San Fernando Valley Personal Injury Blog

A gravel truck rolled off an embankment and crushed a Santa Barbara home, killing a man, woman, and child inside, according to a story by the Associated Press.

The truck driver had just retrieved a load of gravel from a rock quarry. The driver was driving down State Highway 154 when his brakes may have possibly failed. His truck drove through two intersections, reaching a speed of 50 miles per hour. The truck avoided hitting a motel, struck two parked cars and then careened off the road down a driveway and completely flattened a house. The house could not be seen from the road. Rescue crews searched through the rubble in hopes of rescuing victims, but all three occupants of the house were killed. The driver was treated for a small cut on his face. The three individuals killed inside the house were identified as a father, mother, and son from Mexico.

According to reports, the driver suspected something was wrong with his vehicle’s brakes after picking up the gravel, but thought they were in a good enough condition to continue driving. This tragic California truck accident illustrates what can happen when large trucks aren’t properly maintained. If the driver had trusted his instincts, and had the brakes checked when he suspected a problem, this accident could have been prevented.

If you or a loved one has been injured in an auto accident involving a truck that you believe was caused by the truck driver’s negligence, contact an experienced San Fernando Valley truck accident lawyer. The dedicated team at The Mandell Law Firm can help you protect your rights. Contact us today at 818-886-6600 for a free consultation.

In a previous blog post, we discussed the dangers of tailgating in causing injury vehicle collisions in the San Fernando Valley. The other causes of accidents usually involve some sort of distraction that takes the driver’s attention away from the road. The three types of distractions, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, are visual distractions, manual distractions, and cognitive distractions. These concepts can be combined to create even worse distractions as well.

• Visual distractions are any distractions that take your eyes off of the road. For example, looking at a billboard or pointing out your favorite restaurant to a passenger, can both be considered visual distractions.
• Manual distractions are those distractions that take your hands off of the wheel, for example, eating or drinking.
• Cognitive distractions are those that take your mind off of the road, for example thinking about a fight you had with your significant other.

An example of these concepts coming together would be inputting information into your navigational system while driving. You’re visually distracted by looking at what you are typing, manually distracted by actually typing, and cognitively distracted by thinking about the destination you are typing in. These are all distractions and they are all types of things we should try to avoid to prevent Northridge car accidents.

The most important detail to keep in mind in preventing distractions is to focus on driving, which is the task at hand. Most of us consider driving to be an easy task, when in reality we are controlling vehicles usually weighing over a thousand pounds at speeds up to 70 miles an hour and more. Overconfidence is no excuse for causing an accident. It is essential to simply focus on driving and nothing else.

Remember that it only takes a second to get into an accident and that second can have repercussions affecting the rest of your life. Keep these tips in mind every time you drive to help prevent accidents all together. If you happen to be involved in an accident caused by a distracted driver’s negligence, you may want to get in touch with an experienced San Fernando Valley car crash lawyer at The Mandell Law Firm. Call 818-886-6600 today for a free consultation and to learn more about how we can help protect your rights.

Here are some interesting statistics provided by the CA Department of Transportation regarding accidents in the year of 2008. According to the Department of Transportation, there were 452,595 vehicle accidents reported in the state of California. The police and California Highway Patrol are responsible for much of the information the Department of Transportation uses for these statistics reports. There were 170,496 injuries caused as a direct result of these accidents, which is actually the lowest recorded number of injuries since 1975 when there was 167,758 injuries.

Of the over 450,000 reported accidents, 3,113 of these accidents resulted in the death of an occupant inside of the vehicle. This is the lowest fatality rate recorded in California since 1998.

There were 278,986 accidents where only property damage was reported.

According to the Department of Transportation’s report, 1,963 people were killed in California vehicle accidents. This is excluding motorcyclists, emergency vehicles, buses, bicyclists, and pedestrians. Of the 1,963 people that died, it was determined that 574 of them were not wearing safety belts.

Here are a few more California vehicle accident statistics:

• A collision is reported in California every 1 minute and 10 seconds.
• One injury is reported every 2 minutes and 10 seconds.
• One death is reported every 2 hours and 35 minutes.
• There is one fatality for every 71 people that are injured.
• It was determined that speed is the primary cause of fatal injury in 28.4% of accidents.

On a more positive note, the number of occupants killed in vehicle accidents is down 19.7% from 2007 and the occupants injured in accidents is down 9.7% from the same year.

Accident statistics remind us of the importance of driving safe. Every driver has the important responsibility of following traffic laws. If you or someone you care about has been injured in an auto accident caused by another person’s negligence, please contact the Santa Clarita car accident lawyers at The Mandell Law Firm. Call 818-886-6600 today for a free consultation.

