Auto Accidents

A wrong-way motorist collided with another car on Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) in Malibu on Friday, July 16. The LA Times reports that two people have been killed and one critically injured as a result. The highly traversed coastal route near Zuma View Place was closed to traffic for several hours after the accident because authorities were working on extricating a body from one of the mangled vehicles.

According to witness testimony, a Saturn that was traveling the wrong way on the westbound side of the highway almost immediately burst into flames after colliding with a Mustang traveling in the other direction. While the drivers of both automobiles were pronounced dead at the scene, the passenger in the Mustang was taken by helicopter to Ronald Regan UCLA Medical Center. At the time of the article’s release, the passenger was said to be in critical condition.

Since this Malibu auto accident occurred at 1 a.m., investigators may look into whether or not any of the motorists were under the influence of alcohol. The California Highway Patrol notes that 98 fatal alcohol-related accidents took place between 1:00 a.m. and 1:59 a.m. in 2008. For that same year, there were a total of 1,239 reported fatal collisions involving alcohol and 19,659 injury accidents in California.

Car accidents caused by drunk drivers create devastating consequences not only for the intoxicated driver, but also for innocent motorists, passengers, and pedestrians.

The Los Angeles car accident lawyers at Panish Shea & Boyle LLP have obtained several large verdicts and settlements for car accident injury victims as well as family members of wrongful death victims. As a firm whose attorneys have been recognized among the 100 Most Influential Lawyers in California, as Trial Lawyer of the Year by various organizations, and consistently by Super Lawyers® and Best Lawyers® publications, you can rely on Panish Shea & Boyle LLP to effectively protect your rights and obtain full and just compensations on your behalf. Call 877-800-1700 for a free consultation and to learn more about how we can help.

According to a Los Angeles Times article, a new federal safety regulation announcement reveals that at least 34 people have been killed within the last decade in Toyota auto accidents involving vehicles that allegedly accelerated out of control. Since the initial reports of 13 fatalities connected to the gas pedal issue were made public and the Toyota recall list was announced, the number of official motorist complaints’ filed has dramatically increased. These additional complaints of unintended acceleration have been pouring in to federal regulators and it is uncertain how many more incidents will be reported when all is said and done.

The new fatality report from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) includes 13 deaths reported since January 27, 2010, which was the day after Toyota put a hold on the sale and production of eight of its auto models in the United States. This was done in order to fix gas pedals that the automaker said can stick and cause unintended acceleration. Most of the reported incidents of fatal acceleration took place between 2003 and 2009, according to an analysis of the data by The Times. In addition, The Times found that all but one of the fatalities reported to NHTSA by motorists in 2010 actually took place in previous years. Some incidents even go back as far as 1992.

The complaints filed with NHTSA display accounts of Toyota and Lexus vehicles suddenly accelerating forward, colliding with other vehicles, buildings and pedestrians. Federal regulators reported that 22 people have been injured from Toyota unintended acceleration accidents, with injuries ranging from bruises and lacerations to a woman who was left in a coma due to a crash. A spokeswoman for the NHTSA stated, “It is normal for NHTSA to receive an increase in consumer complaints after a recall is announced…The agency is quickly gathering more data on all of these additional complaints to help guide our examination of sudden acceleration…as well as other safety issues.”

Toyota has resumed sale and production of the eight models that were previously put on hold to fix the gas pedal issue. Dealers are in the process of installing shims on gas pedals to fix what is being called a defect that could make the accelerator pedal stick.

The experienced Toyota gas pedal recall attorneys at the reputed personal injury law firm of Panish Shea & Boyle LLP are currently representing severely injured people in unintended acceleration accidents involving Toyota and Lexus vehicles. If you or someone you care about has been injured in a car accident with one of the recalled Toyota autos, our skilled auto product liability lawyers can help. Call Panish Shea & Boyle LLP today at 800-591-8116 to schedule a free case evaluation.

