Arizona Accident Lawyer Blog

The impaired driving fatalities continue to rise as a suspected drunken driver hit two pedestrians in an east valley accident, early Christmas morning (AZ Central 12/25/2010). One of the victims was pronounced dead while the other one suffered serious injuries.

The officer in charge of the investigation says that the driver, a 34 year old woman, hit the two pedestrians as they were making their way across a street in the early morning. The driver then crashed her Chevy Avalanche SUV into a traffic signal after the pedestrian accident, suffering only minor injuries.

This case is yet another to add to the numerous drunk driving fatalities that occur every year. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that in 2009 there were 10,102 drivers that reached or exceeded the blood alcohol content limit of .08 percent who were involved in fatal crashes, taking away 10,839 lives. This year MADD predicts we will again lose at least that many lives if not more.

On a local scale, of all drivers involved in a fatal car accident in Arizona, 202 had a blood alcohol content of .08 or higher, killing 219 people.

This holiday season, authorities are out in extra force taking impaired drivers off the roads. This New Year’s Eve, make it a safe one. If you plan on drinking, please arrange for a sober ride home. AAA Arizona is offering their free tipsy tow service from 6pm tonight until 6am on Saturday. Drivers unfit to get behind the wheel can call 1-800-AAA-HELP, ask for a “tipsy tow,” and a tow truck will arrive to take them and their car to their home.

Continue reading " Impaired Driver Kills Pedestrian and Injures Another in Phoenix " »

A significant decrease in the number of injuries and fatalities caused by vehicular accidents in Arizona was perceived since the operation of the $1.4 billion light rail transit started in December of 2008. However, this light rail transit which connects Phoenix, Mesa, and Tempe also had several train-auto collisions. These collisions have also injured several passengers, light rail riders and auto drivers. Most victims of these kinds of collisions have suffered serious brain and spinal cord injuries.

Another train-auto collision happened on Monday around 9:30 a.m. AZ Central reported that a vehicle collided with the Metro Light Rail in Tempe. The driver from Iowa was making a left turn near Apache Boulevard and Dorsey Lane when he turned into the light rail track.

According to the Tempe Fire Spokesperson, the light rail hit the van from behind. Only the driver was inside the van. On the other hand, the driver and ten passengers of the light rail was relocated after the collision. Fortunately, there were no reported serious injuries or casualties from the incident.

The management decided to take the light rail out of service. The van was taken out of the train path after almost 30 minutes. The incident caused 20-minute delays along the rest of the line. (AZ Central)

Continue reading " Tempe Light Rail Rear-ends Car " »

Since the Thanksgiving holiday, Valley authorities have been out in greater force at sobriety checkpoints. So far they have made 28,592 traffic stops to check for impaired drivers, and 2,700 arrests have been made (KPHO 12/27/10). The majority of the arrests were made by the East Valley task force.

Another man was arrested after a Scottsdale hit and run accident (AZ Central 12/21/10). He hit a pedestrian and fled the scene, then ran into a tree and a building. He then tried to flee on foot but authorities were able to capture him. The female pedestrian did suffer injuries but thankfully they are believed to be non-life-threatening. The authorities arrested the driver and suspect that he was driving under the influence of alcohol at the time.

This pedestrian victim is lucky her injuries were not too serious. Last year 120 pedestrians were killed in traffic accidents (NHTSA FARS 2009). Arizona is ranked 8th in the nation for the worst pedestrian fatality rate. Even a brief glimpse at current events in Arizona also shows that the state has a lot of hit and run accidents. These types of accidents are very serious even with minor injuries. Victims in hit and run accidents may be forced to pay all their medical bills themselves if they do not have protective insurance such as underinsured or uninsured motorist coverage. As serious personal injury attorneys, we hate to see these innocent victims in such difficult situations, so we have sponsored a statewide hit and run tipline. Anyone who has information regarding a hit and run accident can call the anonymous line and alert the authorities. If the tip leads to a successful arrest and felony conviction, the tipper could receive a reward up to $1000! If you have any information regarding a hit and run accident, please visit our website for more information:

Continue reading " Hit and Run Driver Arrested for DUI, Tempe Pedestrian Injured " »

Hit and run accidents have become prevalent in the United States. In 2003, the NHTSA released data revealing 15 to 19 percent of pedestrian crashes were cases of hit and run. As Phoenix car accident attorneys, we understand how important it is for the victims of hit and run drivers to fight for justice.

