Self-driving cars may not have hit the roads for everyday use yet, but they’re no longer the stuff of science fiction stories. Vehicles in Google’s Waymo project have racked up more than 4 million miles on actual roads, while many other companies (including Audi, GM, Mercedes, Uber, and even Apple) have some kind of autonomous vehicle research initiative underway.

Car manufacturers continue to slip new technology that comes out of these programs, such as autonomous emergency braking, into their latest models while others continue to work toward the release of a fully autonomous vehicle.

Every safety improvement and advance is welcome, but every once in a while something happens that should make us all stop and ask what’s going to happen—and who’s going to be responsible—when something goes wrong with one of these vehicles.

Crash Raises Questions

The dramatic rear-end crash of a Tesla Model S into a parked fire truck in California earlier this year raises these kind of alarm bells. Fortunately, there were no injuries. The driver of the Tesla said he was using the car’s Autopilot feature (although this has not yet been confirmed), which should have prevented such a crash. An incident in Florida in 2016 led to a driver’s death when Autopilot failed to detect a tractor-trailer truck crossing the highway.

Tesla touts Autopilot as if it is already a fully self-driving system, but the fine print notes that not all features are available or allowed for use because of regulatory considerations. It’s not yet clear if the California crash can be blamed on the system having weaknesses, the features being used improperly by the driver, or some other issue.

Currently all these self-driving and driver assist features are meant to be used only as instructed. Tesla, for example, tells drivers to only use the system on limited access highways and to stay alert, and the system warns drivers when their hands are off the wheel for more than a few seconds.

Responsibility a Work in Progress

Who has legal responsibility when one of these systems fails still needs to be worked out. Existing law would hold the operator or driver responsible, but it seems more likely that liability could be parceled out to owners, manufacturers, and even programmers.

Personal injury and product liability law could both come into play. In a bold step, Volvo has already declared that it will accept full liability for its self-driving vehicles when they hit the streets (which might be as early as 2019). Not all manufacturers have taken this step, and few laws have yet addressed the issue.

Orange County Car Accident Lawyer

The ongoing debate over the liability issues surrounding autonomous vehicles is something that most people don’t spend much time thinking about, and when you’ve been hurt in a car crash, that kind of thing is not what you want to focus on.

That’s the kind of detail you leave to the attorneys at Kohan & Bablove, Injury Attorneys, who put all their time and energy into understanding all the issues of automobile accident law—so you don’t have to.

When you need help with your car accident case, call our experienced team at 1-844-404-2400 or contact us online to schedule a no-cost, no-obligation consultation to discuss your case. We’ve helped hundreds of clients reach successful settlements, and we can help you.

Find a Motor Vehicle Lawyer Office below:

Kohan & Bablove Injury Attorneys
Address: 20371 Irvine Ave Suite 110, Newport Beach, CA 92660
Phone: +1 (949) 271-7863

Two different crashes in Desert Hot Springs in little more than a week recently claimed the lives of two area motorcyclists. The occupants of the other vehicles were not injured. Police have not yet released a certain cause for either crash, but it appears from reports that at least one may have been due to a common oversight by car and truck drivers that puts bikers at risk.

Two Collisions, Two Deaths

The first crash happened around 2:30 in the afternoon on Route 62 at Mission Creek Road. The motorcyclist, a Palm Desert resident, survived the initial crash but died several hours later from his injuries. No specific details have been made available, but it appears that drugs and alcohol were probably not involved. The crash was serious enough that a three-mile stretch of southbound Route 62 (Twentynine Palms Highway) was closed for more than eight hours.

On Friday morning, January 5, a second fatal crash took place on the other side of the city, near the intersection of Dillon and Mountain View. In that incident, a local man was thrown from his motorcycle when it collided with a pickup pulling a trailer. The victim died at the scene.

Left Turn Danger Highest for Motorcycles

In the second crash, the driver of the pickup is reported to have taken a left turn across the main road from an unpaved side road, putting his vehicle into the path of the oncoming biker. While the maneuver may sound relatively innocuous, this specific type of crash—caused when a vehicle takes a left turn across the path of a motorcycle—is both very common and very dangerous.

