Four people, including a child, were killed and one person was injured in a Stanislaus County auto accident on Tuesday.

The California Highway Patrol and KCRA-TV report that the collision occurred in Patterson when a van ran a stop sign and broadsided a sport utility vehicle at an intersection.  Tragically, the driver of the van and a man, woman and child occupying the SUV were declared dead at the scene.  One passenger of the SUV was hospitalized with major injuries. This California wrongful death auto accident remains under investigation and it is not known whether drugs or alcohol were a factor.

California Wrongful Death Lawsuits

Based on the available information, the driver of the van is more than likely responsible from a legal standpoint to compensate the victims of this Patterson injury accident. In most cases, the driver’s insurance would pay for these losses even though he is deceased. 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.

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. 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.

Auto Accident Attorneys California

Likewise, anyone seriously injured in a California auto accident has a number of complicated issues to deal with after a collision like this. First, legal responsibility for the collision must be determined, sometimes requiring 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.  It is important that injury victims in these situations consult with an experienced and reputable California personal injury law firm to protect their rights.

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.

Auto accidents can occur at any time and in any place, but few types of collisions if any are more violent and leave more of a wake of destruction than head-on collisions. Tragically, one man was killed and two others were injured in a fatal Rancho Cordova auto accident where two large vehicles collided head-on last night. Authorities are continuing to investigate the situation.

According to police, the Rancho Cordova auto accident occurred at approximately 7:45 p.m. on Sunrise Boulevard south of Kiefer Boulevard. The collision involved two full-sized Ford pickup trucks, one red and one white. Witnesses stated that the white truck was traveling southbound on Sunrise Boulevard when it suddenly crossed over the center line. It collided violently with the red truck. The driver of the white truck was killed in the accident and two people – the driver and the passenger – in the red truck suffered serious injuries. No identities have been released at this point pending notification of their families.

California Auto Accident Statistics

First of all, we’d like to extend our condolences to the family and friends of the man who was killed. Losing a life in an accident is always tragic. We’d also like to extend our hopes that those people who were injured are somehow able to overcome those injuries at some point soon. Unfortunately, this Rancho Cordova auto accident will become part of the statistics regarding California auto accidents overall. Every year, approximately 175,000 people are injured and more than 3,000 people are killed in California auto accidents.

California Auto Accident Lawyers

While more needs to be determined regarding the cause of this Rancho Cordova auto accident, the fact that one vehicle crossed the center line indicates that this could have been the cause of the collision. If those who were injured brought a California personal injury lawsuit against the driver’s estate and it was successful, damages could be awarded for medical expenses, property damage, lost income and pain and suffering.

If you have been harmed in an accident, you need to seek the help of Sacramento auto accident lawyers who have years of experience in obtaining justice for those who deserve it. Contact Demas & Rosenthal today to schedule a free initial consultation.

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.

If you’ve been in a collision it’s always better to hire a lawyer earlier rather than later. One of the reasons this is true is that we work on a contingency fee, which means we only get paid if your case settles. So if your case involves significant injuries or a wrongful death type case, we prefer for a number of reasons, including preserving evidence, collecting evidence, talking to witnesses, to get involved in that case early on. It costs our clients usually the same if they hire us a week after the collision versus a year and a half after the collision. However, most of the time, we’re able to achieve better results the earlier we get involved with the case because of the fact that we can preserve evidence and track witnesses down and do what we need to do to start building our case as soon as we get involved. That’s not to say that we don’t take cases if they’re not within the first couple of weeks.

Vincent Garrett, 46 sustained major injuries in a Woodland motorcycle accident after the motorcycle he was on collided with a slower moving car.  Police report that Mr. Garrett was traveling north on CR-98 at more than 70 mph when he struck the back of  a 2004 Honda Civic being driven by 38-year old Liz Sardinas of Davis.

The man was ejected from the motorcycle and landed on the freeway, which caused serious head injuries. Mr. Garrett was airlifted to the UC Davis Medical Center for treatment of serious injuries. The motorcycle was destroyed in fire.

Ms. Sardinas was transported to Woodland Memorial Hospital with minor injuries. The California motorcycle crash remains under investigation, although drugs and alcohol were not felt to be a factor.

California Motorcycle Accidents

Based on the California Highway Patrol’s Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System there were 11,764 injured in motorcycle accidents in 2008.

According to this newspaper report, it hasn’t been determined what caused this California crash.  Authorities have to take under the consideration all of the circumstances of the accident in order to determine the cause. It is possible this accident was caused by the motorcyclist. Based on the report, it is not clear why the motorcycle hit the Honda. When the negligence of a one party to a collision injures another party, the negligent party is responsible for paying medical bills, lost income and pain and suffering.

Hiring a California Personal Injury Attorney

In such cases, accident victims are highly should contact an experienced California Personal Injury Attorney who will stay abreast of the investigation, hire expert accident reconstruction experts and investigators to thoroughly evaluate the cause of the collision and make sure every angle is examined, including possible claims for defective roadway conditions. A reputable Sacramento Car Accident Attorney will also be able to advise the victims’ families about how their car insurance policy applies to an incident where the at-fault motorist is uninsured or underinsured.

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 California personal injury law firms will provide a free consultation.

A one car accident near Eden Canyon Road in Dublin, sent two people to Eden Medical Center in Castro Valley Friday night. A 23-year-old man from San Francisco, was driving his Honda Civic  in the fast lane on westbound I-580. As reported by the California Highway Patrol, the driver suddenly lost control of the vehicle and immediately started to skid sideways toward right shoulder. The Honda Civic hit a dirt edge on the north side of the freeway. Unfortunately, the car overturned and the 22- year-old passenger was ejected  through the  passenger- side window.  When  the California Highway Patrol arrived, the driver was still  in the car with his seat belt on. Both men were taken by ambulance and  hospitalized with major  injuries. The Dublin car accident remains under investigation.

