CA Truck Accident Attorney

Keeping a Child Safe!

2009-07-22T11:57:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday July 7, 2009 the children of Alison Le Anne Ebert were picked up by police from their home just past 4:45 a.m, after obviously being abandoned. An anonymous caller reported the abandoned children. After Ms. Ebert turned herself into the police her 9, 11, and 15 year old were taken by Orange County Children Protective Services.

She allegedly left her 9 and 11 year old at home alone Monday night at 6:00 p.m., and spent the evening “at a dude’s house smoking weed,” according to the Orange County Register. Not only were the children left alone but the house itself was unlivable and a mess. The floor had knee deep trash piles, maggots, and overflowing toilets, leaving it unsanitary. The house was so poorly maintained and filthy, the drywall and the flooring have to be replaced.

Police believe that Ms. Ebert is a single mother with no father figure for her children. She was arrested on suspicion of child neglect but has now been released on her own recognizance until she is due in court on August 2, 2009.

It is shocking that this mother would think that it was acceptable to leave her children for her own personal gratification, and believe that her children should not or would not be taken away from her for such conduct. Thankfully the anonymous tip to the police protected the children from serious injury, death or other consequences of abandonment.

Ms. Ebert, and others like her, will eventually be stripped of the privilege of taking care of their children, however, not without damage to these children that may become permanent. I want to thank the anonymous tipster for standing up for what was right. I hope all in our community will take a more active role in reporting abuse early and quickly.

Devonie Migues is an intern with Allen, Flatt, Ballidis & Leslie, a law firm specializing in rights of those involved in accidents and injuries in Orange County California.

Motorcycle accident victim is hit by hit and run driver and without witness help, the perpetrator will likely not be found.

2009-07-17T12:30:00.000-07:00

Mark Montgomery died doing what he loved in life—riding on his Harley Davidson motorcycle. An avid rider since 1974, he loved life and rode his motorcycle throughout Orange County every chance he could.

Montgomery was driving west on Garfield Ave at Edwards Street when a gold colored sedan turned north onto Edwards directly in front of him. They collided at around 5:20pm and he experienced severe trauma. He was immediately rushed to Huntington Beach Memorial hospital where he later died. Vehicle drivers simply do not see motorcyclists when turning left, because they are use to looking only for massive cars and as a result, they cause these senseless accidents.

The police are continuing the investigation and if you witnessed this accident on June 26, 2009, you are urged to call 714-536-5661. His wife of 36 years said his greatest passion was sharing experiences with her and seeking a
adventure. They were true free spirits that traveled the world and enjoyed life.

Motorcycle accidents are hard on you and your family. We talk to and help at least 3 motorcycle accident victims a month with settlements or compensation for your injuries. It takes a special attorney to represent you and your family, and that does not mean simply a lawyer that claims he rides motorcycles. see our Orange County Motorcycle accident web site for specifics on our cases and experience. You need an attorney that has helped hundreds before you and we want every client to be able to rise above, not just survive an accident. Need help? Contact us at 1 888 752-7474, it is always free to inquire. We at Allen, Flatt, Ballidis and Leslie have served the Orange County community since 1974.

Do you think 55 million is too much for a young girl rendered a quadriplegic in an accident?

2009-07-10T12:08:00.000-07:00

In the largest personal injury award in Orange County’s history, the Gutierrez family was awarded $55 million dollars from the U.S. Government for medical bills and damages.
The accident happened over seven years ago near Orange County’s John Wayne airport. 7 years is an extraordinary period of time for a case to be completed.

It was at the airport location that Michael Leinert, then an employee of the Department of Defense was traveling on business when he ran a red light. Subsequently he broadsided the Gutierrez’s Chevrolet Suburban causing it to hit a light pole and flip over.

The accident left their four year daughter, Leilani, a ventilator-dependent quadriplegic for most of a year. Leilani is now 11 years old and is very bright and articulate. Fortunately she sustained no brain damage but her cervical spinal cord was severely damaged. Since the accident, this young girl has had to undergo 24 surgeries and over 275 days of hospitalization for her numerous injuries.

Some might think this award is not justified, but consider this. An average day of hospitalization is about $25,000. Additional charges are assessed for quadriplegics as they require so much more care. Imagine being 4 years old and on a ventilator for a year. The life expectancy of a person in this position is also significantly shortened, in her case by about 1/2. What is not told to the public is the likely costs each month that the family and friends have had to share for medicine, accommodations for travel and medical care, the nursing and daily care required. If this was a private accident, caused by an uninsured drunk driver, the story would be a lot different, and believe me the costs would be paid by you and me in the form of government aid, totaling over this nice young woman's life time, more than 55 million dollars.

I am glad that the jury found the way to compensate this woman that made sense for all of us. Congratulations to the family and attorney handing this case for a job well done, and the stamina to endure a fair result.

suzanne Leslie is a personal injury trial attorney practicing in Orange County California for over 25 years.

