Personal Injury Lawyer Blog

Sacramento Motorcycle Rider Dead, Drunk Driver Charged With Manslaughter

December 11, 2008 | by Moseley Collins

Anthony James Payne, 23, was thrown 200 feet as a result of a head-on collision between his Honda motorcycle and a 2004 Pontiac Grand Am car. It was after 7:45 PM on Thursday evening, August 14th on Carson Road in Camino. Carson Road is a secondary road that parallels HWY 50 about five miles east of Placerville on the road from Sacramento to South Lake Tahoe.

When a 388 pound motorcycle (Honda 1000) hits a 3,066 pound 2004 Pontiac Grand Am, head-on, at speed, the end result is a predictable tragedy. The motorcycle rider is dead and the young age of 23. The driver of the car, Melissa Nicole Nichols, 23, survived the crash and was booked into El Dorado County Jail on Friday (08-15-08) on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter.

The suspicion of vehicular manslaughter charge means that the police suspect that this crash was not just a horrific accident, but a horrific accident that could have been prevented.

A Broken Arm in Sacramento

December 11, 2008 | by Moseley Collins

What are the legal issues involved when someone breaks an arm? Well that depends on a lot of things, a lot of variables. For example:

• A 12-year-old boy breaks his arm and cannot go swimming for 4 weeks. (Inconvenience or Disability?)
• A 29-year-old man breaks his arm and can not ride his motorcycle (or stick shift car). His motorcycle is his only means of transportation to get to his job. He is off work for 4 weeks and during that time his job is taken by another. (Inconvenience or Disability?)
• A 22-year-old administrative assistant breaks her right arm and cannot use her right hand to type or operate her computer mouse. She must shift to her left hand. Her productivity is cut in half until her arm heals. (Inconvenience or Disability?)

• A 68-year-old breaks an arm which invites infection during the healing process. The infection leads to complications which last for the next 12 months. Daily assistance is now required for cooking, cleaning and personal hygiene. (Inconvenience or Disability?)

So you see it really does depend on a lot of variables. But wait, there are even more variables, like who is responsible for the broken arm?

Man Invents a Device that Lets People with Paraplegia Walk

August 30, 2008 | by Moseley Collins

This amazing Device called the ReWalk is allowing a 41 year old man, Radi Kaiof, take his first steps since 1988, when he was paralyzed in a military accident. The man who created the device, Amit Goffer, describes his machine a mix between the exoskeleton of a crustacean and the suit worn by comic hero Iron Man. The ReWalk helps paraplegics to stand, walk and climb stairs. Goffer himself was paralyzed in an accident in 1997 but he cannot use his own invention because he does not have full function of his arms.

If you would like to know more about ReWalk and Argo Medical Technology please visit this website: http://www.argomedtec.com/

I thought I would show you how this beautiful device works. Here is a video of Radi, and how he lives his life now that he has the ReWalk.

Personal Injury Statistics

August 30, 2008 | by Moseley Collins

Every day people suffer from a personal injury whether it be minor or major. Though there are many types of personal injury situations, below are some of the top personal injury situations located at http://www.resource4personalinjury.com

Personal Injury from Car Accidents.

You’ve probably heard that the most dangerous part of flying is the drive to and from the airport. In some ways, that’s completely true. Cars weigh thousands of pounds and can travel at speeds of over 100 mph. The statistics in regards to car accidents are stunning. On the average, there are over 6 million car accidents in the United States every year, resulting in 3 million injuries, 2 million of which are permanent. Finally, car accidents are believed to cause upwards of 40,000 deaths per year.

2008 Safest Cars To Own

August 22, 2008 | by Moseley Collins

Cars, are perhaps the most dangerous weapon we own. You have so much power behind that wheel, and so do the other people in their cars. One single mistake and you could possibly take several lives. I decided to look for a list of the safest cars in 2008. The safer the car the bigger chance you have of surviving a bad car accident. So here is a list of cars that are the safest according to autotropolis.com.

