Five teenage girls from Ceres were on the way to school when they were hit by a pick-up truck on Wednesday morning. One of the girls was pronounced dead. The other was transported to the US Davis Medical Center in critical condition. The girls were struck while crossing a street close to Mae Hensley Junior High School. The Ceres car accident remains under investigation. It is not reported that drugs or alcohol were involved.

All circumstances of Ceres injury accident remain under investigation, although it appears the driver of the vehicle may be partially responsible. In all pedestrian versus car collisions, witness accounts are essential. However there may be other information that can influence who will be deemed responsible, in whole or in part, for a pedestrian versus vehicle incident. California Vehicle Code Section 21950 states that “the driver of a vehicle shall yield the right-of-way to a pedestrian” within a crosswalk, and that a driver approaching a pedestrian in a crosswalk “shall exercise all due care and shall reduce the speed of a vehicle or take any other action relating to the operating of the vehicle as necessary to safeguard the safety of the pedestrian.”

California Pedestrian Accident Attorneys

Nothing is more devastating than losing a loved one, especially if it is unexpected and as the result of someone’s negligence. The law provides that certain family members, usually a spouse, child or parent, have the right to recover compensation for certain losses if someone is liable for causing another person’s death. These losses include both economic and non-economic damages. The most significant economic loss recoverable in a wrongful death claim is typically the loss of financial support and other benefits that the deceased would have provided in his or her lifetime to the person making the claim. Non-economic damages include the loss of love, support and companionship of the deceased person.

Although the official determination of fault is important, a detailed investigation beyond what is contained in the police report is often necessary to determine who is liable for a victim’s injuries or death. In such cases, the family of a deceased accident victim should contact an experienced California Personal Injury Attorney who will hire investigators and accident reconstruction experts to fully evaluate the cause of the collision and explore all available legal options.

Contact Our Sacramento Personal Injury Attorneys

The Demas & Rosenthal personal injury law firm is not currently representing anyone mentioned in this article at the time it was posted. If you were involved in this incident or a similar incident and have questions as to your legal rights and options, call us or another well recognized and respected personal injury law firm. Please do not rely or act solely upon the information provided in this article. Please consider getting a consultation immediately. The best personal injury law firms will provide a free consultation. Demas & Rosenthal will provide a free, confidential consultation to the persons who were not at fault named in this article. The free consultation offer extends to family members as well.

Four people died in a Butte County car accident on Sunday when a Dodge pickup traveling south bound on 99 west of Oroville crossed into opposing traffic and collided with a north bound Ford Explorer with 6 occupants.  The Explorer was then struck from behind by a Ford pickup that had been behind it.  Unfortunately, the Explorer, driven by 41-year-old Rodrigo Ramirez and occupied by five passengers, came to rest next to the Dodge pickup, which was on fire and leaking gas.  Two bystanders , William Hague III and Thomas Crossin, were able to pull the driver of the Dodge pickup, 21 year old Ryan Finnerty, to safety.  Hague and the driver of the Ford pickup were then able to pull an 11 year old boy and 35 year old man out of the Explorer to safety.  However, they were forced to retreat when the Dodge’s gas tank ruptured, spilling burning gas under the Explorer.  A CHP officer tried unsuccessfully to push the Explorer away from the burning pickup with the bumper of his vehicle, but the flames eventually completely engulfed the SUV with 4 people left inside.

California Auto Accident

The two people pulled from the Explorer were hospitalized with major personal injuries. Unfortunately 4 occupants of the Explorer, Rodrigo Ramirez, Gustavo Martinez, Rigoberto Martinez, and Gabriella Rosas were declared dead at the scene.  Mr. Finnerty was also hospitalized with unspecified injuries.

Nothing is more devastating than losing a loved one, especially if it is unexpected and as the result of someone’s negligence. The law provides that certain family members, usually a spouse, child or parent, have the right to recover compensation for certain losses if someone is liable for causing another person’s death. These losses include both economic and non-economic damages. The most significant economic loss recoverable in a wrongful death claim is typically the loss of financial support and other benefits that the deceased would have provided in his or her lifetime to the person making the claim. Other damages include the loss of love, support and companionship of the deceased person.

Based on the available information, the driver of the Dodge is more than likely responsible from a legal standpoint to compensate the victims of this California injury accident. In most cases, the driver’s insurance would pay for these losses. If he had no insurance, the victims may be able to recover under the uninsured motorist provision of an auto insurance policy covering their vehicle.  Anyone who has lost a loved one as the result of another’s negligence or carelessness is advised to contact an experienced California Personal Injury Attorney who will hire investigators and accident reconstruction experts to conduct a thorough investigation of the incident, advise the victim of all legal rights, and file a lawsuit if necessary to obtain fair compensation.

Contact a California Personal Injury Lawyer

The Demas & Rosenthal personal injury law firm is not currently representing anyone mentioned in this article at the time it was posted. If you were involved in this incident or a similar incident and have questions as to your legal rights and options, call us or another well recognized and respected personal injury law firm. Please do not rely or act solely upon the information provided in this article. Please consider getting a consultation immediately. The best personal injury law firms will provide a free consultation. Demas & Rosenthal will provide a free, confidential consultation to the persons who were not at fault named in this article. The free consultation offer extends to family members as well.

