March 2009 Archives

March 31, 2009

Following California Car Accident, Woman Who is Now a Quadraplegic Awarded $45 Million for Personal Injuries

A California judge has awarded a woman $45 million for personal injuries she sustained in a car accident. Tricia Roth, a former software engineer who used to love horseback riding, swimming, and ballroom dancing, is now a quadriplegic because the vehicle she was riding in was hit by a pickup truck that ran a red light on September 11, 2006. 

The impact of the truck striking the front passenger side of her Volvo at a speed of about 40 mph tossed her around the vehicle and caused her to break her neck. Because of her serious spinal cord injury, Roth, will likely require medical care for the rest of her life. 

The defendants in Roth's California car accident lawsuit are pickup driver Roman Pantoja and his family business, Division 1 All Service. Also targets of the California spinal cord injury lawsuit are two insurance companies. Colony Insurance and Lincoln General Insurance, however, have refused to get involved in the civil lawsuit because they contend that Pantoja was not actually working when his pickup truck struck Roth.

The $45 million award is compensation for medical costs, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Severe driver negligence, the severity of Roth's injuries, and the loss of her substantial income as a software engineer were also factors in the judge's determination of the amount. The personal injury sum also takes into account the fact that Roth's husband has had to become her caregiver in a nearly full-time capacity.

Spinal Cord Injuries
An SCI can occur when there is trauma or damage to the spinal cord that causes a loss of feeling or mobility. Quadriplegia is one kind of SCI. Also called tetraplegia, this usually involves the paralysis of both arms and legs. This can cause complications, including breathing problems, skin issues, sensory function loss, motor function loss, bladder issues, and bowel control problems.

With quadriplegia, the injury victim will need full-time care and will likely have to undergo costly medical procedures and may need expensive medical equipment to help maintain a certain quality of life.

While no amount of money can give you back your quality of life or restore your body if you sustained a serious SCI in a motor vehicle crash, a personal injury settlement or verdict can give you the financial resources to get you the medical care that you need. It is also a way to hold the negligent parties that caused your catastrophic injury financially liable. 


Quadriplegia, BrainandSpinalCord.org


Related Web Resources: 


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Posted In: Car Accidents , Motor Vehicle Accidents , Spinal Cord Injuries , Traffic Accidents

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March 27, 2009

Southern California Family Reaches $20 Million Injuries to Minor Settlement For Son's Traumatic Brain Injury From Playground Fall Accident

In Southern California, the family of Jacob Buckett has reached a $20 million personal injury settlement over injuries the boy sustained during a 2005 fall accident at a Temecula Burger King playground. Their Riverside County injuries to minor lawsuit contends that Jacob, who was 8 at the time, suffered a traumatic brain injury after he fell from cross bars and struck his head on the tile floor. His TBI has impaired his motor functions, the left side of his body, his speech skills, and his reasoning abilities. The family's Riverside County, California personal injury attorney says that the restaurant was aware that there were safety issues with the playground equipment because another boy broke his arm on the equipment three years prior. 

The $20 million will support Jacob's healthcare needs for the rest of his life. Several companies were named as defendants in the traumatic brain injury lawsuit, including playground distributor Delta Marketing Inc. and the Burger King's franchise owner, located in Rancho Santa Margarita. 

Playground Accidents
According to the National Safety Council, over 200,000 American kids end up in US emergency rooms each year because of playground injuries. About 15 of these case result in child deaths. 

The VHI Healthcare Web site says that falls are the number one cause of playground injuries. Fall accidents can turn playtime into an excruciatingly painful experience, with broken bones and head injuries, such as concussions and traumatic brain injuries, being just some of the injuries that can occur when a kid falls from the top of a slide or a jungle gym and lands on the concrete or asphalt.

While kids do fall on their own, there are playground accidents that occur because the playground equipment they were playing on was defective or poorly designed. If your son or daughter got hurt while playing in a playground and you think that an equipment manufacturer or the premise owner may be partially to blame, it is important that you speak with an experienced California products liability attorney as soon as possible.

