Two men were killed on a Riverside County highway last week when their motorcycles collided head-on in the mountains southwest of Lake Elsinore.

The Sunday morning crash on September 17 forced officials to close the Ortega Highway (SR-74) between Riverside and Orange counties for nearly three hours. Driving conditions were good at the time, and the information available so far points to speed being the major factor in the crash.

It Only Takes One

Head-on collisions are perhaps the most terrifying kind of motor vehicle crash. Even the safest driver, who obeys all traffic laws, always stays at or below the speed limit, and drives with the best defensive practices, can’t always avoid them. They come out of nowhere, veering into oncoming traffic, crossing the yellow line, or even hurtling in the wrong direction down divided highways.

That seems to be what the evidence points to in this case. One of the bikers, a Buena Park man, was traveling westbound and operating safely when the other biker, a La Habra man traveling east, reportedly approached a curve at an unsafe speed. He reportedly crossed the double yellow line and struck the other vehicle head-on without warning. Both men died at the scene.

Second Crash, Third Fatality

This two-fatality crash on the Ortega Highway was tragic, but it was followed up with more bad news. The following day, another motorcyclist died on the same road in similar circumstances. He also drifted over the center line while traveling at an unsafe speed, striking a passenger car moving in the opposite direction. That marked the sixth fatality on that road in a month.

Riverside Motorcycle Accident Lawyer

Not all motorcycle wrecks are fatal: In one recent year, more than 12,000 riders were injured in motorcycle crashes in California and survived. But those who suffer injuries can face serious problems in the aftermath.

When you’ve been in a motorcycle crash caused by another driver, it’s vitally important that you enlist the aid of an experienced legal team to recover compensation that ensures that all of your immediate and long-term needs are met. Crashes can leave a victim with medical bills that go on for many years, as well as the added burden of lost wages and income.

The attorneys at Kohan & Bablove, Injury Attorneys have the experience you need and are ready to meet for a free consultation to discuss your case. Give us a call at 1-844-404-2400 or fill out the form below to see how we can help you.

A motorcyclist lost the lower part of a leg recently when a hit-and-run driver crashed into him after his motorcycle became disabled on I-15 in Lake Elsinore.

The victim, whose identity has not been released, was last reported in critical but stable condition. There were no witnesses to the crash, but California Highway Patrol (CHP) officers are still seeking information to identify the driver who fled the scene.

Engine Trouble Turns to Tragedy

The chain of events that led to the biker’s injury began around 11 p.m. on August 29, when his motorcycle had engine trouble. That much isn’t in doubt, but there have been conflicting reports of what happened next.

Initial reports suggested the biker may have still been on the bike when he was struck, but CHP stated that the man was trying to cross the highway on foot at the time of the crash. His reasons for doing this aren’t known, but there are numerous businesses in the area (near the Central Ave. interchange with I-15), at least one of which is open twenty-four hours, so he may have been seeking assistance.

Vehicle parts were collected at the scene, but it’s not clear whether this was debris from the car that struck him or if the motorcycle was also hit in the crash.

Best Efforts by Responders

Part of this story would sound like something out of a horror movie if it wasn’t so real and so tragic: Despite a search by police officers and paramedics, the victim’s leg could not be found along the dark road for more than six hours. There was no word on whether surgical reattachment was attempted or if the delay or crash damage ruled that out.

Days Later, Another Incident

Only a few days later, another motorcyclist was killed in a separate hit-and-run crash near the same Lake Elsinore interchange. Just before 7 p.m. on September 1, the driver of a passenger car struck and killed a biker and then attempted to flee on foot.

Justice for the slain biker might be more likely, at least so far—CHP caught up with that driver near the scene, and he’s reportedly being held on several very serious charges, with bail set at $1 million. Alcohol and drugs may have been factors in that crash.

Riverside County Motorcycle Accident Lawyer

Motorcycle operators are victims of crashes that cause injury and death at a rate much greater than what other motorists experience. But they shouldn’t suffer more or be compensated less than others, so when you’ve been hurt in a crash, you need to make sure you have a team on your side that will fight to win the resources you need for a full recovery.

The attorneys at Kohan & Bablove, Injury Attorneys have extensive experience with motorcycle accident law, and we offer a free consultation to every client. Give us a call today at 1-844-404-2400 or complete the online contact form at the bottom of the page.

