Los Angeles Personal Injury Lawyer Blog

The Ellis Law Corporation, a Los Angeles personal injury law firm, has launched a new website focusing on truck accidents and the legal ramifications that are associated with those accidents. The website, www.truckcollisionlawfirm.com, discusses the various details that surround a truck accident, and offers insight into the possible causes of accidents perpetrated by large trucks. This source of information will help direct truck accident victims towards the details they need in order to find successful outcomes in their personal injury lawsuits so that parties responsible for truck accidents can be held accountable for their actions.

In Los Angeles, where the daily commute to work often involves California’s congested freeways, it is inevitable that drivers of smaller passenger vehicles will encounter large trucks on a regular basis. With such a wide array of goods needing to be shipped from one place to another, it is often imperative that large trucks travel our roads and highways. However, large trucks are a convenience that can, unfortunately, turn into a hazard in no time at all. From dangerous driving practice to faulty vehicle equipment to poor road conditions, truck accidents can occur for a variety of reasons, all of which place all other motorists and pedestrians in the way of harm.

Injuries sustained in truck accidents can range anywhere from minor to major. Damage to property can be miniscule or significant. In any event, it is extremely important that you enlist the help of a skilled truck accident attorney in the event of collision with a large truck. Whether it is the fault of a truck driver, a trucking company, or a municipality that failed to provide safe road conditions, accountability must be attributed to those who have wronged others.

Continue reading "Ellis Law Corporation Introduces Truck Accident Website" »

A 16-year-old girl was tragically killed in an SUV accident while she was on the way to her high school’s prom in Los Angeles, according to an LA Times report. Seven other high school students, ranging in ages of 16-18 were injured in the auto accident in LA that occurred on a 110 southbound freeway exit near 3rd street.

The 2003 Chevrolet SUV that the Taft high school students were traveling in ended up on its side. While no cause of the accident was listed in the newspaper, it is not out of the realm of possibility to speculate that this was a SUV rollover accident.

SUV rollover accidents are an all too common occurrence. Due to the fact that SUVs have a high center of gravity and a narrow track width, they are subject to rolling over. This most typically can occur when a driver is traveling at too high a rate of speed and attempts to make a corrective maneuver. SUV rollover accidents almost always result in serious injuries to the drivers and passengers involved.

Continue reading "16 Year Old Girl Headed to Prom Killed in LA Car Accident" »

The recent tragic and deadly metro train wreck in Washington D.C. has many Los Angeles metro officials closely monitoring the news lately. According to a report in the LA Times Online, MTA officials say the automated train control system that is believed to have malfunctioned in the DC crash is very similar to the system that controls LA’s subway system.

"There is a lot of similarity between the system employed [in Washington] and the system we have on the Metro Red Line and Purple Line," said Michael Harris Gifford, the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority's chief engineer.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have began to focus their investigation on the control system after investigators found what they described only as an "anomaly" in part of the network -- a track signal circuit near the site of the crash.

This crash follows last year’s Chatsworth Metrolink train crash in Los Angeles that killed 25 people. That head on collision was a tragedy that has marred the local Metrolink system and is still the subject of an ongoing investigation.

Continue reading "Los Angeles Metro Train Officials Monitoring DC Crash Probe" »

A cyclist was tragically killed when an Oxnard man hit him with his truck and left the scene of the accident on the Pacific Coast Highway, according to a published report on LA Times online. The man also struck the cyclist’s 14-year-old son, who was also on the bicycle.

After the accident, the man allegedly ditched his truck about a mile south of the incident. He was found a short distance away and arrested, still displaying symptoms of alcohol intoxication, authorities said.

The father and son bicycle riders were driving on the shoulder of the 34000 block of Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu when they were struck. The son, who survived the crash, was taken to UCLA Medical Center and was in stable condition with numerous broken bones.

Truck accidents in Los Angeles like these are a common occurrence on our local highways. Our city streets are some of the most overcrowded and well traversed in the nation. With so many pedestrians, autos, trucks, and bicycles in such close proximity, accidents are bound to occur. When you add driving under the influence of alcohol to the mix, the likelihood of accidents resulting in death or injury increases exponentially.

Continue reading "Malibu Truck Versus Bike Accident Kills Cyclist" »

A 16-year-old girl was killed while crossing Highway 395 on June 13, 2009. According to a report, the pedestrian was struck by a 2008 Chevrolet Cavalier, driven by a 28-year-old woman who did not see the pedestrian because of a tractor-trailer that was driving north in the lane next to her.

