California’s revolutionary paid ride-sharing Uber is facing one of its first serious legal problems after the death of a 6-year-old girl. Relatives of that victim – who died when she was struck by an Uber driver – are seeking financial compensation for wrongful death. Those relatives argue that the driver was an active Uber employee at the time of the San Francisco car crash, as he was waiting to receive a ride request.

Uber is a paid ride-sharing system that connects private drivers with those who need rides. The company takes a percentage of each ride paid through the computer system. Uber argues that the driver was not actively working at the time of the car collision, as he was not carrying a passenger.

The accident occurred at 8 p.m. on New Year’s Day, when the driver failed to yield to pedestrians in a crosswalk. The decedent was walking with her mother and brother. He is facing criminal charges of failure to yield to pedestrians, along with vehicular manslaughter, though those charges have not yet been levied. The girl’s brother and mother also suffered serious injury in the car collision.

A variety of factors will play into this wrongful death case, as Uber is accused of violating regulations throughout the state. The app requires drivers to use touch-dependent options on their smartphones to accept rides. That required illegal use of cell phones behind the wheel may prove problematic when Uber attempts to defend its case in court.

No matter the reason for the crash, the child in this case did not deserve to die at he hands of a distracted driver or negligent driver. Victims of such vehicle accidents may benefit from consulting a qualified personal injury attorney in California, who can help them learn more about their legal rights and responsibilities.

Source: San Francisco Chronicle, “Uber sued over girl’s death in S.F.” Kale Williams and Kurtis Alexander, Jan. 28, 2014

It’s an unfortunate reality that getting behind the wheel often means you’re taking your life into your hands. No matter how safe you might be on the roads, you are still at the mercy of other drivers. Many people unfortunately might not take safety as seriously as you do.

When encounters with these types of drivers occur, the results can vary from a minor inconvenience to a complete disaster. If you become an accident victim because of the reckless acts of another, you are within your rights to seek financial relief for damages and injuries you received.

Several people might currently be weighing their options after an accident on I-80 resulted in a man facing several charges. The incident began when a man driving a Kia Optima attempted to pass two other cars. He lost control of his vehicle and veered into a Dodge Ram. The collision caused debris to enter the air, some of which struck another vehicle, a Mitsubishi Galant.

The Kia driver was allegedly uncooperative and combative to emergency crews that responded to the accident. When law enforcement arrived on the scene, they performed DUI testing and found the driver of the Kia to be under the influence of alcohol. He was arrested and charged with felony DUI, resisting arrest and driving with a suspended license.

The vehicles involved in the accident received moderate damage, and one of the drivers was injured. If they so choose, those who suffered losses and injuries in the accident can seek damages for vehicle repairs, medical bills or other expenses directly related to the accident. A legal professional can assist anyone in this position to determine if seeking financial relief is the ideal solution for their particular situation.

Source: Daily Democrat, “I-80 traffic accident leads to DUI arrest after driver fights with firefighters” No author given, Jan. 21, 2014

Anybody who has traveled the roadways of California is well aware of the many accidents that take place on a daily basis. While most accidents are nothing more than minor fender benders, some result in serious injury or even death.

A man accused of causing a freeway pileup that killed three people has pled not guilty to felony charges, including gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated.

After hearing the details regarding the case from a prosecutor, the judge set bail at $2 million for the 25-year-old man. He was arrested following the accident, at a hospital where he was being treated for injuries.

According to reports, the man, along with five friends, were drinking at a friend’s house before heading to a local bar. Despite being told by a server that they should not drive, the group left and headed for another establishment.

The crash occurred at approximately 11:15 p.m. on the Interstate 805 north ramp heading toward Route 52. The man’s car left the road, went up an embankment, and rolled over several times. From there, it hit a pillar and rolled back into traffic, where it was hit by another car. California Highway Patrol noted that two other vehicles were also crashed into as a result of the accident.

Four of the five people in the car were ejected, with two of them being killed.

A car accident like this can impact many people profoundly, including those who were involved as well as their families. With the assistance of a personal injury attorney, some of the victims may be able to receive compensation as a result of the accident.

Source: U-T San Diego, “Man pleads not guilty in triple-fatal crash” Dana Littlefield, Jan. 15, 2014

Santa Rosa, like many cities in California, uses red light cameras to discipline drivers that run red lights. However, for every city that adds the cameras, it seems that another city will discontinue their use. The benefit of red light cameras still seems to be up for debate.

Although the objective of the cameras is to prevent car accidents, in some cases, accidents have actually increased. Rear-end collisions have increased dramatically in some cities. For example, Walnut saw an 80 percent increase in rear-end collisions, mainly caused by people who stop abruptly to avoid running a red light. Although it is true that a rear-end accident is often less traumatic than a broadside accident, severe injuries can still occur in a rear-end collision.

Some cities have tried to counteract this by lengthening the yellow light so there is more time to get through a light before it turns red. Other cities that were disappointed by the data being released have uninstalled the cameras entirely. As the cameras remain in use in various cities and more data is compiled, more cities will find themselves in the position of having to decide if the cameras meet their intended objectives.

Whether an accident is caused by someone running a red light, stopping suddenly to avoid running one or some other circumstance, those who are victims of accidents have the right to seek compensation for their injuries and material losses. Victims can pursue financial compensation for medical bills, lost wages and other expenses directly related to the accident. A legal professional experienced in handling accidents can help anyone considering taking this course of action determine if a lawsuit is the best solution.

Source: San Gabriel Sun Tribune, “Walnut extends red-light cameras three months, wants more information” Steve Scauzillo, Jan. 09, 2014

A California woman has filed a civil suit against a physician who she said caused her to be addicted to prescription drugs. The doctor, known as the “Candy Man” in the Santa Barbara area, is accused of physician malpractice in the suit, which was filed after the man was arrested on federal drug trafficking allegations. News reports show that the woman is also seeking financial compensation from several drug stores in the area that failed to police her prescription activity.

The plaintiff claims that her doctor insisted that she comply with a dangerous, addictive pain-management plan that involved continually increasing her dosages. The woman subsequently suffered serious drug addiction, which caused her to seek drugs and use them inappropriately. Not only did the woman fall down a flight of stairs while under the influence of the medication, but she also was required to go through hospitalization and rehabilitation treatments because of her prescription drug dependency. She is seeking compensation for medical malpractice, claiming serious emotional suffering and physical distress because of the doctor’s poor decisions.

Authorities say that the doctor’s practice of over-prescribing to his patients led to at least 11 deaths from overdose. The most recent victim died after he was prescribed more than 2,000 pain pills during the six weeks before his demise. Further, that physician is accused of trading prescription drugs for sex. He pleaded guilty to federal charges in 2013, including illegally prescribing a narcotic and failure to secure his stock of controlled drugs.

Physicians are charged with maintaining the physical and emotional health of their patients. In this situation, it appears that the doctor was too focused on prescription abuse to be an effective healer. Patients who have suffered such abuse deserve financial compensation for their woes, since they put their trust in a professional who violated the ethics of the industry.

Source: UPI, “Malpractice suit accuses ‘Candy Man’ Dr. Julio Diaz of facilitating addiction and overdoses” Evan Bleier, Dec. 23, 2013