Long Beach Personal Injury Lawyer - Trucking Accidents

Dublin Trucking Accident Causes Backup

Shannon Weidemann — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 12:53:22 GMT

A trucking accident on the Interstate 580 Connector to 680 caused a massive traffic backup all over the area. A truck that was first thought to be carrying hazardous materials overturned in Dublin yesterday morning. Traffic had to be rerouted onto surface streets while the scene was cleaned up.

The crash occurred on northbound I-680 near the connection at eastbound I-580 around 7:40 a.m., sending plastic containers into all lanes of traffic. The CHP is also reporting that the three left lanes of I-680 near the scene are blocked.
A shelter-in-place was called in Dublin at 8:19 a.m. by the Alameda County Fire Chief, because of the spill, but it was lifted about 10 minutes later, said Dublin police Lt. Glenn Moon.
"There is no health risk at this time," said Dublin City Manager Richard Ambrose.

Traffic in the area meant many emergency service personnel had to help with getting traffic flowing. It is unknown what caused the accident and the California Highway Patrol is investigating.

If you would like to read more about Trucking accidents, please visit InjuryBoard's Truck Accident information page.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Shannon Weidemann

Frozen Food Truck Crashes in Gilroy

Shannon Weidemann — Fri, 31 Aug 2007 12:40:39 GMT

A trucking accident in Gilroy closed down Highway 152 this week. The semi-truck was loaded with frozen food when it went off the road and drove into a telephone pole.

California Highway Patrol dispatchers received the first reports of the crash around 5 a.m. As they worked to remove the big rig, officers closed the highway in both eastbound and westbound directions this morning. As of 10:20, traffic going west was allowed to use the road.
Officials expect to block eastbound traffic near the accident - close to the Santa Clara County line east of Gilroy - until at least noon, according to dispatchers.

The driver of the truck was not hurt and no one else was involved in the accident. The accident disrupted the school bus route and some children were not picked up before school

For more information on this subject, please refer to the section on Car and Motorcycle Accidents.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Shannon Weidemann

Michigan Trucking Company Cited for 15 Safety Violations

Shannon Weidemann — Thu, 02 Aug 2007 12:54:21 GMT

A trucking accident in May killed 3 children and the company that employed the driver has been cited for 15 safety violations by the U.S. Department of Transportation. The accident happened in Mission Viejo on Interstate 5. K.W. Express is based in Michigan.

About two weeks after the crash, the carrier safety administration informed the general manager of K.W. Express that his company did not have adequate safety management controls "to ensure compliance with the safety fitness standard" and was "operating at an unacceptable level of compliance."
The company had allowed five drivers to take the wheel before the results of their drug screenings were turned in, and there was no written policy regarding substance abuse, DeBruyne said. Logs kept by drivers on where and how far they had traveled were not consistent with those kept by the company, he said.

The one violation relating to the case was that the company did not give the driver a drug and alcohol test after the accident. The company will not be contesting the violations and has stated that all counts have been remedied.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Shannon Weidemann

No Criminal Charges in Fatal Truck Accident

IB Contributor — Wed, 04 Jul 2007 06:31:09 GMT

Truck accident takes eight lives.

We underestimate the power of distraction. The gadgets that we feel compelled to carry around with us - the mobile phones, iPhones, BlackBerries and Palm Pilots -- can cost lives if we are not conscience of when we use them.

Take for instance this truck driver who tried to recharge his cell phone as he was driving on an Indiana toll road. He rammed right into stopped traffic, killing eight people, according to an news report posted on MSNBC's. But Elkhart County prosecutors have decided not to slap criminal charges on 32-year-old Leonardo Cooksey, although they have no doubts that he was negligent in his actions.

"Inadvertence alone, while an indication of negligent conduct, does not rise to the level of criminal liability, notwithstanding a catastrophic result," Prosecutor Curtis T. Hill Jr. told reporters. Cooksey, an Illinois resident, was traveling 62 mph in a 65 mph zone at the time of the crash. Investigators determined that Cooksey was not under the influence of alcohol or drugs and had been on the road for less than three hours before the accident happened. State investigators also found that he tried to apply the brakes before he rammed into traffic, which was snarled on the toll road because of another crash that had occurred hours earlier near a construction site, the article said.

Two vehicles were crushed beyond recognition after the crash. Five out of six people in a pickup truck that was struck died. Two others in a Jeep Cherokee were also killed as was the driver of another pickup truck that went off the road. Victims' family members are understandably angry at the outcome of the case. Cooksey's truck was registered to New England Motor Freight of Elizabeth, N.J., the news report said.

As I write this a combination of sadness, despair and anger comes over me. This is another one of those situations that no one can fix. It isn't a broken arm that a skilled doctor can repair and the body will heal. It isn't simply a totaled car that can be replaced. It is mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers and children that have been lost. There is no adequate way to fix the problems, replace what has been lost or compensate the victims.