Los Angeles pedestrian accident victims not only suffer from catastrophic injuries, they also face huge medical bills from spending weeks or months in the hospital recovering from the accident. The cost of a lengthy hospital stay can amount to hundreds of thousands of dollars or more.

In accidents involving pedestrians and autos, such as this one, the end result is almost always death or catastrophic injury. When a vehicle traveling at high speeds collides with a pedestrian with little or no protection, the result is predictably severe.

Continue reading "Hesperia Girl Killed Crossing Highway 395" »

According to a report in the Inland Valley Daily Journal, a 23-year-old man was killed and seven people were injured in a boating accident on the Colorado River. The accident occurred when one of the boats attempted to pass another, and then collided with a 3rd powerboat. The chain reaction resulted in several injuries and the death of the driver of the boat.

Across the country hundreds of people die in boating accidents every year and thousands more are injured. These accidents may also result in severe catastrophic injuries, unpaid medical bills, lost wages, and permanent disabilities. In countless numbers of these boating accident cases, alcohol is a contributing factor. Authorities believe that this was the case in this accident.

Boating and watercraft accidents can be devastating. Boats do not have safety restraints, and in instances where high-speed collisions occur, passengers and drivers can be thrown from the boats at high speeds. Deep and rough waters can also be extremely hazardous to individuals who are thrown from watercraft during boating accidents. While it is generally required that individuals riding in boats wear life jackets, not all passengers and drivers do.

Continue reading "Alcohol Likely Factor in Boating Accident Deaths" »

An article reported on June 3, 2009 that authorities announced that a 55 year old man was killed when he was hit by a car in Lancaster. Lt. Stefanie Fredericks, Lancaster Station, said the pedestrian accident happened in the 2600 block of West Avenue K close to 27th Street West at approximately 11 p.m. A preliminary investigation showed that the man was walking west on the south side of Avenue K and was hit as soon as he stepped onto the street.

Alea Adams, 41, the driver from Lancaster, stated that she hit the man with the front side of her vehicle. According to Fredericks, the Los Angeles County Fire paramedics pronounced the man dead at the scene. His name was not released pending family notification.

The tragic crash is still being investigated and authorities ask that anyone with information on the accident call Sgt. Brian Dunn or Deputy Jon White of the sheriff’s traffic detail at 661-948-8466.

The latest figures from the National Transportation Safety Board indicate that 40,000 people overall are killed in auto accidents each year in the U.S. with many thousands more suffering life-threatening injuries which require expensive medical care. Even small cars can weigh well over a ton and when someone is hit by a vehicle in a Los Angeles pedestrian accident, accident victims often suffer from serious injuries such as fractured skulls, ruptured internal organs, broken arms and legs, and horrible brain injuries, which change a victim’s life forever.

Continue reading "Pedestrian Killed by Car in Lancaster" »

The website www.thetimes.co.za reported in an article on June 15, 2009 that a surge of last minute automatic messages transmitted by Air France Flight 447 contained one report about a problem with a rudder safety device. According to an aviation expert, this information still does not explain what brought down the jet crashing into the Atlantic Ocean.

Tom Enders, Airbus Chief executive, and maker of the A3330 airplane, has asked for patience in discovering the cause of the disaster. All 228 people aboard were killed and it is the worst aviation disaster in eight years. Our deepest sympathies go out to the families of those who were lost in this tragic accident.

Enders said, “It is safe to say the aviation community is still under some shock. And it certainly doesn’t provide consolation to the families that if we look at the statistics of flying compared with 30 years ago, the statistics show that the A330 is one of the safest aircraft that has ever gone into service.”

An automatic message transmitted minutes before the plane disappeared indicated a problem with the “rudder limiter”, an instrument that restricts how far the plane’s rudder can move. The exact cause of the accident may never be known unless the plane’s flight data and cockpit voice recorders are found.

Continue reading "Air France Flight 447 Goes Down Killing All 228 On Board" »

The website mercurynews.com reported in a story on May 4, 2009 that a woman was hit and killed on the Caltrain tracks at Mountain View’s San Antonio station. The unidentified woman was struck at about 11:30 a.m. Caltrain spokeswoman, said, “Preliminary information indicates that this incident was a suicide.” Authorities said the woman killed in the train accident in California was a white female in her 30’s or 40’s.

