Injury In The City

Teenager Dies in a Bike Accident after an Attempt to do a Trick Maneuver

2012-05-14T23:32:45Z

A 15-year-old teenager on Wednesday died from a bike accident after attempting to do aggressive bike tricks in Cottage Grove, Wisconsin.

Police and fire authorities immediately responded to an emergency call at around 5:15 in the afternoon from 4500 block of Myer Road, Cottage Grove, Wisconsin last May 9.

Initial reports revealed that the young man was trying a new trick maneuver on his bike. Apparently, when the bike went off the air, the teen lost control of his bike then struck a tree, according to the authorities.

Although the teenager was wearing helmet and safety gears and the authorities tried to revive him as well, all efforts proved futile. The young man died at an early age.

Authorities already notified the school officials in the Monona Grove School District where the teen attended school. Also, they will have an additional grief counselor available to help other students deal with their school mate’s death.

Like in Cottage Grove, biking is very common everywhere in the city of Los Angeles. In fact it is the most common form of exercise in California. Unfortunately, bikes also contribute a lot to the growing number of fatal accidents across the country; that is why biking can be a not-so-good idea, since bike accidents occur every now and then.

If you happen to be involved in a bicycle accident and sustained personal injuries due to other people’s negligence or recklessness, you have the legal rights to file for a personal injury claim against the liable party.

If the accident occurred in Los Angeles, you may seek legal assistance from a Los Angeles bicycle accident attorney to have your case evaluated and make you understand your legal rights, as well as to help you achieve success in your claim.

Another Former NFL Player Wishes to Donate Brain for Brain Injury Study

2012-05-07T23:29:17Z

The former NFL player, Junior Seau, was found dead last May 3 with a gunshot on his chest. According to authorities, apparently, it was a self-inflicted shot. Therefore, suicide was seen as a factor to the incident.

The 43-year-old former football player had a standout career as a Pro Bowl linebacker during his 20 seasons in NFL. He played for San Diego Chargers and exited the league in 2010.

Seau’s suicide served as a reminder of last year’s incident when another former NFL player, Dave Duerson, committed suicide due to his unbearable sufferings caused by brain injury. Duerson left a suicide note, saying that he wanted his brain to be donated to science.

Many speculated that the same reason provoked Seau to end his own life, since the legendary linebacker during his football career suffered a number of hits to the head.

The only difference with Seau’s death from Duerson’s was that Saeu did not leave a suicide note. However, San Diego Chargers’ chaplain, Shawn Mitchell, said that Seau’s decision in shooting himself in his chest led the team, as well as Seau’s family, to a conclusion that the former player definitely wanted his brain to be donated to science for brain injury study.

In an interview, Mitchell said that Seau’s family will allow researchers to study the former NFL player’s brain for possible brain injury and damages.

Aside from the former players who committed suicide, other living players publicly declared that that they also want their brains to be donated for further study to the Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy at Boston University once they died.

Last Thursday, at least 100 more players added their names to the growing list of former and current NFL players who filed a brain injury lawsuit against the league.

During his lifetime, Seau never participated in any of the pending lawsuit against the NFL but no one can ever tell if his family in would never raise a claim, particularly if researchers prove that there was evidence of concussion in Seau’s brain.

Football players and boxers are the not the only athletes at risk of brain injury, but hockey players as well. In fact, in the previous years, 28-year-old professional hockey player Derek Boogaard and 45-year-old former NHL player Bob Probert were found to have a trace of brain injury in their autopsies following their death.

Brain injury can actually ruin one’s life, causing paralysis and sometimes death. The condition may be treated, but will take a long period of time and a lot of money. Therefore, victims have to first mount a claim in order to get the right compensation that they need to remedy their illness. Definitely, victims have to make sure that they have the best legal representative, like a Los Angeles personal injury attorney, in raising a claim so that all their efforts would not be wasted.

Family of Former Entrepreneur Files $10 M Wrongful Death Claim

2012-05-03T20:17:41Z

The family of an entrepreneur who was killed in a tragic car accident was seeking $10 million in their wrongful death lawsuit.

According to the lawsuit filed last April 20 before Hammond’s US District Court, Marla Fry’s family is seeking for $10 million as compensation for her wrongful death.

The family’s wrongful death attorney said that Fry’s husband, David Fry, claims that the judgment amount that they are praying simply shows just how much the family treasures Fry.

The defendant’s representative said that the party would not give comments as dictated by the company’s policy.