A two-car crash in Stanton earlier this month led to the death of a pedestrian who was passing through the area in a wheelchair. The August 15 crash at the intersection of Beach Boulevard and Chapman began when the driver of one car struck a small SUV as both vehicles were moving south.

The driver of the first vehicle then lost control and veered onto the sidewalk and struck the sixty-three-year-old wheelchair-bound man. Two parked cars were also hit in the crash.

Pedestrians Always at Risk

It’s tempting to think that the damage and injury from car accidents and other motor vehicle crashes is limited to the involved vehicles and their occupants. Unfortunately, pedestrians and others outside vehicles (including bicyclists) are often victims of car crashes. Nationally, pedestrians have been accounting for an increasing share of all traffic fatalities. In 2015, pedestrians made up 15 percent of all crash victims.

In California, the numbers are significantly worse. Last year, 25 percent of crash fatalities were pedestrians. That was a decrease from the year before but still left 359 California pedestrians dead. Even with the state’s poor record, some places stand out as dangerous hotspots; as many as 44 percent of fatal crashes in Los Angeles involve pedestrians.

Wheelchairs on the Radar

This incident—a man in a wheelchair on a sidewalk being killed by a driver—might seem to be a fluke, but similar crashes happen more often than you might suspect. We’re aware of about ten such collisions nationwide just this summer.

More specifically, we’ve seen at least three other crashes into wheelchairs reported in California in less than a week. Last week, a man in Arroyo Grande and a woman in Sebastopol were seriously injured when each was struck while crossing the street. In Fresno, another man in a wheelchair was struck and left in critical condition; full details of that crash haven’t been made available.

Drivers of all vehicles should take note: Wheelchairs and motorized scooters are everywhere. When you spot one, act appropriately. They might take more time crossing the street, and just as with other vehicles and pedestrians, they might take unexpected actions, such as crossing between intersections or using the street because there is no sidewalk or the sidewalk is blocked.

Orange County Pedestrian Accident Lawyer

When you’ve been the victim in a pedestrian accident (whether on foot, in a wheelchair, or in any other circumstance), get in touch with the experienced team at Kohan & Bablove, Injury Attorneys.

Our attorneys understand how to approach pedestrian accident cases and have helped many clients receive compensation that ensures their medical expenses, lost income, and other costs after an injury will be covered.

Call 1-844-404-2400 or fill out the contact form below to schedule a free consultation.

Workplace injuries can happen anywhere, and a feature story in a California newspaper earlier this summer shows that workers at nonprofit organizations are not immune from on-the-job risks.

The story in the Sacramento Bee highlighted the danger that workers at nonprofits face—specifically those at Goodwill Industries, which has been cited for numerous safety violations by the state and fined a record amount after the tragic workplace death of a young employee last year.

Lack of Safety Highlighted

After an investigation into the September 2016 death of the worker (who was crushed by a piece of heavy equipment) Cal-OSHA, the state agency tasked with protecting and improving worker health and safety, slapped Goodwill with six violations, including one deemed “willful-serious” with potential criminal liability.

The violations included more than $106,000 in fines. In the past ten years, the Sacramento Goodwill branch has been cited twenty-three additional times for other workplace safety violations.

The Cal-OSHA investigation found that Goodwill did not provide employees with adequate training for the equipment in use and that they had no safety procedures for employees. There were parallels to this worker’s death in a 2008 accident at an unrelated Goodwill facility in Tacoma, where a twenty-seven-year-old died in another heavy machinery accident.

Workers Need Protection

Employers sometimes play hardball when their own culpability in a workplace accident is at issue, and a nonprofit can react the same as any other employer. In the Goodwill case, the company actually went so far as to challenge the state’s approval of an employee’s unemployment compensation claim after he was fired by Goodwill.

That worker, who witnessed the accident that killed his co-worker, claims that he was fired for cooperating with investigators and providing them with information about the lack of safety procedures and training at Goodwill. He had repeatedly complained about—and documented—safety problems during his employment at Goodwill and said that not only was he fired for being a whistleblower, but that the organization has launched a smear campaign against him.

