A 4-year-old boy who was killed in a Ventura car accident has been identified as Bernardino Rincon. The car accident was apparently caused by an elderly driver the morning of November 30, 2009, according to a news report in the Ventura County Star. The fatal car accident occurred on Santa Rosa Road when 84-year-old Richard Levens struck two other cars stopped at a light and then hit the Rincon family's minivan. The van left the roadway, struck a tree and rolled over on an embankment. Bernardino was ejected from the vehicle and pinned under the van. He was pronounced dead soon after the accident in an area hospital.

The Rincon family has no doubt suffered a devastating blow with this untimely loss. I offer my deepest sympathies to everyone who knew and loved this little boy. Bernardino's grieving family members will be in my prayers.

Was the Child Buckled in?

Based on this news report, it is not clear whether Bernardino was secured in a car seat or not. California Highway Patrol officials say the boy was not strapped in a car seat at the time of the accident. His sister says she buckled him up right before they started driving. But, some family members also suspect that the boy may have unbuckled himself later, sometime before the crash.

Defective Product Issues

In this case, it is absolutely important to look into whether Bernardino was not secured in the car seat or whether he was buckled and then ejected at the time of the crash because of a product defect -- namely a defect in the car seat or as a result of seatbelt defects. In any car accident where a product defect is suspected, it is important to preserve the product -- in this case the minivan and the car seat -- so it can be carefully checked by an expert for product defects, malfunction or other evidence. I would also be curious to find out how or why the senior driver, who apparently set off this chain reaction crash, lost control of his vehicle.

Victims in such cases would be well-advised to consult with a reputed California personal injury lawyer, who has had consistent success with product liability cases and a stellar track record holding negligent drivers accountable. The best personal injury law firms will offer a free consultation to injured victims and their families.

We are not representing any of the parties mentioned in this article at the time the article was posted. Our information source is cited in the article. If you were involved in this incident or a similar incident and have questions as to your rights and options, call a reputable law firm. Do not act solely upon the information provided herein. Get a consultation. The best law firms will provide a free confidential consultation to "not a fault" persons named in this article and their family members.

4-year-old Killed in Ventura Car Accident is a post from: Personal Injury Lawyers News

Omead Afshar, 23, and Melissa Lynch, 24, suffered serious injuries in a Ventura car accident. The Ventura County Star reports that the major injury car accident occurred on November 21, 2009 after Afshar, who was driving, lost control of the car and crashed into the median on Westlake Boulevard. Afshar and Lynch were trapped in the car and sustained major injuries. Both were taken to a local hospital after being rescued from the vehicle by emergency personnel.

I sympathize with Afshar and Lynch, whose families must be going through an extremely hard time right now. I hope and pray that they make a quick and complete recovery from their major injuries. These injured victims will certainly be in my prayers.

Car Accidents in Ventura County

According to California Highway Patrol's traffic accident statistics, California car accidents claimed 26 lives and injured 663 people in unincorporated areas of Ventura County. In Ventura County as a whole, 71 deaths and 3,993 injuries were reported as a result of car accidents during the same year.

It is not clear how or why this tragic car accident occurred. There are more questions her than answers at this point. The news article does not mention whether Afshar was intoxicated or distracted at the time of the accident. We do not know whether he fell asleep at the wheel. There are other questions that arise at this point. Was this accident caused by a vehicle defect or vehicle malfunction? What type of vehicle was he driving? Was the accident caused by a dangerous condition on the roadway or any debris that was on the roadway? Was Afshar pushed off the roadway by another vehicle?

Determining Liability in Car Accident Cases

If Afshar's accident and injuries were caused as a result of an auto product defect, the auto maker of the manufacturer of the defective product could be held liable. If another negligent driver caused this car accident, then that driver could be held responsible for this accident and resulting injuries.

Whatever the cause of the car accident, an experienced California personal injury attorney will be able to analyze all facts of the incident and determine whether there was any negligence or wrongdoing here. The best personal injury law firms will always offer free consultations to injured victims and their families.

We are not representing any of the parties mentioned in this article at the time the article was posted. Our information source is cited in the article. If you were involved in this incident or a similar incident and have questions as to your rights and options, call a reputable law firm. Do not act solely upon the information provided herein. Get a consultation. The best law firms will provide a free confidential consultation to "not a fault" persons named in this article and their family members.