Records show that Fry was killed in a tragic car accident last April 10, after bringing her daughters’ snacks to school.

According to reports, Fry had stopped at a red light at U.S. 30 in Porter County Road 600W and then entered the intersection upon the green light signal. That is when Fry’s car was hit by tractor-trailer running through red lights, causing Fry’s death.

According to the driver, Roberto Sanchez, 52, he couldn’t stop his coughing, that is why he failed to control the tractor during red light.

Fry left two lovely daughters, Anna and Maisy, who were both minors, and her spouse, David.

During her lifetime, Fry used to create art using vintage and antique windows as her business. She actually named her business, Marla Fry Windows after her.

Nowadays, family members of the deceased can have the right to obtain rightful compensation for the untimely death of a family member after laws regarding wrongful death claims have been legislated. Although the laws may seem to differ from state to state, they are not too far different. Fortunately, many lawyers, such as wrongful death attorney Los Angeles, know every state’s laws regarding wrongful death claims, and can therefore provide the legal assistance needed by their clients.

Second Expo Line Train Figured in Accident a Week before Opening

2012-04-24T01:55:30Z

A Metro Expo Line train, which was having a test run on Thursday, was involved in an accident leaving an injured motorist.

According to reports, the accident occurred last Thursday morning at 3600 Block of South Hoover Boulevard. Initial investigation revealed that a blue Honda Civic tried to force in a right turn upon seeing the fast approaching train in Exposition Park. As a result of which, the train struck the Honda Civic.

Witnesses said that the car driver still managed to get out of his vehicle and called somebody after the incident. According to the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD), although the car driver seems fine, LAFD Paramedics were still sent to the accident scene to bring the driver to the hospital to treat his minor injuries sustained from the accident.

This said accident was actually the second accident that the Metro Expo Train was involved in, even though it was not yet open for public. The first accident actually happened last March 10 at Downtown Los Angeles, which injured 6 passengers of a black Mercedes Benz.

A Metro Expo Line spokesperson, Jose Ubaldo, said that the train was on a test run when the previous accident happened. Ubaldo stated that the Expo Line is not yet in operation and that both trains that were involved in the accidents were only occupied by their operators.

It was said that the 7.6 mile Phase 1 of Expo Line will open by the end of April. The light rail route will run from Downtown south to USC and then come to a stop at La Cienega and Jefferson boulevards. Meanwhile, Phase 2, which will serve Santa Monica, will be open for operation by 2015.

Although car accident victims were said to have all the rights to file for a personal injury claim, in such instances, it would definitely take a lengthy investigation to prove who is at fault and who will be held liable for the all the damages and injuries incurred from the accident. Also, victims during the litigation must have the best car accident attorney Los Angeles, since the process would definitely take a long time, considering that the car driver obviously caused the collision.

Wrongful Death Lawsuit against Pasadena Police Involves Racial Discrimination

2012-04-16T22:34:11Z

In a wrongful death lawsuit filed by the parent of a slain student in Pasadena, a racial discrimination issue was involved.

Kenneth MacDade and Anya Slaughter filed a wrongful death claim against Pasadena police following the death of their son, Kendrec McDade, last March 24.

McDade was allegedly shot to death by the Pomana police after a report from the 911 caller, Oscar Carillo, saying that he was robbed by two armed men.

After receiving the call, the police immediately responded to the crime scene in their belief that McDade was really armed. Thus, upon spotting McDade in an alley, in one wrong move by McDade, he was shot by the arresting police officers multiple times in his chest.

Witnesses said McDade was trying to talk to the police while he was being handcuffed when he started to tremor. He was brought to the hospital but died afterwards. Apparently, it was too late when the police realized that McDade was not armed at all.

The police blamed Carillo for calling 911 and giving erroneous information. Therefore, the police, trying to cover up their wrongdoing, subsequently arrested Carillo, whom eventually admitted that he lied about the gun.

In their lawsuit, McDade’s parents claim that their son’s death was just a part of a pattern of abuse and killings of black people who go under police custody in the city.

The police officers named in the lawsuit are Phillip Sanchez, Keith Gomez, Jeffrey Newlen, and Matthew Griffin.

McDade’s father also claimed that obviously, he can no longer put his trust in the system that seems to not work for them.

Although McDade’s father is angry with Carillo for threading lies that led to his son’s death, he is more than disappointed with the police since they were the ones who shot his son, and not Carillo.

At present, no comment has been released by the city attorneys since they haven’t seen the lawsuit, according to Pasadena spokesperson Tim McGillivray.