Other causes of playground injuries that can be grounds for a personal injury lawsuit:

• Improper playground surfacing
• Poorly maintained playground equipment
• Inadequate supervision on the playground
• Failure to inform of possible hazards
• Playground equipment that is too tall or too short for the designated age group


Playground Safety, VHI Healthcare, March 27, 2009


Related Web Resources:
Playground Safety, KidsHealth.org




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Posted In: Injuries to Minors , Premises Liability , Products Liability , Traumatic Brain Injuries

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March 25, 2009

$50 Million Personal Injury Lawsuit Filed for Woman Severely Mauled by Chimp

The family of a woman who was severely mauled by her friend's 14-year-old pet chimpanzee has filed a $50 million personal injury lawsuit on her behalf. Charla Nash remains in critical condition following the February 16 attack that left her without eyelids, lips, hands, and a nose. 

The pet's owner, Sandra Herold, had asked Nash to help her bring Travis the chimp back into the house. Herold says she thinks Travis attacked the 55-year-old woman because she had changed her hairstyle.

The personal injury lawsuit accuses Herold of negligence, knowing Travis was aggravated when she invited Nash over, and of lacking the ability and strength needed to control the chimp, which was known for having occasionally "violent propensities." Attorneys for Nash say she will need extensive medical care following the attack that crushed numerous bones in her face and may have left her blind and with a traumatic brain injury. 

A judge has approved a temporary retraining order barring Herold from selling or transferring her assets or those belonging to her late husband's estate. There are also reports that other parties may be sued for the chimp attack, such as the state of Connecticut, the Department of Environmental Protection, and the veterinarian who prescribed the mood-altering drug Xanax to the chimpanzee.

A biologist from the Department of Environmental Protection had reportedly cautioned the agency last October that the chimp could pose a threat. Travis has injured others in the past. In 1996, he bit a woman and in 1998, he bit a man. 

Pet Chimpanzees
According to SavetheChimp.org, chimpanzees do not make good pets. They can become dangerous and destructive as they grow older. They also become much stronger (up to seven times more) than their human owners, which makes them harder to control. Chimps have been known to cause serious injuries. 

If you or someone you love was seriously injured by someone else's bet, you may have grounds for filing an Orange County, personal injury claim or lawsuit against the owner, the pet's minder, or another negligent party. 



Related Web Resources:
Chimps as Pets, the Jane Goodall Institute of Canada 

Owner describes chimp's terrifying rampage, Today.com, February 18, 2009


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Posted In: Catastrophic Injuries , Dog Bites/Animal Attacks , Personal Injury , Traumatic Brain Injuries

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March 24, 2009

California Wrongful Death Claim Alleges Police Brutality After Police Shoot Man During Traffic Stop

In Southern California, the family of a man who was killed by law enforcement officers during a February 19 traffic stop is seeking unspecified damages against the city of Pasadena for his wrongful death. Leroy Barnes was riding in a car that a woman was driving on the wrong side of the road. They were pulled over by police who shot Barnes during a scuffle.

The California wrongful death attorney representing Barnes's family claims that police executed the 37-year-old man and then tried to cover up his shooting death. He contends that an earlier statement by police that Barnes exited the back of the car and fired a weapon at them before they shot him is false.

Police would later revise their statement. One day after the shooting, they admitted that Barnes was engaged in a backseat struggle with police officers when they fired several rounds at him. 

One witness reports seeing police shoot Barnes while he was face down and motionless on the street. Reports indicate Barnes may have been shot about 11 times, but because police have put a security hold on the autopsy results, this information as well as data about where on Barnes's body he was shot cannot be confirmed. 

Barnes had a lengthy criminal record. In 1990 he was convicted of assault with a deadly weapon. In 1993, he was charged with assaulting a police officer. He had over 10 more convictions and was on parole. 

An internal investigation into the Barnes shooting is taking place and police are refusing to answer questions until after the probe is over.  Barnes's family plans file a California wrongful death lawsuit against the city if they deny their claim.

Police Brutality

Just because you are under suspicion for committing a crime or you have a criminal record does not mean that police are allowed to violate your civil rights.  Law enforcement officers are here to protect people, not to abuse their power by engaging in police brutality and causing injury or death as a result.



Shooting Victim Identified as Leroy Barnes, 38, Pasadena Independent, February 20, 2009


Related Web Resources:
Police Brutality, Library.SMC.edu



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Posted In: Police Brutality , Wrongful Death

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March 21, 2009

Two California Nursing Homes Are Fined for Negligent Care Resulting in Patients' Choking Deaths

In California state authorities are fining two nursing homes for negligent nursing care that resulted in two patients' choking deaths. The Escondido Care Center in Southern California was fined $90,000 and received the state's most serious citation over the death of a man who suffocated last November when food got caught in his main bronchial stem and windpipe. The choking death happened while the patient was eating beef with barbecue sauce, carrots, and mashed potatoes for lunch.