Reporting on the case, as well as Cal-OSHA’s intervention on his behalf in his unemployment claim, seems to support this. He’s currently pursuing a complaint with the California Labor Commissioner.

Beyond Workers Comp

Many employees mistakenly believe that workers compensation insurance covers all workplace injuries and that it covers them completely. They also believe that being in the workers comp system or accepting payments from it prevents them from seeking additional compensation.

None of this is true in all cases, and an injured employee should talk to a knowledgeable workplace injury lawyer before accepting any settlement. If an injury was caused by some kind of negligence, an employee may be able to pursue a personal injury case against the responsible party, whether that means a co-worker, an employer, or some other individual or legal entity.

With negligence alleged in the Sacramento case, that worker’s family might also be able to pursue a wrongful death claim.

California Workplace Injury Lawyer

If you’ve been hurt on the job and suspect negligence was involved, get in touch with an experienced workplace injury lawyer.

The team at Kohan & Bablove,Injury Attorneys can help you understand what’s involved in this kind of claim, and we offer a free consultation to discuss each case. Call us at 844-404-2400 or fill out the online contact form at the bottom of the page.

Johnson & Johnson (J&J), the beleaguered personal care products manufacturer, took a new approach recently in a case in California where the company faces the possibility of literally hundreds of multi-million dollar judgments over injuries caused by its products. The tactic: discredit the expert witnesses slated to provide testimony for the plaintiff.

Victims, Damages Adding Up

For more than a decade, J&J has been the subject of allegations that its talc-based products can, when used as directed, lead to serious health complications in some women. In the most serious cases, these products have been blamed for ovarian cancer, a disease which claims about 15,000 lives each year.

Since 2009, legal actions have proliferated against the company. To date, at least 2,400 women have filed lawsuits against J&J over this issue, with most of the cases consolidated in multidistrict litigation in Missouri, New Jersey, and California.

Prior to last year, J&J had experienced generally good success fending off these suits, either through confidential settlements or favorable verdicts. But several major cases have now gone against the company: Since February of 2016, four out of five verdicts have been for plaintiffs, and they’ve added up to over $300 million (although J&J has appealed and the final amounts could be reduced).

The Science—and the Responsibility

Does the science support plaintiff claims against J&J? The company’s lawyers argue strenuously that it does not.

In the preliminary hearing in June, they claimed that studies have been flawed: that they’ve relied on unreliable self-reporting, failed to account for other risk factors, or not undergone rigorous peer review. Discounting those studies, the only analysis J&J seems willing to accept is a 2014 report that found at best only a weak connection between talcum powder use and ovarian cancer.

And while plaintiffs argue that more than thirty other studies showing a connection are at least as valid, this sometimes misses the point: Some of the verdicts against J&J have hinged not on whether their product directly caused the cancer, but on whether J&J knew that there was some risk and chose to hide that information from consumers.

The deciding factor in these cases has really been the fact that J&J’s internal documents show that as far back as the 1980s there were concerns about possible cancer risks. In the late 90s, executives were warned of potential fallout if they chose to conceal these concerns—which is exactly the path they took.

Juries have decided that even when the risk is low or not decisively proven the company had a duty to inform consumers. Instead, as one plaintiff’s attorney has said, “they made a conscious decision not to warn the customers they were using a very dangerous product.”

California Talc Ovarian Cancer Lawyer

If you have used talc-based products and been diagnosed with ovarian cancer, it’s vital that you contact a personal injury attorney with up-to-date knowledge of the cases underway. The team at Kohan & Bablove, Injury Attorneys has been following the talc injury issue closely, and we can help you understand what steps to take moving forward.

Give us a call today at 1-844-404-2400 or contact us online through the form below to schedule a free consultation to learn more.

A fiery crash on Gilman Springs Road west of Lakeview during the recent holiday weekend took the lives of two men and left a third with serious injuries.

It was yet another in a long string of crashes in which the victims were doing nothing wrong but suddenly found themselves part of a major wreck caused by another driver.

Witness Called for Backup

The crash unfolded on Monday, July 3, around 11:30 p.m., when a man driving a Corvette westbound at an unsafe speed failed to negotiate a bend in the road. Unfortunately, another driver was in the opposite lane, and the Corvette hit it head-on. The Corvette immediately caught fire.