Definitely, the defendants would go to great extent to cover up their wrongdoing. Therefore, McDade’s family must seek for an attorney, like a Los Angeles wrongful death lawyer, to guide them in this difficult process of litigation and somehow ease their emotional burden brought by the loss of their loved one.

6 Injured in LA Train Accident Involving Benz

2012-04-02T21:47:51Z

At least 6 people sustained minor personal injuries after a train accident involving a Mercedes Benz occurred in downtown Los Angeles, California March 10. Unfortunately, details about the said accident were revealed only recently.

The accident happened at about 4:20 in the afternoon at Venice Boulevard and Flower Street in downtown Los Angeles, according to a Los Angeles Police Department Central Traffic Division spokesperson.

Witnesses said that the Mercedes Benzbeat a red light. As a result of which, the Benz was struck by the fast approaching Metro train during a test run on a railway. The said railway is set to link downtown Los Angeles to Culver City and is expected to open by the end of this year.

An LAPD spokesperson said that all six passengers, including the driver of the Mercedes, were brought to local medical facilities for treatment of the minor personal injuries they sustained.

Video footages from a TV news helicopter showed that the driver side of the Benz collided against the front of an Expo line train while firefighters were using Jaws of Life to extract the passengers from the Benz.

According to a spokesperson from the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority, there no immediate information was released about the injuries.

Even photos of the said train accident were not immediately disclosed to the public for some reasons.

In such train accidents, there are existing laws that can determine who shall be held liable, as well as the corresponding settlement for the victims. In such events, Los Angeles injury attorneys are the very best persons to turn to, since train accident claims are absolutely one of their many expertise.

LAPD Pays $3.2M in Wrongful Death of Former Gang Member

2012-03-27T15:09:17Z

The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) was recently required by a jury on a hearing last March 19 to pay monetary relief for a wrongful death lawsuit filed by the family of a former gangster.

The jury awarded $3.2 million in damages to the family of Mauricio Cornejo. Said monetary relief will be distributed among Cornejo’s surviving wife and two minor children.

The former gang member of Ramona Gardens died under the custody of the Los Angeles Police Department way back in 2007.

According to court documents, Cornejo collapsed in a detention cell at the Hollenback Police Station. Reports showed that a foot chase between Cornejo and the police that night after a confrontation near Ramona Gardens housing project in Boyle Heights, Los Angeles had something to do with Cornejo’s death.

Lawyers representing the city of Los Angeles affirmed that Cornejo died from the strain he experienced while he was violently resisting arrest. Allegedly, Cornejo, who was then a wanted parolee, was under the influence of intoxicating substance during the arrest. According to the city’s representatives, methamphetamine and cocaine was the major cause of Cornejo’s death.

However, Ventura County’s chief medical examiner, Ronald O’Halloran, testified that the force exerted by the officers against Cornejo, including baton blows, caused his death.

Also, Cornejo’s wrongful death attorney presented a video from a Hollenbeck surveillance camera showing that Cornejo was unconscious or might be already dead when he arrived at the station.

Definitely, said testimony and firm evidence presented to the federal court were seen as enough reasonable cause by the jury to arrive in such resolution.

Losing someone you love unexpectedly due to other people’s fault is an extremely distressing experience, especially for minors like those two children of Cornejo. Fortunately, Corejo’s family had the wrongful death attorney who provided them with efficient and effective legal assistance throughout the case.

Families of Wrongful Death Lawsuit Victims to Receive $8M from a State University

2012-03-19T23:23:05Z

A jury ruled on Wednesday that families of the victims from the 2007 fatal shooting in Virginia Tech will receive $8 Million from the said state university.

The lawsuit was filed by the respective families of two killed students of Virginia Tech, Erin Paterson and Julia Pryde, for the university’s alleged failure to notify students about the gunman, Seung-Hui Cho, who was on the loose at the university.

The April 16, 2007 massacre actually started in a dormitory where two students were shot and killed. Despite having been informed about the incident, the school officials failed to notify and alert the students about the foregoing disturbance.

At a later time, Cho shot and killed thirty more students before pointing the gun on and killing himself. Peterson and Pryde were among the 32 people killed in the grisly campus massacre.

Virginia Tech’s lawyer for wrongful death claimed affirmed that the university officials did not alert the students since they believed that it was just an isolated incident.

Said shooting was said to be the most fatal shooting not only in the university’s history, but in the entire US history as well.