Intersection crashes account for close to 40 percent of all crashes in the United States, and potentially more than one-fourth of all crash fatalities. And in one analysis, crashes while turning left outnumbered those while turning right by more than eighteen to one. Several reasons are cited, but high on the list are falsely assuming that another driver will see you and react appropriately and simply misjudging the speed of an oncoming vehicle.

This is no surprise to bikers: It’s been recognized since the early 1980s that the most frequent multi-vehicle crash configuration for a motorcycle is a car taking a left turn across its path. The most recent data support that. In 2015, 41 percent of fatal motorcycle crashes involving another vehicle happened when the other vehicle turned left into a motorcycle.

Riverside, California Motorcycle Accident Lawyer

At Kohan & Bablove, Injury Attorneys, our team of experienced attorneys understands all aspects of California automobile accident law. When you’ve been in a crash, whether as a driver, a passenger, or a pedestrian; whether in a car, a truck, a bus, or on a motorcycle; give us a call. We offer a free, no-obligation consultation in our Orange or Riverside County offices. You can reach us today at 1-844-404-2400 or contact us online through the form below at your convenience to learn more about how we can help.

A twenty-one-year-old woman from San Pedro remains in the hospital with severe brain injuries more than two weeks after a drunk driver ran a red light and crashed into the car she was in. There’s a sad irony here as the victim and a friend had been out drinking that night but did the right thing by calling an Uber to get home.

Unfortunately, the driver who caused the crash was not as responsible. He had reportedly also been drinking that night and was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence after the crash.

Multiple Injuries, Multiple Charges

Since the crash at Artesia Boulevard and Aviation Way in Redondo Beach around 2:00 a.m. on December 22, the victim has undergone multiple surgeries but at last report was still unconscious and in intensive care. The other passenger in the Uber also suffered serious injuries and spent more than a week at the hospital, although he was expected to leave soon. The Uber driver and the driver who caused the crash were not seriously hurt.

The drunk driver submitted to a blood test for alcohol at the scene, and while the results have not been made public, he was arrested on several charges, including at least one for driving under the influence and causing injury, an offense that assumes a driver has at least a 0.08 percent blood alcohol content.

Just a few minutes before running the light and causing this crash, the driver had also crashed into a nearby building and left the scene; that led to a hit-and-run property damage charge being included.

He pleaded not guilty to all charges several days after the crash but was being held on $250,000 bail. If convicted on the charges already filed, he could face up to fourteen years in prison.

Highest Risk for Brain Injury

Sports- and military service- related injuries have grabbed most of the headlines about traumatic brain injury (TBI) in recent years, but the truth is that a person is more likely to suffer one as the result of a car crash.

Motor vehicle accidents are the third leading cause of fatal TBI, and the number one cause of TBI hospitalizations for those between the ages of ten and fifty-four.

The most recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that TBI is involved in around 30 percent of all injury deaths in the United States.

Long Road to Recovery

There’s no simple or reliable way to predict how any victim of a TBI will recover. Some regain full function in a short time while others are afflicted with life-long problems.

We hope that the young woman affected in this crash can complete her final year of college and that she’s able to pursue her goal of attending nursing school. Her friends have set up a fundraising effort for her.

Orange County Brain Injury Lawyer

When you or someone close to you has suffered a serious injury, such as a brain injury, because of the negligence or reckless act of another, it’s important to take all action possible to make sure that justice is served. The damage can be severe and long-lasting, and the expense of care, recovery, and lost wages and income can run high.

You can turn to the experienced brain injury attorneys at Kohan & Bablove, Injury Attorneys for help. Call us today at 1-844-404-2400 or contact us online through the form below to discuss your case, free of charge, and to learn more about the options open to you.

There’s good news for workers in California: Serious illnesses and injuries on the job declined last year, hitting the lowest rate in at least a decade. For every 100 full-time workers in the state, there were a total of 3.7 cases of some occupational injury or illness. Overall, there were 466,600 such cases reported in California in 2016—slightly better than 2015 but not a recent record. On average, about 2.2 employees per 100 had to take time away from work because of an injury.

Different Risks

Despite the good news for the overall average, many kinds of jobs are much less safe than others. Those in some office occupations, as you might expect, are at the lowest risk: architects and engineers, financial services workers, and those in legal, computer, and mathematics jobs.