A couple of days ago, another pedestrian death was recorded by the Phoenix Police Department in what seems to be an uncommon kind of traffic accident. KPHO reports that a man in his thirties, as described by the police, was crossing 16th Street just north of Baseline Road when an SUV hit almost him (12/19/10). The police report says the man then laid down on the street and got run over by a gold sedan, causing his untimely death. Authorities are still looking for the driver of the second vehicle. If you have any information that may help in identifying this hit and run driver, please call our anonymous hit and run tipline:

You could win a reward up to $1000 if your tip leads to the successful arrest and conviction of a hit and run driver!

This recent hit and run driver will most likely face serious legal consequences. A lot of factors could have attributed to the accident. Although the man obviously should not have laid down on the street, the driver might also have been distracted, resulting in not being able to see the victim or perhaps the driver was speeding and therefore not able to stop or maneuver in time.

Continue reading " Phoenix Man Becomes Victim of Hit and Run After Lying on Road " »

Days ago, a heartbreaking story of a 2-year-old that was seriously injured in a Phoenix car accident was reported (ABC 15 12/14/2010). The boy suffered from brain damage and internal decapitation and was in a coma after a near-fatal car crash four months ago.

The toddler and his family were involved in a car accident near 67th Avenue and Broadway Road on August 4. His 4-year-old sister and mom were okay but the 2-year old suffered a very serious injury – the ligaments that connect his skull to his spine were completely torn as a result of the impact.

The child underwent emergency surgery and miraculously survived. And just four days after, the 2-year-old opened his eyes and came out of the coma. Today, he has learned how to walk and talk again.

The boy’s survival was a very rare miracle since internal decapitation is usually a fatal injury. But he and his family were very lucky. Everyday, lives are at stake because of negligent, impaired, and distracted drivers. In fact, motor vehicle–related injuries are the leading causes of death for people his age in the United States (Center for Disease Control and Prevention). This has urged the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to give emphasis on child passenger safety by disseminating information on correct child safety seat installations.

Continue reading " 2-year-old Phoenix Car Accident Victim Survives Internal Decapitation " »

As parents of seven children with our 8th to be arriving in January, as well as Phoenix product liability attorneys, we are always trying to stay on top of the latest safety findings for kids. This latest product ban comes, we fear, too late for many families.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission has outlawed the manufacture, sale, and re-sale of drop-side cribs. The products, designed with one side rail that moves up and down to make it easier for parents to remove the child, have been made by many different manufacturers over the past 10 years.

Over 30 infant and toddler deaths have been caused by this terrible design.

Recently these cribs have been examined more closely for their cheaper designs and manufacture, resulting in faulty parts, unsafe materials, and defective assembly. These problems or the combination of which has lead in many cases to the rail becoming detached partially or completely from the crib. The resulting “V”-like gap between the mattress and side rail provided opportunity for children to become trapped and suffocate or become strangled.

If you or someone you know has one of these cribs in their home, please share this information with them and ask them to remove it. We don’t want to see any more injuries or deaths; there have been too many already. If your child has been seriously injured by a faulty crib or other product, please don’t hesitate to give us a call today at (602) 267-1280 to get your questions answered.

Another case of an alcohol-induced vehicle crash was reported last week when a Salt River Police Department motorcycle officer fell victim to a Scottsdale car accident. As reported by AZ Central (12/11/2010) the officer was making a traffic stop on the southbound part of Loop 101 near Thomas Road when he got ran over by an alcohol-impaired driver.

The spokesperson of the Arizona Department of Public Safety said that the officer was approaching a stopped car, when another one, driven by a 21-year-old Mesa woman failed to stop and crashed into them. Both the woman and the driver of the stopped car were unhurt while the officer was taken to a local hospital with serious but non-fatal injuries. The suspect was arrested and charged with aggravated assault in connection with a DUI.

Impaired driving accidents are a major source of traffic deaths all over the United States. In 2009, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHSTA) reported a total of 33,808 vehicle crash fatalities, 32 percent were caused by alcohol-impaired driving. Though total deaths decreased by more than 3,000 as compared to 2008 data, the percentage of deaths attributed to alcohol-impaired driving rose up by 1 percent.

On a local scale, both Arizona car accident deaths and percentage of which were caused by drunk driving decreased between the two years, from 938 and 28 percent to 807 and 27 percent respectively from 2008 to 2009.

Continue reading " Scottsdale Accident Injures Motorcycle Officer " »

This past year has resulted in a startling number of bike accidents. As revealed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, more than 51,000 cases of bicycling injuries from motor vehicle traffic accidents were reported all over the country. Bicyclist deaths involving motor vehicle crashes reached 630. Although lower than the 716 deaths recorded in the previous year, the numbers are still staggering, and raise safety concerns from the bicycling community.

