Southern California Injury Law Blog

One of an insurance company’s main objectives is to minimize the amount of money it must pay out for an injury claim. Throughout the years, companies have refined their method of achieving this, starting with the first conversation between the accident victim and the insurance adjuster. Within a few days after the accident, you will receive a telephone call from the adjuster, who will immediately request a recorded statement; however, if you agree to this, you could ruin your accident claim, warns an Orange County injury attorney.

While discussing the accident with the adjuster, and even allowing him or her to write notes, does not compromise your case, giving a recorded statement does because, unlike the first two options, a recorded statement is admissible in a court of law.

Why would the insurance company want such evidence just days after the accident occurred? The insurer wants to speak to you before you have had your injuries diagnosed or had a personal injury attorney inform you of your rights and options. Questioning you before you fully understand your case and the extent of your injuries could yield valuable information about the accident—details that could be used to build a strong case against you later.

One of the best ways to protect your case is not to agree to a recorded statement. If you decide to, only do so with the protection of an attorney. Insurers may ask vague or misleading questions. An attorney will listen to the questions and your answers to ensure that your claim is not being jeopardized.

If you would like to learn more about protecting an accident claim, articles, books, and videos are available to the public free of charge.

To request an article or a book, or to discuss a specific legal matter with an Orange County injury attorney, feel free to call 866-981-5596.

Spinal discs are essential to our ability to walk, run, jump, twist, and bend. Consisting of a hard, fibrous exterior and a gelatinous interior, these discs serve as shock absorbers for the spine, maintaining flexibility. While continuous use over many years gradually damages the discs, they can become immediately compromised in an accident, explains an Orange County injury lawyer.

The amount of pressure placed on a disc from the impact of an accident—be it an auto collision or slip and fall—often determines the severity of the injury. With a lighter impact and less compression to the disc, a bulge may develop and push on surrounding nerves, often causing extreme pain. In a higher-impact accident, the disc may be compressed to the point of rupturing and extruding the material within, often resulting in severe pain and physical limitation.

As multiple discs cushion the spinal column’s vertebrae, experiencing pain in the neck, back, or even legs may be an indication of a bulging or herniated spinal disc. The most effective means to recovery is to receive immediate medical care. Not only will the swift diagnosis of the injury and implementation of a treatment program promote the healing process, it will strengthen the correlation between the accident and injury—thereby, potentially improving the outcome of the claim or case.

Additional articles and videos on spinal disc injury are available to the public free of charge.

To request an article on this subject or a book on protecting an accident claim, or to discuss a specific injury or case with an Orange County injury lawyer, feel free to call 866-981-5596.

At approximately 6 p.m. on Sunday, November 14th, 25-year-old Robert E. Barnes, a DUI offender in 2008, was heading north on Highway 99 when he struck a GMC Sonoma pickup head-on. The impact of the collision killed 29-year-old Rogelio Herrera and 31-year-old Sarai Alvarez and critically injured their two children, 7-year-old Cristian Zaizar and 6-year-old Emanuel Zaizar-Alvarez. Barnes and his passengers sustained minor to moderate injuries. Police found multiple pounds of marijuana in Barnes’ vehicle and that he had been driving under the influence. They arrested him on suspicion of murder; however, the charge has been reduced to gross vehicular manslaughter, explains a California truck accident attorney.

In the United States, one person dies every 45 minutes in an alcohol-related traffic accident. Drugs, such as marijuana and cocaine, are involved in about 18% of motor vehicle driver deaths and are often used in combination with alcohol, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In 2008, more than 1.4 million drivers were arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol or narcotics.

A recent study found that almost half of the 1,500,000 people arrested for drunk driving every year have prior convictions for drunk driving. In many cases, they are arrested while driving with a license that has been suspended or revoked as a consequence of past impaired driving. In fact, 50-70% of DUI offenders continue to drive after losing their licenses.

If an individual drinks and drives and causes an accident, that person may not only face punitive consequences but also may be held financially liable for any injuries or fatalities that resulted from the accident.

