Northern California Accident Attorney Blog

ALAMEDA COUNTY - The San Francisco Chronicle reported Tuesday that a 51-year-old man was struck and killed by an SUV at an Oakland intersection. The man, whose name was not released, was hit about 9:50 p.m. Monday at 78th and Bancroft avenue. The woman driving the sport utility vehicle stopped after the collision. Authorities are currently investigating this bicycle accident.

The information provided by news reports gives no clear indication as to what happened and why. Therefore, it is impossible to determine who is at fault for this devastating and fatal April 9th collision. However, if evidence and/or witness statements allow police to conclude that the accident was due to negligence of the driver, the family may be entitled to compensation.

Thus, following a tragic situation such as this one, the family of the victim would be well-advised to speak to a compassionate Oakland personal injury lawyer regarding their rights in a wrongful death claim. A Northern California bicycle accident attorney who is an avid cyclist and knows the dangers bicyclists encounter, can ensure the family's legal rights are protected and decide the best course of action in recovering the maximum compensation for their unexpected loss.

Continue reading "Oakland Man on Bike Struck and Killed by SUV" »

ALAMEDA COUNTY -- California Highway Patrol is currently investigating a horrendous crash involving two vehicles and a fallen tree along an Oakland Highway. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, the crash was reported at 4:21 a.m. Thursday when a Toyota Camry carrying four people slammed into a 40 feet tall tree that fell across the lanes of southbound Highway 13, near the Park Boulevard off-ramp.

After the crash, the occupants got out of the vehicle and walked to the shoulder of the road. While the occupants were on the side of the road, a Ford F-150 struck the tree and went airborne, hitting and killing the 18-year-old driver of the Camry. The impact of the collision between the tree and the truck, caused part of the tree up an embankment and trapping a woman who was a passenger in the other vehicle. Firefighters at the scene used chainsaws to extricate the woman, where she was then taken to hospital with unspecified injuries.

Three other people - the driver of the truck and two other passengers in the Camry - were taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. No names were released regarding the individuals involved in this fatal incident.

Oakland Accident Injury and Wrongful Death Liability

Based on the information provided by news reports, it is not immediately evident who may be at fault and financially liable in this March 15th accident. Therefore, in unique and complex situations such as this one, the injured victims and the family of the deceased victim would be well-advised to speak to a knowledgeable and experienced Oakland personal injury lawyer regarding their legal rights in either a personal injury or wrongful death claim. A skilled attorney at Estey and Bomberger can help the victims and the family understand and protect their legal rights and ensure they recover the maximum compensation they are entitled to for their injuries or the tragic loss of a loved one.

Continue reading "Fallen Tree on Highway 13 Kills One and Injures Four in Oakland" »

ALAMEDA COUNTY -- Over a dozen of people were injured in an Oakland Amtrak train collision on Wednesday, San Jose Mercury News reports. According to Amtrak train spokesman Cliff Cole, one of the Amtrak trains carrying eight passengers struck another train carrying approximately 137 passengers. The accident was reported around 10 p.m. and occurred at the intersection of Webster Street and Embarcadero. Passengers onboard the trains indicated that the impact of the collision caused them to be jolted from their seats and onto the floor. Following this terrible train accident, roughly 18 passengers sustained minor injuries, however, a Hayward woman reported that her daughter suffered a broken arm and was sent to hospital.

Cause of the October 12th Amtrak Train Crash

Based on the information provided by news reports, it is unclear what caused this collision to occur and whether or not it could have been prevented. Therefore, authorities investigating the accident will try to determine why this Amtrak train accident happened and who is ultimately responsible.

Train Accident Personal Injury Liability

Railroad transportation is generally considered safe, however, accidents do happen. When two trains are involved in a collision, serious injuries and/or death to any individuals involved can be the result. Therefore, while the investigation of the collision is ongoing, victims or family members of the victims would be well-advised to speak to a California train accident lawyer. A skilled and competent attorney who has handled personal injury claims in incidents such as this one, can advise the victims of their legal rights, help the victims in efforts to determine who is officially responsible for the crash, and decide the best course of action to recover the maximum compensation for medical care expenses, lost wages, disfigurement, pain and suffering, and other damages relating to this horrible train accident.

Continue reading "18 Injured in Oakland Amtrak Train Collision" »

A man tragically died Sunday in a crash on Highway 24 in Oakland, the Contra Costa Times reported. The victim, identified by the Alameda County Sheriff's Office Coroner's Bureau as Daniel L. Thompson, 27, of Oakland, had been driving eastbound on Highway 24 at about 7:40 p.m. when he was involved in a collision with another vehicle near Martin Luther King Jr. Way. According to the California Highway Patrol, Thompson's van spun into a wall, and Thompson was ejected onto the roadway and died at the scene of the crash. A passenger in his vehicle was partially ejected. It is unclear how the other vehicle was involved, or if anyone else was injured.

Cause of the December 19th Crash

The CHP is the agency responsible for investigating this fatal December 19th accident. Based on the news reports in the Contra Costa Times, it is unclear what happened to cause this collision. At this point, there are more questions than answers as to what happened and why, and who was ultimately responsible for this tragic event. Hopefully, the investigating by the CHP will provide answers and understanding.

Wrongful Death Liability Issues

After any accident, there is always the question of what happened. Was the driver of the other vehicle responsible for this crash? After an accident such as this one, where the cause of a fatal collision is not clear, the family members of a victim may benefit from speaking to an experienced and knowledgeable northern California wrongful death lawyer about the crash, and the liability issues involved. If the accident was caused by the negligence of the driver of the other vehicle, or a dangerous road condition, or even a defect in the vehicle, the family members of the victim may be entitled to compensation for their loss, including funeral and burial expenses, lost earnings and benefits the decedent would have earned, and loss of love, care, affection and companionship.

Continue reading "Man Killed Sunday Night in Wreck on Highway 24 in Oakland" »

A 35-year-old Oakland man died Wednesday afternoon after an opening car door pushed him into the path of an Alameda-Contra Costa Transit Distric bus, KTVU News reported. The fatal accident occurred around 4:35 p.m. on MacArthur Boulevard, near Patterson Avenue in the Laurel neighborhood of Oakland. The victim was identified by the Alameda County Medical Examiner's Office as Erik Fitzpatrick, a 35-year-old Oakland resident.

According to the Contra Costa Times, Fitzpatrick had just gotten off the bus at MacArthur Boulevard and Loma Vista Avenue, near the Hollywood Video store, and retrieved his bike from the front rack of the bus. He was riding eastbound on MacArthur when he swerved to avoid the opening door of a black Chrysler Pacifica that was being opened by a 42-year-old Manteca woman. Fitzpatrick hit the car door, then bounced off it into the back of the bus, and was pinned underneath it. He was taken to a hospital, where he died.

None of the passengers on the bus were injured. The driver of the bus, a veteran with more than ten years of service, was taken for a standard alcohol and drug test following the collision. After the fatal crash, the driver of the Chrysler reportedly went and got her hair done. She was seen wearing a plastic cover over her hair while being interviewed by police. Officers remained in the area for about 3 hours after the crash. The incident is still under investigation.

Continue reading "Opening Car Door Knocks Cyclist Into Fatal Collision with AC Bus " »