Several people sustained serious injuries and a motorcyclist was killed on Tuesday in a four vehicle collision on southbound Interstate 505 north of the Patah Creek Bridge.  According to the California Highway Patrol, the first collision occurred at approximately 10:12 p.m. on Tuesday when Thomas Roberts of Newark allowed his Ford Taurus to drift into the center median then overcorrected, cut across several lanes of traffic, and hit collided with a guardrail before bouncing back into the roadway.  The Taurus, which had 5 passengers, was then struck by a Toyota Corolla at a high rate of speed, knocking it into the opposing lanes of traffic where it was struck again by a Lexus driven by 74 year old Robert Ardave.

Immediately after the first collisions, Oscar Alfaro, 48, of Antioch, encountered the strewn vehicle wreckage on his southbound motorcycle and tried to use the shoulder to go around the obstructions.  However, he ended up laying the motorcycle down and was ejected over the bridge embankment and into the creek.  Unfortunately, Mr. Alfaro was pronounced dead on the scene.

Two occupants of the Taurus, including an infant, sustained major injuries and were transported to U.C. Davis Medical Center in Sacramento for emergency medical care.  Other victims involved in this California car crash suffered minor personal injuries.

Mr. Roberts was arrested on suspicion of felony drunken driving.

Driving under the influence of alcohol is a crime resulting in felony charges when crash victims sustaining personal injuries. The California Highway Patrol Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System indicates that in 2008, there were 1,355 fatal collisions involving drunk drivers.

California Vehicle Code Section 23152 (a) states, “It is unlawful for any person who is under the influence of any alcoholic beverage or drug, or under the combined influence of any alcoholic beverage and drug, to drive a vehicle.” If the drunk driver causes a death of another, the drunk driver can face vehicular manslaughter charges based on California Penal Code section 191.5 (a): ”Gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated is the unlawful killing of a human being without malice aforethought, in the driving of a vehicle, where the driving was in violation of Section 23140, 23152, or 23153 of the Vehicle Code, and the killing was either the proximate result of the commission of an unlawful act, not amounting to a felony, and with gross negligence, or the proximate result of the commission of a lawful act that might produce death, in an unlawful manner, and with gross negligence.”

Victims of DUI car accidents should to consult a reputable Sacramento personal injury attorney, who will conduct a thorough investigation of the collision and hold the offending driver accountable for their actions. A qualified California personal injury attorney can advise you regarding a claim for civil damages, including recovery of medical expenses, lost wages and pain and suffering. Victims should know their rights under the law and any applicable insurance policies. Family members of a deceased victim may have a wrongful death claim, which includes funeral expenses, loss of financial support, loss of love and companionship, and other related damages.

The Demas & Rosenthal personal injury law firm is not currently representing anyone mentioned in this article at the time it was posted. If you were involved in this incident or a similar incident and have questions as to your legal rights and options, call us or another well recognized and respected personal injury law firm. Please do not rely or act solely upon the information provided in this article. Please consider getting a consultation immediately. The best personal injury law firms will provide a free consultation. Demas & Rosenthal will provide a free, confidential consultation to the persons who were not at fault named in this article. The free consultation offer extends to family members as well.

Jimmy Rayes Hayes, 76, was killed Sunday in a head-on collision on Highway 20 in Yuba County. At about 10:50 pm Mr. Hayes’ 1999 Ford Explorer drifted across the center line of the highway near Timbuctoo Road and hit a Volkswagen Golf head on.  Mr. Hayes’ vehicle then careened off the roadway and hit a tree.

Mr, Hayes was pronounced dead at the scene. His 76-year-old passenger Karen Line was taken to the hospital with cuts on both arms and head pain.  The driver of the Golf, 47-year-old Tamara Yoneda of San Juan, reported pain in her jaw.

According to the police, all three victims were wearing seatbelts and both drivers were traveling below the city speed limit at the time.  It does not appear that alcohol or drugs were involved, however, this California car accident remains under investigation.

Based on the available information, Mr. Hayes is more than likely responsible from a legal standpoint to compensate the victims of this California injury accident for all medical bills, lost income and pain and suffering. In most cases, Mr. Hayes’ insurance would pay for these losses even though he is deceased. If he had no insurance, the passengers may be able to recover under the uninsured motorist provision of an auto insurance policy covering their vehicle.

California Highway Accidents

Anyone seriously injured in an auto accident has a number of serious issues to deal with after a collision like this. First, the legal responsibility for the collision must be determined. Sometimes that requires investigation beyond what is contained in the police report.  Second, the medical bills must be paid. Even if there is health insurance to pay for the bills initially, the health insurance company will likely seek reimbursement from any liability insurance recovery. That means that the health insurance company will be competing for money that otherwise would go to the injured victim.  Third, when there are multiple people injured in a crash, they will often be competing for a proportional share of a limited amount of insurance money.  Lastly, insurance companies will do whatever they can to avoid paying fair compensation for not only medical bills, but lost income and pain and suffering as well.

Seek The Help of a California Personal Injury Attorney

Because of these and many other issues, injury victims an involved in a injury accident like this are strongly urged to consult with an experienced California Personal Injury Attorney who will make sure that your rights are protected and that you are dealt with fairly.

The Demas & Rosenthal personal injury law firm is not currently representing anyone mentioned in this article at the time it was posted. If you were involved in this incident or a similar incident and have questions as to your legal rights and options, call us or another well recognized and respected personal injury law firm. Please do not rely or act solely upon the information provided in this article. Please consider getting a consultation immediately. The best personal injury law firms will provide a free consultation. Demas & Rosenthal will provide a free, confidential consultation to the persons who were not at fault named in this article. The free consultation offer extends to family members as well.