An on-duty Hemet police officer witnessed the crash. The officer immediately called for fire department and California Highway Patrol assistance. Ultimately, at least four fire vehicles and others responded.

The officer tried to reach the driver of the Corvette, but the fire was too intense. Fortunately, the officer and another passing driver were able to free the driver of the other vehicle. They were not able to free the passenger in that vehicle, however, in part because the fire spread to it and some of the surrounding vegetation. Firefighters were able to free the man with the Jaws of Life.

Heavy Toll

The driver of the Corvette, a sixty-year-old Moreno Valley resident, was declared dead at the scene. It’s not clear whether he survived the initial crash.

The passenger of the other vehicle died about two hours after the crash at Riverside University Medical Center. The driver of the second vehicle was listed in serious condition after the crash.

A Dangerous Road?

Gilman Springs Road is getting something of a reputation. A week after this fatal incident, another crash on the same stretch of road left at least one person with serious injuries.

There have been at least two other major collisions on that road this year, including a four-vehicle pileup in February that hospitalized nine.

Riverside Car Accident Lawyer

Very few car crashes are true “accidents.” In fact, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has determined that about 94 percent of all crashes can be directly blamed on a driver for one of many reasons: aggressive or distracted driving, inexperience, operating under the influence, and so on.

Speed was reported as a factor in the July 3 crash, but law enforcement officials haven’t ruled out alcohol or drugs as contributing factors.

When you’ve been harmed or a loved one has been killed in a motor vehicle crash in Riverside County, get in touch with Kohan & Bablove, Injury Attorneys. Our team understands automobile accident law and has successfully helped many clients receive the compensation they need after becoming victims in a crash.

Call us today at 1-844-404-2400 or fill out our online contact form below to schedule a free consultation to discuss your case.

Summer is just around the corner, and while that brings sun and fun, school vacations, and all kinds of trips and recreational outings, the Southern California branch of AAA has been taking the time to remind all of us that the days between Memorial Day and Labor Day also come with some unwelcome baggage: year after year, this stretch of approximately one hundred days is the most dangerous for drivers—but especially for teen drivers.

Annual Crash Spike

According to AAA, which has labelled this period the “100 Deadliest Days,” fatal crashes involving teen drivers jump 15 percent during the summer window. They attribute the seasonal increase to a combination of inexperience (teens have had the least practice as drivers) and greater road exposure (with classes out, teens spend more time behind the wheel).

Teen drivers are also more likely, as a group, to engage in dangerous behaviors while in a vehicle. The auto club cites data showing that at least three factors are more common in crashes involving teens than they are for most other drivers: distracted driving (such as texting) is a cause in nearly six out of ten crashes; 60 percent of teens killed in crashes were not wearing seat belts, which would have reduced their risk of serious injury or death in a crash; and speeding is involved in nearly 30 percent of fatal teen crashes.

These and other factors weigh heavily on the youngest drivers: sixteen- and seventeen-year-olds are three times more likely to be involved in a fatal crash than more experienced drivers. When discussing what has been the most high-profile problem in recent years a AAA spokesperson noted that “Combining distractions and inexperience behind the wheel is a recipe for disaster.”

Everyone Can Help

We’re sorry to point out that at least one local teen has died in a car crash since the start of these deadly days: A nineteen-year-old was killed in a high-speed crash, possibly while street racing, during the first week of June.

Teen drivers should remember that they are not invincible. Cars are powerful, heavy, fast moving—and potentially lethal high-speed projectiles. They should always be used carefully, especially by drivers who haven’t yet become proficient behind the wheel.

At the same time, parents need to teach by example. It isn’t enough to tell your teen not to drive while distracted or to stick to the speed limit. If a parent doesn’t follow their own advice, the lesson is wasted. Always drive the way you want your teens to. You’ll be a better and safer driver for it, and so will they.

Other teens can also exert positive peer pressure by always driving responsibly and demanding that their friends do the same. Showing disapproval can be equally or even more effective: If a teen asks a peer to stop a dangerous behavior, or refuses to get into a friend’s vehicle because of how he or she has behaved in the past, it can have a profound influence on a teen driver’s future actions.

