Kenneth Newell, 68, was severely injured in a Humboldt County car accident when a teenage driver drove into a construction zone and struck him. According to a news report in The Times-Standard, the construction accident occurred on Myrtle Avenue near Pennsylvania and Moore avenues in Eureka, the morning of December 27, 2011. Officials say Eugene Palmer, 17, drove over traffic cones and into the construction zone before hitting the grinder Newell was operating. Newell sustained major injuries in the collision and still remains in critical condition. Palmer and his passenger, 17-year-old Richard Higgins were not injured in the crash. It is not clear if Palmer will be cited for the incident.

My heart goes out to Kenneth Newell and his family members for what they are going through at this time. Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers.

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A car accident in Orange County, which officials say was caused by a driver who made an unsafe lane change, resulted in injuries for a Long Beach police officer. The Orange County Register reports that the injury collision happened the morning of December 15, 2011 on the 91 Freeway near Magnolia Avenue in Buena Park. California Highway Patrol officials say the collision occurred when a Toyota Corolla that was in the carpool lane crossed over the double yellow lines and hit the motorcycle. The officer suffered injuries to his arm and was taken to an area medical center for treatment. It is not clear if the driver will be cited.

I sympathize with the police officer who was injured. I'm relieved to hear that he did not suffer life-threatening injuries. I pray for his swift and full recovery.

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A car accident in Santa Ana resulted in injuries to five people, including a 2-month-old baby, the morning of November 15, 2011. The Orange County Register reports that the injury crash occurred at First and Euclid streets, when a Nissan Altima carrying two women and two young children collided with a Diamond Environmental Services septic truck. Officials suspect one of the drivers may have run a red light at the intersection. The two women and a 2-year-old boy in the Nissan Altima sustained unknown injuries, while the infant was seriously injured. The driver of the truck also sustained broken bones. Officials are investigating the cause of this crash.

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A car accident in Long Beach the afternoon of September 19, 2011 resulted in injuries for a motorcycle officer. The Press-Telegram reports that the crash occurred at San Antonio Drive and California Place when the officer's motorcycle, which had its lights flashing, was struck by a Cadillac that was making a left turn. The officer suffered non-life-threatening injuries. The driver of the Cadillac, an 85-year-old woman, suffered minor injuries. An investigation is ongoing.

My heart goes out to the injured motorcycle officer. I pray for his swift and full recovery and am relieved to note that he was not critically injured.

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A 30-year-old construction worker, who sustained fatal job injuries while working on a project at the Hyperion waste water treatment plant, has been identified by officials as Edgar Gonzalez. The Los Angeles Daily News reports that the fatal construction accident occurred the afternoon of Aug. 2, 2011 when Gonzalez was erecting a 30-foot wall at the facility. Gonzalez is an employee of USS Cal Builders, a general contractor based in Stanton. Cal/OSHA investigators are looking into what caused this tragic construction accident.

My thoughts and prayers are with everyone who knew and loved Edgar Gonzalez for their tragic and devastating loss. I offer my deepest condolences, especially to his grieving family members.

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Polish citizen Marcin Sokolowski, an employee at the Carnival Cruise Ship “Imagination”, who joined Carnival as an assistant maître d' in June 2008 was awarded nearly $800,000 for injuries he sustained while working on the Cruise Ship.

According to court documents, Sokolowski’s duties at the Carnival included lifting of very heavy food and equipment bins on and off the ship, some of them weighing more than 100 pounds. Sokolowski was not provided any moving apparatus like a dolly to assist him in loading and unloading of these heavy bins from the ship.

In late June 2008, Sokolowski felt a “pop” in his lower back while lifting one of the bins on the ship. He immediately reported the problem to the ship’s doctor as he was in a lot of pain. The doctor prescribed him pain medication which did not help much. The pain persisted over the next few days and Sokolowski was given several injections in his lower back to help him cope with the pain. At this time, the cruise ship was at Half Moon Cay in the Bahama Islands. Read full story »

A man, who sustained fatal job injuries the morning of March 16, 2011 while working on lights at a big box store in Sacramento, has been identified as 40-year-old Zeke Odom. The Sacramento Bee reports that the fatality occurred at a Staples store when Odom, an employee of Century Lighting & Electric, raised himself in an articulated boom and basket. Odom became caught between an overhang and a bar in the basket. His upper body was crushed, officials said. Cal/OSHA investigators are looking into what caused this tragic incident.

I offer my deepest sympathies to everyone who knew and loved Odom. Please keep his grieving family in your thoughts and prayers.

Fatal Workplace Accidents

In California, 926 people died in workplace accidents between 2007 and 2008, according to the California Department of Occupational Safety and Health. These deaths account for about 9 percent of all work-related deaths in the United States during that same period. Read full story »

A motorcycle accident at a street intersection the morning of November 30, 2010, proved fatal for 65-year-old Galo German Ulloa, The Burbank Leader reports. Officials say the fatal motorcycle versus truck accident happened at the intersection of Buena Vista Street and Burbank Boulevard when a large commercial truck turned left in front of Ulloa's motorcycle. Ulloa was wedged under the truck and dragged several feet. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The truck driver, Jesus Hernandez, 40, was on-the-job at the time. He has not been charged or cited pending an official investigation. Read full story »

Authorities have identified a 64-year-old worker who died of severe on-the-job injuries after he was trapped in a trash compactor, as Efren Monterroso. The fatal accident occurred at a North Hills business on October, 23, 2009, according to Associated Press and Los Angeles Times news reports. Emergency personnel found Monterroso dead inside a trash compactor that was used for crushing cardboard. It is not clear how he got stuck inside. The name of the business where Monterroso worked is not known.
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