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Monthly Archive for: ‘April, 2012’

Packaging error prompts Westinghouse ceiling fan recall Comments Off

Westinghouse Lighting Corporation, a manufacturer headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, has announced a voluntary recall for approximately 7,000 of its ceiling fans due to a mistake in the packaging process. At the request of the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission, the company has announced a recall of the affected ceiling fans that were mistakenly packaged with two 60-watt light bulbs. The maximum allowable wattage for these ceiling fans is less than 60 watts, so using the bulbs provided with the ceiling fans can cause the fan to malfunction and possibly shock the consumer. The canopies of these fans are imprinted with the Westinghouse brand name and the model number is printed on the fans’ motor casings. This recall affects ceiling fans with 24, 30, and 42 inch diameter blades, and the model numbers affected include: 78764 42 inch blade ceiling fans, 78631 and 72243 24 inch blade ceiling fans, and 72245 and 78763 30 inch blade ceiling fans. The affected models of ceiling fans were manufactured in China to be sold between January 2011 and January 2012 at various retail and hardware outlets, as well as at retail websites for a price between $135 and $150. The manufacturer will provide owners of affected ceiling fans with safety compliant 40 watt bulbs at no cost to the consumer.

As a San Jose personal injury lawyer, I am hopeful this recall is successfully carried out in order to reduce the risk posed to consumers. If you or someone you love has been injured by a malfunctioning product, please consider contacting a personal injury attorney in Burlingame.

Posted on: 04-30-2012
Posted in: Product Recall, Safety

Warhorse Mentorship Ride teaches Fort Hood soldiers motorcycle safety Comments Off

Warhorse Mentorship Ride, a motorcycle safety training program provided to soldiers at Fort Hood in Killeen, Texas, has been launched in an effort to reduce the number of motorcycle collisions in the area. According to the program’s representative, the primary cause of motorcycle collisions is an improper attitude. Stress and high risk behavior are also contributing factors to motorcycle collisions, according to the Armed Forces Heath Surveillance Center. More than 4,000 soldiers were killed in motor vehicle collisions in 2011, according to statistics provided by the center. Almost one in four of the active service members killed in the line of duty between the years of 1999 and 2010 were killed in motorcycle collisions. At Fort Hood, the mentorship motorcycle riding program allows soldiers to ride motorcycles around the base in civilian clothes as part of the Warhorse Mentorship Ride, which is intended to instruct soldiers on the best practices for motorcycle riding, including watching the road ahead to anticipate obstacles and other potential hazards before they become a problem. Riding a motorcycle requires the operator to be aware of all of his or her surroundings at all times, according to the program’s instructors.

As a Roseville auto accident lawyer, I hope these safety programs reduce the dangers of highway travel for all motorists. If you or someone you love has been injured in any sort of accident, please consider contacting a personal injury lawyer in Roseville.

Posted on: 04-30-2012
Posted in: Motorcycle Accident, Safety

Turn signal neglect causes more accidents than texting, study says Comments Off

Turn signal neglect is responsible for more than twice as many collisions as distracted driving, according to a safety study presented by the Society of Automotive Engineers at its 2012 World Congress. The study required safety experts to monitor the turn signal behavior of 12,000 drivers that were either turning or changing lanes. In 48 percent of all lane changing instances observed, the drivers failed to signal their intentions, and drivers observed turning failed to signal in one out of four cases. According to these statistics, drivers fail to signal before changing lanes or turning approximately 750 billion time per year on average, about 2 billion times per day. Every instance of neglecting to use a turn signal increases the risk of collision, according to safety experts. According to the safety study, an estimated 2 million collisions per year in the United States are caused by turn signal neglect. The United States Department of Transportation estimates that approximately 950,000 collisions are caused every year by distracted drivers. Safety experts recommend that new cars should be equipped with Smart Turn Signal technology that reminds negligent drivers to signal at proper times.

As a car accident attorney in Oakland, I am hopeful that drivers will adopt safer habits to make the roadways less dangerous. If you or someone you love has been injured in an automobile collision, please consider contacting an Oakland personal injury lawyer.

