Los Angeles Injury Attorney Blog

KERN COUNTY - The Taft Midway Driller reported the driver of a Honda Accord suffered major injuries Monday afternoon in a head-on collision with a Fed-Ex tractor-trailer on Highway 46. The accident was reported just west of Brown Material Road at 2:45 p.m. According to news reports, one person inside the vehicle was trapped and "heavy extrication" was necessary. An air ambulance from Bakersfield was dispatched to the accident scene. Further details about the cause of the crash and who was responsible were not immediately available.

Highway 46 "Blood Alley" Accidents

Because we have represented a number of victims of Highway 46 accidents, the atterns at Estey Bomberger know large trucks are a major hazard in Kern County. The highway that this September 19th accident occurred on is particularly dangerous, and over the years there have been hundreds of crashes, including many resulting in fatalities. Last year, three people died in a horrendous head-on collision on Highway 46 near Brown Material Road on April 5, 2010. If you have been seriously injured in a Highway 46 accident, contact the Kern County truck accident lawyers at Estey Bomberger for a free consultation.

Continue reading "One Person Seriously Injured in Head-On Collision With Big-Rig on Highway 46" »

EAST BAKERSFIELD - A 59-year-old Bakersfield man was tragically struck and killed Sunday night on Niles Street, the Bakersfield Californian reported. According to news reports, the victim, Gregory Robert Edwards, 59, of Carlsbad, was crossing Kern Canyon Road just east of Morning Drive when he was hit by a vehicle travelling eastbound on Kern Canyon Road. The driver of the vehicle, Cheeree Martinez, 52, of Bakersfield, reportedly had glanced over her shoulder as she passed another vehicle, and did not see Edwards until it was too late to avoid striking him. He was reportedly dragged by the vehicle and died at the scene of the crash. Martinez was taken to Memorial Hospital with moderate but not life-threatening injuries.

Cause of the Fatal Kern County Accident

The cause of the fatal June 12th Kern County pedestrian accident remains under investigation by the California Highway Patrol. Based on the news reports, it appears that the driver may have taken her eyes off the road in front of her for a brief period of time. The CHP reported that alcohol did not appear to be a factor, but that the accident remains under investigation.

Pedestrian Accident Wrongful Death Liability

If it is determined that this accident was the result of negligence of the driver or any other party, the family members of the victim may pursue a civil claim for wrongful death against whoever is responsible for this accident. While the CHP is investigating the cause of the accident, the family members of the victim would be well-advised to speak with a knowledgeable and experienced California wrongful death lawyer. A skilled Bakersfield personal injury attorney who has represented numerous victims of fatal pedestrian accidents can advise the victim's family of their legal rights and how to best handle communications with the driver's insurance company following this accident. Following any fatal accident, it is advisable to speak with a lawyer as soon as possible, while evidence can most easily be preserved and witnesses most easily located.

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A 39-year-old Monterey man sadly died Wednesday night, a few hours after he was severely injured in a rollover accident on Highway 46 in Kern County, the CHP reported. The accident occurred on Hwy 46, just west of Highway 33, around 7:30 p.m. Officials said Elliot Mora, 39, was driving a Ford F-150 pickup truck eastbound on the Highway, when for unknown reasons, he lost control of his vehicle. The truck overturned numerous times, and Mora was ejected. He suffered serious injuries and was airlifted to Kern Medical Center. He died at 11:10 p.m., ABC News said.

Cause of the Fatal Highway 46 Crash

The CHP is investigating the cause of the crash. Based on the information provided in news reports, it was unclear why Elliot Mora lost control of the vehicle. At this point there are only questions as to what occurred. What happened, who was responsible, and could anything have been done to prevent this tragic fatal accident? The CHP reported that alcohol or drug use was not suspected to be a factor in the August 18th accident.

Solo Vehicle Accidents and Wrongful Death Liability

Solo-occupant, solo-vehicle fatality accidents raise a number of questions as to why a crash occurred and who was responsible. Did the accident occur because of the driver, a defect in the vehicle, or the condition of the road? In cases such as this one, where the cause of a crash is unclear, the family members of the victim would be well-advised to talk to a knowledgeable California wrongful death lawyer about the fatal accident and the unique liability issues involved. An attorney can look at the accident report, and if necessary, arrange to have the vehicle, as well as the location of the crash, inspected. If negligence was a factor in the accident, the family may be entitled to compensation for their loss, including damages for funeral and burial expenses, the decedent's future lost earnings, and loss of love, care and companionship.

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A 33-year-old man was killed Sunday night in a Ford F-150 rollover accident on Highway 58, authorities reported. The solo-vehicle crash occurred around 10:20 p.m. April 11th, on eastbound Highway 58, west of Borax Road. The CHP is investigating why the driver's vehicle drifted to the left and into the center median, where it overturned. The driver, who was not immediately identified, was ejected from his vehicle and died at the scene of the Kern County crash. Alcohol is not suspected to be a factor in the crash, CHP officials said. The cause of the accident is under investigation.