Fatal Ventura Car Accident is a post from: Personal Injury Lawyers News

Five vehicles were involved in an Orange County car accident, which officials say, was caused by tire tread from a large truck, that was dropped on the roadway. The Orange County Register reports that the multi-vehicle crash happened on the 57 northbound near Imperial Highway in Brea, California, the morning of November 17, 2009. California Highway Patrol officials said no serious injuries were reported in this crash. The car accident involved a Mercedes Benz driven by 18-year-old Francisco Linares, a Nissan Altima, an Acura, Ford Explorer SUV and a Ford F-250 pickup truck.

I'm relieved to see that this Brea car accident did not result in any life-threatening injuries despite the number of vehicles and people who were involved. Such accidents have the potential for serious injuries or even fatalities.

Orange County Car Accident Statistics

According to CHP's Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), 260 injuries occurred in Brea, California as a result of car accident cases in 2007. Countywide, car accidents claimed 178 lives and caused 14,185 injuries during the same year.

If the details in the news report are accurate, this car accident was caused by the tire tread that was dropped on the freeway by a big rig. Roadway debris in California has caused 155 fatalities just in the last two years, according to the California State Department of Transportation (Caltrans).

Law Prohibits Dumping Debris on Highways

California law prohibits anyone from throwing or dumping matter on the highway. California Vehicle Code section 23112 (a) states: "No person shall throw or deposit, nor shall the registered owner or the driver, if such owner is not then present in the vehicle, aid or abet in the throwing or depositing upon any highway any bottle, can, garbage, glass, nail, offal, paper, wire, any substance likely to injure or damage traffic using the highway, or any noisome, nauseous, or offensive matter of any kind."

Had this Orange County car accident resulted in serious injuries or fatality, the driver of the big rig and his employer, the trucking company, could have been held liable. Victims in roadway debris accidents would be well-advised to contact a reputed Orange County personal injury attorneys who has handled such cases and can advise victims and their families about how their car insurance policy will apply to such a case. If the responsible party is never identified or found, victims in roadway debris accident cases may be compensated through the uninsured motorist provision of his or her car insurance policy.

We are not representing any of the parties mentioned in this article at the time the article was posted. Our information source is cited in the article. If you were involved in this incident or a similar incident and have questions as to your rights and options, call a reputable law firm. Do not act solely upon the information provided herein. Get a consultation. The best law firms will provide a free confidential consultation to "not a fault" persons named in this article and their family members.

Orange County Car Accident Caused by Tire Tread on Roadway is a post from: Personal Injury Lawyers News

A boy who died in a November 11, 2009 San Francisco car accident has been identified by authorities as 7-year-old Mark Thomas. The rollover crash happened after a Ford Explorer SUV blew its left rear tire. The driver, Mark's 22-year-old sister Jewel Mims, lost control of the SUV, which veered off the roadway and overturned landing on its side. Mark, who was in the cargo area of the SUV, was not wearing a seatbelt and was partially ejected, California Highway Patrol officials said. He died of major head trauma. Others in the SUV sustained injuries as well, but they were not life-threatening.

My heart goes out to the family of little Mark Thomas for their horrible loss. It's indeed fortunate that no one else was badly injured especially Mark's brother who was also in the cargo area where there were no seatbelts. This family will be in my prayers.

Rollover Crashes Can be Devastating

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there are about 10,000 fatal rollover accidents each year in the United States, which account for 25 percent of all traffic accident fatalities in the country. SUVs are particularly more prone to these violent crashes because they have a high center of gravity and lower track width, which makes them more susceptible to tip over and flip even at normal speeds. The Ford Explorer, specifically, is well-known for vehicle defects both in terms of design and manufacturing, which have caused numerous fatal and major injury accidents nationwide.

Liability Issues Involving Auto Products

In this particular case, the SUV's tire blew, causing a young driver to lose control of the vehicle. Even experienced drivers have trouble controlling the Explorer in such situations because of its propensity for instability. I would be curious about whether a defective tire caused this tragic accident. If that was the case, the tire manufacturer could be held liable as well. Mark Thomas may have been alive today had he been safely restrained. This is another grim reminder for all of us to make sure that all passengers, especially our little ones, are buckled up. Seatbelts do save lives.

In such cases, victims and their families would be well-advised to consult a reputed San Francisco personal injury lawyer, who has a successful track record representing injured clients against large auto makers such as Ford and General Motors. It would also be in their best interest to preserve the vehicle in its current condition, unaltered, so it can be examined thoroughly for any evidence or malfunctions or auto product defects.

We are not representing any of the parties mentioned in this article at the time the article was posted. Our information source is cited in the article. If you were involved in this incident or a similar incident and have questions as to your rights and options, call a reputable law firm. Do not act solely upon the information provided herein. Get a consultation. The best law firms will provide a free confidential consultation to "not a fault" persons named in this article and their family members.

