Otus Law Group Blog

Michigan Bill Lets Motorcyclists Forego Helmets Comments Off

Michigan lawmakers are debating whether or not to allow motorcycle riders to take to the roads without helmets.

The new bill, SB 291, cleared the state Senate today, but it still faces hurdles to passage.  The governor still has the option to veto the bill, which is what happened to two similar bills that had been previously passed.

A slew of requirements await those who attempt to take advantage of the passage of the bill.  Riders who wish to forego the use of a helmet have to be at least 21 years old, and they have to either have two years of operation under their belt or else take part in a safety course.

Opponents of the bill have argued that it is unnecessarily placing motorcyclists in harm’s way, and that the healthcare costs of such a proposition is going to be shifted onto the common American taxpayer.  Statistics were cited that showed an inordinate amount of motorcycles involved in crashes across the state, with 65% of persons killed in motorcycle crashes being people that were not wearing protective headgear.

This will be something I’m going to keep my eye on as a personal injury lawyer in San Jose.  You never know when a law passed in one state will have repercussions in other places that think such a measure is a good idea.  No matter what legislators decide, I hope safety remains paramount.  For a San Jose car accident lawyer, safety is one of the most important things there is.

Posted on: 03-28-2012
Posted in: Motorcycle Accident, News, Safety

Children Saved From Burning Wreck by Passersby Comments Off

Two children were rescued from a burning vehicle crash along State Route 36.

The incident took place at around 2 in the afternoon yesterday.  A man was driving in a car along with his two children a mile east of Highway 101 when the vehicle collided with a power pole amidst the rain.  The driver died instantly, but his two children survived.

The crash caused a fire to erupt in the vehicle, trapping the kids inside.  Passersby gathered nearby, and allegedly one person got close enough to hear the children.  A group then set to work helping the kids escape the burning vehicle.  One child had to be pulled out through a window, with another assisted from a rear door.  A civilian reportedly used a fire extinguisher to douse the car while another stayed with the children until medical personnel could arrive

The kids, who received only minor injuries, were transported to nearby Redwood Memorial Hospital.  None of the rescuers were reported to have suffered serious injuries.  The California Highway Patrol is investigating what caused the accident.

As a personal injury lawyer in San Francisco, I often have to see people at their worst, unwilling to lend a helping hand in a time of need.  It’s tragic that these children lost their father, but the people that saved the kids from the burning wreckage should be commended for their heroics.  It’s my hope as a San Francisco car accident lawyer that more people follow their lead.

Posted on: 03-28-2012
Posted in: accident injury, car crash, News

High Speed Chase Leads Officers From Dublin To Tracy Comments Off

A high speed chase led officers of the California Highway Patrol from Dublin to Tracy.

It all started at around 11:30 in the morning when officers in Dublin spotted a Mercedes that allegedly had a stolen license plate.  When the cops attempted to pull the vehicle over, the driver refused, eventually fleeing east down Interstate 580.

Once in Tracy, the driver exited at 11th Street and continued his attempt to run.  Police utilized a spike strip along Peony Drive, but it did not have the intended effect.  Instead, the driver swerved around the strip and into oncoming traffic.  Sensing the danger that would occur should the chase continue, CHP officers called off the chase.

But that was not the end of the situation.  An officer in the area caught sight of the suspect’s vehicle once again, and after police used the spike strips twice more, the driver exited his vehicle and hid in a nearby garage.  Thanks to the assistance of the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office and the Tracy Police Department, the suspect was found and taken into custody.

As a personal injury lawyer in Sacramento, I’m sad to see any kind of incident that endangers safety along the roads.  A chase certainly falls into that category.  When you consider the damage that could have been done should an accident have occurred, it’s hard not to wish that a suspect would simply pull over and let the arrest take place.  I would hate to see injuries occur as a Sacramento car accident attorney.

Posted on: 03-28-2012
Posted in: car chase, News, Reckless Driving

Big Rig Crash Spills Up To $5 Million Across Canada Highway Comments Off

In Canada early this morning, a big rig carrying millions of dollars in coins was involved in a wreck that also affected a truck carrying a payload of candy.

It all began at around 4 o’clock in the morning.  The aforementioned trailer, which was carrying three to five million dollars in Canadian currency, crossed the center line on Highway 11 in Ontario and careened into a rock cut.  This in turn created a series of crashes that involved a minivan and two big rigs, one filled with candy.

The loonies and toonies that were spilled were not yet in circulation in the Canadian currency system.  Police and officials from the trucking company were forced to cordon off the area and collect the coins using magnets and other equipment.  Thus far, nobody has tried to make their way to the scene to claim some of the coins for themselves.

