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Monthly Archive for: ‘April, 2012’

Horse trailer collision injures five Comments Off

Two female motorists and three juvenile passengers were transported taken to local medical centers following an automotive accident involving a Ford Expedition sport utility vehicle and a Riata Ranch pickup truck pulling a horse trailer recently north of Visalia at the intersection of Avenue 352 and Road 132. The collision overturned the empty horse trailer, which eventually came to rest on its side in an alfalfa field. Two of the injured children were transported in separate helicopters.

The California Highway Patrol and local law enforcement agents responded to the late morning accident. The Ford Expedition was moving westbound on Avenue 352 when she collided with the Riata Ranch Dodge truck, which was traveling southbound on Road 132. The female driver of the sport utility vehicle was transported by emergency vehicle to an area medical center for the treatment of injuries. The injured children were riding as passengers in her sport utility vehicle. The driver of the truck said she was returning from dropping off her horse at the veterinarian’s office.  The driver did not complain of injuries, but a female passenger was transported to a medical center to be treated for back pain.

As a Burlingame auto accident attorney, I am sorry to hear about auto collisions causing injury, especially to young children, and I hope that the victims of this accident recover quickly and fully. If you or a loved one has been hurt in a car collision, please consider hiring a Burlingame personal injury lawyer.

Posted on: 04-9-2012
Posted in: accident injury, Safety, SUV accident, Trailer Accident

Tanker Fuel Fire Causes Massive Traffic Jam in Glendale Comments Off

Residents of Glendale and nearby environs faced a brutal road closure caused by a massive fire late Saturday and on into Sunday.

At around 11 o’clock Saturday night, a gas tanker carrying up to 8,600 pounds of fuel was traveling west along the 134 Freeway.  When it got to the area where the freeway intersects with Interstate 5, a Honda Accord crashed into the trailer section of the tanker. As a result, the tanker careened into a guardrail and burst into flames.

Firefighters and the California Highway Patrol responded to the scene.  It took 90 minutes for firefighters to contain the flames, but roads remained compromised for quite some time after.  It wasn’t until Sunday morning that the eastbound side of 134 could be reopened to through traffic, with the road not becoming completely reopened in both directions until late last night.

Thankfully, it appears that there were no injuries as a result of this incident, but there may have been an injury to the environment.  Reportedly, a portion of the fuel leaked onto the highway and oozed into the nearby Los Angeles River.

As a personal injury lawyer in Roseville, it’s disappointing to me that safety along the highway was compromised.  I’m glad to see though, that no one appears to have been injured, and I hope that the damage to the environment is mitigated.  And as a Roseville auto accident lawyer, I once again advise everyone out there to stay safe along our California roads.

Posted on: 04-9-2012
Posted in: News, Safety, Trailer Accident

Fleeing Vehicle Drives Through Playground in Michigan Comments Off

Car chases are dangerous enough when the fleeing vehicle sticks to the streets, but things become even more hazardous when the suspect goes off-road.

That’s what happened in Montcalm County, Michigan when officers attempted to pull over a white Buick that was reportedly driving recklessly.  At the start, the vehicle actually did pull over to the side of the road along M-91 near a city called Langton.  The driver began to exit the vehicle but the cops commanded him to get back inside.

He obeyed their directive, but then hit the gas, driving south at up to 85 miles per hour in the direction of Greenville.  During the chase, officials from Greenville Public Safety and the Michigan State Police got in on the action.

Eventually, the suspect took his vehicle onto the Baldwin Heights Elementary School lawn.  He stopped, reversed the automobile, and careened into a sheriff’s police cruiser unit.  Then, the man aimed his car at an officer, but the officer was able to avoid getting hit by the vehicle.  The car then vaulted across a playground, onto a nearby street, and crashed into a tree before the driver could finally be taken into custody.  He received treatment at a hospital for non-life threatening injuries.

As a personal injury lawyer in Oakland, I’m sorry to see safety compromised by an erratic driver.  I’m glad that it appears no one was seriously injured, and I advise as an Oakland car accident attorney that everyone out there follow the rules of the road and the instructions of law enforcement personnel.

Posted on: 04-9-2012
Posted in: car chase, News, Reckless Driving

40,000 Bike Carrier Seats Recalled by Todson Inc. Comments Off

A dangerous oversight on the part of the manufacturers of the Topeak Babyseat ll Bicycle Carrier Seats has led the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission to issue an announcement that advises against the further usage or selling of the existing defect pieces.  A voluntary recall of the item has been issued by importer Todson Inc.  Manufactured in China, 40,000 units fall under the purview of the recall.  Affected seats have a model number of TCS2100, TCS2101, or TCS 2102.