On the opposite end of the scale, workers in construction, maintenance and repair, and building and grounds cleaning work had the highest rates, approaching three times the average. For every 10,000 workers in building and grounds cleaning and maintenance, more than 284 incidents led to lost work (compared to only about five for computer workers). The statewide average for all occupations was 103.

Same Old, Same Old

This year’s report, issued by the California Department of Industrial Relations largely using data collected by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, found that both the types of injury and their causes have remained much the same in the years they’ve been issuing this report.

Overexertion was the main cause of injury, followed by contact with an object and then falls, trips, and slips. Combined, these three categories were responsible for the vast majority of injuries. Exposure to harmful substances, transportation accidents, and violence accounted for nearly all the rest.

Most of the injuries were sprains, strains, and tears, which made up a bit more than a third of recorded injuries. But the types of injuries workers fell victim to were varied: cuts, punctures, bruises, burns, broken bones, and even amputations made the list.

Orange County Construction Accident Lawyer

Close to half a million California workers were injured on the job in 2016, but some groups of workers fared even worse. Last year’s data aren’t available, but in 2015, 388 men and women were killed while on the job here.

Most work accidents are preventable, and while most injuries are minor, some can leave a worker with lifelong effects. That’s why, when you’re injured on the job, it’s important to talk with an experienced personal injury firm like the team at Kohan & Bablove, Injury Attorneys. We have an in-depth understanding of workplace injury law, including construction accidents and many other on-the-job injuries.

Call us at 1-844-404-2400 or fill out the form at the bottom of this page today to schedule a free consultation.

Some young cheerleaders were extremely lucky last week after their bus was involved in a collision with a big rig. The crash took place on June 28 around 4:15 in the afternoon, about 12 miles east of Indio.

Despite the crash and a fire after it, only three girls from the bus suffered minor injuries. They and their bus driver were taken to a medical center in Palm Springs for treatment.

Competition Trip Ends in Wreck

The bus was bringing about 30 cheerleaders and their coaches and chaperones home to Mesa, Arizona, after a cheerleading event in Los Angeles when congestion caused it to stop along with other vehicles on eastbound Interstate 10.

The driver of the truck came upon the line of delayed vehicles and failed to stop in time. It’s not clear whether he was speeding or simply not paying close enough attention to the traffic conditions.

The truck driver attempted to avoid the other vehicles but crashed into the rear of the bus before veering across the median and onto the westbound lanes of the highway. The truck driver was not injured, but the truck caught fire and one of its trailers burned completely.

Meanwhile, the bus was shoved into the median and a small fire broke out on board. The passengers and driver were safely evacuated. No other vehicles were involved, but the road was closed for several hours.

Recent Bus Safety Concerns

It’s always a better outcome when there are no serious injuries in a crash like this. But incidents in the recent past show that things could have been much worse. Multiple bus crashes in California in the past year have ended with fatalities, including a horrific crash in October that killed 13 and injured 31.

That was the worst bus crash in California since 1976 and one of the ten worst nationwide in the past forty years. That crash also took place on I-10, but it was farther west. It happened when the bus driver rear-ended a truck that had slowed in a construction area.

In February, one motorist was killed when a small bus drifted into the opposite lane and struck two cars. At least 26 others were injured in that incident, several critically, including many of the passengers on the bus, which rolled over after the initial collision.

Orange County Truck Accident Lawyer

Crashes involving buses and trucks come with a higher risk of injury and death, especially when those vehicles strike others. If you have been injured in a collision with a truck, you should seek experienced legal help before you file your claim for compensation.

Kohan & Bablove, Injury Attorneys has decades of experience helping clients with all varieties of motor vehicle accident cases, including truck accident law. For a free consultation to discuss your case, give us a call today at 844-404-2400 or fill out the online contact form below.

Employers have argued for decades that their duty of care when it comes to exposure to toxic substances, such as asbestos, ends with their workers and is restricted to their own physical premises. The courts have largely accepted this argument, ruling in favor of employers who have been sued in personal injury or wrongful death cases by family members and others who were exposed to substances brought home on workers’ clothing.