Police are in the process of investigating the incident, which sent the driver and passenger of the currency truck to the hospital with life-threatening injuries.  The driver of the minivan did not require assistance and the operators of the two other tractor trailers received only minor injuries.

It’s not often that you hear about a truck spilling this kind of a haul onto the street.  As a personal injury lawyer in Oakland, you think you’ve seen everything, but then something like this happens.  My thoughts and prayers go out to those persons seriously injured.  It’s my hope as an Oakland car accident attorney that they survive and recover from their injuries.

Posted on: 03-28-2012
Posted in: accident injury, Big Rig Accident, Trailer Accident

Whole Foods Chocolate Chips Recalled Due to Walnut Presence Comments Off

A recent food recall demonstrates that even a small typographical error or omission on the manufacturer’s part can mean severe problems for an unsuspecting consumer.

Mini Chocolate Chip Cookies with sell-by dates between March 8th 2012 and March 28th 2012 are being recalled by Whole Foods Market due to the fact that the product contains walnuts. The walnuts have been left off the ingredient list on the back of the bag, an error that was discovered by a Whole Foods employee. Anyone with a nut allergy would be at risk for a serious, possibly life-threatening reaction if they ingest the product.

Currently sold in stores in Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas, the cookies come packaged in brown paper bags with a chocolate chip cookie label on the front. On the rear of the package, the product’s sell by date and Universal Product Code, which is 2-21485-20399-5, are imprinted on a label.

In light of this recall, customers who have purchased the chocolate chips may return the item to their local Whole Foods for a refund of the full price.  Thankfully, no illnesses have been reported as of yet in conjunction with this defect.

As a personal injury lawyer in San Jose, I’m sad to see an ingestible product pose a danger to consumers who would be allergic.  Labels are in place for a reason, as the wrong ingredient can endanger numerous lives.  It’s my wish as a Roseville personal injury attorney that the issue gets taken care of before someone gets hurt.

Posted on: 03-28-2012
Posted in: Foodborne Illness, Product Recall, Safety

Speed limiting devices reduce truck crashes Comments Off

Commercial vehicles with speed limiting devices were half as likely to be involved in collisions that involved speeding than trucks without such devices, according to a recent research report conducted by MarineWay Services of Fryeburg, Maine on behalf of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s Office of Analysis.

The results were based on an analysis of data compiled from an estimated 138,000 trucks in 20 trucking fleets and studies of more than 15,000 collisions. Of those accidents, an estimated 15 percent were deemed to be relevant to speed limiting devices. The criteria the study used to determine whether an auto accident included: the site of the collision, the timeline of the collision, the kind of collision, and any mitigating factors in the collision, such as inclement weather.

The report also revealed that even when these criteria were abandoned, the overall collision rate was lower for heavy trucks with speed limiters than those without them.

Many safety experts, as well as the Truckload Carriers Association and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recommend a nationwide law necessitating the use of speed limit controlling devices in heavy trucks. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has stated that speed controlling devices could reduce the number of traffic deaths resulting from truck and bus related collisions.

As a Burlingame car accident attorney, I would love to see the number of all automotive accidents reduced. If you or someone you know has been injured in a traffic collision, please consider hiring a Burlingame personal injury attorney.

Posted on: 03-27-2012
Posted in: Big Rig Accident, car safety, car technology

NTSB Worries Car Tech Innovations Compromise Safety Comments Off

A battle appears to be brewing between automakers increasingly focused on bringing entertainment and information technologies into automobiles and regulators who think these technologies pose a danger to motorists.

Amid a distracted driving forum being held in Washington this week, a spokesperson for the National Transportation Safety Board released a statement criticizing producers of mobile technologies intent on installing in-car information technology into vehicles.  The NTSB believes that such companies place more importance on what will sell than on what’s safe.

The statement comes on the heels of Intel Corporation announcing an expansion of their in-car infotainment product line designed to keep drivers more connected.  Such an initiative was nearly inevitable given the ever-increasing prevalence of smart phones and mobile devices, but many think that such connectedness comes at a cost.

Some people argue that the rate of technological expansion is greater than the rate at which regulators can maintain safety parameters that keep up with that new tech.  With distracted driving accidents more commonplace than ever, many persons have begun to question our own ability to multitask, especially while driving.  Lawmakers must struggle to come up with answers for these incredibly difficult questions.