Just last week, an east valley bike accident left a 20-year-old woman pinned under a car in Gilbert (AZ Family 12/09/2010). The woman was about to cross the street near Val Vista Drive and Baseline Road when she was hit by a car. Though hurt, she was talking at the scene according to the Gilbert Fire Department and was later airlifted to a local hospital.

Though the victim was lucky to have survived what could have been a fatal accident, she likely faces extensive treatment to help her recover from her serious injuries. The same is true with the thousands of people who have been involved in such accidents. Sometimes these effects are life changing.

Continue reading " Woman Struck by Car While Riding Bike in Gilbert " »

One of the benefits that a motorcycle has is the freedom it gives to its riders while on the road. But motorcycle riders are also exposed to dangers not met by car drivers. Did you know motorcycles have a higher fatality rate per unit distance travelled as compared to automobiles? In 2009, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration- Fatality Analysis Reporting System (NHTSA-FARS) found there were 4,595 motorcycles involved in fatal crashes in the United States. Whereas, a total of 21,117 trucks were involved in accidents in the same year.

In 2008, out of all motorcycles involved in fatal crashes, 47 percent collided with another type of vehicle, though studies also show that motorcycles involved in fatal crashes usually hit fixed objects rather than other vehicles. NHTSA considers speeding the main contributing factor of motorcycle crashes, causing 35 percent of all motorcycle crashes compared to 23 percent for passenger cars.

Death is often the unfortunate outcome of motorcycle accidents, though many lucky riders recover against all odds. In a recent motorcycle accident in Tonopah, Arizona on the night of November 25th, one motorcycle rider was killed when it collided with a commercial truck (ABC 15 11/25/10). According to the Arizona Department of Public Safety, the reason of the collision was unknown.

Protective gear can save lives. The lack of these while driving on the road can cause severe head injuries or worse, death. Helmets are effective in preventing 37 percent of fatal injuries to motorcycle riders and 41 percent for passengers. In 2008, NHTSA estimated that 1,829 motorcycle riders were saved because of helmets.

Continue reading " 1 Killed in Motorcycle-Truck Wreck in Tonopah " »

Though accidents on railways may not seem as common as other auto accidents, a significant number of such cases are being reported each year all over the country. Be it due to operator negligence or faulty manufacturing, lives are at stake when train accidents happen. The Federal Railroad Administration Office of Safety Analysis reported a total of 1,894 total train accidents excluding highway-rail from January to December of 2009, 17 of which occurred in Arizona. These numbers are proof of the need to raise concerns regarding the safety of our railway system.

Just recently, a teenager was reported to have been hit by a train near Florence, 8:20 am Tuesday (AZ Central, pub. 12/07/10). It appears that the 16-year-old did not hear nor see the train while walking along the side of the railroad. In what seemed to have been a fatal accident, the teenager somehow managed to get himself up and walk away.

Union Pacific Railway dispatch then notified the Pinal County Sheriff's Office regarding the said incident. He was given emergency treatment at the scene and was later airlifted to Maricopa Medical Center in Phoenix.

Remarkably, the boy was responsive and walking around when the deputies arrived, after being tossed by the train traveling at 50mph.

Continue reading " Train Injures Pedestrian Near Florence " »

Researchers from the National Highway Safety Administration reported that there are an increasing number of people driving with drugs in their systems. In fact, 18 percent or 4,000 out of almost 22,000 people killed in car accidents tested positive for drugs in the United States in 2009. The researchers, however, cannot directly link the presence of drugs to being the primary cause of fatal crashes. As Arizona wrongful death attorneys, we try to help the families of these drugged-driver victims by getting them the compensation they deserve. While it will never replace the lost loved one, it helps lessen the financial burden after a death.

The Department of Transportation, on the other hand, published a couple of studies regarding the impact of drugs such as marijuana and cocaine on the performance of drivers. Results showed that marijuana slows down a driver’s perception of time, space, and distance while cocaine causes drivers to speed, change lanes without signaling and puts other innocent people at risk of a deadly accident. (Parents. Anti-Drug, 2003).

One high-profile Phoenix truck accident involving drugs happened in March 2009 when a dump truck driver hit a group of motorcycle riders, killing four people and injuring five others. According to the initial tests conducted, the driver was positive with methamphetamine when the collision happened.