A doctor had placed the Southern California nursing home patient on a diet that was supposed to prevent problems while swallowing and chewing. While the long-term care facility's diet supervisor, a nurse, and a registered dietician had all noted that the patient was still having problems while eating, there are no records to indicate that the doctor was notified so that the patient's diet could be modified or more strictly monitored. 

In another California nursing home, a 54-year-old patient with schizophrenia also died in November when he choked on a meatball. According to the California Department of Public Health, Raintree Convalescent Home was aware of the patient's swallowing problems when they served him the spaghetti meatball, which means that someone at the facility should have cut up the meatball so that the patient wouldn't choke on it.

The resident reportedly ran out of his room after eating the meatball and could not speak. A nurse at the facility unsuccessfully performed the Heimlich maneuver on the patient and paramedics arrived to suction the meatball from his airway. However, the nursing home patient was pronounced dead at the hospital.

Immediately after the incident, disciplinary action was taken against the nursing assistant and the cook. The nursing home said the cook failed to follow the instructions for preparing the resident's meal and the nursing home assistant failed to refer to the meal card on the patient's tray for feeding instructions. 

Many California nursing home residents have specific dietary needs and feeding instructions that must be followed. Failure to follow these instructions can lead to injuries, deteriorating health, other complications, and accidental death. This can be grounds for a California nursing home neglect lawsuit.

Nursing home cited and fined over death, SignonSanDiego.com, March 13, 2009



Related Web Resources:

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Posted In: Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect

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March 19, 2009

Orange County, California DA to Charge Woman for Santa Ana DUI Accident that Killed Her Two Friends

In Southern California, the Orange County District Attorney's Office has announced that it will charge 31-year-old Fullerton resident Lynette Ann Hunt for one count of driving under the influence and/or causing bodily injury, two counts of vehicular manslaughter, and one count of driving with a blood alcohol level of more than the .08% legal limit. If convicted, she could face up to 13 years in state prison. Her arraignment is scheduled for tomorrow. 

Hunt is accused of driving drunk on July 11, 2008. She was leaving a Santa Ana topless bar with two friends, Fullerton resident Vanessa Herrada and Fontana resident Maria Zamarripa, early in the evening when, after reportedly weaving in and out of lanes on the 91 freeway, she suddenly sped up the vehicle she was driving, drove across several lanes, and overturned her car down a highway embankment.

Herrada, 27, suffered a serious traumatic brain injury and officials pronounced her dead at the Santa Ana, California motor vehicle crash site. Zamarripa, 30, who along with Hunt was thrown from the 1993 Honda when the car flipped over, was transported to Orange where she was later pronounced dead of internal injuries at UCI Medical Center. 

Hunt broker her ribs and clavicle in the car crash. Her arraignment is on Friday. According to police, Hunt's blood alcohol level two hours after the catastrophic Orange County, California drunk driving car crash was .15%, which was nearly twice the .08% legal limit. 

Drunk Driving
According to the NHTSA, 12,998 died in alcohol-impaired driving accidents in 2007. Drunk driving affects one's ability to drive properly and places the lives of the drunken driver and others at risk. Drunk driving is negligent driving and can be grounds for an Orange County, California car accident claim or wrongful death lawsuit if anyone is injured or killed.




Related Web Resources:


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Posted In: Car Accidents , Motor Vehicle Accidents , Traffic Accidents , Wrongful Death

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March 18, 2009

Natasha Richardson's Fatal Traumatic Brain Injury From Ski Accident Fall a Reminder that All Head Injuries Can Be Serious

Movie star Natasha Richardson was pronounced dead today, two days after falling during a ski accident at a Canadian resort. The actress was taking a beginner's ski lesson when the fall accident happened. Although she initially appeared to be fine, her condition quickly deteriorated and she had to be rushed to a local hospital because she was suffering from a traumatic brain injury.

Richardson was eventually flown to New York where she was surrounded by family and friends. She was the daughter of actress Vanessa Redgrave and the wife of film star Liam Neeson. 