Transit detective stated that the accident happened close to one of the few openings in the fence besides the tracks, behind an apartment building. The women was sitting on the tracks when the train hit her about 40 miles per hour.

“It’s a very traumatic event for everyone involved,” said the detective.

No witnesses have been located. This was the first Caltrain death this year. Last year there were 16 fatalities. The highest number of deaths on record was 20 in 1995.

Train accidents are regular occurrences in the United States today. Although transportation has evolved since the inception of the train, they are being used on a daily basis. Trains are a cost-effective means of moving goods, including hazardous materials, across the country. Trains are frequently involved in accidents that critically injure passengers and other non-suspecting persons.

Continue reading "Women Killed By Caltrain" »

The website post-gazette.com reported in an account on April 29, 2009 that a school bus transporting the Bethel Park High School band was involved in an auto accident which resulted in the death of a driver in another vehicle.

According to the school districts website, none of the students, teachers, or chaperones were injured in the crash, though their bus was disabled for three hours.

The bus was carrying the school band to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina for a competition when sometime around 3 a.m. school officials say that a westbound car which allegedly was trying to avoid a collision with the bus, went across the grassy median then rolled into a ditch killing the driver.

Clarinet player and senior Jack Bitner scared his parents when he called them in the wee hours of the morning but he immediately calmed their minds with his account of what had happened.

Mr Bitner said, "He said he and other kids are fine."

The United States employs approximately 450,000 school buses to transport children to school each day. There have been many cases of injuries and deaths related to school bus accidents, including children being struck or run over by the bus, rollovers, and collisions. The Los Angeles bus accident attorneys at Ellis Law Corporation are very concerned about recent trends in bus accidents around the country and especially worried about bus accidents involving children on our congested streets and highways.

If you or someone under your care has been injured in a bus accident in the Los Angeles area, the skilled Los Angeles personal injury lawyers may be able to help you receive compensation to offset medical and other expenses. After a free consultation with their experienced Los Angeles bus accident attorneys, they will launch an immediate investigation into the circumstances surrounding the accident, defend your rights, and work hard to prevent others from being injured in bus accidents. Call Ellis Law Corporation today to schedule a free consultation.

The website seattletimes.com reported in an article on April 28, 2009 that the family of Bryce Lewis, 19 who was killed by a dump truck has settled out of court. The family’s attorney stated that parents Marc and Laura Paolicelli of Colorado, agreed to an unrevealed sum of money from Nelson & Sons Construction of Woodinville.

A representative for the family said, “Nelson & Sons stepped forward and did the right thing and the family was satisfied by their gestures.”

According to police reports Lewis and friend Caleb Hall were riding in a bike lane on Eastlake Avenue East near the University Bridge in 2007 when a dump truck owned by Nelson & Sons driven by David McClane made a right turn without warning into the riders. Hall hit the side of the dump truck and screamed for McClane to stop but it was too late and Lewis was pulled under the truck and was crushed and killed. Unaware that he had hit anything McClane kept driving for a short period before stopping.

A few months after the tragic wrongful death accident; a large group of bicyclists carried out a wheeled demonstration along the streets of Seattle in memory of Lewis and to call on city officials to take more action to ensure bike safety, particularly in the Eastlake neighborhood.

Accidents involving trucks account for over 130,000 injuries in the United States. There are 5,000 deaths each year and close to 35% of the injuries are catastrophic. Trucks over 10,000 pounds (semis and tractor-trailers) represent only 3% of all registered vehicles but are responsible for over 25% of vehicle related deaths.

Los Angeles has some of the most congested and heavily traveled highways in the nation and big semi-trailer trucks are a huge percentage of the area’s traffic. Many of these trucks weigh up to 80,000 pounds, and whether they are traveling at a high rate of speed or lower speeds, a truck accident in Los Angeles often results in severe injuries to anyone in a passenger vehicle hit by one of these big rigs. Truck accident figures from the U.S. Department of Transportation indicate that approximately 500,000 truck accidents occur in the U.S. each year which cause 5,000 deaths and tens of thousands of injuries.

If you or a loved one have suffered serious injury in a truck related accident in Los Angeles the experienced and knowledgeable attorneys at Ellis Law Corporation can assist you with your case. At Ellis Law Corporation our attorneys will launch an immediate investigation, defend your rights at all times, and work hard to help you receive the compensation you deserve. Their Los Angeles personal injury lawyers work on a contingency-fee basis which means you are never charged a fee until they have won your case. Please call 1-866-554-4658 for a free consultation.