10. 2008 Toyota Highlander

MSRP From: $27,300

Three Critically Injured People Involved in Drunk Driving Accident

August 12, 2008 | by Moseley Collins

August 1, 2008 was a very hectic and chaotic time for early morning commuters on Interstate 5, in San Diego, California. Four people were in a car, when they suddenly lost control of the car and crashed. CHP officers found alcohol in the drivers system, and the 3 passengers in the car were immediately submitted into UCSD Medical Center with very critical injuries. this crash only involved one vehicle, but managed to shut down the transition ramp from eastbound Interstate 8 to southbound 5 for an hour and a half. No further information has been disclosed to the public.

According to www.MAAD.org:

In 2006, an estimated 15,827 people died in alcohol-related traffic crashes—an average of one every 33 minutes. These deaths constitute 37 percent of the 42,532 total traffic fatalities. Of these, 13,470 involved a driver with an illegal BAC (.08 or greater). On average someone is killed by a drunk driver every 39 minutes.

Driver Killed By Suspected Drunk Driver on Wrong Side of the freeway

August 11, 2008 | by Moseley Collins

Saturday, July 26th, Ruel Balangue was killed instantly by a suspected drunk driver who was driving her car on the wrong side of the freeway. Balangue was driving home at about :52 a.m. when he apparently saw a Pontiac Grand Prix heading west in the same lane heading toward him. He died immediately, and the woman driving the other car suffered minor injuries and was transported to Highland Hospital in Oakland. She was arrested on suspicion of felony driving under the influence.

Many people are the victim of a drunk driving accident. According to www.alcoholalert.com

All 50 states in the US and Puerto Rico now apply two statutory offenses to driving under the influence of alcohol. The first (and original) offense is known either as driving under the influence (DUI), driving while intoxicated/impaired (DWI), or operating [a motor vehicle] while intoxicated/impaired (OWI). This is based upon a police officer’s observations (driving behavior, slurred speech, the results of a roadside sobriety test, etc.)

Always Wear a Helmet

August 11, 2008 | by Moseley Collins

When you are about to get onto your bicycle, the first thing you should make sure to have once you have taken off, is a helmet on. Ever since I was a small child I was always made to wear a helmet, whether I was bicycling, on a scooter, or on a skateboard. And if I didn’t wear a helmet all those times, I could of really hurt myself. I took many spills on my toys that required helmets, always getting scrapes on my elbows and knees, but never injuries on my head.

Many parents now a days let there kids ride around with out helmets, and when they fall, they are sometimes seriously injured. Even if you are over 18 years old and legally not wearing a helmet it is still very unsafe. Just because your older doesn’t make you an experienced bicyclist, or skateboarder for that matter.

I decided to get some facts and statistics on helmet use at www.helmets.org:

Sacramento Man Killed by Friend in Drunk Driving Accident

August 11, 2008 | by Moseley Collins

Paul Smith was a fatal victim in a drunk driving accident on Friday, August 1st in Sacramento, California. Smith was a passenger in a car driven by Kirk Jones; both were Sacramento residents. Jones was driving a Pontiac, and was traveling at about 70 mph on Highway 116 when he attempted to pass another car while crossing a double yellow line. Jones swerved back into his own lane to avoid on-coming traffic and hit the side of the car he was passing. Eventually Jones’ car hit the guard rail and came to a complete stop, but Paul Smith suffered major injuries and died at the scene. Jones suffered minor injuries and was arrested on suspicion of drunk driving and vehicular manslaughter.

It is a tragedy Paul Smith died, but there will always be risks when you get in a car with a drunk driver. It’s a risk that’s not worth taking. Paul Smith would still be alive today if he had not gotten in Jones’ car, but rather had found another way home.

In 2006, an estimated 15,827 people died in alcohol-related traffic crashes—an average of one every 33 minutes. These deaths constitute 37 percent of the 42,532 total traffic fatalities. Of these, 13,470 involved a driver with an illegal BAC (.08 or greater). On average someone is killed by a drunk driver every 39 minutes.

About three in every ten Americans will be involved in an alcohol-related crash at some time in their drivers.

Top Ten Most Aggressive Dogs in America

August 8, 2008 | by Moseley Collins

Everyday, 1,008 people are admitted into the hospital for a serious dog bite. Many people have suffered from a dog bite whether it be minor or major.

We have done some research, and have found the top ten most aggressive dogs. These dogs have the most reports for dog bites and attacks.

10. Dalmatian