 2000 Honda motorcycle east on Third Street when a 1999 Dodge Ram driven by Nicole Shurtz-Shereen, 27, made a left turn in front of him and struck Woolworth. Officials are saying that Shurtz-Shereen did not yield right-of-way to the motorcyclist and caused the collision. Read More

A possible DUI collision may have resulted in injuries to four people identified by officials as Maria Arzate, 39; Shannon Troy, 20; Jose Vaca, 48; and Rebecca Long, 26. The San Bernardino Sun reports that the accident occurred on Highway 395 near Bear Valley Road in Victorville the morning of May 23, 2010. Vaca crossed the center divide, going into opposing lanes of traffic and crashed head-on into a Toyota Camry. Read More

Officials arrested a man on suspicion of driving under the influence after a car accident that seriously injured 52-year-old Melonee Watson. The Visalia Times-Delta reports that the accident happened on May 22, 2010 on Road 132 near Avenue 320. Both Watson and the other driver were driving Chevy Silverado pickup trucks. California Highway Patrol officials said Watson was traveling north on Ben Maddox Way when the other vehicle drifted into her lane and crashed head-on into her truck. Read More

Risk prevention specialists at Zurich Services Corporation report that, since 2001, a growing number of jury awards have shown that businesses can be held responsible, and pay the penalty, for accidents caused by employees in acts of negligence if the employee is "distracted" by an electronic device supplied by the employer. Read More

A 21-year-old man who was killed in a motorcycle accident the morning of April 24, 2010 has been identified by local authorities as Nikolas Pavelic. According to a news report in The San Francisco Examiner, the fatal collision occurred the morning of April 24, 2010 at the intersection of Quintara Street and 48th Avenue. Pavelic's motorcycle was struck by an SUV. Pavelic died in an area hospital shortly after the crash. The driver of the SUV was not injured. An investigation is ongoing. Read More

If a client is disabled, unmarried, and over the age of 65, a pooled special needs trust may be a good way to ensure important services, property, and assets. These kinds of trusts are set up to preserve supplemental care and compliment the benefits the beneficiary receives from governmental programs. Read More

A San Francisco Muni bus accident occurred the morning of April 21, 2010, killing local attorney Scott Whitsett, 49, who was struck near his office at a street intersection. According to news reports, Whitsett had stepped off the curb to catch a cab when he was struck by one Muni bus and pushed into another bus that was stopped at the intersection of Mission and Beale streets. Whitsett was taken to an area hospital where he died.

I offer my deepest condolences to the family, friends and co-workers of Whitsett for whom this must be a devastating loss. They will be in my thoughts and prayers.

San Francisco Pedestrian Accidents

Pedestrian accidents are getting to be a serious problem in the city of San Francisco. Two months ago, a group called Transportation for America released a study, which showed that 27 percent of all traffic accident fatalities in the San Francisco region involved pedestrian accidents. In 2008 alone, 72 people died in pedestrian accidents in San Francisco. That number was up from 64 in 2007, according to that report. Accidents involving Muni vehicles in San Francisco are also on the rise, according to recent reports released by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).

Fault and Liability

In this particular case, the driver of the Muni bus that hit Whitsett, Kimberly Johnson, told police that she hit the gas instead of the brake. If investigators determine that Johnson's negligence, inattention or error caused this fatal accident, she and her employer could be held liable for Whitsett's wrongful death.

Families of accident victims, in such cases, would be well-advised to contact an experienced San Francisco personal injury lawyer, who will help them pursue their rights. Any personal injury or wrongful death claim against a governmental agency in California must be filed within 180 days of the accident or injury, under California Government Code 911.2.

What do you think Muni officials should do to make their vehicles safer and prevent these types of accidents?

None of the parties mentioned in this article are represented by us at the time this article was posted. The source of our information is cited in the article. If you were involved in this incident and have questions as to your rights and options, call a reputable law firm for a consultation. Do not act solely upon the information provided herein. The BISNAR | CHASE personal injury law firm will provide free, confidential consultation to "not at fault" persons and their family members if you mention your source was the “Personal Injury Law Journal." They can be reached at 866-456-5235 during California business hours.

Two children were critically injured in a DUI collision which officials say was caused by a driver who had done marijuana and other drugs and was driving recklessly in a Cathedral City neighborhood. KPSP News reports that the crash happened the night of April 11, 2010 after a vehicle driven by 23-year-old Cesar Adrian Munoz jumped the curb and struck a 17-year-old girl and a 2-year-old girl who were in the front yard of a home. The teenager's leg was severed and the toddler sustained severe head and internal injuries. Both victims are said to be in critical condition although they are expected to survive. Munoz has been charged with driving under influence of drugs and causing great bodily injury, reckless driving causing injury and for driving unlicensed, which is a misdemeanor. Read More