During this extremely difficult time, everyone at Allen, Flatt, Ballidis, and Leslie would like to offer their condolences to the families of Rogelio Herrera and Sarai Alvarez. We would also like to wish Cristian Zaizar and Emanuel Zaizar-Alvarez a full recovery from their injuries.

Additional information, including links to resources for the victims of drunk driving and articles on injury and wrongful death claims, is available to the public free of charge.

To request an article or a book, or to speak with a California truck accident attorney, feel free to call 866-981-5596.

At approximately 5 p.m. on Wednesday, November 17th, a car struck and critically injured a 10-year-old bicyclist. The collision occurred near the intersection of Avenue 42 and Washington Street. Police described the boy as having “major injuries,” including fractures to both of his legs. He was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. The accident is under investigation, explains a California personal injury lawyer.

9 of the 220 fatal and 362 of the 8,561 injury traffic collisions that occurred in Riverside County involved a bicycle, according to the California Highway Patrol’s 2008 Annual Report of Fatal and Injury Motor Vehicle Traffic Collisions. Palm Desert accounted for none of the fatal and 17 of the injury bicycle accidents.

Bicycle riders have the same rights and obligations as drivers, according to California
Vehicle Code Section 21200: the right to ride safely within a lane or to the right of the road, the right-of-way when waiting at a stop sign, and the right to pass through an intersection on a green light—and, when doing so, to have drivers turning left yield for them.

Vehicle Code 21202 requires cyclists riding at speeds slower than traffic to travel to the right of the road; cyclists turning onto another roadway or avoiding hazards are exempt from this rule. If a driver strikes a cyclist who is abiding by these rules and an accident ensues, the driver may be liable for the expenses related to the cyclist’s injuries.

Everyone at Allen, Flatt, Ballidis, and Leslie would like to wish the bicyclist injured in the collision with the car in Palm Desert last Wednesday a full recovery.

Articles on the causes of bicycle-verses-motor vehicle accidents and bicycle safety tips are available to the public free of charge.

If you would like to request an article, or to speak with a California personal injury lawyer, feel free to call 866-981-5596.

At about 12:25 p.m. on Wednesday, November 17th, a shuttle bus for the University of California at San Francisco fatally struck pedestrian Nu Ha Dam at the intersection of Geary Street and Leavenworth Street. The bus turned as Dam was traversing the crosswalk, striking her once and then again when the driver heard the collision and put the vehicle in reverse. She died at the scene. Authorities are investigating the accident, explains a California injury lawyer.

In the United States, a pedestrian is injured every 9 minutes and killed every 110 minutes in a traffic crash, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). While driver negligence is a common cause of pedestrian accidents, many have also been attributed to poorly maintained walkways: inadequate street lighting, deteriorating sidewalks, or improperly marked crosswalks. In the latter case, the municipal agency responsible for these public areas may be held liable if an accident occurs.

In most cases, pedestrians have the right-of-way. If a driver fails to stop for a person who is walking—whether that person is using a crosswalk or not—and an accident ensues, the driver may be held responsible for the expenses related to the injuries the pedestrian sustains. In the unfortunate event that the pedestrian does not survive the accident, his or her family may pursue a wrongful death claim against the driver.

Everyone at Allen, Flatt, Ballidis, and Leslie would like to offer their condolences to the family of Nu Ha Dam, the pedestrian fatally struck by the University of California at San Francisco shuttle bus.

Resources, such as links to pedestrian advocacy groups and articles on pedestrian rights, are available to the public free of charge.

If you would like to request an article or a book, or to discuss a specific legal issue with a California injury lawyer, feel free to call 866-981-5596.

At approximately 4 p.m. on Wednesday, November 17th, a motorcyclist was seriously injured in an accident with an elderly driver in San Diego. A 90-year-old woman turned left into oncoming traffic near Waring Road and Orcutt Avenue; unfortunately, the motorcycle rider did not have enough time to stop and collided with the woman’s Toyota, fracturing his pelvis and nose. Authorities are investigating the status of the woman’s driver’s license, explains a California injury attorney.