While this fatal crash remains under investigation, the family of the victim may benefit from speaking with a skilled California wrongful death attorney who can review their legal rights and determine if they may have a potential claim for their loved one's wrongful death. If a dangerous roadway condition or mechanical failure of the Ford pickup truck caused this accident, the family may be entitled to compensation in a wrongful death suit.

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A horrific crash on Highway 46 just west of Lost Hills Monday night left three people dead and two other seriously injured, the California Highway Patrol reported. The accident occurred on State Route 46, just east of Brown Material Road near the San Louis Obispo County Line at about 7:30 p.m., and involved an eastbound Jeep Grand Cherokee SUV and a westbound GMC Safari Van. According to reports in the Taft Midway Driller, the CHP believes that the Jeep crossed from eastbound lanes into oncoming traffic, where it collided with the GMC Safari Van.

Injuries and Fatalities

The driver of the Jeep, an 18-year-old Lafayette woman, and the 51-year-old driver and 71-year-old right rear passenger in the van, two men from the Salinas area, were all pronounced dead at the scene. Two other men, a 32-year-old Los Angeles man and another man from Vancouver, Washington, were seriously injured and pulled from the van as it started to catch fire. One was flown to Kern Medical Center and another was taken there by ambulance.

Highway 46 "Blood Alley"

According to a November 2009 article in the Salinas Californian, there had been 453 crashes on Highway 46 in Kern County since January 2004. Twenty of those accidents involved at least one fatality. In Kern County, Highway 46 and Highway 223 are the two state routes with the highest ration of accidents to fatalities. The currently is being widened to four lanes, which is expected to be completed in mid 2012. In February, one person was killed and five were injured in a Hwy 46 head-on crash near Annette Road. On New Years Day, three people died in a head-on crash on Highway 46 just eastbound of the San Luis Obispo - Kern County Line. The at-fault driver in that collision was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence.

Continue reading "Three Killed, Two Seriously Injured in Highway 46 Head-On Collision " »

California State Route 46 was closed between Highway 41 and Highway 43 east of the San Luis Obispo County Line in Kern County after a major injury crash shortly before 8 p.m. Saturday night, authorities reported. The head-on collision, which left one person dead and five people injured, occurred near Anette Road. Twenty-one-year-old Sandy Blake Roberts, 21, of Hollywood, Florida died at a hospital following the crash, which involved a westbound 2009 Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck and a eastbound 2005 Chrysler Sebring.

Roberts was a passenger in the Sebring, which was driven by 20-year-old Nicole C. Deane. Authorities believe Deane was passing another vehicle when she lost control of her car while moving back into the eastbound lane. Deane then collided head-on with the Silverado truck, driven by Luis Carlos Mosqueda, 28, or King City. Mosqueda and three passengers in the truck, Karla E. Reyes, 30, Manuel Mosqueda, 55, and Maria Mosqueda, 54, suffered injuries ranging from moderate to major. All occupants of the Silverado were taken to Mercy Southwest Hospital in Bakersfield. Deane suffered major injuries and was taken to Kern Medical Center in Bakersfield.

The cause of the crash remains under investigation by the California Highway Patrol. We hope that everyone injured in this collision makes a full and quick recovery, and our sympathy goes out to everyone who knew and loved the young man who died in this tragic accident. The driver of the Sebring and all of the passengers injured the accident would be well-advised to speak with a California highway accident attorney who can explain their legal rights in this situation. The victims may be entitled to compensation for their injuries, including damages for medical expenses, lost earnings and pain and suffering. The family of the passenger killed in this accident may also consider speaking with a California wrongful death lawyer about protecting their rights under a wrongful death claim.

Three people were killed in a head-on crash on Highway 46 on New Years Day. The fatal accident occurred just after 10 a.m. on Friday, January 1, 20910 in Kern County, just eastbound of the San Luis Obispo - Kern County Line.

According to California Highway Patrol reports, Herculano Hernandez, 23, of Delano, driving a 2000 Ford eastbound on Highway 47, rear-ended a Honda travelling in front of it. The collision sent the Honda into westbound lanes, causing it to crash head-on into a westbound truck. Hernandez was not injured in the crash and was arrested at the scene. He faces charges of felony driving under the influence causing injuries or death.

The victims in the Honda included a 21-year-old Shandon man and his 49-year-old mother. Both died at the scene of the crash. The driver of the truck, a 71-year-old Bakersfield man, was taken to Community Regional Medical Center in Fresno, where he died. His 68-year-old wife was taken to Twin Cities Community Hospital with major injuries.

KGET news reported that Hernandez had a BAC (blood alcohol content) over the legal limit and was probably speeding. In a jailhouse interview, Hernandez admitted to drinking earlier that morning with friends. The CHP also said that Hernandez had a prior DUI conviction, and when arrested, had been driving without a license.

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