Without our system of laws and judicial system, I could see the families of the victims lynching the driver. No, I am not advocating such barbaric actions. It's just something has to be done to hold this driver, Leonardo Cooksey, and his employer, New England Motor Freight of Elizabeth, N.J., accountable for the harm they have inflicted. How can a professional truck driver allow himself to get distracted when he's driving a humongous vehicle and then strike and kill eight people? Certainly our justice system will hold him accountable? Based upon this news story, it sounds like there will be no criminal charges.....that makes me angry and I don't even know these people.

There are many skilled and caring personal injury attorneys that the families will be able to turn to for guidance, representation and to hold the responsible parties accountable. At least the driver was on the job and driving a commercial vehicle, which means that their should be enough insurance and assets to at least partially compensate the victims financially. If this accident had been caused by a non-commercial vehicle, the families of these accident victims most likely would not have any chance at significant compensation. Generally, non-commercial vehicles do not care enough insurance to adequately compensate victims in a situation like this. We see it every day.

If I had been contacted by the family members of the people killed in this incident, one of the first things I would do would be to check out the company that owned the truck, New England Motor Freight of Elizabeth, N.J. I would at least have some good news for the families of the victims. The company certainly appears to be big enough to have enough assets to fairly compensate all of the victims and pay for all the damages caused by their negligent driver. See their website at http://www.nemf.com.

As personal injury attorneys, we see how injuries devastate families and lives, every day. We know the pain and suffering our clients go through, the shattered lives and the lost dreams. We're honored to be able to do what we can and use our knowledge and expertise to help put our clients' lives back together, while enduring the constant attacks by "tort deformers" and politicians trying to protect wrongdoers from being held accountable by attacking our work, our profession, our laws and our justice system.

The best personal injury lawyers will provide a free, confidential consultation to anyone who has been injured or lost a family member. Do not hesitate to call on us or any personal injury expert law firm across the country for assistance after an accident. Although survivors are dealing with a lot, getting a legal team on board early can make a huge difference in the end.

The New England Motor Freight of Elizabeth, N.J. already has their attorneys and investigators working this accident. They are doing whatever they can to protect themselves. If you were injured in this accident or lost a loved one to it, get a free consultation with an expert personal injury firm immediately. Our prayers and our hearts go out to the victims, all of them.

For more information on this subject, please refer to our section on Tractor-Trailer Accidents.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by IB Contributor

Long Beach Freeway Accident Kills Two People

Shannon Weidemann — Mon, 14 May 2007 11:51:01 GMT

Four people from Long Beach were heading to Bakersfield to mourn a family member who was killed in a car accident, when they were also involved in a car and truck accident. Two of the passengers in the car were killed when they were crushed by a semi-truck. The accident happened on the Long Beach Freeway.

The crash is believed to have occurred when a tractor-trailer swerved to miss a speeding Ford 150 pickup truck and a white Mustang convertible on the freeway in South Gate, Officer Bill Preciado of the California Highway Patrol told the Press-Telegram.
The drivers of the two cars may have been driving recklessly prior to the collision, officials said. Police arrested the driver of the Ford 150 truck

The driver of the Ford truck has been charged with 2 counts of vehicular manslaughter and one count of felony hit and run. The driver of the Mustang has not been found.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Shannon Weidemann

Big Rig Accident Kills Two

IB Contributor — Tue, 01 May 2007 11:37:06 GMT

Three more critically injured in Long Beach multi-vehicle truck accident.

Three big rigs were involved in a double fatality accident on the 710 Freeway (Long Beach Freeway) Monday afternoon according to the Los Angeles Times. The accident included a two-axle box truck and a red Nissan compact carrying four passengers. The two fatalities were in the Nissan. Three others were critically injured.

According to the spokesman for the California Highway Patrol in East Los Angeles, Bill Preciado, investigators determined late Monday that the crash was caused by a speeding Ford pickup and a Mustang convertible.

The driver of the Mustang is being sought by authorities. Armando Casares, 35, of Long Beach, the driver of the pickup truck, was arrested and being held on two counts of gross vehicular manslaughter, reckless driving and hit-and-run, all felonies, Preciado said.

This may turn out to be one of those situations where the "at fault" drivers are not found and/or not insured. So what do you do if you one of the injured or the family of one of the deceased and the at fault drivers are either not found and/or not insured? These are my suggestions in a situation like this:
(1) If the involved truck drivers were some how at fault, they could be looked to for compensation. If any of the truck drivers are partially or arguably, at fault, a skilled personal injury attorney will be able to recovery compensation for the injured parties and the families of the deceased victims from the employers of the truck drivers.
(2) If the truck drivers have zero responsibility, then the attorneys for the injured parties will look for uninsured/underinsured coverage either on the vehicle the killed or injured were in or on their own auto insurance policy (even if their vehicle was not involved). This is another area where a skilled personal injury attorney will know where to find insurance coverage.
(3) Another area of possible compensation is an analysis of the accident itself. Was there any freeway design or maintenance issues that contributed to the accident. If so, there may be a case against CalTrans or a CalTrans contractor. Not many law firms are experienced in highway design, defect or maintenance issues but there are a few (of course we are one of them). Keep in mind that such a claim must be properly filed within 180 days of the accident.
(4) Lastly, the victims of this accident may very well have a claim against the California Victims of Violent Crime Fund.