Unlike alcohol which has a legal limit of 0.08 for all 50 states, the authority is still in the process of determining the concentration level at which drugs can impair the judgment of drivers.

Continue reading " 1 in 5 Drivers Guilty of Drugged-driving in 2009 " »

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA-FARS) reported that 5,290 motorcyclists suffered fatal accidents and 96,000 injured in the U.S. in 2008. In Arizona, 133 motorcycle riders lost their lives; 49 percent of which were helmeted and the remaining 51 percent were not. In 2009, 4,595 motorcycles in the United States or 10.1 percent of the total number of vehicles were involved in fatal crashes. This is a scary statistic, and as Mesa motorcycle accident attorneys, we hope Arizona drivers are always on the look out for bikers to help save more lives.

A pair in a motorcycle traveling northbound in Val Vista and McKellips was hit by a car in Mesa, Arizona around 3 p.m. of Friday (AZ Family 11/26/2010). The car, traveling southbound, was driven by an elderly driver. The male and female motorcyclists had to be taken to the hospital with serious injuries while the elderly driver was not seriously injured. There was no information whether the two victims riding the motorcycle were wearing helmets or if the car driver was distracted before he or she struck them.

Most elderly drivers are still fully competent drivers because of their longer driving experience. Older drivers typically do not engage in the same risky behaviors as younger drivers, such as texting, drinking and driving, or speeding, so they are very often some of the safest drivers on the roads. However, the effects of aging may be a hindrance in a person’s ability to drive. Changes in vision, physical fitness, and reflexes are just some factors to be taken into consideration by older drivers to stay safe on the road. For drivers who notice these changes, make sure to always wear currently prescribed eyeglasses, do not wear sunglasses at night, and keep your windshields and headlights clean.

Continue reading " Mesa Motorcycle Accident Leaves 3 Injured " »

Did you know that 4,092 pedestrians were killed in 2009 and 120 in Arizona alone? Data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration or NHSTA-FARS shows that in 2009, Arizona was ranked 8th in the nation when it comes to state pedestrian fatality rates.

A 60-year old woman was killed after being hit by an SUV on Monday afternoon, 11/23 (AZ Family 11/23/10). She was on her way home after cashing a winning lotto ticket for her husband. She was walking across the road in a crosswalk when she was hit by a Toyota 4Runner along 35th and Glendale Avenues. Police are still investigating the cause of the accident.

In terms of traffic fatalities in 2008, older people account for 15 percent of traffic fatalities and 18 percent of all pedestrian fatalities.

Both drivers and pedestrians can avoid this kind of tragic incident. Drivers can encounter pedestrians at any place and time. In bad weather or at night, drivers must be always on the lookout for pedestrians, as they can be very hard to see. Always drive slowly when you are in a crosswalk area and prepare for a stop. Lastly, be particularly careful when you are close to schools and communities.

For pedestrians, it is always safer to use the provided sidewalks. If there is no sidewalk, always try to walk facing traffic as far to the right as possible. Alcohol and drugs can also affect the ability to walk safely so, it is advised to only take a minimal amount. Wearing light or reflective clothing, especially at night, can help pedestrians be more visible to others on the roads as well.

Continue reading " Fatal Pedestrian-SUV Accident in Phoenix " »

As parents such as ourselves hit the toy stores this holiday season, it is important for all to be aware of the potential risk of serious injury that exists in many popular toys for our children. Last year, over 250,000 children were treated in hospital emergency rooms for injuries caused by toys (Consumer Produce Safety Commission 2009). Twelve children suffered a wrongful death after their injuries (CPSC 2009).

Safe Kids USA has compiled a few safety tips for parents to remember about purchasing safe toys and how to use them safely (2010).

• When purchasing toys, keep in mind the age-appropriateness of the items as well as your child’s development age. Some children may have reached the numerical age on a warning label but developmentally may be behind, and there is nothing wrong with that, but you need to keep this in mind to avoid purchasing a toy that could cause harm.
• Pick up toys and try them before buying them. Are there any loose parts or parts that could come off and pose a choking hazard? Any strings or cords that could cause a suffocation injury? Are there any exposed battery or wires that may cause electrocution? If the answer is yes to any of these questions, do not purchase that item.
• If you have both older and younger children in the house, teach them to keep the older children’s toys away from the little ones and to clean up completely after playing to prevent age-inappropriate toys from getting into the wrong hands (or mouths).
• Check all toy recalls often and follow through with the recall instructions as quickly as possible to get unsafe toys out of the toy chest.

Continue reading " Risk of Serious Injury in Holiday Toys " »