The opening in the grab bar hinge mechanism is large enough that a child can stick his or her finger inside of it.  This can lead to laceration and amputation of the child’s fingers if the child is lifted up without the adult seeing the problem.. Two such reports have already been received in which a child required treatment.

The items were on sale at a variety of retailers all across the country and online for  $140 to $180.  They were available between January 2009 and this month.

Defective pieces can be fixed with a retrofit kit provided by Todson at no charge to the consumer.  Simply contact the company, and until then, do not use the product.

As a Sacramento personal injury lawyer, I hope that this issue gets fixed before any more children get hurt.  Children don’t think about safety hazards the way you or I might, and as such, one would hope that manufacturers take extra precautions.  But alas, in my experience as a Burlingame personal injury attorney, I’ve discovered that this isn’t always the case.

Posted on: 04-9-2012
Posted in: child safety, News, Product Recall

Ford Focus Recalled Due to Possible Visibility Impairment Comments Off

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has reported a safety recall of 140,310 Ford Focus vehicles of the model year 2012.

The passenger side wiper motor has a wiring harness connector that may be missing a seal. Without the seal, this would allow water and other debris to accumulate, resulting in a possible wiper malfunction.  The motor of the wiper blade on the passenger side might then only operate at certain intervals, or else it could stop working entirely.  With the windshield wiper blade not working properly, visibility on the passenger side would be greatly reduced in the event of inclement weather, which would make a crash a possibility.

Consumers will be contacted by Ford starting around May 21.  At that point, owners can bring the vehicles into a dealership to receive a repair.  Local dealers will inspect, clean and seal any deficient wiper motor connectors, and if the motor is inoperative, it will be replaced.  All of this will be done at no cost to the consumer.

As a personal injury lawyer in San Jose, it saddens me to see any product recall, but one that involves hundreds of thousands of units is especially worrisome.  As a San Jose car accident lawyer, I know how important it is that visibility isn’t compromised, and I hope that affected consumers get their vehicles fixed before tragedy strikes.

Posted on: 04-9-2012
Posted in: car safety, News, Product Recall

Braking Problem Causes Recall of Five Featherlite Trailers Comments Off

This next recall illustrates that a safety defect can come in all shapes and sizes, potentially affecting a very small number of vehicles.

Featherlite has announced a recall of five different 8415 trailers with electric/hydraulic brake actuator pumps due to the possible improper heat treatment of the pumps. The defect could cause certain components within the pumps to wear prematurely, which could damage the trailer’s ability to properly brake, as the pump controls the power of the trailer brakes themselves.  This failure would necessarily increase the likelihood of a crash.

The company has not announced when it will begin to notify affected customers, but when the recall does begin, dealers will replace the recalled actuator pumps at no charge to the consumer. Those with questions about the recall have been advised to contact Featherlite.

As a car accident lawyer in San Francisco, I’m used to the more typical recall that affects thousands upon thousands of vehicles.  Clearly, those recalls affect highways across the entire country and the world, but that doesn’t mean that smaller recalls such as this are any less important.  Safety issues need to be dealt with regardless of how many vehicles are affected.  As a San Francisco personal injury lawyer, it’s my hope that this information works its way to the consumers in possession of the vehicle.

Posted on: 04-9-2012
Posted in: car safety, News, Product Recall

Chrysler recalls four vehicle models in two separate cases Comments Off

The Chrysler Group Limited Liability Company has announced a voluntary recall for four vehicle models in two separate incidents. Approximately 1,689 of its Jeep Patriot and Jeep Compass sport utility vehicles have been recalled because of a potentially faulty fuel tank construction, and an estimated 289 of its Chrysler Town and Country and Dodge Caravan minivans have been recalled because of the possibility of rear suspension malfunction.

The Jeep Compasses and Jeep Patriots affected by this recall were manufactured between December 17, 2011, and January 2, 2012 and may have been built with a defective fuel tank roll over valve. If a vehicle with a defective roll over valve is involved in a roll over incident or auto accident, the vehicle might develop a fuel leak, creating a greater potential for a fire risk. Affected Town and Country and Dodge Caravan minivans may have been built with insufficiently machined right rear bearing and hub assemblies, potentially decreasing the durability of these parts which can cause the right rear wheel to become separated from the vehicle, potentially increasing the likelihood of an auto collision. Chrysler will begin informing consumers affected by this recall later this month, at which time the automaker will begin replacing the potentially defective auto parts with properly manufactured parts at no cost to the owners.

