The local Sheriff's Department spokesman said that they did not believe alcohol played a factor in the accident. Law enforcement officers are continuing their investigation into this serious San Diego car crash.
]]> All three in the Nissan were injured, with two of the people seriously injured. Two were transported via medical helicopter to local trauma hospitals in La Jolla and Escondido, while the other injured person was transported via ambulance to Oceanside hospital.This accident appears to have been caused by driver error. A mistake like turning left into the pathway of oncoming traffic can, sadly, be a fatal mistake. In this case, the SUV struck the smaller vehicle broadside after the driver turned left. When a driver's mistake causes significant injury to his or her passengers, the injured victims should consider consulting with a knowledgeable personal injury lawyer to discuss the legal options available to seek compensation for the injuries, lost wages and pain.
Source: UT San Diego, "3 injured in Vista crash, 2 airlifted," Susan Shroder, 1/27/2012
]]>The California Highway Patrol reported to the scene of the serious motorcycle collision and confirmed that the motorcyclist did lose control of his motor vehicle. It's unclear at this time whether excessive speed or reckless driving contributed to the motorcycle and bicycle accident, however, no evidence of drug or alcohol use was suspected at the time of the crash.
]]> CHP reported that the two injured in the collision were a 49-year-old man and a 16-year-old girl. The girl sustained significant injuries in the collision and was transported to a nearby hospital. The man suffered moderate injuries in the crash.Pedestrians and bicyclists throughout San Diego often forget about the dangers posed by motorcyclists on the road. Motorcycles can cause substantial harm if they are involved with a pedestrian or bicyclist who does not have the same protection as a motorcyclist. Brain injuries, spine injuries, fractures and skin injuries can occur in a collision with a motorcycle.
Source: UT San Diego, "Motorcycle crash injures two bicyclist," Jen Lebron Kuhney, 1/29/2012
]]>The woman entered her plea before the trials was supposed to begin its second day. The first trial resulted in a hung jury.
]]> According to police reports, the California woman admitted to drinking and driving and smoking methamphetamines prior to the fatal accident. While she was driving, she crossed the center line and struck an oncoming car head-on, killing the two couples in the other car. The woman was driving a GMC Yukon Denali.After a fatal San Diego car accident, the family of the deceased may have the right to file a civil suit against the at-fault driver for lost wages, pain and suffering, medical expenses and end of life expenses. Compensation won't bring back a loved one but it can help to alleviate the stress following the death of a spouse or parent.
Source: Insurance Journal, "California Woman Pleads Guilty to Killing 4 in DUI Crash," 1/19/2012
]]>Following the patient's death, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said that they will conduct a comprehensive safety review of the Novartis medication before issuing any conclusions about the pill. Their review conclusions are expected to be announced in March, although they are not required to follow any specific timeline for their review.
]]> The EU reported that they will also investigate the "benefits and risks" of Gilenya in the wake of the woman's death. The EU medical product regulator urged medical professionals to monitor patients' heart if they prescribe Gilenya to treat MS.Defective medical products and medication can cause serious patient harm. The FDA has recently come under fire for not conducting stringent enough tests prior to allowing medications to be prescribed to patients throughout the U.S. After the release of the FDA review, the agency will likely consider whether to issue a warning on the Novartis medication.
Source: Wall Street Journal, "EU Regulator Reviews Novartis MS Pill," Sten Stovall and Jennifer Corbett Dooren
]]>The smallest pothole may also cause another driver to lose control of his or her vehicle, leading to a car accident.
]]> Severe potholes affect California residents by causing dangerous and avoidable car accidents in two other ways:After losing control or being involved in an accident caused by a dangerous pothole, contact a skilled San Diego car accident attorney.
Source: New York Times, "The Downs and Ups of Driving in Los Angeles," Jennifer Medina, 1/8/2012
]]>The NTSB hearing, where numerous experts in air shows and aviation will answer questions, is an effort to draw "attention to the safety issues involved in aviation event operations and provide NTSB members and investigative staff with a deeper understanding of regulations, protocols and practices used in the planning and operations of air shows and air races," NTSB spokesperson said.