In the United States, 5,290 motorcycle riders were killed and 96,000 were injured in traffic collisions in 2008, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). That year, motorcyclists accounted for 14% of all traffic fatalities, 17% of all occupant fatalities, and 4% of all occupants injured. Moreover, in 41% of the 2,387 two-vehicle fatal accidents involving a motorcycle and another type of vehicle, the vehicle was turning left while the motorcycle was traveling straight, passing, or overtaking the vehicle.

Everyone at Allen, Flatt, Ballidis, and Leslie would like to wish the motorcyclist who was seriously injured in the San Diego accident with the elderly driver a full recovery.

Additional information, including articles on motorcycle accidents and safety, is available to the public free of charge.

To request an article, or to speak with a California injury attorney, feel free to call 866-981-5596.

On the morning of Friday, November 19th, an accident involving a semi and multiple vehicles on the I-210 Freeway in Upland killed two men and injured others. While the cause of the accident has not yet been established, the impact caused the semi to catch fire. Neither the names of the victims, nor the extent of their injuries have been released. Authorities are investigating the collision, explains a California truck accident attorney.

Throughout the state, there were a total of 265 fatal and 5,810 injury traffic collisions involving trucks, according to the California Highway Patrol’s 2008 Annual Report of Fatal and Injury Motor Vehicle Traffic Collisions. Los Angeles accounted for the majority of the accidents with 60 fatal and 1,701 injury crashes, followed by San Bernardino County with 35 fatal and 509 injury crashes. This accident occurred in San Bernardino County, just east of the Los Angeles County line.

Everyone at Allen, Flatt, Ballidis, and Leslie would like to offer their condolences to the families of the two men killed in this morning’s accident involving the semi in Upland. We would also like to wish a full recovery to everyone injured.

Articles covering accident statistics, the primary causes of truck accidents, and accident victims’ rights are available to the public free of charge.

To request an article, or to speak with a California truck accident attorney, feel free to call 866-981-5596.

At approximately 5 p.m. on Wednesday, November 17th, a woman, either in her 40s or 50s, was struck and killed in a Fresno crosswalk. The pedestrian accident occurred near the intersection of Home Avenue and Cedar Avenue. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Authorities have not released any information about the driver at this time, explains a California personal injury lawyer.

In the United States, 4,378 pedestrians were killed and 69,000 injured in traffic accidents in 2008, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). California accounted for more pedestrian fatalities than any other state (620), followed by Florida (490), and Texas (416). That year in Fresno County, 20 pedestrians died and 197 were injured in traffic crashes.

In most situations, pedestrians have the right-of-way, including when they are inside of a crosswalk. If a driver fails to yield for a pedestrian and an accident ensues, the driver may be held liable for medical bills and other expenses related to the injuries the pedestrian sustains. In the unfortunate event that the pedestrian does not survive the accident, his or her family may pursue a wrongful death claim against the negligent driver.

Everyone at Allen, Flatt, Ballidis, and Leslie would like to offer their condolences to the family of the woman killed in the pedestrian accident yesterday in Fresno.

Articles, books, and resources on pedestrian advocacy and rights are available to the public free of charge.

If you would like to request an article or a book, or to speak with a California personal injury lawyer, feel free to call 866-981-5596.

At approximately 3 p.m. on Sunday, November 14th, a motorcycle accident in Julian claimed the life of Major Lawrence A. Washington and left another motorcyclist seriously injured. Major Washington collided head-on with the other motorcycle rider while attempting to pass on Wynola Road. The two men were airlifted to Palomar Medical Center in Escondido, where Major Washington died from his injuries and the other man remains in critical condition, explains a California personal injury attorney.

In the United States, 5,290 motorcyclists were killed in traffic crashes and 96,000 were injured, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). That year, 47% of the fatal accidents were attributed to collisions between motorcyclists and other types of motor vehicles, with 77% of the motorcyclists struck head on. California accounted for the highest number of the fatalities (537), followed by Florida (523), and Texas (480).