As an Oakland car accident lawyer, I hope these recalls have been announced in time to prevent injuries, accidents or property damage. If you have been injured in an incident related to a defective automobile, please consider discussing your legal options with an Oakland personal injury attorney.

Posted on: 04-6-2012
Posted in: News, product liability, Product Recall, Safety

Mo Trailers recalled due to potential brake failure Comments Off

A voluntary recall has been issued for three Mo Trailers 39 VS and 41 VS models sold in model year 2011 because of a potential electric hydraulic brake actuator pump malfunction. Two of these actuator pumps were originally sold as retail auto parts, and these will also be voluntarily recalled due to the same potential defect. Some of these actuator pumps may not have been adequately heat treated during the manufacturing process, which could lead to early wear on the parts, creating a potential for early, unforeseen mechanical failure. Electric hydraulic brake actuator pumps provide power to the trailer brakes, and therefore untimely actuator failure may cause the trailer’s brakes to fail unexpectedly, increasing the danger that the trailer will be involved in an accident. In all, five brake actuator pumps are affected by this recall. Mo Trailers has already begun to inform owners of affected actuator pumps of the potential defect. Consumers with questions concerning this voluntary recall can call the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Vehicle Safety Hotline and reference NHTSA Action Number EQ12003 or contact the manufacturer for more information.

As a Roseville personal injury attorney, I hope these trailers are effectively recalled and repaired in order to reduce the risk of sudden auto part failure  that could result in property damage or personal injury. If you or someone you know has been involved in an accident please consider consulting with a Roseville car accident lawyer.

Posted on: 04-6-2012
Posted in: product liability, Product Recall, Safety, Trailer Accident

Avis, Budget remove recalled Focuses from rental fleet Comments Off

Avis Budget Group, a Parsippany, New Jersey based rental car company employing an estimated 28,000 people, will immediately begin making preparations to remove approximately 10,000 model-year 2012 Ford Focus from its rental inventory in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico after the company received a safety recall notice from the auto manufacturer due to a possible problem concerning the vehicles’ windshield wiper motors.

Avis has begun identifying vehicles affected by the recall within its rental car fleet using information provided by the manufacturer. The rental car company has placed these vehicles on hold in its reservations system to prevent consumers from renting these cars. Customers who have rented affected vehicles have been instructed to bring the vehicles to a local rental agency to exchange the automobile. All 2012 Ford Focus vehicles are not affected by the potential for windshield wiper motor failure. The recall issued only affects vehicles manufactured at a single manufacturing plant. Avis Budget Group has an inventory of an estimated 300,000 vehicles in North America, and the rental car agency predicts that holding these vehicles until the issue is resolved will not negative affect the company’s ability to provide automobiles to consumers who have previously reserved them

As a San Jose personal injury attorney, I hope these steps are effective in preventing this recall from causing any accidents or injuries. If you have been involved in an auto collision related to a malfunctioning vehicle, please consider discussing your case with a licensed San Jose auto accident lawyer.

Posted on: 04-6-2012
Posted in: News, product liability, Product Recall, Safety

New York woman killed in livery car collision Comments Off

The female passenger of a livery car was killed in a fiery collision with a northbound tractor-trailer transporting trash on Central Park Avenue near the Cross County Parkway entrance ramp in New York recently. Police are investigating the cause of the accident, but it is undetermined as of yet. The livery picked the woman up in the Bronx and was seated in the rear of the livery at the time of the collision, according to the accident report. Her body was significantly damaged in the fire, and law enforcement officials had difficulty identifying her. The livery car driver and the driver of the trash hauling tractor-trailer were transported to a nearby medical center for the treatment of minor injuries. The tractor-trailer was traveling from Brooklyn to Peekskill from when it crashed into the livery car wedging in against a concrete median dividing I-87 from Central Park Avenue. The collision, which occurred in the early morning, required law enforcement officials to close the northbound New York State Thruway for more than two hours while the road was cleared of debris. The body of the female motorist was trapped in the livery vehicle for more than five hours after the crash.

As a Burlingame personal injury attorney, I am deeply saddened to hear about fatal automotive accidents, and I hope the survivors of this collision recover quickly and fully. If you have been injured in an automotive accident, please consider contacting a Burlingame car accident lawyer.

Posted on: 04-6-2012
Posted in: accident injury, car crash, News, Trailer Accident
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