Her accident and resulting head injury has garnered quite a bit of media attention over the seriousness of such injuries--even when it appears as if the injury is minor. In some instances, a blow to the head during a motor vehicle crash or a slip and fall accident may appear to be minor, but the injury can quickly turn fatal.

Dr. Christopher Giza, a UCLA brain injury neurologist, says that Richardson experienced what is often referred to as "walk and die" syndrome. The injured person appears to be behaving normally but can quickly experience impaired vision and speech before falling into a coma. This is also referred to as an epidural hemorrhage.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:

• About 50,000 people will die from a traumatic brain injury every year.
• 235,000 will go to a hospital because of a TBI.
• Common causes of TBIs include: Fall accidents, auto accidents, getting hit or striking a hard object, and assault crimes.

If your traumatic brain injury or your loved one's TBI was caused by a negligent party, you may be entitled to California personal injury compensation. Traumatic brain injuries can be devastating injuries that can result in severe impairment, costly lifelong medical care, and even death.  



TBI Fact Sheets, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention



Related Web Resources:
NINDS Traumatic Brain Injury Information Page, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Strokes

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Posted In: Traumatic Brain Injuries

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March 17, 2009

Orange County, California Sex Abuse Lawsuit Names Mormon Church and Costa Mesa Videographer as Defendants

In an Orange County, California child sexual abuse lawsuit, a man is accusing a Costa Mesa resident of sexually abusing him when he was a teenager attending the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Newport Beach. The plaintiff, who refers to himself as John Doe in his child sex abuse complaint, says that Todd C Summers befriended him and his parents. Summers, now 37, was the roller hockey coach of the boy, who was 12 when they first met.

The plaintiff says that Summers sexually abused him for several years beginning 1990 and until he turned 18 and that he didn't report the incidents because the defendant had threatened to murder him if he did. He even accuses Summers of threatening him by placing a gun in his mouth.

The plaintiff says Summers molested him on the grounds of the Newport Beach Mormon church, in San Diego County, on Catalina Island, and on the premises of Summers' business. The plaintiff's child sexual abuse attorney says that the defendant would orally copulate him,  show him pornography, and videotape their sexual encounters.

Also named as defendants in the lawsuit are Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, church officials, and Summer's parents. The California child sexual abuse lawsuit contends that the church should have noted that Summers was noticeably affectionate toward children and that steps should have been taken to protect them from his advances. The complaint contends that Summers's parents, who were senior members of the church, should have noticed that their son's behavior was unusual.

Summers is a videographer and a photographer who works with numerous organizations, including the Boys & Girls Club of America, the Newport-Mesa Unified School District, and the Boy Scouts of America. 

Child Sexual Abuse
Victims of child sexual abuse are entitled to sue their perpetrators for their personal injuries. In California, child sexual abuse victims must generally file their personal injury lawsuits within 8 years of the age of majority (before the plaintiff's 26th birthday). This, however, does not preclude plaintiffs from filing California child sexual abuse lawsuits afterward (depending upon the date of "discovery" of the child sexual abuse or its ramifications).

This extension is especially helpful to sex abuse victims who may have repressed their memories of being sexually abused. Now, plaintiffs have three years from the time of discovery of the sexual abuse to file their California child sex abuse claim or lawsuit. 

Church, member named in suit, The Daily Pilot, March 16, 2009


Related Web Resources:
Child Sexual Abuse, American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry

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Posted In: Child Sexual Abuse

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March 13, 2009

Congressional Democrats Try to Restore to Injury Patients the Right to Sue Medical Device Manufacturers

Now that the US Supreme Court has ruled in favor of allowing plaintiffs to sue drug makers over dangerous medicines, Congressional Democrats are pushing to restore to injured patients the right to sue the manufacturers of defective medical devices.

Last week, they reintroduced the Medical Device Safety Act. The bill allows for injury lawsuits against the manufacturers of replacement hips, heart devices, catheters, and other medical devices. 

Since February 2008, when the US Supreme Court issued its ruling in Riegel V. Medtronic, Inc., patients injured by defective or dangerous medical devices have found it more difficult to sue medical device manufacturers if the product had been FDA-approved. Charles Riegel sustained serious injuries when the Medtronic-made catheter he was using burst while he underwent a medical procedure. While he survived the procedure, he sustained permanent disabilities. He died in 2004.

Riegel's defective medical device lawsuit, pushed forward by his wife after his death, contended that the Medtronic catheter was defectively designed and did not come with the proper warning label. While Riegel survived the medical procedure, he sustained permanent disabilities. 