As motorcyclists often have only a helmet protecting them from the vehicles with which they share the road, the risk of sustaining severe or fatal injuries tends to be much greater for them.

Major Lawrence A. Washington was assigned to Marine Aircraft Group 16, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing as an MV-22 Osprey pilot. Throughout his service, he was awarded an Air Medal with five strike-flight designations, two commendation medals from the Navy and Marine Corps, and an achievement medal from the Marine Corps. Everyone at Allen, Flatt, Ballidis, and Leslie would like to offer their condolences to the family of Major Washington.

We would also like to wish the other rider who was injured in the Julian motorcycle accident a full recovery.

Articles on motorcycle safety and accident victims’ rights are available to the public free of charge.

To request an article, or to discuss a specific case with a California personal injury attorney, feel free to call 866-981-5596.

It is a common practice among insurance companies to take advantage of accident victims’ inexperience with the personal injury claims process in order to minimize the amount of compensation they are obligated to pay out. Over the years, a California personal injury attorney has noticed three common mistakes made by accident victims: giving a recorded statement to the negligent party’s insurance adjuster, failing to seek immediate medical attention to have injuries diagnosed, and neglecting the advice and treatment recommendations of doctors.

All three of these mistakes have the potential to jeopardize the amount of compensation an accident victim receives—and, in many instances, have led insurance companies to litigate cases that otherwise could have been settled outside of the courtroom. A recorded statement is simply not necessary and many times prejudices the accident victim’s claim rights because the questioning was done before he or she understood the accident, injuries, and damages. An innocent response like “I think I am okay” could be blown out of proportion when it turns out the accident victim is actually more seriously hurt than he or she initially thought. Immediately visiting a doctor after the accident provides the opportunity to have injuries documented, thereby negating the possibility that injuries were not sustained in the accident. Neglecting treatment may serve as an indication to the insurance company that the accident victim is not as injured as he or she claims to be.

In response to the frequency with which these three mistakes are made, a California personal injury attorney recorded a video, in which he discusses the proper steps to take after an accident—as well as the ones to avoid.

Additional information, including articles on accident victims’ rights and filing an auto accident claim, is available to the public free of charge.

To request an article or a book, or to speak with a California personal injury attorney, feel free to call 866-981-5596.

Not long before noon on Saturday, November 6th, a reckless driver ran three red lights while traveling west in a 2010 Ford Fusion on West Ball Road in Anaheim, colliding first with a Nissan Altima at South Knott Avenue and then with a Toyota at West Ball. Three of the occupants in the Altima were hurt, including a 3-year-old girl who was seriously injured; two of the Toyota’s passengers were also injured and taken to a nearby hospital. The driver of the Fusion sustained minor injuries and told investigators that he failed to stop for the lights because he was agitated with traffic, explains an Orange County injury lawyer.

Anaheim accounted for 21 of the 152 fatal and 2,018 of the 13,414 injury traffic collisions that occurred in Orange County in 2008, according to the California Highway Patrol’s accident statistics. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration classifies a passenger vehicle as a motor vehicle weighing less than 10,000 pounds and includes passenger cars, pickup trucks, vans, and SUVs in this category. In 2008, 94% of the 10,111,000 vehicles involved in police-reported crashes were passenger vehicles, resulting in 25,000 fatalities and 2.35 million injuries.

Everyone at Allen, Flatt, Ballidis, and Leslie would like to wish the 3-year-old girl and the other victims of the collision caused by the reckless driver last Saturday a full recovery.

Articles on auto accidents and protecting an injury claim are available to the public free of charge.

To request an article or a book, or to speak with an Orange County injury lawyer, feel free to call 866-981-5596.

At approximately 9 p.m. on Saturday, November 6th, 29-year-old Benjamin Espinosa struck skateboarder Kristopher John Anderson with his vehicle on Silverado Trail near Highland Avenue in Napa. Espinosa remained at the scene, where Anderson was pronounced dead at 9:15 p.m. Authorities are investigating the collision and do not consider alcohol to have been a factor, explains a California injury lawyer.