As an Oakland personal injury lawyer, I’ll be paying attention to the latest developments in vehicle technology mandates.  But no matter the law, I hope as an Oakland car accident attorney that all drivers pay attention to the road and not to a Facebook news feed on their dashboard.

Posted on: 03-27-2012
Posted in: car safety, car technology, distracted driving

Man With Pick Axe Apprehended by Police After a Chase Comments Off

Motorists in the far southern part of California got quite a sight on their way to work yesterday.

At around 9:30 am, officers from the California Highway Patrol began to field 911 calls about a man in the center median of Interstate 15 near Temecula.  The shirtless man was reportedly digging a hole with a pick axe and riding a skateboard atop his Honda Civic.

Officers responded to the scene and attempted to subdue the man, but the Taser they used did not work as it was supposed to.  Thus, the man jumped back into his Civic and headed north on the interstate at up to 100 miles per hour.

The man took the Clinton Keith Road exit with the cops in hot pursuit.  An officer had to ram the car with a police vehicle to get the Civic to stop somewhere in the area of Wildomar.  The vehicle struck a street sign, but the suspect wasn’t done yet.  He allegedly became aggressive when an officer attempted to cuff him, and a canine officer had to assist with getting the man under control.

The person was detained by police and taken to nearby Inland Valley Regional Medical Center to receive an evaluation.

As a personal injury lawyer in San Francisco, I’m sorry to see incidents like this occur.  Not only can such situations endanger those involved in the chase, but bystanders could be imperiled as well.  It’s my wish as a San Francisco car accident lawyer that anyone who sees odd behavior on the highway report it immediately (without using a handheld phone of course).

Posted on: 03-27-2012
Posted in: car chase, Reckless Driving, Safety

1.3 Million BMW Vehicles Recalled Worldwide Comments Off

The automobile recalls just keep on coming, although this last one encompasses a much larger swath of vehicles than a typical recall.

BMW AG has announced a recall of 1.3 million vehicles across the entire world, with 367,000 of those in the United States alone.  The automobiles in question are the BMW 5 and the BMW 6 series in model years ranging from 2004 to 2010.  The recall encompasses wagons, coupes, and convertible models.

The problem has to do with a battery cable cover that resides in the trunk of the vehicle.  The item may have been mounted incorrectly in the recalled automobiles.  This can lead to a handful of problems.  The vehicle’s electrical system can malfunction, the vehicle might be unable to start, and charring and a subsequent fire are also within the realm of possibility.

No injuries or accidents have been reported in conjunction with this issue, although one fire has occurred in the U.S.

BMW will begin notifying the owners of the affected vehicles in the month of April, at which point users can return their cars to a dealership to have the issue fixed.  This repair can consist of a mechanic securing the cable, adding protective grease, or installing a free replacement cover.  This will all be done free of charge.

As a San Jose car accident lawyer, it saddens me to think that a million plus people could be out there driving a dangerous vehicle.  It’s my hope as a personal injury lawyer in San Jose that the issue gets corrected before someone gets hurt.

Posted on: 03-27-2012
Posted in: car safety, Product Recall, Safety

A123 recalls battery for Fisker Karmas, other electric cars Comments Off

A123 Systems, a manufacturer of lithium ion battery cells has announced a voluntary recall of battery packs and modules containing potentially defective prismatic cells manufactured at its plant in Livonia, Michigan. The defect may decrease the overall performance for these batteries, some of which are used in electronic automobiles.

The prismatic cells are most commonly found in 2012 model year Fisker Karmas. According to an A123 Systems representative, the possible manufacturing defect, discovered to be the result of a an improperly calibrated automatic welding machine, has been found exclusively in prismatic cells that originated at the company’s Livonia facility. The recall does not affect cells manufactured at the company’s other facilities, nor does it include Chinese-built cylindrical cells used for energy storage and transportation.

The defect could not be spotted visually. The cells initially appeared to be functioning properly, but after they were compressed, the possibility of interference became apparent, this is a performance issue, and not a safety concern, according to A123 representatives.

The company has begun production of replacement cells, and plans on shipping them out in the near future. In addition to Fisker, BMW, Chevrolet and other auto manufacturers utilize A123 battery packs, but the company explained that the batteries for BMW’s ActiveHybrid models 3 and 5 employ Chinese made cylindrical cells and are not at risk of containing the defect.

As an Oakland auto accident lawyer, I hope no one is injured by this defective product. If you have been harmed by a malfunctioning auto part, please consider contacting an Oakland personal injury lawyer.

Posted on: 03-26-2012
Posted in: car technology, product liability, Product Recall, Safety
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