 

 

 

Posted on: 04-30-2012
Posted in: distracted driving, Safety

Distracted driving collisions are avoidable, experts say Comments Off

More than 100 traffic collisions linked to distracted driving occurred in the state of Nebraska last year, and according to the Nebraska Office of Highway Safety, the majority of these collisions, if not all of these collisions, could have been avoided with safer driving behavior. Many of these accidents were caused by distracted driving, a practice safety experts say can be discouraged by the passengers or parents of novice drivers. Electronic devices can be purchased and installed in vehicles that automatically disable handheld communication devices inside of the vehicle while it is in motion. If the driver of the vehicle unplugs the device, it will notify the person who installed the system via an email. The device is available for purchase for about $130. According to the Nebraska Office of Highway Safety, 53 motorists were injured in the 130 documented distracted driving related collisions that occurred in the state in 2011. In the state of Nebraska, engaging in text messaging while driving is a secondary offense, so drivers must be committing another traffic law violation in order for officers to cite them for texting and driving, which some safety experts speculate leads to distracted driving going underreported as the cause of traffic collisions.

As an auto accident lawyer in San Francisco, I have seen the problems distracted drivers can cause on the road. If you or someone you love has been injured in an accident linked to inattentive driving, please consider contacting a San Francisco personal injury attorney.

Posted on: 04-30-2012
Posted in: car safety, distracted driving

Baldwin Park Crash Along 60 Freeway Proves Fatal Comments Off

Sadly, I have a fatal automobile crash to report to you.

The incident took place in the area of Baldwin Park at around 2 o’clock in the morning yesterday.  A brand new BMW was headed east down the Pomona Freeway, otherwise known as the 60, at an undisclosed speed.  Because the two leftmost lanes of the freeway were undergoing construction, traffic ahead of the BMW was moving slow.  A Chevy was traveling 5 miles per hour in the middle lane, and a Ford was behind it going only 15.

In the area west of Brea Canyon Road, the BMW smashed into the back of the Ford, with the force of the crash propelling the Ford forward to collide with the back of the Chevy.  The Ford then careened to the left and into a Toyota alongside it.

The driver of the Ford sustained fatal injuries and perished at the scene.  A passenger inside the BMW at the time of the crash was transported to local San Dimas Community Hospital, where she received an examination.

No word on other injuries sustained at the time of the crash.  The California Highway Patrol responded to the scene and investigated the incident.

I’m sorry as a Burlingame car accident lawyer to see yet another life taken along a California road.  The damage that fast-moving vehicles can cause should not be underestimated.  Take it from a personal injury attorney in Burlingame like me:  the road can be a dangerous place, and we must all be cautious when driving.

Posted on: 04-30-2012
Posted in: car crash, construction accident, News

Driver Rescued From Burning Vehicle Following Petaluma Chase Comments Off

A car chase originating in Santa Rosa led officers to Petaluma in pursuit of the fleeing vehicle.

The chase began yesterday afternoon at around 5:30 pm.  Police officials attempted to pull over a Volvo near the intersection of B and 1st Street.  The man driving the vehicle was being sought by the police as a suspect in a prior incident.  Instead of pulling over, though, the vehicle sped away, leading officers to the southbound side of Highway 101.

The chase lasted for around nine minutes, and in the process, the vehicles got up to more than 80 miles per hour.  When they got within Petaluma city limits, the fleeing vehicle careened into a construction barrier.  The force of the collision north of Petaluma Boulevard sent the Volvo plunging into a creek.

A fire was sparked within the vehicle, but the occupant was rescued by a police dog with the Santa Rosa Police Department.  Shortly after police removed the man from the accident, the vehicle burst into flames.

The driver was transported to a hospital.  He received treatment for moderate injuries that were deemed non life-threatening.  Police are likely to arrest the suspect.

Being a Roseville personal injury lawyer, I think it’s crucial that people pull over instead of attempting to get away.  Fleeing at high speeds puts so many lives at danger, and it’s just not worth it.  I hope as a car accident attorney in Roseville that people tread carefully when out along these often hazardous California roads of ours.

Posted on: 04-30-2012
Posted in: car chase, car crash, News

Alleged Erratic Driving Causes Extensive Damage in Freedom Comments Off

A vehicle caused untold amounts of damage in Freedom on Friday.

The incident occurred shortly after 4 pm Friday afternoon.  A Toyota was headed south down Highway 1, allegedly driving erratically along the road, traveling at excessive speeds and rattling down the shoulder of the freeway.  The vehicle reportedly got off the highway at Freedom Boulevard and flew past a stop sign.  The automobile then careened into an eastbound Honda traveling down Freedom Boulevard.  The driver of that vehicle was apparently uninjured.

The Toyota wasn’t done yet, though.  It took the onramp back onto the freeway and drove down the shoulder once again.  The vehicle then drove through a fence and crashed through numerous trees along the road.