Napa County accounted for 15 of the 3,113 fatal and 770 of the 170,496 injury traffic collisions that occurred throughout the state in 2008, according to the California Highway Patrol’s statistics. Approximately 26,000 people are treated in hospital emergency rooms every year for skateboarding-related injuries, often for sprains, fractures, contusions, and abrasions, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission. In addition, the CPSC receives reports of death due to falls and to collisions between skateboarders and drivers.

Everyone at Allen, Flatt, Ballidis, and Leslie would like to offer their condolences to the family of Kristopher John Anderson, the skateboarder who lost his life in the Napa collision last Saturday.

Additional information, including links to skateboarding safety tips and articles on automobile accident and wrongful death claims, is available to the public free of charge.

To request an article or a book, or to speak with a California injury lawyer, feel free to call 866-981-5596.

In the early morning hours of Monday, November 8th, a car struck 30-year-old Jose Trinidad as he attempted to cross near the corner of 14th Street and Newhall Avenue in Newhall. The driver fled the scene, leaving Trinidad critically injured with severe trauma to the head. Police have asked witnesses or anyone with information about this hit-and-run accident to call (661) 799-5112, explains a California pedestrian injury lawyer.

Santa Clarita accounted for 2 of the 214 fatal and 32 of the 4,985 injury traffic collisions involving pedestrians that occurred in Los Angeles County in 2008, according to the California Highway Patrol’s statistics. Statewide, 646 pedestrians lost their lives that year and 12,774 were injured.

Pedestrian accidents often occur at intersections, where drivers attempting to turn are watching for other cars instead of people walking or on bicycles. A driver is required to give a pedestrian the right-of-way and may be held liable for any injuries resulting from an accident for which that driver is responsible. Unfortunately, in a hit-and-run accident there is no driver present to hold accountable; however, the victim may still acquire compensation through the uninsured motorist coverage on his or her automobile insurance policy.

Everyone at Allen, Flatt, Ballidis, and Leslie would like to wish Jose Trinidad, the pedestrian critically injured on Monday, a full recovery.

Links to pedestrian advocacy groups and articles on accident victims’ rights and questions frequently asked about personal injury cases are available to the public free of charge.

To request an article, or to speak with a California pedestrian injury lawyer, feel free to call 866-981-5596.

At approximately 2:30 p.m. on Friday, November 5th, 4-year-old Alex Navarro of Gilroy and 48-year-old Maria Almanza-Romero of Castroville died in a multiple-vehicle accident involving a semi truck on Route 156 near San Martin. The collision was triggered when 52-year-old truck driver Ronn Williams failed to notice that Almanza-Romero had stopped to make a left turn and rear-ended her, the impact sending her 1992 Honda Accord into the oncoming traffic of the opposite lane. The Accord and the semi then crashed into the 2003 Chrysler Sebring carrying 29-year-old Cassandra Jones and Navarro. Jones was taken to a nearby hospital, while Hollister was treated for minor injuries at the scene, explains a California car accident lawyer.

Santa Clara County accounted for 94 of the 3,113 fatal and 6,770 of the 170,496 injury traffic collisions that occurred throughout California in 2008, according to the California Highway Patrol’s Annual Report of Fatal and Injury Motor Vehicle Traffic Collisions. A recent study ranked ten of the state’s cities among the 50 most dangerous in the United States for drivers.

Unexpected and traumatic, car accidents can have a devastating impact on the lives of the victims and their families. Everyone at Allen, Flatt, Ballidis, and Leslie would like to offer their condolences to the families of Alex Navarro and Maria Almanza-Romero. We would also like to wish Cassandra Jones a full recovery from the injuries she sustained in the multiple-vehicle accident near San Martin.

Additional information, such as articles on filing and protecting an accident or wrongful death claim, is available to the public free of charge.

To request an article or a book, or to speak with a California car accident lawyer, feel free to call 866-981-5596.