In their lawsuit, the victims’ families claimed that the university’s failure to warn the students about the prior killing of two students led to the wrongful death of more innocent students. Meanwhile, the university, through its representative, said that there was no sufficient evidence for the plaintiffs’ allegations.

In the last hearing, jurors took three hours before deciding on the victims’ families’ favor, according to a news report. Both families will receive $4 million each.

Recently, a motion to reduce the lawsuit award has been filed by Virginia Tech’s lawyer and quoted a state law that covers jury awards at $100,000.

In such wrongful death claim, defendants will definitely seek for ways to be free from liabilities and claims filed against them by the victim’s family. Therefore, families must really have the best representation lawyer to pursue the case like a Los Angeles wrongful death lawyer whom can guide victims’ families in the long process of litigation to somehow ease their burden.

Covina Woman Passes through a Panel of Jury over a Slip and Fall Claim

2012-03-12T23:08:25Z

A Covina woman was awarded with $415,000 by a jury for her slip-and-fall claim that she filed against one of the largest retailing stores in the United States.

After the jury has ruled 12-0 in her favor, Monika Leiterman, 58, was awarded with the amount of $89,868.28 for her medical expenses and $325,000 for her sustained pain and sufferings, totaling to $414,868.28 in economic compensations.

Leiterman has said that before she reached the generous ruling, she had a hard time gathering evidences to present in court. In her lawsuit, Leiterman has claimed that the Industry Costco Store’s employees failed to clean up a spill on its office which resulted in the accident.

As a result of the slip-and-fall accident, Leiterman underwent a medical operation that required her kneecaps to be wired together. According to her slip-and-fall lawyer, Leiterman still needs to undergo two more medical procedures to fully recover from her injuries, Her lawyer further stated that Leiterman, as expected, will suffer from partial immobility and body pains for her entire life.

Costco has never admitted the allegations nor offered any settlement.

Leiterman is still lucky enough to win on her slip-and-fall accident claim. This is because she has a very good slip-and-fall lawyer. Nowadays, slip-and-fall claims are so hard to prove since a lot of scam artists are also making such claims to. Therefore, filing for accident claim is like passing through a needle hole. A victim should have a lawyer that is capable enough with dealing with all the necessary actions in pursuing the case.

Fake Slip–and–Fall Accident Becoming a Big Business

2012-03-06T00:02:59Z

Insurance frauds involving fake slip–and–fall accident claim has become a big business costing American consumers roughly $30 billion a year. In fact, it is one of the fastest growing frauds nowadays.

It is a cost doing great business. If a customer falls, business owners automatically have to pay.

Such fraudulent act is a quick source of income since slip–and–fall accident compensation can sum up to more than $300,000. Business owners often prefer to try to pay the victim with the amount of $500 and even $1000 once a slip–and–fall accident occur even without checking the incident at their security cameras just to make the complainants disappear and avoid further hassles rather than paying the entire $300,000.

A special agent with the National Insurance Crime Bureau investigator, Mark Sakalares said that some slip–and–fall accidents seem to be no longer legitimate accidents since some of them turned out to be staged.

He further said that fraud-hungry people smash into some of the small grocery stores trying to get a quick settlement through fake slip–and–fall accident.

In a surveillance video, several cases of fake slip–and–fall accidents were seen telling the real score. A video footage shows a woman pouring cider and puts a piece of fruit on the floor before enacting a fall. In another video, a woman made not only one but two falls after
pouring olive oil on the floor.

Usually, frauds work as a group. In some cases, there is at least one who will serve as a look out while the other one was busy pouring something which would cause a slip on the floor. Some frauds succeed while some were prosecuted. But still, it accounts for 5% of the fraud cases in several states like in North Dakota.

The increasing number of slip–and–fall frauds can be linked to the economic recession way back in 2008. The number of suspicious slip–and–fall accidents reported to the National Crime Insurance Bureau (NCBI) hit as high as 57% nationwide.

Between increased prices at the market and increased insurance premiums, estimate reveals fake slip-and-falls and other insurance fraud cost families about $950 a year.

Due to the sloping down economy, people see a great opportunity to make money even out of a fake slip-and-fall accident.

Statistics from the Centers for Control and Prevention said that over one million Americans suffer from personal injury resulting from a slip-and-fall accident. Apparently, out of this million count slip-and-fall accidents which were proven to be fraudulent. Thus, business owners should take note of this, since slip-and-fall claim is a factor for a business’ resource drain.