The Supreme Court of California, however, has recently ruled that a business can be held liable in this situation. The court declared that when a substance is known to have toxic effects, it’s foreseeable that a worker can carry that substance off-site on his or her clothing and cause others to be exposed to it. Employers have a duty of reasonable care to make sure that this doesn’t happen, and they can be held liable when they don’t meet this duty and someone off their premises is harmed by material that originated there.

Asbestos Specifically at Issue

The Court had two cases before it, each involving the death of a family member who became ill after long–term secondary exposure to asbestos. Just as secondary smoke from cigarettes can cause harm, the second-hand exposure to asbestos in a person’s clothing can be a danger to others.

While the danger of asbestos has been known for a very long time, and the use of it has been scaled back or ended in many applications, serious health effects can take years to manifest. It’s estimated that even today between 12,000 and 15,000 people die each year of asbestos-related ailments such as mesothelioma. Some of them, as in the cases reviewed by the Court, did not even work directly with asbestos but were exposed second-hand through a spouse or relative.

Extension of Liability

The Court decided unanimously that many issues are at play in cases like this, but that certain principles apply in all cases. The physical boundaries of an employer or premises owner do not limit liability, for example, nor does a worker at a site have to be an explicit employee of the business in question. The duty of care, the Court stated, also applies whether the lawsuit involves a claim of negligence or a claim of premises liability; the responsibility of an employer or owner should be treated the same in either situation.

Orange County Premises Liability and Workplace Injury Lawyer

Legal cases of premises liability often involve simple issues, such as broken sidewalks or unsafe structures or other obviously dangerous conditions which have led to an injury. But sometimes there are more complex considerations, as this decision shows.

If you or a loved one have been harmed while on another’s property by hazardous conditions that should have been corrected, it’s important to enlist the aid of an experienced premises liability and workplace injury attorney to press your claim. Kohan & Bablove, Injury Attorneys understands these cases, whether it’s something as simple as a fall down an unlighted set of stairs or as complex as a take-home asbestos toxicity case. Give us a call today at 1-844-404-2400 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation to discuss your situation.

The family of a California teen who died after suffering a serious traumatic brain injury while on a party bus may now be able to put some of the pain of this tragedy behind them. In a lawsuit filed against the tour operator, a jury recently awarded the family a $26 million judgment, finding the operator responsible for the young man’s death.

Never Recovered from Head Injury

The accident took place on July 10, 2014, during a “sweet sixteen” party held in part on a double-decker bus. Mason Zisette of Manhattan Beach, then sixteen, was attending the rolling party, which had already made several stops and taken a tour of Hollywood.

On its return, the bus entered the 405 freeway and reportedly reached speeds of up to sixty miles per hour. Around 7:25 p.m., Mason was standing on the top deck of the southbound bus looking north when it went beneath an overpass. His head struck the bottom of the overpass. He suffered a severe brain injury and lost consciousness, dying two days later when life support was withdrawn.

Lapses, Poor Judgment, Finger Pointing

Many issues were raised in the case and many allegations were made that ultimately convinced the jury to side with the family. One claim in the case was that the double-decker bus was too high for that stretch of road and never should have been on it. Another was that a parent host of the party, who was present on the bus, had provided alcohol to the teens and encouraged them to drink.

The defense attempted to blame the teen’s death on his own actions, including alcohol consumption, but the jury wasn’t swayed: While it assigned 5 percent of the responsibility of his death to the teen, the hosting parent was found 25 percent responsible, with the remaining 70 percent falling on the bus operator.

During the trial, the bus driver and the tour guide assigned to the bus each claimed that the other was responsible for passenger safety. The tour guide also testified that he had never received safety training and admitted that he was unaware that the upper deck of the bus even had seat belts until after the accident.

History on the Plaintiff’s Side

The bus operator, Starline Tours, could have learned from past experience. Nearly nine months before the Zisette tragedy, a woman suffered skull fractures and permanent vision damage after being struck by a tree branch while riding on the top deck of a Starline bus. The victim in that case won a $3.5 million verdict just over a year before the conclusion of the Zisette trial.