Drugged lady causes personal injury to accident victim in Tustin California

2009-07-10T12:05:00.000-07:00

In the heart of Orange County, two vehicles crashed near the Tustin Street and Mayfair Avenue’s intersection in Orange, leaving one women injured and the other being arrested for suspicion of drugged driving.

According to Orange police officer, Sgt. Dan Adams, the Toyota 4Runner rear-ended a silver Saturn sedan. The accident caused the Saturn to flip over. The Saturn driver, visibly shaken was still in shock when being interviewed by the police. One minute she was driving to her favorite thrift store, the next thing she knew she was upside down. She complained of spinal and hip pain but it was unclear how bad her injuries were. In many traumatic cases, injuries can appear days to weeks after a serious accident.

The driver of the Toyota was given a field sobriety test and was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of drugs.

If you have been injured in a car accident, hire a professional personal injury attorney that can handle the case for you. Let the lawyers handle the paperwork while you recover.

Can money ever replace the person killed by the negligence of another?

2009-07-02T09:31:00.000-07:00

Imagine that your husband went to work, and was inspecting a bridge, when he fell through a separation in the bridge to his death. You then learn that this is not the only death on this bridge from this gap. Would you be outraged? Would you seek compensation? Remember, you have no income and no future with your lost husband, suddenly taken from you by a danger that City officials knew existed and did nothing about.

This is the story of Gregory Wolters, a California resident that fell from the Rancho Santa Margarita bridge to his death in 2006 while inspecting it. As it turned out, during subsequent litigation brought by his widow, it was learned that the City actually knew of the danger from previous incidents, and did nothing to prevent this from occurring.

The case was settled recently, but I assure you that settlement did not compensate for Ms. Wolter's loss. Not only did she lose her husband's income, but his love, companionship, future plans and retirement options. Money simply does not replace this loss, despite the ardent tort reformist arguments. Nor does it sit well with me that people constantly complain that we are 'sue happy" in this country. The truth is that the City of Rancho Santa Margarita refused to acknowledge any responsibility and did not disclose their knowledge of the prior fall and danger until litigation was commenced and discovery undertaken.

Until entities and people start accepting responsibility for their negligence early in the claim process, we will have to continue to file suit and litigate to get to the truth of an accident or wrongful death.

Suzanne Leslie is with Allen, Flatt, Ballidis & leslie and a practicing personal injury lawyer in California for over 25 years.

Blow a kiss to your mom and lose your diploma? What a bad admin decision.

2009-06-16T20:36:00.000-07:00

From Maine, a reported story has hit the web with a storm. A young grad goes on stage to earn his diploma and blows a kiss to his family. Immediately outraged by such behavior, the administrator orders the student off stage without a diploma. Gone are the photos, the joy, the experience of receiving the graduation diploma in that moment.

Did you know that California has high school drop out rate of 50% in Los Angeles county. We should be happy for the young man and let him enjoy the success. Imagine a victory on the golf course or basketball court and not being able to show any emotion. What a stupid administrative decision. The school's justification was that several years ago they had students spray the stage with silly string. Wow what a bunch of hooligans. I bet those same administrators did much the same thing when they were young.

In a world of tragedy, difficulty and trouble, we need to laugh at those little spontaneous moments that do not cause injury, damage or interrupt the enjoyment of others in the affair. I cannot imagine any parent was frustrated by the kiss that robbed this boy of a great experience.

Defective Coleman heater causes severe burns to Orange County family and uses a burn injury attorney to recover damages!

2009-06-05T09:57:00.000-07:00

The family of a nine year old Trevor Dennis, who was severely burned as his family used a Coleman propane heater, has continued a fight against the manufacturer of the faulty propane heater that caused severe burns to their child.

When the Dennis family purchased the product, the packaging had a picture of a mom holding a baby on her lap and the box stated that it was safe for home use. However, when the family was on a camping trip in their trailer, they used their new propane heater when it malfunctioned. Their trailer burst into flames and the boy, Trevor Dennis sustained serious personal injuries with burns over much of his body. He will need extensive medical care in the future.

The Coleman Company has since repackaged their propane heater with new pictures on the box and without the words that it could be used indoors. This week a California Appeals court will decide whether Coleman knowingly violated a California Statute on indoor heaters.

If you have been injured by a defective product, you need a skilled personal injury lawyer on your side. Contact Allen, Flatt, Ballidis and Leslie for a comprehensive evaluation of your case and an explanation of your rights.

Injury accidents are down in California cities and on freeways, but 78% of all California accidents are caused by five basic factors.