Fatal San Francisco Car Accident Caused by Tire Blowout is a post from: Personal Injury Lawyers News

Officials have identified a man who was killed in a Los Angeles car accident the morning of November 7, 2008, as 28-year-old Mark Anthony Reyes. According to a news report in The Signal, Reyes was driving his 2000 Honda Civic west on Soledad Canyon Road close to Gladding Way in Santa Clarita when he lost control of the vehicle and hit a power police. Officials are still trying to determine what caused Reyes to lose control of his car. Reyes died at the scene of multiple traumatic injuries.

My deepest sympathies and prayers go out to the family and friends of Mark Anthony Reyes for their tragic and heartbreaking loss.

Car Accidents in Los Angeles

Five people died and 630 were injured as a result of car accidents in Santa Clarita, according to California Highway Patrol's 2007 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS). Countywide, car accidents claimed 712 lives and injured 56,475 people in 2007.

This accident may have occurred due to any of several reasons. Police have not said that Reyes lost control of his car as a result of speed, alcohol or because he fell asleep at the wheel. Some other factors could have played a part here. The crash could have happened as a result of a vehicle defect or a mechanical malfunction. Another vehicle may have been involved in the crash. The accident could have also occurred as a result of a dangerous condition on the roadway.

Who or What Caused this Car Accident?

If this accident was caused by a negligent driver, then that individual could be held accountable for this accident and resulting injuries. If the accident was caused by a dangerous or defective roadway, the governmental agency responsible for maintaining it could be held liable. Any claim against a California governmental agency must be filed within six months of the accident or injury. An experienced Los Angeles personal injury attorney will be able to advise victims and their families about their legal rights and options and ensure that they are fairly compensated for their injuries and damages. Where negligence or wrongdoing is involved, families of deceased victims may seek compensation to cover funeral expenses, loss of wages, loss of love and companionship and other accident-related damages.

We are not representing any of the parties mentioned in this article at the time the article was posted. Our information source is cited in the article. If you were involved in this incident or a similar incident and have questions as to your rights and options, call a reputable law firm. Do not act solely upon the information provided herein. Get a consultation. The best law firms will provide a free confidential consultation to "not a fault" persons named in this article and their family members.

Man Killed in Los Angeles Car Accident is a post from: Personal Injury Lawyers News

Brian Chase, a nationally renowned California auto products liability lawyer has received the top rating of "superb" from Avvo.com, a trusted and fast-growing lawyer rating service on the Internet. Brian Chase, a partner at the Orange County personal injury law firm of BISNAR | CHASE has earned a perfect 10 rating on Avvo, thanks to his remarkable experience, winning track record, impeccable reputation and glowing reviews from his peers – other top attorneys in the country. In fact, Brian was recently featured in the OC Metro magazine as one of the leading lawyers in Orange County and one of the top five personal injury attorneys in Orange County. The magazine's ratings were based on Avvo.com's ratings of top Orange County lawyers.

Reliable Rating Service for Consumers

The Avvo rating system ranks lawyers in 19 different categories. The Web site bases its ranking on an attorney's overall profile, their background, professional accomplishments, experience and how they are rated by their peers. Avvo collects these important pieces of information from a range of sources including state bar associations, attorneys' Web sites and court records. Brian Chase scored a "superb" rating under the categories of experience, industry recognition and professional standard. This superior rating bears testimony to Brian's outstanding abilities as a well-respected and successful personal injury lawyer in California.

Superior Professional Achievement

Brian Chase has carved a niche for himself over the last 16 years as one of the leading auto product liability lawyers in the nation. He has also represented numerous clients who are victims of catastrophic injuries. Brian currently serves as the Secretary of the Consumer Attorneys of California and is a past President of the Orange County Trial Lawyers Association. He is also a member of the Consumer Attorneys of Los Angeles; Trial Lawyers for Public Justice, The American Association for Justice, The Million Dollar Advocates Forum and the Christian Legal Society. Brian was AV rated by Martindale Hubbell in 2008 and 2009 and was named a Super Lawyer from 2006 to 2009.

Brian's new book "Still Unsafe At Any Speed -- Auto Defects That Cause Wrongful Deaths and Catastrophic Injuries," serves as the definitive guide to auto product defects and the devastating effects they can have on people's lives. The book offers valuable insight into how inadequate quality control in the auto industry has led to auto product defects, which in turn have had tragic consequences for thousands of unsuspecting consumers.

California Auto Products Liability Lawyer Gets Superb Rating is a post from: Personal Injury Lawyers News