Alhambra CA Personal Injury Law Blog

We represent victims of motorcycle accidents

On behalf of Killackey Law Offices, APC posted in Motorcycle Accidents on Thursday, June 21, 2018.

A previous post on this blog talked about how, although strides have been taken, many motorcyclists on California's roads still lose their lives in tragic accidents. Many of these fatal accidents are caused by other drivers and are totally preventable.

Unfortunately, when a family loses their loved one to a motorcycle accident, it is not always easy to get the compensation the family deserves for a lot of reasons. There is in some quarters prejudice against motorcyclists who get involved in accidents, as some people believe that all motorcyclists speed or drive in an aggressive manner.

California had a marked decline in motorcycle fatalities

On behalf of Killackey Law Offices, APC posted in Motorcycle Accidents on Friday, June 15, 2018.

Motorcycle riders in the Los Angeles area will be glad to know that, if preliminary statistics from 2017 hold true, then California's roads may be getting a little bit safer for them.

In 2016, 566 people in this state died because of fatal motorcycle crashes. In 2017, preliminary reports indicate that only 406 people died in motorcycle accidents. This made for an over 28 percent decrease in the number of deaths between the two years.

Some days of the week worse than others for a fatal auto accident

On behalf of Killackey Law Offices, APC posted in Car Accidents on Thursday, June 7, 2018.

When Californians take to the roads, it is unlikely that they are considering the statistical chances of being in an auto accident. There are many variables that go along with being in a crash. However, there are certain trends that arise and researchers point to when assessing when and under what circumstances a crash is likely to occur. A new study from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says that certain days of the week and times of day are more dangerous while others are safer.

According to the NHTSA study, Saturday is the riskiest day to be on the road while Tuesday is the safest. NHTSA used an Avvo study and its own statistics to formulate its report. Avvo looked the number of deaths in car accidents across the nation in 2016 and correlated that with the day and the time. It also used the total number of vehicles that are registered in the U.S. Saturdays had the most deaths, at 6,802. This was out of 37,461 crashes overall. On Tuesdays, there were 4,444 fatalities. This is the fewest for any specific day of the week. A trend was that the weekends had the highest numbers compared to other days. Fridays and Sundays were second and third after Saturday.

Fatal accident claims life of man on bicycle in hit-and-run

On behalf of Killackey Law Offices, APC posted in Wrongful Death on Friday, June 1, 2018.

Since many people in Los Angeles and the surrounding areas choose to get around via bicycle, it is imperative for drivers who share the road with them to keep a close watch and give them enough space to be safe. However, as much as it is said that bicyclists and cars must share the road safely, many drivers choose to behave recklessly and place bicyclists at risk. People who have been injured in a bike accident or lost a loved one in a fatal bicycle accident must remember they have the right to seek compensation in a lawsuit.

A 59-year-old man who was riding his bicycle was hit by a car and killed in LA recently. The accident happened not long after midnight. The vehicle that hit the man fled the scene, making it a hit-and-run. Law enforcement is examining security recordings from the area hoping that it can see what happened and perhaps identify the driver. There is also the hope that a witness will provide information. The man was a father of nine children and had five grandchildren. He was not far from his home when the accident occurred. The investigation is ongoing.

Fatal accident stats show increase in car-pedestrian crashes

On behalf of Killackey Law Offices, APC posted in Wrongful Death on Friday, May 25, 2018.

Accidents between cars and pedestrians have been a concern in Southern California for some time. Since travel by motor vehicle is generally a necessity for people, the chances of an accident are substantial. Research has attempted to establish common denominators between these accidents so law enforcement and legislators can devise ways to reduce their frequency. One study has shown that there has been a significant increase in the number of pedestrian deaths in fatal car crashes across the nation. In fact, it has increased by close to half.

The study from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety states that since the all-time low in pedestrian deaths in car accidents in 2009, there has been an increase of almost 50 percent. The research showed that many of these accidents involved SUVs or vehicles with a powerful engine. A large number of accidents occurred at night, not in intersections and on roads that served as inlets to the freeway.