It was at this point that the driver exited the vehicle and fled across the freeway.  The California Highway Patrol set off in pursuit of the suspect.  They were able to catch up to him and arrest him on the side of the freeway going north.  Officers were charging the driver of the Honda with numerous violations of the law.

I’m sorry as an Oakland car accident attorney to see so many lives endangered along the highway by a vehicle run amok.  That’s why all drivers must be cautious.  You never know when circumstances could place you in harm’s way.  As a personal injury lawyer in Oakland, I understand that it’s imperative to always be on the lookout for hazards and negligent drivers.

Posted on: 04-30-2012
Posted in: car crash, Hit and Run Accident, News

Car and Bus Collide in Merced County, Injuring Seven Comments Off

Seven different people were forced to endure what were described as non-life threatening injuries following a collision in Merced County.

It all started as a VIA Transportation bus was headed west down Highway 152 going about 50 or 60 miles per hour in the right lane.  At some point, a red vehicle approached the bus from the left, in the fast lane.  For unknown reasons, the two vehicles struck each other’s sides.

The force of the collision sent the smaller red vehicle plunging across the median and into the oncoming lanes of the freeway.  Unfortunately, another vehicle was headed down the freeway and those two vehicles hit each other as well.

The bus was empty at the time of the crash, and the driver of the conveyance was uninjured.  Unfortunately, seven others from the other two vehicles were not as lucky.  Occupants between the ages of 2 and 30 had to be treated for various injuries.  They were transported by ambulance and helicopter.

The California Highway Patrol responded to the scene of the accident.  They have said that none of the injuries incurred in the crash should pose a danger to the lives of the persons involved.

I’m disappointed as a car accident lawyer in San Francisco to see so many people injured by one crash.  We must tread carefully when out along California roads, as to do otherwise could imperil numerous lives.  I hope as a San Francisco personal injury attorney that everyone out there understands the dangers of the highway.

Posted on: 04-30-2012
Posted in: bus accident, car crash, News

Citrus Heights Motorist Requires Rescue After Power Pole Crash Comments Off

An unusual getaway sent the driver of an automobile to the hospital yesterday.

It all took place shortly before 5 o’clock yesterday afternoon.  It started when the California Highway Patrol attempted to assist a motorist who was apparently stranded along Auburn Boulevard in Citrus Heights.  They were pushing the vehicle out of traffic when, seemingly out of nowhere, the driver of the automobile hit the gas and allegedly fled from the police.

The automobile took off into oncoming traffic on Auburn north of Greenback Lane.  The driver then careened off the opposite side of the road and collided with a power pole.  The high voltage lines snapped and came crashing down around the vehicle.  Because the lines were live, the driver was stuck inside.

The Sacramento Metro Utilities District turned off the power to the power lines so that the Sacramento Metro Fire Department could affect a rescue.  They retrieved the driver from inside the car, and he is currently receiving treatment at a hospital for undisclosed injuries.

The Traffic Unit of the Citrus Heights Police Department is in the process of investigating the collision.

I’m sorry to see lives placed in harm’s way as a Sacramento personal injury attorney.  This situation was interesting in that the crash happened just after the cops had apparently showed up to assist the driver.  I hope as a car accident lawyer in Sacramento that everyone complies with officers when assistance is being offered.

Posted on: 04-30-2012
Posted in: accident injury, car crash, News

Pleasanton Big Rig Crash Shuts Down Interstate 680 Comments Off

The city of Pleasanton was home to a not so pleasant tractor trailer crash that shut down parts of the interstate.

The incident took place yesterday at around 9:50 at night.  A big rig was heading south down Interstate 680.  When it approached the area around Bernal Avenue, the driver lost control for some reason.  As a result, the vehicle careened into the divider that separates the two sides of the freeway.  The force of the crash sent the big rig onto its side.

The impact shot concrete debris onto the other side of the interstate, where it struck one other vehicle.  Thankfully, the driver of that automobile did not sustain any injuries.  The driver of the big rig sustained only minor injuries himself.

The extent of the damage was so great as to force police officials to close both sides of the interstate.  A hazmat crew was dispatched to the area because the tractor trailer was in the process of transporting a load of chemicals.  However, the encasement held up and kept the chemicals inside.  Some diesel had to be cleaned up, though.

The 680 was fully reopened to traffic at 6:30 this morning.

Being a personal injury lawyer in San Jose, I’m sad to see any crash take place along California roads, but I take solace in the fact that injuries were very minor and chemicals didn’t leak.  As a San Jose car accident attorney, I know firsthand that things could have been much worse.

Posted on: 04-30-2012
Posted in: Big Rig Accident, car crash, News
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