At approximately 6:20 a.m. on Friday, November 5th, a light-colored 1995 Toyota Avalon struck 83-year-old Salim Nosrat while he was attempting to cross at the intersection of Fremont Boulevard and Norris Road in Fremont. Nosrat sustained serious head trauma and died later at a nearby hospital. The driver fled the scene. Police are searching for his vehicle and have asked anyone with information about this hit-and-run accident to call the Fremont Police Department at (510) 790-6760, explains a California pedestrian accident lawyer.

Fremont accounted for 5 of the 33 fatal and 45 of the 649 injury traffic collisions involving pedestrians in 2008, according the California Highway Patrol’s Annual Report of Fatal and Injury Motor Vehicle Collisions. Nationwide, 4,378 pedestrians lost their lives that year, 18% of whom where individuals aged 65 and older. The groups with the greatest risk of suffering a fatal pedestrian accident were the young, the elderly, and men.

Drivers are required to yield the right-of-way to pedestrians whether they are using a crosswalk or not. When a driver’s failure to yield for a pedestrian results in an injury-accident, the victim may be entitled to compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other related expenses. In the case of a hit-and-run accident, the pedestrian may still receive such compensation by filing a claim on the uninsured motorist coverage of his or her automobile insurance policy.

Everyone at Allen, Flatt, Ballidis, and Leslie would like to offer their condolences to the family of Salim Nosrat.

Additional information, including links to pedestrian advocacy groups and articles on accident victims’ rights, is available to the public free of charge.

To request an article or a book, or to speak with a California pedestrian accident lawyer, feel free to call 866-981-5596.

Shortly after 3:30 p.m. on Thursday, November 4th, a bicyclist was stuck and killed by a semi in Portola Valley. The accident occurred on Alpine Road near the Interstate 280 north on-ramp. Authorities have asked that witnesses or anyone with information call (650) 369-6261, explains a California bicycle accident lawyer.

In 2008, there were 4 fatal and 228 injury traffic collisions involving bicyclists in San Mateo County, none of which occurred in Portola Valley, according the California Highway Patrol’s Annual Report of Fatal and Injury Motor Vehicle Traffic Collisions. Across the state, there were a total of 131 fatal and 11,683 injury bicycle-related accidents that year.

Bicycle accidents are commonly attributed to six types of driver negligence: dangerous turning or passing, disregarding bike paths, failing to check for cyclists when opening car doors or pulling away from parking spots, overestimating a bicyclist’s brakes, and underestimating the speed at which a bicyclist is traveling.

Everyone at Allen, Flatt, Ballidis, and Leslie would like to offer their condolences to the family of the bicyclist who was struck and killed by the semi in Portola Valley yesterday.

Bicycle safety tips and links to bicyclist advocacy groups are available to the public free of charge.

For additional information, or to speak with a California bicycle accident lawyer, feel free to call 866-981-5596.

At around 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, November 4th, the 65-year-old driver of a Chrysler PT Cruiser unintentionally applied the accelerator while her car was in reverse, causing her to lose control of the vehicle and pin a 67-year-old woman against another car in a Clairemont Mesa parking lot. The pedestrian was critically injured and taken to a nearby hospital, explains a California pedestrian accident attorney.

San Diego County accounted for 63 of the 646 fatal and 998 of the 12,774 injury traffic collisions involving pedestrians that occurred throughout the state in 2008, according to the California Highway Patrol’s Annual Report of Fatal and Injury Motor Vehicle Traffic Collisions. The majority of the accidents occurred at night (70%), in urban areas (72%), in normal weather conditions (89%), and at non-intersection locations (76%), according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Unfortunately, children and adults aged 65 years or older suffer the greatest risk of being involved in a pedestrian accident. Although drivers are required to give people walking the right-of-way, they often fail to do so, especially at intersections, where they tend to look for other cars when attempting to turn instead of pedestrians and bicyclists; if a driver’s negligence results in an injury-accident, that person may be held liable for any medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering the victim incurs.

Everyone at Allen, Flatt, Ballidis, and Leslie would like to wish the woman critically injured in the Clairemont Mesa parking lot a full recovery.