2009-05-20T09:23:00.000-07:00

The majority of injury crashes and wrongful deaths here in Orange County are the result of 5 type’s of accidents. According to a recent report from the California Office of Traffic Safety, the deadliest traffic habits are unsafe speeds, failure to yield right-of-way; improper turning, running a red light and driving under the influence. They represent 78% of Orange County collisions in 2008.

Although state and county wide traffic collisions are down significantly from 2000, drivers are still in too many preventable accidents. In addition to OC road accidents, data confirms a huge percentage drop in freeway accidents and deaths as well. Better local training, cars with additional airbags, better seat belt usage are all factors in lower accident rates.

However, if you are one of the unfortunate drivers that have been in an accident, you know you are not just a statistic. An accident causes spinal injury, pain, suffering, car repairs, lost work and possible loss of mobility and quality of life. Call a a California personal injury attorney soon as you are able to assist you through the maze of insurance paper work.

Truck driver does not see cyclist along side of truck and causes death. Seattle company pays millions.

2009-04-29T13:38:00.000-07:00

A construction company in Seattle agreed to settle a case involving their truck, when it struck and killed bicyclist giving rise to a wrongful death claim. Although the settlement is confidential, it is likely in the Millions of dollars.

It is not infrequent that bicyclists are injured or killed from trucks on the road. One such incident with our firm settled for a substantial sum when an Ironman triathlon competitor was struck and injured severely.

Trucks do not see cars or cyclists while the driver is making right turns. The driver frequently does not look for, or cannot see cars or cyclists approaching between their truck and the curb line. As a result, the injuries that occur are immediate and devastating. Fortunately for this victim, and for our client, a Competent personal injury attorney assisted the families.

More programs are needed to increase truck driver awareness. Additionally, with modern technology, a device that warns the driver would be in order. Given the injury and death that occurs, it would be a small price to pay to prevent most of these types of accidents.

Allen, Flatt, Ballidis & Leslie is devoted to car and truck accident victims. We are also a California truck injury attorney firm, and work with injury victims to represent their rights. All consultations are of course free.

TWO YOUNG TEENS DIE IN UNNECESSARY CRASH

2009-04-22T14:44:00.000-07:00

Friends and family gathered last week at two popular Orange County churches to say good bye to Zachary Rafferty and Mark Motley, two teen friends who loved life but died unfortunately way too soon.

The car they were driving smashed head-on into a tree, killing them both instantly. Although the California Highway Patrol has not finished their investigation, speed and inexperience may play a part in this deadly crash. In addition, Live Oak Canyon, is known to this California Personal Injury Attorney for its winding, narrow roads has been the scene of far too many deadly accidents during the past few years.

Sometimes rural roads are not maintained as well as larger more public roads and this can cause accidents. Was it partly at fault in this case? We’ll have to wait for the final investigator’s report or it is hoped the family will obtain an attorney to conduct their own review. Officer's try to do a good job but some officers are biased and sometimes they do not have enough experience to complete an investigation.

Have you experienced an accident while traveling on rural, country road? It’s important to discuss the facts of your accident with an experienced California accident attorney to get answers to all the puzzling questions that may give rise to an accident. They can explain your rights and discuss any further options that you might have.

RIALTO RESIDENT KILLED WHILE CHANGING A TIRE BY A PASSING TRUCK. DOES THE TRUCK DRIVER HAVE INSURANCE?

2009-04-21T11:17:00.000-07:00

Rialto resident Jose Castellanos, was killed on April 18, 2009 according to the Orange County Register. Mr. Castellanos was trying to change a tire on his vehicle when struck by a passing truck. Castellanos reportedly died at the scene.

Truck drivers are required to demonstrate a higher level of vigilance because their vehicles are so deadly when involved in an accident. Truck accidents account for many fatalities on our Southern California Roads.

When a truck driver notices a stranded motorist along the side of the road, he or she must take precautions not to strike that car says Orange County Truck Accident Attorney James Ballidis. "Truck drivers must recognize that they are a danger to motorists on the side of the road. High speeds, width and the mass of these vehicles dictate that they remain very aware of possible injury to stranded motorists and move to the left most part of the lane in the event they must negotiate such a vehicle".

Truck accidents are increasing in Southern California because of congestion and narrow roadway surfaces. In a CHP study two years ago, the number of deaths increased to 175 on our roadways with trucks causing a significant number of those deaths.

To add insult to this wrongful death, there has been a noted increase in the number of trucking companies that claim that the driver was an independent contractor and therefore not their responsibility to insure. It is unclear in this accident whether that is a contention. Laws were enacted to prevent truck companies from shirking their responsibility but enforcement is difficult. "The best thing a family can do is consult with a competant personal injury attorney or truck accident attorney" says Attorney Ballidis. Otherwise the family may suffer from financial ruin in addition to the loss of their loved one.

To make our roads safe, we must make sure that those that use them carry reasonable insurance and also that large carriers train their drivers, and remind them routinely of the dangers they pose on our roads.