Riverside Car Accident Lawyer

If you’ve been hurt in a car crash, give Kohan & Bablove, Injury Attorneys a call. Our experienced team understands all aspects of automobile accident law, and we’ve helped hundreds of clients reach appropriate settlements in their cases. Reach us at 1-844-404-2400 or contact us online through the form below to schedule a free appointment to discuss your case and how we can help you move forward.

A tanker truck carrying over 8,000 gallons of gasoline crashed in Atwater (outside of Merced) on May 23, killing the driver and sparking a massive fire. The investigation of the crash is still ongoing, but the driver appears to have lost control and overturned the tanker while exiting Highway 99 to make a delivery nearby. The load immediately burst into flames, and it’s been reported by some witnesses that the truck was already on fire before the crash.

Dramatic, Terrifying Situation

You’ve probably seen some of the photos and video from the crash scene. Huge fireballs billowed above the site and at least two explosions were reported. Workers and customers in nearby businesses fled, describing a wave of fire caused by the gasoline as it spilled down the street. The tanker was left in charred fragments as lampposts and street signs were melted and the road itself was damaged by the blaze. A nearby McDonald’s suffered direct damage from the fire, and at least one other vehicle was burned almost beyond recognition.

This latest trucking crash, along with another fiery truck crash, an overturned load, and a fatal car accident—all in the same week—add to Highway 99’s bad reputation: Last year, one organization declared it to be the most dangerous highway in the United States.

Businesses Optimistic for Recovery

Several businesses on the street were forced to close after the crash, but most reopened within two days. Unfortunately, those businesses depend on traffic from the freeway, and a week after the crash that exit remained closed.

The owner of a gas station at that exit estimated business was down by 50 percent, and others might have been doing worse, but they seemed optimistic that things would pick up again, especially if the road is repaired soon. The exit was closed over the busy Memorial Day weekend holiday, which cost many of them still more. CalTrans has not issued an estimate for when the exit will reopen.

Investigation Continues

While the driver had a spotless record, the trucking company’s history is not so pristine. Public records show the company has had twenty-one collisions since 2015, including two fatal crashes. The company says it is cooperating with authorities and will not discuss the crash publicly until the investigation has been completed.

Truck safety has been a growing concern in recent years. At the beginning of May, SCPR produced a lengthy story on the growing number—and growing cost—of truck crashes in Southern California. Truck traffic has been increasing, as has the expense of major accidents: Nationally, the total cost of a large truck accident is around $7 million (five times that of the average fatal car crash). While not at record levels, the number of crashes in California has been creeping up steadily.

Orange County Truck Accident Lawyer

While the driver was the only fatality and no one else was injured in the Atwater crash, that’s not always the case. In April, a crash and subsequent fire involving a tanker, two other trucks, and at least five other vehicles, left one dead and ten injured on the I-5 near Griffith Park in Los Angeles.

If you’ve been injured in a crash involving a commercial truck, the experienced truck accident law team at Kohan & Bablove, Injury Attorneys can help. Contact us online today using the form at the bottom of this page or call 1-844-404-2400 to schedule a free consultation to discuss your case.

May is Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month in California, and even though it’s coming to a close it’s not too late to stress motorcycle safety. The operators of all vehicles on California’s roads are collectively responsible for everyone’s safety. Whether you drive a motorcycle, a car, an SUV, a big rig, or anything else with wheels and a motor, you should do your part to make the roads safer for everyone, not just motorcycles.

Bikers at High Risk

A few weeks back The Press-Enterprise published a lengthy piece on motorcycle safety and crash statistics in Southern California. The numbers aren’t pretty. Already through the first four months of 2017, eleven people had died in motorcycle crashes just in western Riverside County. Statewide last year, CHP estimates that 476 motorcyclists were killed and more than 14,000 injured in crashes.

While crash statistics consistently show that about half of all motorcycle crashes don’t involve another vehicle, the rest do. That means that others on the road—the drivers of cars, trucks, and other vehicles—cause about half of all fatal motorcycle crashes. But in some ways it doesn’t matter who causes a crash: Motorcyclists suffer injuries at five times the rate of all other drivers per vehicle mile travelled, and they’re killed on the road at a rate twenty-six times higher than that of other motorists.

Safety Month Hasn’t Been Entirely Safe

We always hope that campaigns like California’s Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month will have the intended effect and lead to improvements for everyone, but we often don’t see an immediate effect. By looking at the news coverage in Southern California, you might even think there’s been no effect at all.