Additional information, including links to pedestrian advocacy groups and articles on pedestrian rights, are available to public free of charge.

To request an article or a book, or to speak with a California pedestrian accident attorney, feel free to call 866-981-5596.

Shortly before 8:00 on the morning of Monday, November 1st, a collision between a Ford-150 pickup and a Chevrolet Suburban SUV left one person seriously injured. The accident occurred on Highway 32 in Forest Ranch, explains a California car accident attorney.

Butte County accounted for 30 of the 3,113 fatal and 761 of the 170, 496 injury traffic collisions that occurred throughout the state in 2008, according to the California Highway Patrol (CHP). A recent study ranked ten of California’s cities among the 50 most dangerous in the nation for drivers.

Not only is experiencing a car accident unexpected and traumatic, the injuries sustained may have a lifelong impact on the accident victim’s physical and financial well being. In many cases, if another party caused the accident, that person may be held liable for any injury-related expenses: medical care, lost wages, and pain and suffering.

Everyone at Allen, Flatt, Ballidis, and Leslie would like to wish the driver who was seriously injured in Monday’s Forest Ranch collision a full recovery.

Additional information, including articles on accident victims’ rights and protecting an injury claim, is available to the public free of charge.

To request an article or a book, or to speak with a California car accident attorney, feel free to call 866-981-5596.

Speed was discovered to be the main cause of the Huntington Beach accident that killed an 18-year-old man earlier this month. The Orange County coroner has identified the man as Michael Serna, a local resident. He was driving at a high rate of speed when he lost control, missed a curve, and then spun out of control. The car then hit a light pole, which tore his Honda in half, ejecting the teen. He died at the scene from major trauma. Unfortunately, California leads the nation in fatal traffic accidents involving speeding, explains an Orange County auto accident attorney.

According to the latest National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s “Traffic Safety Facts,” there were 13,040 total speeding fatalities in the U.S. and, tragically, 1,464 were in California. In fact, speed accounts for 32% of our nation’s fatal auto accidents.

Only 5% of the 41 million drivers that receive speeding tickets each year actually contest that ticket. Hundreds of cars are speeding every day on Southern California’s freeways, but few are caught.

While many drivers justify their speeding by traveling only 10 or 15 mph over the speed limit for short periods of time, there are other factors besides speeding that can be crucial to your safety. Shorter stopping distance is critical. When you are driving 30 mph, the average car will need around 109 feet to stop. Increasing your speed to 60mph more than triples your stopping distance to 303 feet.

Research has indicated a strong correlation between speeding and the risk of an injury or fatal traffic accident, explains an Orange County auto accident attorney. For example, if you are driving in a 35 mph zone and then increase your speed to 40 mph, your risk is twice as likely as before to be involved in an injury accident. When the speed of your vehicle increases to 45 mph, the risk increases to four times.

The threat of injury and death increases rapidly with increases in your speed. In many cases, the driver may not be able to brake or swerve to take evasive action in the presence of danger. The less time you have to react to another car, pedestrian, or an unexpected object in the road, the higher probability is that you might have an injury accident.

Surveys reveal that over 90% of all licensed drivers speed at some point in their driving career. In fact, 75% of drivers admit to speeding on a regular basis. So who are the reckless drivers? They are young, middle-aged, and old; men and women; they drive luxury cars, sports cars, SUVs and family cars.

Sadly this week another 21 people were injured when a speeding BMW ran into the side of a school bus in Los Angeles. The impact was so great that the bus flipped onto its side. Most of those injured were school-aged children. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the injured victims.

Everyone at Allen, Flatt, Ballidis, and Leslie would like to offer their condolences to the family of Michael Serna, the young man involved in the fatal Huntington Beach traffic accident.

Your appointment can wait; remember to slow down, especially during the fall, wet weather.

Additional information, including articles on protecting an injury claim and accident victims' rights, is available to the public free of charge.

To request a book or an article, or to speak with an Orange County auto accident attorney, feel free to call 866-981-5596.