Source:http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-toyota-deaths16-2010feb16,0,481821.story?track=rss&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+latimes%2Fmostviewed+%28L.A.+Times+-+Most+Viewed+Stories%29

On Saturday, February 13, 2010, four people were killed in a multi-vehicle pile-up after a passenger car was sandwiched between two large tractor-trailers in Ontario, California. According to a Los Angeles Times report, the smaller passenger vehicle erupted in fire, and the four individuals inside, including two children, died at the scene. Three other individuals were injured, and the cause of the crash is still being investigated by the California Highway Patrol. The car accident took place on Interstate 15 in the Ontario area.

All traffic accidents are different; however, the repercussions stemming from collisions can often be similarly catastrophic for individuals involved and their families. Whether an auto accident involving a tractor trailer is caused by a defective auto part or a reckless truck driver’s failure to follow traffic laws, injured individuals or the family members of wrongful death victims may be able to seek compensation from negligent parties.

In May of 2008, the personal injury law firm of Panish, Shea & Boyle LLP helped a teenage boy receive compensatory damages of $15 million after a Southern California Gas Company-owned truck errantly ran a red light, striking the teenager’s family’s car. In this trial case, Tilton v. Southern California Gas & Electric, the young man received $10 million in past and future pain and suffering, $3.57 million in future medical expenses and $1 million in future loss of earnings in the jury verdict. Panish, Shea & Boyle LLP also obtained a record $21 million trial and jury verdict in October of 2009 in Michael Nelsen v. Hillyard, Inc., et al. for an Iraq War veteran hurt in a car accident caused by a negligent van driver employed by Hillyard, Inc. Mr. Nelsen sustained catastrophic injuries that rendered him incapable of caring for himself, and relegated him to 24-hour care for the remainder of his life.

If you have been injured or have lost a family member in a Southern California tractor trailer accident, the skilled truck accident injury attorneys at Panish, Shea & Boyle LLP can help. In their many achievements as a personal injury law firm, Panish, Shea & Boyle LLP have successfully represented clients in personal injury and wrongful death cases involving defective auto parts and negligent truckers. For more information about the unmatched success record of Panish, Shea & Boyle LLP, visit their website at www.psandb.com or call 800-591-8116 for a case evaluation of your auto accident.

Source:http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2010/02/four-dead-in-pileup-on-interstate-15-in-ontario-.html

Appearing in the Los Angeles Times on November 15, 2009, Best Lawyers magazine has honored Panish, Shea & Boyle LLP in naming the partners of the personal injury plaintiff’s law firm as the Los Angeles area’s Best Lawyers 2010. Within its reputable list of Southern California area attorneys, Best Lawyers has recognized Brian Panish, Adam Shea, and Kevin Boyle collectively and individually for their “decades of work and their legendary aggression” helping obtain justice for those who have suffered catastrophic injury as the result of the negligence of others.

The Best Lawyers article recognizes that Panish, Shea & Boyle will not accept anything other than complete and accurate compensation for their clients who have been harmed by serious injury and financial imbalance due to the negligent actions, and inactions, of corporate and government entities. According to the article, in assisting those who have been afflicted by defective products, dangerous pharmaceuticals, and catastrophic plane, train, and automobile accidents, Panish, Shea & Boyle is an “aggressive firm [that] embraces trial where most others would choose to seek settlement”.

In acknowledging some of the firm’s most recent accomplishments, Best Lawyers notes that the plaintiffs’ lawyers at Panish, Shea & Boyle achieved a multi-million dollar verdict for the parents of a 39-year-old severely mentally and physically disabled man who died from choking when left unattended in a care facility (Don Dino Dominguez v. SCLARC). The firm has also recently assisted a 29-year-old Iraq war veteran obtain a $21 million verdict after being injured in an auto accident after returning home from the war (Nelsen v. Hillyard).