Riegel's products liability lawyers had argued that medical device makers cannot use FDA approval to block state lawsuits against them. The Supreme Court, however, determined otherwise and threw out Riegel's lawsuit. 

Since then, other injured patients have had their defective medical device lawsuits dismissed on similar grounds. One plaintiff claimed he had been injured by a device used to treat his prostate. Another woman filed a defective medical device lawsuit because she said a medical device that was supposed to help decrease menstrual bleeding caused her to suffer burn injuries instead.

Just because a drug or a medical device has been FDA-approved does not mean it is free from defects or is safe for use. Medical device makers and drug manufacturers are supposed to make sure that their products to do not hurt users. When failure to fulfill this obligation leads to injury or death, the device maker or drug manufacturer should be held liable in civil court for products liability.


Suing Medical Device Makers Gets Harder, CBS News, February 20, 2008 


Related Web Resources:




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Posted In: Products Liability , Wrongful Death

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March 12, 2009

Two Anaheim Car Accidents Result in Injuries, Including Head Trauma to a Senior Driver

In Orange County, California, two Anaheim motor vehicle accidents over the last two days have resulted in injuries. Yesterday, a driver was taken to a hospital following a collision between a Nissan Altima and a GMC service van. The Southern California auto crash occurred at the intersection of Sunkist Street and La Palma Avenue.

In the second Anaheim car accident, which occurred this morning at Water Street and Anaheim Boulevard, a 69-year-old man sustained serious injuries. According to initial reports, the BMW appears to have stopped at a stop sign when a white Mazda Navajo struck the driver's side of the vehicle. The driver of the BMW had to be transported to UCI Medical Center. He reportedly was suffering from major head trauma and his vehicle sustained major damage. 

Head Trauma
A head trauma can occur when someone has experienced an injury to the brain, scalp, or skull. A minor bump to the skull and a traumatic brain injury are examples of two kinds of head injuries. 

Head Injury: A head injury can be open or closed. If the injury is a closed head injury, then the accident victim likely experienced a blow to the head but the skull was not broken. If the head injury is an open head injury, then the victim's skull was broken and the striking or struck object may have entered the brain. 

Millions of people are suffering from head injuries. Head trauma is one of the more serious injuries that an auto accident victim can sustain during an Orange County, California car crash. Some kinds of head trauma or traumatic brain injuries injuries may be serious enough to cause permanent damage. The physical, mental, emotional, and financial consequences can be catastrophic for the injury victim as well as his or her loved ones.



Head Injury, Nlm.Nih.Gov


Related Web Resources:
Traumatic Brain Injury, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Strokes


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Posted In: Car Accidents , Motor Vehicle Accidents , Traffic Accidents , Traumatic Brain Injuries

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March 11, 2009

Costa Mesa Man Arrested After Fleeing Newport Beach Motor Vehicle Crash Site

Newport Beach police have apprehended a man they believe was involved in a deadly Orange County, California car accident that left one woman hurt and another man dead. Costa Mesa driver Jeffrey David Kirby was apprehended for one count of gross vehicular manslaughter after a cop saw him leaving the crash site at Jamboree Road close to Camelback Street in Newport Beach. Kirby was spotted in a 1977 Porsche. 

According to the local officer, the Porsche and the Ferrari were driving next to each other when the Ferrari struck the curb and a light pole before colliding with the Porsche. Although the Porsche's driver stopped briefly, he fled the auto accident site. 

Police found the Porsche on Bison Avenue, and Kirby and a Newport Beach female were spotted leaving the car. The woman, 32-year-old Lynn Mari Nobozny, was arrested for suspicion of public intoxication but was later released.

At the crash site, a male victim was pronounced dead and a female victim, who was ejected from the vehicle, was transported to Western Medical Center-Santa Ana. 

Orange County, California Traffic Accident Injuries
Orange County, California motor vehicle crashes can lead to catastrophic injuries for those involved. Spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, head injuries, severed limbs, internal injuries, permanent disabilities, disfigurement, mental and emotional suffering, and death are just some of the serious injuries that can occur to car accident victims.

While some auto accidents do occur because the victim was careless, there are many instances when another party caused the Southern California motor vehicle crash and should be held liable for personal injury or wrongful death.