Near the beginning of the month, a Palm Desert man who was later charged with DUI committed a hit-and-run crash on two motorcyclists, one of whom was moderately injured. In San Jacinto, a rider was injured when a car made a sudden left turn from a side street into the path of a motorcycle. (That is an all-too-common cause of motorcycle crashes: 42 percent of fatal crashes with another vehicle happened when the other vehicle took a left turn across a motorcyclist’s path.) Only last week, a woman was killed in San Jose when her motorcycle was struck by a driver who ran a red light.

Every incident like this is tragic, but if an awareness campaign like the one CHP sponsors can lead to fewer crashes, it will benefit every driver on our state’s roads. When drivers are more aware of motorcycles, it’s a safe bet that they’re more aware overall, and that’s good for everyone.

Orange County Motorcycle Accident Lawyer

When you’ve been the victim in a motorcycle crash, you need the help of an attorney who understands all the considerations in this type of accident. Kohan & Bablove, Injury Attorneys has worked on many motorcycle accident cases. We understand the causes, the types of injuries, and the other concerns that are important in motorcycle crashes.

Give us a call to schedule a free consultation to discuss your case. Our number is 1-844-404-2400 or you can contact us online through the form below to have someone reach out to you at your convenience.

All car crashes are potentially expensive in many ways, but Riverside County has recently seen some of the costliest kind, in terms of both the financial impact and the effect on people’s lives. We’re referring to wrong-way crashes, which are especially dangerous because the victims often have little or no warning. There have been two high-profile crashes caused by wrong-way drivers in our area already this year.

Corona Wrong-Way Injures Seven

One happened on the I-91 in Corona around 2:20 a.m. on March 19. A driver entered the eastbound lanes of the highway and drove west for around six miles before colliding head-on with another car. Four other vehicles were also struck. Six other motorists were injured and sent to area hospitals with minor to moderate injuries while the wrong-way driver was reported to have suffered major injuries. That driver is suspected of driving under the influence.

Three Hurt in 215 Wrong-Way Crash

Only one week later, on March 26, police received reports of a vehicle traveling the wrong way on the 215 in Riverside. Before they could respond, that vehicle struck another. The wrong-way driver was seriously injured, and two people in the car that was struck suffered critical injuries and could only be freed from the wreck using the Jaws of Life. It’s not known if drugs or alcohol were a factor in that crash, but the possibility is being investigated.

Ten Miles on the Wrong Side!

It was also in March that another wrong-way driver was arraigned for an incident last November that—fortunately—ended with no injuries. In that case, the driver travelled an astonishing ten miles southbound on the northbound side of the 215, ignoring Riverside County Sheriff’s deputies and CHP officers who tried to get him to stop. He may have briefly reached a speed of 100 mph during the pursuit and only stopped when he encountered construction barriers. He has pleaded not guilty to driving under the influence of drugs.

Uncommon, but Deadly

Wrong-way crashes are uncommon, relatively speaking: They make up only about 3 percent of all crashes. But an analysis last year by the Boston Globe collected some disturbing facts about wrong-way crashes. For one thing, they’re as much as twenty-seven times more likely to cause a fatality than other types of crashes.

They’re also more likely to happen in off hours (between midnight and 3 a.m., with most on weekends). Perhaps most worrisome of all, the drivers who cause them are more likely than those in other crashes to not be properly licensed, and in fatal crashes alcohol is involved at more than double the rate seen in other kinds of crashes.

The statistics are out of date, but a 2012 report from the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration found that between 300 and 400 people die each year in this type of crash.

Riverside Car Accident Lawyer

When you’ve been the victim of a crash caused by a wrong-way driver, or by any other careless or negligent driving, you could have serious expenses, from the replacement cost of your vehicle to lost wages and income to steep medical bills and expensive long-term treatment or rehabilitation.

Get in touch with a firm with experience in the practice of automobile accident law. Kohan & Bablove, Injury Attorneys has helped many clients recover the damages they’re entitled to. Give us a call today at 1-844-404-2400 or contact us online through the form below to find out if we can help. The consultation to discuss your case is always free—you have nothing to lose and everything to gain.