]]> The Reno National Championship Air Races accident was one of the most fatal plane shows in U.S. history. Eleven people were killed and 70 people were injured when a plane crashed into the VIP seating for the event. In 2011, there were eight accidents at air shows and air races.The danger of air show and air race crashes is that there is a greater likelihood that show attendees will be hurt or killed when a plane crashes. Unlike commercial or single plane accidents, usually only the passengers and the pilots are injured or killed in the crash. The collection of evidence and information by the NTSB will aid in their investigations of the plane accidents in 2011.
Source: USA Today, "NTSB meeting 'bigger' than the air races," Martha Bellisle, 1/9/2012
]]>According to the Carlsbad dispatcher, emergency responders declared the pedestrian dead at the scene of the crash. Local law enforcement officers closed lanes of traffic while they continued their investigation into the fatal motorcycle accident.
]]> The accident is still under investigation. It's not clear what caused the collision or who caused the crash. The motorcyclist did stop immediately after striking the pedestrian on El Camino Real.Pedestrian and motorcycle collision are uncommon, but not unheard of in Southern California. The moderate weather means that motorcyclists are able ride throughout the area year round. Pedestrians and motorcyclists alike need to be mindful of each other when traveling or crossing the street.
Source: UT San Diego "Pedestrian hit by motorcyclist dies," Pauline Repard, 1/7/2012
]]>The collision was caused when the driver of a Mazda driven by a 29-year-old man struck a sedan carrying a woman and two children. The sedan collided with a third car. The crash occurred on a bridge over the San Diego River on West Mission Bay Drive.
]]> Five people were taken to the local hospital. One of the children in the sedan and the passenger in the Mazda were injured in the crash. The 3-year-old boy is believed to have suffered non-life-threatening injuries.The driver who allegedly caused the multi-car crash asked to travel in the ambulance with his friend to the hospital but fled upon arrival at the hospital. Police are asking the 29-year-old man to turn himself in to San Diego authorities.
Source: UT San Deigo, "3-car crash clogs roads near SeaWorld," Jen Lebron Kuhney, 1/8/2012
]]>While the first, and most important, thing to remember is that if another driver was at-fault or you were injured in the crash - contact an attorney as soon as possible. A personal injury attorney will help you evaluate your next steps, including filing a car accident claim, following a San Diego car crash.
]]> The following points are considerations recommended by Daily Finance before filing a car accident claim with your insurance company:Source: Daily Finance, "5 Times When You Shouldn't File That Insurance Claim," Selena Maranjian, 12/23/2012
]]>While the U.S. military admitted fault for their role in the fatal plane crash, the damages were still heavily disputed. Family members of the deceased victims originally requested damages totaling $56 million. The Justice Department, however, placed economic damages at $1 million and disputed the high emotional damages request. The case was decided by a San Diego judge.
]]> The main issue in catastrophic accident cases is usually over damages. The plaintiffs must show their relationship with the deceased, including communication and support, to make a claim for consortium or support. The relationship is important to quantify the emotional distress caused to the living family members following a fatal plane accident or car accident.The husband, in this case, was awarded $10 million for both emotional and economic damages, the man's father-in-law was awarded $4 million and the other siblings must split the remaining $4 million.
Source: FindLaw, "US to Pay $17.8M for Jet Crash that Killed 4," Stephanie Rabiner, 12/30/2011
]]>The CHP said that a 39-year-old man was driving a Silverado truck when he collided with slowing traffic at California Highway 125. The truck rear-ended a Nissan Pathfinder that rear-ended a Lincoln that also collided with a fourth car, a Ford truck. The truck and the Pathfinder both burst into flames upon impact.
