Southern California Injury Law Blog

The ailing car maker, General Motors, has had severe financial problems recently and now nearly 1.5 million cars are being recalled on fears of engine fires, and potentially serious injuries.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration or NHSTA, GM automobiles that were built between 1997 to 2003; models Regal, Impala, Lumina, Monte Carlo, Intrigue and Grand Prix are all affected. These cars all have a 3.8 liter, V6 naturally aspirated (non-turbo) engine.

In some cases of hard braking, drops of engine oil can sometimes drop down on the exhaust manifold and start a small fire. If left unchecked, the fire can easily spread into a major engine fire which could cause the occupants of the vehicle serious personal injuries.

If your car is one that has unfortunately been recalled, see your local GM dealer for explanations and repairs. If you have been injured in a car fire caused by a faulty manufactured part, you have a claim for product liability. Contact an attorney that handles product liability cases. Anyone that is hurt becasue of the conduct of another, feel free to consult with a personal injury attorney for free. We can help guide you through the maze of difficulty.

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Posted In: Injuries , Product Liability

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“Lookie-loo” slowing is always a phenomenon at any car accident scene, but in the case of a recent Los Angeles County Sheriff’s spin-out crash, the onlookers created another crash scene.

On Friday night for some unknown reason, a sheriff vehicle spun out of control and hit the center median while traveling eastbound on the 210 freeway in Southern California.

While passing the accident scene, a big rig truck traveling westbound rear-ended another truck driver traveling in the same direction that had slowed to observe the accident across the road.

The freeway was temporarily closed to tow away the vehicles and transport the sheriff’s deputy who had sustained injuries. The California Highway Patrol is still investigating the cause of the original car crash but the second one will obviously be caused by some sort of distraction while driving. Whose fault is it, the party that rearended the other or the Lookie-loo? An argument can be made that the driver behind should be watching the road and the truck ahead of him, while he may argue that he had no reason to suspect the driver would slow to observe the accident across the road. In either case, the factual and witness evidence will be crucial to identify the real cause. Witness statements are very important in cases such as this and can mean the difference between success and failure in an auto accident case.

Have you been injured in an accident that involved a big rig or truck? Access the expertise of a truck accident lawyer. Allen, Flatt, Ballidis and Leslie are personal injury attorneys helping accident victims’ since 1974.

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Posted In: Car Accidents , Injuries , Motorcycle Accidents

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Thankful to be alive and to have only moderate injuries, a motorcycle rider is recovering in a local Orange County hospital after a 50 foot plunge off the scenic, but dangerous, Ortega Highway, California Route 74.

It happened last Saturday on a beautiful spring day when on weekends, you can see many motorcyclists enjoying this beautiful, yet sometimes precarious road. Firefighters needed to rig a ladder and lower a rescue basket down to the injured motorist. He came to rest on a near-vertical cliff about 50 feet beneath the road. It took about an hour to safely recover him and transport him to safety.

It is unclear what the cause of the accident was. At this time, and unusually, there is no report of a roadway defect contributing to this accident.

Ortega Highway has been the scene of many recent accidents and if you have been injured driving along this road, contact a skilled Orange County personal injury attorney familiar with this location. Allen, Flatt, Ballidis and Leslie are lawyers and have been serving the Orange County community since 1974.

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Posted In: Car Accidents , Motorcycle Accidents , Truck Accidents

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An Orange County-based tour bus crashed near Soledad, California, killing 5 and seriously injuring the other 36 tourists onboard. They had just concluded tours of the scenic Carmel and Monterey areas of Northern California and were headed on their way to Southern California’s LAX airport to return home to France. Most all of the injured were French citizens except the American driver.

According to current data with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, the bus company, Orion Pacific had a good safety record until now. The company operates 12 buses that drive nearly a million miles per year and was rated among the top 10% of motor coach companies. There were significant personal injury to passengers.

Obviously, something went horribly wrong to have this many serious injuries. Investigators are now on scene and it will be some time before we know the actual cause of this horrific accident.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a bus or motor vehicle accident of any kind, call an experienced personal injury attorney immediately. If you were injured, be sure to explore all your rights. If you would like a free pamphlet on how to navigate dangerous waters after an accident, and how to select a California attorney, Contact us and we will mail you a copy free.

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Posted In: Car Accidents , Injuries , Truck Accidents

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Dieu Vu, 72, was an active adult, business owner and Vietnam War survivor but he didn’t have a chance while riding his tricycle across the busy intersection of Beach Blvd and Edinger Ave recently. Each morning he rode his adult tricycle to work out at the Bally’s Total Fitness on Beach blvd. This morning he went out as usual but while crossing this busy intersection, a raised truck which was turning right on a green light did not see him and he was instantly killed.

Truck drivers have limited vision in their mirrors and also to their right along curb lines. This danger is frequently the cause of truck accidents.

The Orange County coroner’s office has not confirmed the injuries that caused his death but the police have released the driver, Michael Sindar of Westminster. Sindar claims not to have seen Vu while making the turn onto Beach Blvd. Was his truck too high? Was there something obstructing his view? Was this a dangerous intersection?

Actually, this is a known dangerous intersection with blind spots but only a n experienced Orange County personal injury attorney will be able to examine all of the evidence and do a comprehensive search for the facts. If you have experienced a similar accident, don’t hesitate to contact an experienced Orange County personal injury lawyer as soon as possible.

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Posted In: Truck Accidents

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