We are keeping the injured victims in thoughts and prayers. We wish them a fast and complete recovery.

Auto Accidents in California

The California Highway Patrol Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System indicates that in 2008, there were 48,841 injured victims of unsafe speed- related accidents.

Hiring a California Personal Injury Attorney

If you are an injured passenger in a vehicle, unique issues arise in California car accident claims Many times, passengers know the driver of the vehicle who may have caused the collision and are reluctant to bring a claim. However, it is extremely important to be aware that the responsible driver’s insurance company is the one who has to pay the injured passengers medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, etc., and not the driver him/herself. All injured victims in accidents like this are strongly urged to consult with an experienced California Personal Injury Attorney to protect their rights. In many cases, especially if there is some dispute as to how the collision occurred, it is advisable to get a more complete statement from a witness. Officers investigating a collision are subject to many distractions, such as clearing the scene for traffic, and may be limited in the amount of time they have to spend with witnesses at the scene. We have found that when interviewed, witnesses often add critical facts that were not noted in the officers’ statements, or clarify statements in a way that is helpful to a case.

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 California 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.

Another Californian was lost last week due an alleged DUI California car accident.  The California Highway Patrol reports that Scott Farinha was driving his Chevrolet Camaro on Highway 138 near Phelan last Friday afternoon when a vehicle being driven by 45-year-old Zimmie Burnath, proceeding in the opposite direction, crossed over into his lane of traffic and caused a head on collision.  Unfortunately, Mr. Farinha was declared dead at the scene.

The CHP reported that Ms. Burnath was likely under the influence of alcohol when officers attempted to pull her over for swerving into oncoming traffic.  Instead, Ms. Burnath led officers on a 5 mile high speed chase that reached speeds of 100 m.p.h. while she weaved in and out of traffic and narrowly missed other vehicles before colliding head on with Mr. Farinha’s Camaro.  The intoxicated Burnath survived the crash, but was transported to the hospital with major personal injuries.  Ms. Burnath will face charges of driving under the influence, evading police and murder when she is released from the hospital.

Our hearts go out to the family and friends of Mr. Farinha, who was so suddenly and tragically taken away from all those who knew and loved him. We especially offer our condolences to his family for their heartbreaking loss.

DUI Driving Accidents in California

Driving while under the influence of alcohol is criminal.  However, no matter how strong the laws against drunk driving, and no matter how strong public opinion seems to be against this type of conduct, some people simply cannot help themselves.  The results are tragic.  The California Highway Patrol Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System indicates that in 2008, there were 1,355 fatal collisions caused by drunk drivers.   This kind of heartbreak is unacceptable, and California should do more to prevent more DUI related deaths, including stiffer penalties for all offenders, alcohol treatment programs, and education for alternatives like designated 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.”

Hiring a Sacramento Drunk Driving Accident Attorney

Victims of DUI accidents should contact a skilled Sacramento personal injury attorney, who will conduct a thorough investigation of the collision and hold the offending driver accountable for their actions. Civil remedies for the families of the deceased pursuing a wrongful death claim include compensation to cover 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.

California was one of the leaders in terms of states outlawing the use of cell phones behind the wheel without the aid of a hands-free device. While there have been positive effects as a result of this law that was enacted recently, there is a troubling trend of motorists who are simply not obeying this regulation. As a result, the California legislature is seeking to impose tougher penalties for those who are caught violating this law.

According to KGO:

“In California, the cell phone law may be about to get a lot tougher.

Refusing to use a hands-free device could get more expensive. A Senate committee agreed to make violators pay more.

The author of the original cell phone driving ban, Simitian, convinced a Senate committee to approve a crackdown on Californians who continue to break the law by hitting them in their wallets harder.

The fine for talking on a handheld or texting while driving is currently $20 for the first offense. Simitian’s proposal increases the fine to $50, plus a point on your driving record. Repeat offenses would double from $50 to $100 and a point would also be added to your driving record.

The California Highway Patrol says traffic collisions and fatalities dropped 20 percent from the previous five-year average before California’s hands-free law took effect, but that point on a driving record worries commercial truckers, who could lose their jobs.”

If you or someone you love has been harmed by a driver who was not paying attention to the road, you need the help of Sacramento auto accidents lawyers who understand how to hold those responsible for harm accountable. Contact Demas & Rosenthal today to schedule a free initial consultation.

One of the last things parents worry about when dropping their children off at school or a daycare center is that the school itself will be hit by a car or truck. Yet that’s exactly what happened on Folsom Boulevard in Sacramento around 9:30am on February 4, 2010. Shortly after a garbage truck and van collided, the truck went careening into a former gas station that’s been remodeled and converted into a children’s daycare center

Emergency personnel had to cut both the garbage truck and van drivers out of their demolished vehicles before the two could be examined. Although the van was killed, the truck driver was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.

This horrible tragedy illustrates how dangerous road conditions and potentially inattentive drivers can combine to cause serious injury or damage. Our Sacramento Personal Injury Lawyers have been assisting victims of tragedies such as these for over 16 years. Our hearts go out to families of those children injured in this sad incident.

If you or a loved one have suffered from injury due to a trucking accident or other negligence, call the law offices of Demas & Rosenthal today Toll Free +1-888-870-4470 or the main office +1-(916) 442-9000.