Far too many drivers have experienced that horrible, sinking feeling in the bottom of their stomach when an accident takes place because of tailgating. Auto accidents in the San Fernando Valley can pose many emotional, physical, and financial challenges for an injury victim to overcome. In order to help prevent these accidents in the first place, we will discuss some basic driving safety tips.

First and foremost, do not tailgate! Tailgating is the leading cause of accidents and is an action that can be easily avoided with just a small amount patience on your part. You will not reach your destination faster by driving a foot behind the person in front of you. This will only prevent you from being able to stop if the person in front of you decides to slam on their brakes.

There is no way to judge when another driver will hit their brakes or when traffic will suddenly stop ahead of you due to some unknown circumstance. This is why you should drive at least three car lengths behind the car in front of you, and even more depending on whether or not you’re driving on the freeway. This will leave you enough time to react to any sudden stops and brake safely behind the driver in front of you. It is also important to be aware of the brake lights of the cars in front of the car ahead of you. This can help you gauge whether or not traffic ahead will be coming to a stop.

If you or someone you care about has been injured in a San Fernando Valley vehicle accident, the skilled Northridge accident lawyers at The Mandell Law Firm have the legal knowledge and experience to assist you in obtaining the compensation that you deserve. Call us today at 818-886-6600 for a free consultation and to learn more about your legal rights.

A recent article stated that the cancer drug, Mylotarg, will be recalled due to new studies revealing that it has a higher rate of deadly health risks and a low amount of health benefits. The drug was originally released in the year 2000 in order to help cancer patients who were not responding well to chemotherapy.

According to the FDA, the drug went through several new clinical trials in which it was determined that the drug did not appear to work and that patients taking the drug had a higher rate of death than those patients on chemotherapy. Regulators apparently knew of the connection of the drug to veno-occlusive disease – a life threatening liver condition – but underestimated the high rate of occurrence that the condition had in patients using the drug. In light of this new discovery, the drug is being recalled.

Mylotarg has been deemed a defective drug and will be removed from the market due to the serious, sometimes fatal, injuries it has caused. Pharmaceutical companies responsible for designing, manufacturing and marketing drugs that are dangerous or defective may be held accountable for failing to properly warn customers about the risks of the medicine.

If you or someone you love has been seriously injured or wrongfully killed by medication that has been recalled and deemed dangerous, please call one of the experienced San Fernando Valley pharmaceutical litigation attorneys at The Mandell Law Firm today for a free consultation. Our attorneys have years of experience dealing with pharmaceutical and personal injury litigation and will be able to help. We can assist you in obtaining compensation to pay for steep medical expenses, rehabilitation, therapy, and loss of income. Call The Mandell Law Firm today at 818-886-6600 for a free consultation and to learn more about how we can help.

With the Fourth of July quickly approaching, a handful of Californians have already begun celebrating with fireworks and other devices. While a patriotic spirit is to be encouraged, too many people overlook safety around these potentially hazardous objects. A study by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) reveals that fireworks-related incidents were responsible for two deaths in 2009 and approximately 9,000 emergency room visits for injuries. According to the CPSC, throughout the 30 days near last year’s holiday, about 6,000 injuries involving fireworks were reported in which half of the injuries related to firecrackers, bottle rockets, and sparklers.

Consumers below the age of 20 are the most prone to fireworks injuries; however, the risk of serious injury or even death still exists for anyone within close proximity of fireworks or other pyrotechnics. Some common fireworks injuries and hazards include lacerations, loss of limbs, burns, residential fires and wrongful death.

Parental supervision is essential when legal fireworks are being used. Never allow young children to set-off or play with fireworks or other objects. It is also important to never throw or point fireworks at another individual. To learn more about how you can help prevent serious injuries related to fireworks this Fourth of July holiday, please refer to the CPSC’s website for consumer fireworks safety tips.

The California personal injury attorneys at The Mandell Law Firm hope consumers in California and nationwide understand the importance of their safety and well being during the Independence Day holiday. Take every necessary precaution to protect your loved ones.

A fatal crash occurred on the eastbound section of the Bay Bridge, according to The Examiner. The accident was caused by a woman driving a four door Volvo at a high rate speed into the back of a commercial recycling rig. The female driver rear ended the rig causing the car to catch fire with the woman trapped inside. The flames caused the woman’s death as well as a grizzly scene on the noted deadly S-curve of the eastbound interstate.

California Highway Patrol officers were forced to close most of the interstate for several hours until the tragic scene could be cleared. The officers stated the curve apparently had nothing to do with the crash and are unsure if alcohol had been involved in the accident.

