Stockton Injury Lawyer Blog

Earlier this week, Toyota announced that it will recall 412,000 vehicles due to a steering problem that could lead to car accidents.

The recall affects Toyota Avalon sedans and Lexus LX 470 SUVs.

Toyota has been subject to many recalls this year, including the massive recall due to accelerator defects that lead to serious injuries and fatalities.

The current recall concerns the possibility of cracks developing in the steering lock bar. If this occurs, the lock bar could eventually break, causing the steering wheel the lock and increasing the risk of a crash.

Where defects produce accidents, many factors affect your right to recover compensation from the car manufacturer. These include whether the manufacturer knew or should have known of the defects, whether they provided adequate warnings of the potential for danger and whether the foreseeable risks of harm could have been reduced or eliminated by using a different design.

Continue reading "Toyota Recalls Thousands Of Vehicles Due To Defect That Could Lead To Car Accidents" »

In a tragic three-vehicle collision, a Greyhound bus collided with an SUV, resulting in 6 deaths, including the bus driver. The bus was traveling northbound on California Highway 99 from Los Angeles to Sacramento, with its next planned stop in Madera.

Around 2 a.m., the bus crashed into an overturned SUV in the right hand lane. The collision sent the bus into another vehicle and then all three went down a 15-foot embankment, where the bus hit a large eucalyptus tree. The impact was enormous, leaving debris scattered everywhere.

As a California personal injury attorney, I've seen far too many accidents end tragically. In Thursday's accident, five people died at the scene and another died shortly thereafter. 34 people sustained injuries ranging from minor to critical.

Bus crashes are relatively rare, with an average of 4 deaths per year.

While the investigation is still on going, eye-witness reports indicate that the bus driver did nothing wrong, but rather had no time to stop after seeing the SUV on its side in the highway.

Continue reading "Tragic Bus Crash En Route to Sacramento" »

A recent study compiled the most deadly highways and times to be on the road based on National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) statistics. At the top of the list, California Highways I-10 and I-15.

These two interstates rank fourth and fifth, respectively, for the highest number of fatal car accidents.

Other noteworthy statistics include:

• 50% of fatal crashes occurred on rural roads.
• 60% of fatal crashes were single car accidents
• Fatal car accidents are down by 15%, but fatal motorcycle accidents are up by 13%

SafeRoadMaps provides an interactive link so you can check on the safety of any roads in Stockton, throughout California and all of the U.S.

Although it may not be possible to avoid driving on California's most dangerous roads, use common sense especially during peak travel times - such as avoiding driving while distracted and designating a driver if you've had a few drinks.

Continue reading "Car Accidents Most Frequent On Two California Highways " »

According to Recordnet.com, a collision between a bicyclist and a motorcycle in Lodi ended tragically after a bicyclist attempted to cross the road and was hit by a motorcyclist.

The motorcycle was unable to maneuver quickly enough to avoid the accident. Tragically, the bicyclist died from his injuries and the motorcyclist sustained critical injuries.

With the increasing popularity of bicycles as a mode of transportation, we all need to increase our awareness of each other on the road. Further, while it is unknown the exact circumstances surrounding this accident, it serves as a important and frightening reminder to all motorists and bicyclists to follow some basic safety tips to help keep California roadways safe.

These tips include:

For all drivers - motorcyclists, car drivers, truck drivers and bicyclists - avoid distracted driving. Texting while driving is illegal in California and has been shown to increase the risk of accidents and death significantly.

Further, whatever your mode of transportation, follow safety precautions. Whether this means wearing a helming, wearing bright clothing or following the rules of the road, taking simple actions can save your life and prevent injury.

Finally, use common sense and be aware of your surroundings. Taking time to anticipate another's movements can often avoid an accident completely.

Unfortunately, even with precautions and safety measures accidents do happen. Hopefully though, by working together we can improve the safety of California roadways.

Continue reading "Tragic Lodi Bicycle/Motorcycle Collision Kills One" »

With the Fourth of July weekend upon us, the U.S. Coast Guard is heightening its efforts to educate the public about wearing lifejackets while boating. In Lake County, California, the Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 88 has been passing out free lifejackets to Lake County youth and providing boat safety classes at elementary schools.

Such measures are necessary. According to the National Safe Boating Council (NSBC), California has the third highest incidence of boating deaths in the country, and is second for reported accidents. In 2008, 45 deaths and 520 injuries were reported.

California law requires children under the age 13 to wear a life jacket, and a jacket must be on board for each passenger.

The Lake County Bee reports the most common reasons for accidents include:

• Careless/reckless operation
• Operator inattention
• Operator inexperience
• Passenger/skier behavior

In fatal accidents, alcohol use is common.

Continue reading "California Ranks Third For Boating Deaths" »