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration 2007 Traffic Facts:
• 41,059 motor vehicle deaths (Includes victims in cars, trucks, motorcycles, pedalcyclists, and pedestrians)
• 3,974 of those deaths occurred in California. This is a decrease from the number of California traffic accident fatalities in 2006, when 4,240 people died in auto crashes.
• 2,491,000 US motor vehicle victims survived with injuries.

Man arrested in deadly Ferrari crash, OC Register, March 11, 2009



Related Web Resources:


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Posted In: Car Accidents , Motor Vehicle Accidents , Traffic Accidents

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March 9, 2009

Supreme Court Says Drug Maker Can Be Sued for Personal Injury Even if Medication and Accompanying Warning Label was FDA Approved

The US Supreme Court says that federal drug laws and regulations do not preempt a personal injury lawsuit filed against drug maker Wyeth. In a 6-3 ruling, the majority judges said the drug manufacturer could be held liable for violating a state law mandating that users be given sufficient warning about the dangers that could arise from taking a certain medication. Wyeth had argued that because the Food and Drug Administration had approved the anti-nausea drug Phenergan and its accompanying label, the company should be exempt from dangerous drug lawsuits like the one filed by the plaintiff.


Diana Levine sued Wyeth for products liability, accusing the drug company of a failure to include an adequate warning about the potentially dangerous effects that can occur from using Phenergan. The professional musician had to have one of her arms amputated after she was improperly injected with the antinausea drug and developed gangrene.

Levine sued the clinic where she received the injection, as well as the technician who administered the drug to her via IV-push. Her medical malpractice lawsuit with these defendants was settled for around $700,000.

With her case against Wyeth, a jury awarded Levine $6.7 million. Her verdict was upheld by the Vermont Supreme Court, but Wyeth appealed the products liability ruling. However, the majority of the Supreme Court justices concurred with the verdict. Justice Stevens wrote that Wyeth should be able to comply with both state and federal law obligations. 

According to investigations, Wyeth knows about 20 other people who had limbs amputated because they were improperly injected with Phenergan. 

Dangerous Drug Lawsuits
You may be entitled to personal injury compensation if you got sick or sustained a serious injury or if someone you love died from taking a dangerous drug, a drug that failed to come with the proper warning, or one that was packaged incorrectly (resulting in you receiving the incorrect dosage or the wrong medication).

High Court sides with musician in ruling against drug company, The Christian Science Monitor, March 5, 2009



Related Web Resources:

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Posted In: Catastrophic Injuries , Products Liability

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March 5, 2009

Anaheim General Hospital is One of 10 California Hospitals Fined for Health Code Violations Ranging from Improper Food Handling to Procedural Errors Resulting in Medical Malpractice

10 California hospitals were hit with fines this week for health care violations. The fine for each violation, issued by the California Department of Public Health, is $25,000. The hospitals were required to present a plan of correction.

Among the 10 hospitals fined, 6 of them are Southern California hospitals:

• Anaheim General Hospital (Anaheim, Orange County): Poor food handling, inadequate oversight, and delay in maintenance of poor refrigeration equipment. Moldy and expired food items in refrigerators could have made patients sick.

• Ventura County Medical Center's Santa Paula Hospital: A patient had to undergo a second surgery after hospital staffers left a sponge in the cavity. 

• Thousand Oaks Surgical Hospital (Thousand Oaks, Ventura County): A patient had to have a second operation after the hospital failed to follow procedures and medical workers left a sponge in her body.

• Scripps Mercy Hospital Chula Vista: The failure to have a safe and efficient system for giving medications to patients may have resulted in one patient's death.

• Western Medical Center (Santa Ana, Orange County): Failure to investigate a physical assault allegation in a timely manner. In 2007, a patient was hit by a staff member and then ridiculed. The nursing director waited several days before questioning the worker and a few more weeks before notifying police.

• Fountain Valley Regional Hospital and Medical Center (Orange County):  Failure to follow procedures regarding how to administer medications correctly. Medication errors caused a patient to go into cardiac arrest and experience swelling of the brain.

The state of California has issued 71 violations to 49 California hospitals since January 1, 2007.

Procedural errors that occur in US hospitals, nursing homes, and other long-term care facilities can have catastrophic consequences if they cause injury, health complications, or death to a patient. For example: Poor food sanitation can lead to food poisoning and other food-related ailments, which can prove detrimental to an already sick patient.  Administering too much or too little medication or the wrong drug to a patient can be fatal, as can surgical mistakes.