California auto accidents similar to this one take place far too often throughout the state. The consequences of such terrible accidents can be devastating on the victim as well as the family of the victim. As we can see in the information above, one moment of negligence or recklessness can cause harmful events that can affect the rest of a person’s life. In the unfortunate event of such an accident, there is something that you can do to move forward. Experienced California car accident attorneys can help injury victims obtain the compensation that they deserve for medical expenses, pain and suffering, and other damages.

The skilled, aggressive California auto accident attorneys at The Mandell Law Firm can help you during this challenging time. We will thoroughly investigate your case in order to determine the best possible route for you to take to ensure a stable, steady recovery. Please, if you or someone you love has been injured in a vehicle accident in California, call The Mandell Law Firm today for a free consultation.

The San Jose Mercury News recently released an article on June, 1, 2010 stating that legislators have approved a bill that will provide funds for the development of treatment centers for people suffering from traumatic brain injuries, or TBIs. The new facilities being developed will primarily provide treatment for patients as well as training and education for the early detection of TBIs.

A traumatic brain injury is most often caused by a blow to the head from a blunt object, a foreign object penetrating the skull causing disruption of normal brain functions, or even a simple slip and fall. Common symptoms of TBIs include trouble walking, speaking, forming complete thoughts, and loss of other normal motor functions. Those who endure a brain injury due to another person’s negligence, either in an auto accident, work-related accident, or another incident, may be entitled to compensation to help pay for medical bills, pain and suffering, and other damages.

As a law firm that has handled numerous cases dealing with traumatic brain injury in Southern California, at The Mandell Law Firm, we know how devastating brain injuries can be for a victim and his or her families. We are delighted to see that new legislation has been passed supporting research for the early detection of TBIs, as it is essential that these injuries be detected as soon as possible so that rehabilitation can begin.

Our skilled Northridge brain injury attorneys will aggressively protect your rights if you have been suffered a brain injury due to someone else’s negligence. We will help you obtain the compensation that you deserve so you are able to properly recover. If you or someone you love has sustained a traumatic brain injury, please contact an experienced attorney at The Mandell Law Firm for a free consultation. Call 818-886-6600 today.

Catastrophic accidents can come in many forms and take place far too often throughout the U.S. According to a recent report, a ferry recently crashed in New York due to a mechanical problem. The ferry’s throttle failed to start as it came in for a landing, causing the boat’s engines to fail in slowing the ferry. The ferry was moving almost 6 miles per hour when it hit the dock. The ferry’s engine alarms, which are supposed to ring if there is a problem with the engines, failed to sound. The engines had no previous problems and everything appeared to be functioning correctly.

No serious injuries were reported, and 33 people were treated at a hospital and then were released. Two police officers at the scene were also injured. The ferry and the pier were damaged. The crew alerted the passengers to brace for a hard impact over a loudspeaker about a minute before the crash occurred.

The ferry that crashed was the same ferry that killed 11 and injured dozens in an accident in 2003. In that instance, the pilot was on painkillers and passed out at the wheel, allowing the boat to hit the terminal at full speed. He was sentenced to 18 months in prison for negligent manslaughter.

Similar to New York, public transportation accidents and boating accidents in California can be serious. If you or someone you know has been injured in such an accident, you need to contact an experienced legal team for help. The dedicated Southern California boating accident attorneys at the Mandell Law Firm are ready to assist you. Please contact us today at 818-886-6600 for a free consultation.

Approximately 10 to 20 percent of troops coming home from Iraq and Afghanistan are doing so with brain injuries. Brain injuries also afflict 1.7 million Americans each year.

According to a recent report, in hopes of helping the injured troops, the Pentagon is introducing a new program to help heal the brains of injured troops called REPAIR (Reorganization and Plasticity to Accelerate Injury Recover). Ten professors and research teams will collaborate on the project, which will develop implants made of electrodes or optical fibers. Those implants will rest on the surface of the brain, reading electrical signals from neurons and delivering light pulses in order to stimulate other brain regions.

A lot of progress has already been made in studying brain injuries. Scientists can create models of brain activity and can record the pulses emitted by neurons in the brain. However, they haven’t yet been able to change the pulses in order to turn brain circuits on and off.

The project will first conduct tests on mice, rats and monkey, to understand how regions of the brain interact. Once they understand that, they are going to mimic those interactions. Hopefully the implants will eventually help not only vets with brain injuries but also those who have suffered from a stroke or brain tumor.

Brain injuries can be debilitating and life changing. If you or someone in your family has suffered a brain injury in the San Fernando Valley because of someone else’s negligence, the victim may be entitled to recover compensation for medical expenses, pain and suffering, and a decreased quality of life, among other damages. Call the dedicated Northridge brain injury attorneys at the Mandell Law Firm today at 818-886-6600.