Los Angeles Injury Attorney Blog

Three people were injured, including one critically, Friday morning in a crash on Interstate 5 north of Los Angeles, Mercury News reported. The crash, which occurred in the northbound lanes of the freeway in the Valencia area at about 11:17 a.m., involved a small car being involved between two trucks. Based on the limited information provided in news reports, it is not clear how this crash occurred or who was at fault. The California Highway Patrol is investigating.

This accident is just another example of the severe damage a tractor-trailer can cause. Semi-trucks can weigh up to 40 times more than a small passenger vehicle, and are responsible for several hundred fatal accidents and more than 3,000 injury accidents each year in California alone. We hope the three injured parties involved in this crash make a full and quick recovery from their serious injuries sustained in this July 30th truck accident.

Who Can Be Held Responsible for a Truck Accident?

In accidents involving only passenger vehicles, most of the time fault and liability is attributed to one of the drivers. However, in trucking accidents, there are often multiple parties that may be liable, including the truck driver, the trucking company, the manufacturer of the truck or truck parts, the company or individuals responsible for maintaining the truck, the shipping company, and others. It is always a good idea to contact an attorney soon after any accident; however, in truck accidents, it is especially important. The trucking company will fight liability and do everything to limit the amount of compensation a victim ultimately receives, including presenting evidence to suggest an injured party is responsible for a crash.

Truck Accidents and Personal Injury Liability

The injured victims of this accident would be well-advised to contact an experienced Los Angeles truck accident attorney as soon as possible who can review the accident report and advise of their legal rights and options to pursue compensation in a personal injury claim. Accidents involving big-rigs and semi-trucks have very unique legal issues due to the federal laws governing the trucking industry. A skilled truck accident lawyer can advise the victims of their best course of action following this crash to ensure they receive the maximum, full and fair compensation for their injuries.

Continue reading "Three People Injured in Big Rig Crash on Interstate 5 in Valencia " »

A 29-year-old woman died following a solo vehicle freeway crash early Tuesday morning on Interstate 5 in Castaic, authorities reported. The accident happened at about 1:25 a.m., on the southbound Golden State Freeway (I-5) in Castaic. According to reports by CBS News, the Toyota Camry hit a guardrail and overturned as it went down a hillside. The vehicle came to rest on its roof, according to the California Highway Patrol.

The woman who died in the crash was identified as Stephanie M. Kelper. Her 35-year-old husband, 11-year-old son, 3-year-old son, and an 8-year-old boy were injured in the crash. Authorities reported that a speed limit sign and about 50 feet of guard rail were damaged in the accident. Alcohol is not suspected to be a factor, but the cause of the Los Angeles County crash remains under investigation.

What Caused this Accident?

Based on the limited information provided in news reports, it's not clear why the accident occurred, or even who was driving. Did the driver swerve to avoid something in the roadway, or fall asleep at the wheel? Or was something wrong with the Toyota? Hopefully the investigation by the California Highway Patrol will yield answers as to what happened to cause this crash.

Continue reading "One Dead, Four Injured April 6 in Interstate 5 Solo-Vehicle Accident in Castaic " »

Two young men died in a horrific solo-vehicle SUV rollover crash Tuesday night in Santa Fe Springs, the California Highway Patrol reported. The accident occurred in the northbound lanes of Interstate 5, south of the 605 Freeway, at about 11:25 p.m. According to reports in the Whittier Daily News, the driver of the 2003 Nissan Xterra, Ryan Tiederman, 18, of Cerritos, lost control of the SUV for unknown reasons and veered off the freeway. The vehicle then struck a raised embankment and rolled several times, coming to a rest on its roof near the bottom of the on-ramp at Florence Avenue. The passenger, Jacob Aragon, 19, of Lakewood, was partially ejected from the vehicle. Both men died at the scene of the crash.

Our sympathy goes out to the families of Ryan Tiederman and Jacob Aragon, and everyone who knew and loved them. Please keep their families in your prayers as they are grieving the sudden and unexpected loss of these two young men.

CHP Investigation

Any witnesses to the accident or anyone else with information about the accident is asked to contact the CHP's Santa Fe Springs office at (562)868-0503. CHP officers are investigating the cause of the crash, and working to determine the speed of the SUV at the time of the crash, whether the two men were wearing seat belts, and whether alcohol or drugs were involved. A CHP officer said investigators at the scene did not find any initial evidence that alcohol was a factor in the crash.

Who Was At Fault?

Based on the news reports of this accident, it is impossible to tell what caused this rollover accident or who was at fault. The family of both of the men killed in this accident would be well advised to consult with a Los Angeles SUV rollover accident lawyer who can help them determine the cause of the accident, and whether deficient roof-strength in the Nissan XTerra contributed to the two men's deaths. Some SUVs also have defective door latches that are too weak to keep the doors closed in the event of a rollover, which may cause passengers to be ejected. If a defect in the SUV caused the two young men to die in this accident, the families may consider filing a wrongful death claim against the vehicle's manufacturer. An experienced Los Angeles wrongful death lawyer can help the family understand their legal rights, options and obligations following a devastating accident such as this one.