Orange County Brain Injury Lawyer

Head injuries of all kinds can be serious, even when there are few obvious signs of damage. When Mason Zisette was injured, it was reported that those around him thought he had only sustained a bump on the head. Yet the damage to his brain was so severe that he never regained consciousness. Even when not fatal, a traumatic brain injury can cause permanent damage and require an extensive recovery.

If you or someone close to you has sustained a brain injury, contact Kohan & Bablove, Injury Attorneys to arrange a free consultation to find out if we can help. Our firm has extensive experience in the practice of brain injury law. Call us at 1-844-404-2400 or contact us online through the form on this page to learn more.

A San Diego woman was killed last month when her car was struck head-on by a minivan being driven the wrong way on Camino del Norte. The victim, Sarita Shakya, died at the scene, but the driver of the other vehicle, who is suspected of drunk driving, survived the crash with severe injuries. The crash occurred in 4S Ranch, shortly before midnight on December 17.

It was reported that the other driver was placed under arrest for vehicular homicide and other charges after she was taken to Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla.

Heartbreaking Loss for the Family

Shakya was a nurse at Scripps Mercy Hospital in Hillcrest and also the mother of a four-year-old daughter. Her loss will leave a hole in the lives of her family and others who knew her. Shakya was known in her community as a dedicated healthcare professional, and she had even appeared on the local news welcoming back a medical team returning from relief efforts in Nepal after a major earthquake there in 2015. Shakya was originally from Nepal herself, although San Diego had been her home for some time.

Wrong-Way Wrecks Deadly

The type of crash that led to Shakya’s tragic death is all-too-common. On December 7, a man caused a wrong-way crash on the I-5 in Sacramento. His car rolled and caught fire after the crash, causing a shutdown of the highway, but all involved suffered only minor injuries. The driver in that case reportedly scuffled with police after the crash and was hit with a Taser discharge. He died shortly afterward, and the incident is now under investigation.

Closer to the 4S Ranch crash, a ninety-three-year-old man died in November when his jeep, traveling the wrong way on I-805 north of San Diego, struck a barrier and another car. The driver of the other car suffered moderate injuries.

Wrong-way crashes were such a problem around San Diego in 2015 that Caltrans has launched a pilot program on some area highways in an effort to reduce the danger. Thirteen people died in wrong-way crashes on San Diego freeways that year. It’s not yet clear if the 2016 tally will be an improvement.

California Car Accident Lawyer

All motor vehicle accidents that lead to injury or death are terrible for those involved, but wrong-way crashes can be some of the hardest to bear. The victims often have little or no time to react because of the surprise factor and the speeds involved, which is part of the reason why the fatality rate in wrong-way incidents is much higher than in other crash types.

When you’ve been in an auto wreck caused by another driver, it’s important to have experienced help on your side when you make a claim to recover financial damages for the losses you’ve suffered. Kohan & Bablove, Injury Attorneys understands the practice of automobile accident law, and we offer all clients a free consultation to discuss the details of their case and help them understand what to expect as the process moves forward. Call us today at 1-844-404-2400 or contact us online through the form below to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation.

A driver died in a still-unexplained single-vehicle crash last week when his car left the 805 freeway and landed in the backyard of an Otay Mesa family’s home. Sometime late on the night of the December 13 or early on the morning of December 14, the car crashed into the property, which is adjacent to the ramp where southbound I-805 connects to westbound California 905.

Crash Not Discovered for Several Hours

The car, a 2012 Chevrolet Malibu, was discovered wedged against a tree around 11:00 a.m. last Wednesday morning when the owner of the property went outside to turn off his Christmas lights, which had been left on overnight.

It’s not clear when the crash happened, because the homeowner was out that evening and there were apparently no witnesses to the accident. Reports have speculated that the crash probably took place between 10:00 p.m. and 3:00 a.m. After the car was discovered, a neighbor remembered hearing what sounded like a tire blowout around 11:00 p.m. the night before.

The victim of the crash, later identified as a Chula Vista resident, was found about fifty feet from the vehicle and had probably been ejected during the crash.

Homeowner Worried for Safety

This is the first time a car has ended up in the homeowner’s yard, but he’s been worried about this kind of problem for some time: Two people died in a crash eight years ago when their car left the 805 and struck the same tree.