]]> While the 39-year-old man was able to escape his burning truck, the driver and passenger in the Pathfinder were unable to do so. The others involved in the chain-reaction car accident were not hurt in the crash.CHP said that the truck driver was booked in San Diego County Jail. Law enforcement authorities reported that the man was attempting to drive home from a holiday party when he failed to stop when approaching the stalled traffic on the highway near La Mesa.
Drinking and driving is a preventable car accident cause. With the abundance of holiday parties, San Diego drivers need to find a designated driver to prevent fatal accidents.
Source: LA Times, "Alleged drunk driver held in San Diego County crash that kills 2," 12/9/2011
]]>The pilot was flying his family and a colleague from New Jersey to Atlanta. The plane crashed, however, on Route 287 in Morris Township, New Jersey. The plane broke up in mid-air as it spun out of control before crashing. All five individuals riding in the plane were killed in the crash.
]]> The New Jersey plane crash may have been caused by weather related factors, based on the phone calls from the pilot, however, most aviation accidents are actually caused by pilot error or plane defects.Recently, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced changes to the sleep regulations for pilots due to numerous reports of sleeping pilots. The shorter shifts and extra rest should help to prevent plane accidents caused by pilot fatigue and inattention.
Source: USA Today, "Pilot spoke of icy conditions moments before N.J. crash," Douglas Stanglin, 12/21/2011
]]>Law enforcement authorities reported that the 20-year-old driver lost control of her vehicle when she struck a palm tree. The accident happened along El Camino Real near Via Las Rosas. The car is believed to have first hit the center median divider before slamming into the palm tree on the passenger side of the vehicle Thursday.
]]> The tragedy of the two women who were killed in the accident is even more horrific for the families of the two women who must spend the holidays without their loved one. In car accidents involving a serious injury or fatal injury to the passenger, the family may have options to seek compensation for medical bills, funeral expenses, lost wages and lost income against an at-fault party.While it may be difficult, in some cases, the family of a passenger killed in a car accident may be encouraged to file suit against the driver of the car, especially if he or she engaged in negligent activities while driving, such as speeding, distracted driving or impaired driving.
Source: SignOn San Diego, "Oceanside crash victim ID'd," Morgan Lee, 12/17/2011
]]>The second area for number of tickets was less than half of the tickets issued near San Diego State University. Ideally, officers target the most dangerous areas for speeders to prevent San Diego car accidents rather than focusing on areas because of revenue or financial concerns.
]]> The high number of speeding tickets in one concentrated area in San Diego is causing many to evaluate whether the police are motivated by safety or by revenue. The Watchdog on SignOn San Diego reported that "while some of the areas targeted for enforcement have crash histories that invite police attention, factors such as community complaints about speeders play a role, too."Speeding or other illegal actions while driving significantly contribute to serious and fatal car accidents. The speed limit is in place because law enforcement officials and highway and transportation officials have decided that in the location, the posted speed limit is the safest speed for pedestrians, bicyclists and car drivers and passengers.
Source: Sign On San Diego, "11% of city speeding tickets written in one spot," Matt Clark, 12/18/2011
]]>The recent unanimous NTSB recommendation that encourages states to ban all forms of cell phone communication while driving, including hands-free talking, has been very controversial. It's much stricter suggestion than any state has considered. Only a handful of states have pursued hands-free driving laws similar to the law in California.
The criticism is that individuals should be able to police their own cell phone use in their own cars. Additionally, police officers express significant difficulty in enforcing texting bans.
]]> Safety advocates also say that while it's important to bring awareness to distracted driving, impaired driving is a larger threat to drivers. Each year, more drivers and passengers are killed due to drinking and driving than distracted driving.The holiday season is especially prone to an increase in the number of drinking and driving deaths, which is why most law enforcement agencies throughout California have campaigns from now through New Years that amp up drinking and driving patrols.
Source: Wall Street Journal, "New Distracted Driving Measure Shows Alcohol Is Still the Bigger Threat," Joseph White, 12/9/2011
]]>