Arizona Accident Lawyer Blog

A 20-year-old construction worker was injured by a 1,000-pound door in an industrial accident on November 4, 2008 at the Gilbert water treatment plant, according to this news blog. The heavy door was being placed inside a 5.5-million gallon tank when the door fell, crushing the worker’s head and cracking his safety helmet. Gilbert fire officials said the worker, whose name has not yet been released, was airlifted to Scottsdale Osborn. His injuries are said to be non-life threatening.

The victim reportedly complained of head and neck pain and a swollen left knee. It is indeed fortunate that this worker did not suffer catastrophic or fatal injuries given the serious nature of the situation and the weight of the door that crushed him. In fact, fire officials say the man would have surely died if his co-workers had not warned him about the falling door. This door apparently allows the tank to shut off a portion of the water flow to other parts of the tank.

When a worker is injured in an on-the-job accident in Arizona, he or she is covered by workers’ compensation. However, this coverage is often not enough to compensate the injured worker for medical expenses, cost of medication, hospitalization and for lost wages. A lot of people are not aware that workers compensation is not the only recourse in these situations. In some cases, workers may be able to file a “third-party claim,” which may be worth a lot more than a workers compensation claim.

If you have been injured on the job or in a Phoenix construction or industrial accident, please contact an experienced and knowledgeable personal injury lawyer at the Breyer Law Offices. We will help you through this tough time by securing you the compensation you rightfully deserve.

An elderly couple was injured in an Arizona car accident after a train hit their car in Surprise on November 14, 2008. According to a news article, the elderly couple in a Cadillac was at the intersection of Dysart Road and Grand Avenue when they tried to cross the railroad tracks. Surprise police officials say preliminary investigations show that the couple either tried to go under the crossing arms or around the arms as they were coming down.

The train reportedly ran into the car on the tracks. The man and woman, who were trapped in the Cadillac, had to be extricated and were flown to an area hospital.

Car versus train collisions occur because of many reasons. It is possible that the motorist may not have been paying attention to the train crossing. In some cases, drivers try to “beat” the railroad crossing. However, there have also been situations at railroad crossings when the crossing arms have malfunctioned. We should be able to find out exactly what happened in this case after Surprise police officials complete their final investigation.

If you or someone you know has been involved in a Phoenix auto accident, it would be in your best interest to contact an experienced personal injury attorney in Phoenix who will help independently investigate your case and determine who was responsible for the accident. If the railroad or the train’s engineer was at fault in this case, the injured victims could be entitled to substantial compensation for medical expenses, pain, suffering and loss of wages, if applicable. If you or a loved one has been injured in a Phoenix auto accident, please call Breyer Law Offices for a free consultation.

Kelly Tracy, 16, was killed in a traffic collision which officials say was caused by a suspected drunk driver in Mesa. According to this news report, Kelly’s brother, Matthew, was driving her to a high school marching band performance when their car was struck by 32-year-old Manuel Contreras-Galdean, who reportedly drove his car into the path of the Nissan Sentra in which Kelly and her brother were traveling. Officials say the collision at the intersection of Guadalupe and Sossaman roads was nearly head-on. Matthew suffered non life threatening injuries while Kelly died of severe head injuries.

Contreras-Galdean has been arrested and charged with one count each of vehicular manslaughter and aggravated assault. Authorities have also placed an immigration hold on him after determining that he is in the country illegally, the news report said.

This is a horrific and tragic Arizona auto accident and our hearts go out to Kelly’s family. If Mr. Contreras-Galdean is guilty, he should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. It is sad to see a young person taken away so suddenly.

This is how auto accidents happen – without warning. Families that are left with an injured victim or worse, a deceased victim, are faced with medical and/or funeral expenses, not to mention the pain and grief of having lost a loved one. A knowledgeable and experienced Phoenix auto accident attorney will fight for the rights of these injured or affected victims and help them secure the justice and compensation they rightfully deserve. If you or a loved one has been injured in a Phoenix auto accident, please call the Breyer Law Offices for a free and comprehensive consultation.

KPHO news reported that Scottsdale police have arrested the driver of a photo radar van for being under the influence while he was driving a marked photo-radar van and preventing a potential Arizona drunk driving accident

Police said that they were alerted by another driver of the erratic driving of the van, which was owned and operated by Scottsdale-based Redflex Traffic Systems.

Every adult in Arizona should be well-aware of the serious dangers of drinking and driving. Every resident of Scottsdale and the East Valley communities is aware of the speeding enforcement done with photo radar. It is unacceptable to see the employee of the photo radar company drive one of these vans while under the influence.

The powers-that-be love to make the argument that the purpose of photo radar is to slow people down and therefore reduce injuries. To whatever degree we can reduce injuries, as a Phoenix drunk driver accident lawyer, I stand behind the effort. However, the hypocrisy of allowing a drunk-driver to drive that photo radar van cannot be ignored. And if the allegations are true, it does raise the question of how many times this van has been driven by an intoxicated driver through the streets of Scottsdale. Was this the first time it happened, or just the first time the driver got caught?

The Yuma County Sherriff’s office led an investigation into the untimely death of Diego Heredia, 27, that occurred on the morning of June 21, 2008, YumaSun.com reported.

According to a report by Channel 11, the accident happened at County 20 1/2 and Avenue G. Sheriff's deputies say two other passengers were treated and released. But they are still searching for the driver. Investigators believe alcohol may have been a factor.

Our thoughts go out to the family of Mr. Heredia. We do not know the final outcome of the Sherriff’s investigation. The initial reports indicated that alcohol may have been a factor in this tragedy. If so, the driver will most likely face not only felony drunk driving charges, but also criminal vehicular manslaughter charges. He could also be held civilly responsible for the wrongful death of Diego Heredia.

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