The homeowner guessed that the car might actually have rolled off the highway, because it seemed to have done little damage to a fence between his property and the road before it came to rest at the tree and a retaining wall.

Photos from the scene show the car not far from the house itself. Had the car not been stopped by the tree and gone only a few yards more, it could have smashed right into the master bedroom.

Vehicle-Building Crashes Serious

There’s no solid data for how many times each year a car or other vehicle crashes into a house, but one organization collects that information for businesses. According to the Storefront Safety Council, a commercial building is struck by a vehicle as many as sixty times each day, leading to up to 500 deaths, more than 4,000 serious injuries, and millions of dollars in property damage annually. They suspect that the numbers for residences might be double that of businesses.

Some homes are more at risk than others. One San Jose house has been hit nineteen times since its current owners moved in sometime in the 1950s. It wasn’t reported if any of those crashes involved fatalities.

Orange County Car Crash Lawyers

When you’ve been the victim of an auto accident, whether you were in another vehicle, a pedestrian, or simply at home minding your own business, an important part of putting your life back on track is recovering damages from the responsible party. Choosing an attorney with the right experience is essential.

At Kohan & Bablove, Injury Attorneys, we understand the complexities of automobile accident law, even in cases where the collision involves something other than another vehicle, such as a house or other building. Give us a call today at 1-844-404-2400 or contact us online through the form below to schedule a free consultation to discuss your specific situation and to learn how we might help.

Speak to an experience auto accident lawyer below:

Kohan & Bablove Injury Attorneys
Address: 20371 Irvine Ave Suite 110, Newport Beach, CA 92660
Phone: +1 (949) 271-7863

Thirty-six people are confirmed to have died in an Oakland warehouse fire at a makeshift nightclub called the Ghost Ship, making this one of the worst fires in recent history. Party-goers were trapped inside, with many victims dying of asphyxiation.

Interior Conditions a Hazard

It took hours for the fire to be put out, and the fortunate ones who escaped looked on as black smoke poured from the warehouse windows. Firefighters rescued as many people as they could, but their job was made harder due to the interior of the warehouse. Instead of one large open space, it was made up of numerous artist studios and small spaces that were difficult to get to.

To make matters worse, the first and second floor were connected by a staircase made up of wooden pallets. Both flimsy and highly flammable, this may have contributed to the high number of injuries and deaths, as it was hard enough for people to escape. On top of that, the entire building only had two exits.

The truth is that the Ghost Ship never would have been approved as a nightclub because it did not meet fire and safety codes, making it entirely unsafe, as proven by this disastrous fire.

Numerous Wrongful Deaths

The Ghost Ship warehouse fire is one of the worst of its kind in decades. The building is no longer sound structurally, the roof has collapsed, and there is debris everywhere. Because of this, the police are having difficulty accessing all of the areas inside without putting their own crews in jeopardy. They think that up to forty people may have died in the fire.

For the families of those missing, this is a horrific tragedy that goes beyond the imagination. Many are still waiting to know if there loved one was killed in the fire and waiting for bodies to be recovered. Families are providing information on distinguishing characteristics, such as tattoos and piercings that can be used to identify bodies, something no family member should ever have to do.

What Now for Survivors and Families?

The families of deceased victims are now grappling with significant losses. As in any accident’s aftermath, the question now becomes a matter of what to do next. Accident victims and surviving family members need to know what their legal rights are.

In the case of a victim’s family, there may be an option to file a wrongful death lawsuit. Spouses, children, and other financial dependents may be able to sue the negligent party whose actions or inaction caused their loved one to die. These cases are complex, but when negligence is involved, it may be the only way to really hold the other party accountable.

Orange County Wrongful Death and Premises Liability Attorneys

In the example of the Oakland warehouse fire, the entity throwing the party, the owner of the warehouse, and anyone responsible for starting the fire could be found negligent and held accountable.

While sometimes law enforcement is involved, charges are not always pressed, and even if they are and a conviction is had, that doesn’t do anything financially for a victim’s family. This is why at Kohan & Bablove, Injury Attorneys, we encourage you to call 1-844-404-2400 or complete the form below to schedule a free consultation to discuss the possibility of filing a lawsuit.