To learn more about the many accomplishments of Panish, Shea & Boyle in seeking justice for those affected by personal injury and wrongful death incidents, please visit http://www.psblaw.com/ or call 1-800-591-8116 if you or your family requires legal assistance from a California personal injury law firm.

The SF Gate website reported in a story that a 19-year-old man had been arrested on suspicion of murder after purposely running over his 46 year old female neighbor. Police Sgt. Mike Sullivan said that the young man had been involved in an argument with his neighbors in the 3800 block of Thainwood Way after he had collided with a fence. At approximately 11pm, shortly after the argument began, the man got behind the wheel of a car and drove onto the grass killing the woman.  Sullivan stated that neighbors told the police that the young man had a history of driving recklessly in the neighborhood.

The name of the woman was not released and her death was just one of three tragic pedestrian auto accidents in California that ended in fatalities in the bay area on the same day.

A wrongful death — one that was caused by someone else’s unlawful actions — is especially hard for the families who must carry on. Losing a loved one has consequences beyond the emotional impact; families must also contend with loss of income, loss of support, and costs related to the death.

If you are considering legal action related to a wrongful death due to a pedestrian accident, consider the experienced attorneys at Panish, Shea & Boyle who can help you navigate the legal system and get the best results during a most difficult time.  Please call 1-866-992-1700 for a free consultation with our experienced California wrongful death attorneys.

The Los Angeles Times reported on November 10, 2008 that I-40 proved to once again be the scene of a fatal car pileup.  The crash involved at least 11 vehicles including semi trucks.  The cars were traveling near Newberry Springs heading eastbound on the I-40 in the Mojave desert just 23 miles east of Barstow at 8:30 a.m.  The pile up left four people dead according to the California Highway Patrol.

The auto and truck accident crash scene was still being investigated but the CHP investigators said that a high wind advisory was in effect when the accident took place.  The CHP also said that one of the cars ended up on top of a truck.  It was not clear if this was due to the force of the winds or the force of the actual collisions.

The victims identities were not released and two of the injured were flown by helicopter to Arrowhead regional medical center in the town of Colton.  Their condition was not known.  Car accidents take place everyday all around us.  We must make sure we all take measures in order to prepare ourselves for driving on our highways, including planning ahead and checking for road and weather advisories before undertaking a road trip.  The roads can quickly become perilous if one is distracted for a fraction of a second.

Panish, Shea, & Boyle L.L.C. is a renowned plaintiff law firm that specializes in representing those that have been seriously hurt by the negligence of individuals, corporations, or the government.  If you have been involved in a serious auto accident in Los Angeles, contact our attorneys for a free consultation of your case. Our clients owe no fee unless we obtain a recovery for them.  Please call 1-866-992-1700 today to discuss the specifics of your incident.

Los Angeles Times reporter James Wagner and Kenneth R. Weiss reported that on October 27, 2008 a five car pile up took place on Western Ave. near 50th Street in the South Los Angeles area.  According to the Los Angles police department eight people were injured; four of which were children ranging in ages between 2 and 13.  Fortunately no one involved was critically injured.  The auto accident took place just before 8pm.

Spokeswoman for the Los Angles police department Sara Faden stated that a Ford Mustang and a Ford Explorer were the first two vehicles to strike each other. The force of the collision propelled one of those vehicles to strike three parked cars.

Car crashes leading to pedestrian accidents can cause serious injuries lasting a lifetime.  In the aforementioned accident there could be a myriad of causes leading up to the accident.  Was it simply driver negligence, or negligence on the part of the pedestrians, or has the city not taken the necessary actions to construct a safe street or intersection?

These are questions that an experienced personal injury law firm will have the resources to answer. At Panish, Shea, & Boyle L.L.P., our track record of proven success in wrongful death accident cases speaks for itself.  We specialize in holding the negligent accountable for their actions. Contact us today at 1-866-992-1700 for a free consultation of your case.