Related Web Resources:

Hospitals in Orange County, OrangeCounty.net




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Posted In: Medical Malpractice

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March 3, 2009

Two Orange County, California Motorcycle Accidents Claim the Lives of Motorcyclists

In Anaheim, California, a motorcyclist died today following a high-speed chase with police. Anaheim police officers reportedly began chasing after Corona resident Christian Paraza when they noticed that he was weaving through traffic and speeding. More police officers reportedly followed the Southern California motorcyclist after he ran a red light at the intersection of Beach Boulevard and Ball Road. 

Parazza reportedly sped up his motorcycle once he reached Orange Avenue, and the chase continued with him reportedly riding at speeds of up to 100 to 120 mph. He then lost control of his motorcycle and was thrown from the vehicle. Parazza died from his motorcycle accident injuries. 

In another deadly Orange County, California motorcycle collision, 18-year old Huntington Beach motorcyclist Ian Lopez died after he crashed into a Toyota 4Runner. According to Huntington Beach police, the SUV drove up in front of Lopez, who couldn't stop in time. 

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration: 


Some reasons why California motorcycle accidents happen:

• Speeding
• Motorcyclist negligence
• Negligence by other drivers, including drunk driving, failing to check blind spots, failure to notice motorcyclist, and driver inattention
• Failure of governing entity to properly maintain a road

Even with their protective clothing, California motorcycle riders are prone to catastrophic injuries any time they are involved in a traffic accident, whether a single-vehicle crash or an auto accident with a car, a bus, a truck, another motorcycle, a train, or a nonmoving object. Medical care for treating a catastrophic motorcycle accident injury, such as a traumatic brain injury, a spinal cord injury, crushed bones, or other serious injuries can be costly and may require time off from work and possible lost wages. The best way to obtain financial recovery from the liable party is to speak with an Orange County, California motorcycle crash law firm today.




Related Web Resources:



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Posted In: Motor Vehicle Accidents , Motorcycle Accidents , Traffic Accidents

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March 2, 2009

Huntington Beach City Council Considers Installing Red-Light Cameras at 20 Local Intersections to Decrease Southern California Motor Vehicle Accidents

In Huntington Beach, California, the City Council is meeting today to determine whether to get involved in a study to install red-light cameras at 20 local intersections. Nine of the intersections that are under consideration are on Beach Boulevard. Another intersection of concern is on Adams Avenue and Brookhurst Street. 

According to a  police study, of the 3,000 Huntington Beach traffic accidents that occurred in  the Southern California city between November 1, 2007 and November 1, 2008, 550 of them involved red light violations.  Approximately 24 Huntington Beach motor vehicle collisions in 2008 involved red light runners at some of the intersections that would be part of the study.

Some critics are concerned that while red-light cameras can prevent some traffic accidents from happening, they can also result in more rear-end crashes as drivers step on the brakes suddenly to avoid crossing the intersection, possibly causing a collision with the vehicle behind it.  

Red-Light Running Accidents
According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, a red light running violation happens when a motorist drives into an intersection after the traffic light has turned red. Running a red light can be dangerous not just for the driver but for pedestrians and other motorists who may be getting ready to cross an intersection or the street because they now have a green light or a walk signal. 

Often, the driver running the red light will be driving fast (possibly even accelerating the speed of the vehicle) in order to get to the other side of the intersection. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety reports that in 2007, about 153,000 people were injured and nearly 900 people died in traffic accidents involving red light runners. Over 50% of the people that died were pedestrians or riding in another car when they were hit by the driver that ran a red light.

Red Light Cameras
A red light camera will take automatically photograph of a vehicle (and its driver) after the traffic light has turned red. Drivers that have committed a red light running violation will receive their tickets (accompanied by a hefty fine) sent to them through the mail.

Huntington Beach considers red-light cameras, Orange County Register, March 2, 2008

Dangers of Running Red Lights, Driving University


Related Web Resources:

Continue reading "Huntington Beach City Council Considers Installing Red-Light Cameras at 20 Local Intersections to Decrease Southern California Motor Vehicle Accidents" »

Posted by Howard | Nassiri, PC | | Email This Post

Posted In: Car Accidents , Motor Vehicle Accidents , Pedestrian Accidents , Traffic Accidents

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