Car accidents involving drunk drivers

On behalf of Killackey Law Offices, APC posted in Car Accidents on Thursday, May 17, 2018.

You may be familiar with the significant and hefty criminal consequences associated with drunk driving, including substantial fines, a criminal record and even jail time. However, in addition to these consequences, drunk drivers are often involved in accidents that can leave others seriously hurt, or even result in death. As such, there are various legal issues that surround drunk driving outside of just the potential criminal penalties.

If you are involved in a motor vehicle accident with a drunk driver and there is proof that the other driver was under the influence of alcohol, you may be able to seek damages through a civil lawsuit. There are various ways that you can obtain proof to support your civil case against a drunk driver. For instance, when there is an accident, the police may respond to the scene to investigate. As part of this investigation, the police may ask the driver questions, make observations of the scene and look for signs of impairment. The officer may even conduct field sobriety tests if it is believed that drunk driving played a role in the accident.

How do I prove fault after my car accident?

On behalf of Killackey Law Offices, APC posted in Car Accidents on Thursday, May 10, 2018.

Being involved in a car or motorcycle accident can be very stressful. There are probably a million things running through your mind and thinking about litigation is likely not the first thing on your mind. However, after things settle down a bit, you may start thinking about your options and how you can go about holding the responsible party accountable. So, how exactly do you prove who was at fault after an accident?

It will be very important after an accident to offer evidence of who was responsible. There are several ways that you can go about obtaining such evidence and making your case stronger. The first option would be to make sure you obtain a copy of the police report pertaining to the accident. Police don't always respond to the scene of an accident, particularly if there are no injuries. However, it can be helpful to have the police respond and write up an official report.

Crash underscores dangers of big rigs to California motorists

On behalf of Killackey Law Offices, APC posted in Truck Accidents on Friday, May 4, 2018.

When a semi truck is involved in an accident, especially with a smaller vehicle, the damage can be catastrophic. The sheer size and weight of such vehicles enhances the danger that they pose to other vehicles on the road, and even the highway infrastructure itself. With big rigs, even the simplest mistake or malfunction can have disastrous consequences.

The dangers of trucks - tractor-trailers, in particular - was illustrated when seven vehicles, including a big rig that was hauling gravel, were involved in a crash. The big rig burst into flames on the 405 freeway just before rush hour in Sepulveda Pass. At least three people were injured in the truck accident - two critically. The crash closed all of the freeway's northbound lanes except for one.

Spring brings motorcycle accidents

On behalf of Killackey Law Offices, APC posted in Motorcycle Accidents on Friday, April 27, 2018.

As spring moves in and brings nicer weather, riders can't wait to brush that winter dust off their bikes and hit the open road. Unfortunately, this can be a dangerous pursuit. More motorcycles on the road often brings more motorcycle accidents. Accidents involving motorcycles are more dangerous for many obvious reasons; motorcycles simply offer their riders less protection then riding in a vehicle and, often, motorcycle accidents involve head, spinal cord and other very serious injuries.

Two deadly motorcycle accidents occurred in Hot Springs, Arkansas, in a period of only three days. Closer to home, the Tribune reports a fatal motorcycle crash on Highway 1 near Lompoc in Santa Barbara County; this marked the second fatal crash on that highway in a matter of days.

Car accidents among leading causes of traumatic brain injuries

On behalf of Killackey Law Offices, APC posted in Car Accidents on Friday, April 20, 2018.

Traumatic brain injuries can occur in a variety of ways and can range from relatively mild to very severe. Severe brain injuries can result in significant memory loss and prolonged periods of unconsciousness. It is reported that 1.4 million Americans suffer a traumatic brain injury each year. Over twenty percent of TBIs are the result of motor vehicle accidents, and these accidents causing the greatest number of hospitalizations for brain injuries.

Whiplash can cause especially significant damage to the brain and, in severe cases, may even lead to a coma. High-speed car accidents often result in whiplash and other injuries, such as when the skull impacts the steering wheel, window or other hard object. This causes the brain to slam into the skull, which can be very damaging. The brain can bruise and even tear, leading to many possible long-term health issues such as concussions, amnesia and more.