If the involved truck drivers are not at fault and the driver of the Nissan, the pickup or the Mustang are either at fault, partially at fault or arguably at fault, then the drivers will have a claim against those drivers and their employers, if they were on the job at the time. The truck drivers will also have a claim against their workers' compensation insurance regardless of who is at fault. Again, skilled attorneys will be best to advise the injured of their rights both for a workers compensation claim and/or a third party claim.

Call me for assistance if you have been involved in an accident. Consultations are free.

This accident shows the need to maintain relatively high "uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage" on your auto insurance policy. Discuss this subject with your auto insurance broker. I suggest carrying a very high limit. It isn't very expensive. You never know when a negligent driver is going to put your life and income in jeopardy.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by IB Contributor

Semi-Truck Accident Closes Capitol City Freeway

Shannon Weidemann — Sun, 01 Apr 2007 12:24:49 GMT

A semi-truck driver going too fast around a curve flipped his trailer onto it's side and strewing the load of corn he was hauling all over the road. The accident happened just outside of Sacramento on the Capitol City Freeway at the Marconi curve. The accident happened around 3 a.m.

A few minutes before the wreck, the truck driver had been reported by fellow motorists for reckless driving, Sgt. Ryan Houdeshell said. Witnesses reported the truck was going 90 to 100 mph, Houdeshell said, far too fast for the road.
The wreck blocked two of the three westbound lanes for several hours, and all lanes were shut down in both directions from around 4:30 a.m. until nearly 8 a.m.

The driver of the truck was taken to the hospital for his injuries. No one else was injured. The California Highway Patrol is still investigating the accident.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Shannon Weidemann

Peoria Man Killed by Passenger Train

Shannon Weidemann — Mon, 05 Mar 2007 18:51:37 GMT

A 20-year-old man from Peoria was killed in a railroad accident in Monmouth on Friday. He was struck by a passenger train in front of the Monmouth Public Safety Building at a railroad crossing.

One woman witnessed the tragic accident and ran to the nearby police station to report a pedestrian was just struck by a train.
The woman said it appeared the pedestrian did not realize the eastbound train was coming. A freight train went by just before the passenger train arrived.
" I saw everything, a man on the sidewalk was waiting for a freight train to pass, once it passed the man proceeded to cross the tracks and walked into the path of another train where he was struck," the witness stated.

Lack of visibility at the train crossing due to the surrounding buildings may be part of the reason for the accident. The Monmouth Police Department is investigating the accident.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Shannon Weidemann

Long Beach Tanker Truck Accident

IB Contributor — Mon, 19 Feb 2007 19:35:33 GMT

Jackknifed truck closes 710 freeway.

The Long Beach 710 freeway is notorious for truck accidents, but if you were in the northbound lanes of the 710 the morning hours of February 17th, you already know about this accident.

A gas tanker truck jackknifed and collided with the center divider and was then hit by a Jeep. The accident closed the freeway for over six hours . While no official cause has been reported, the tanker truck driver said he was forced to make a lane change to avoid another driver who pulled in front of him. This, according to the California Highway Patrol as reported by the Long Beach Press Telegram.

Although only one person was injured in this collision, historically collisions involving big rigs and passenger vehicles experience a high rate of fatalities. The National Highway Transportation and Safety Administration indicate that speeds in excess of 55, poor weather and curved roads significantly increase the odds of a jackknife when a big rig is involved. Demands on big rig drivers to meet rigid schedules and fatigue are also cited as contributing factors int trucking accidents on our highways. Drugs have also been cited as a contributing to the danger of sharing the road with big rigs on our highways. Last summer, in Oceanside, a 33-year old truck driver was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of drugs when he drifted off the road, collided with a steel guardrail and burst into flames.

It is a foregone conclusion that for now passenger vehicles and big rigs will have to share the highways and Washington State has even gone so far as to spend big bucks on a campaign to educate drivers as to how and when to pass a big rig, even giving out citations to those drivers who violate the safety rules. I might benefit from such a course.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by IB Contributor

Trucking Accident Closes Long Beach Freeway

Christina Cole — Wed, 24 Jan 2007 00:37:47 GMT

On Wednesday morning, a burning jackknifed big rig was found abandoned on Long Beach Freeway, causing the closure of all the southbound lanes for over six hours, said authorities.

The truck was found next to Del Amo Blvd at 2am, said California Highway Patrol Officer David Porter. The trucked had crashed with a passenger car, according to accident reports from the scene.

When authorities arrived on the scene, the truck driver was missing, said Porter. A search was constructed and area hospitals were contacted in an effort to find him.

All southbound lanes of the Freeway were blocked until 8:20am when two of four lanes were reopened, said CHP Officer Francisco Villalobos.
The truck had been transporting products for Costco Wholesale Corp., Porter said.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Christina Cole