Posted on May 06, 2015 in Workplace Accidents

An Occupational Safety and Health Administration investigation into the death of a man in an industrial 35-foot-long pressure cooker resulted in charges against Bumble Bee Foods, a plant operations director and the former safety manager. The worker died in the Santa Fe Springs plant. Another worker did not know he was inside the cooker cleaning it when he filled it with 22,000 pounds of tuna.

The pressure cooker reached a temperature of 270 degrees after being turned on. During this time, a supervisor noticed that the 62-year-old victim was missing. Workers found his body two hours later when the tuna cooker was opened.

According to Los Angeles prosecutors, the charges specify that the two managers, along with the company, did not enforce a safety plan or establish rules for workers in confined spaces. If convicted, the managers could face a possible three years in prison plus fines up to $250,000. Fines against Bumble Bee Foods could reach as high as $1.5 million.

Although OSHA pressed charges against the company and its managers in this case, a workplace accident does not have to be caused by someone's negligence for an injured worker to collect workers' compensation benefits. Reporting the accident to an employer, however, is necessary to begin the claims process. Industrial accidents are a common source of injuries, but any on-the-job accident could qualify an employee for benefits. An injured worker sometimes consults with an attorney when making a claim. The representation of an attorney can also be helpful at a subsequent hearing should the claim be disputed or denied.

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 Posted on May 04, 2015 in Wrongful Death

On May 1, it was announced that a wrongful death lawsuit was filed against former Olympian Bruce Jenner. Jenner was accused of causing a car accident in California that left a 69-year-old woman dead.

In the accident, which occurred on Feb. 7, Jenner was driving a Cadillac Escalade while hauling an off-road vehicle on a trailer when he attempted to steer around vehicles that had slowed down in front of him. He collided with a Prius that was directly in front of him. The impact from this collision caused the Prius to be pushed into a Lexus, which was being driven by the 69-year-old woman. The Lexus was pushed into oncoming traffic, where it was struck by a Hummer.

The wrongful death lawsuit was filed by the woman's two step-children, who claimed that they sustained serious damages. The amount of compensation they were seeking was not known. It was argued that that Jenner was driving negligently, which allegedly resulted in the crash, though videos of the incident reportedly showed that Jenner was not using a cellphone at the time the incident occurred. Jenner was not charged in the incident.

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 Posted on April 30, 2015 in Car Accidents

Early in the morning on April 22, a Toyota Prius that was driving east in the westbound lanes of Highway 50 in Sacramento County collided head-on with a pickup truck in the westbound lane. The collision caused the truck to spin. A third vehicle collided with the truck, causing the truck to catch fire.

California Highway Patrol received a call about 2:30 in the morning that a Prius was driving the wrong way on westbound Highway 50. The Prius reportedly had been driving in the wrong lane for several miles before the head-on collision occurred.

The driver of the Prius and all three occupants of the pickup truck were pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the third vehicle suffered minor injuries. Police are reportedly investigating whether there is any link between the crash and the use of alcohol or drugs.

California law, as well as the law of other states, allows relatives of an individual who is killed as a result of another person's conduct to file a wrongful death lawsuit. If the wrongful death suit is successful, damages may be awarded for burial expenses, medical expenses, lost potential income and the loss of affection, support and guidance. California does not allow wrongful death damages for mental anguish or pain and suffering. If an individual believes that a relative was the victim of another's harmful conduct, he or she may seek the services of an attorney who may be able to file a wrongful death lawsuit on the individual's behalf. The attorney may advise the individual regarding which relatives or other individuals may be eligible to file a wrongful death lawsuit as well as the statute of limitations for filing suit.

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 Posted on April 22, 2015 in Car Accidents

California residents may be interested to learn about a fatal car accident that took place at the Walt Disney World Speedway in Florida. The crash happened on April 12 and resulted in the death of a man who had been working at the Speedway for the past 14 years. Since 2013, he worked as the operations manager for the Exotic Driving Experience and the Richard Petty Driving Experience.

The fatal car accident occurred at the Exotic Driving Experience section of the Speedway while a 24-year-old man was driving a Lamborghini. After losing control of the vehicle, the man hit a guardrail. His 36-year-old passenger, who was employed by the Speedway, was declared dead at the scene. The driver was treated for minor injuries at Celebration Hospital and then released.

The Walt Disney World Speedway is a park where guests have the opportunity to ride in or drive around a racetrack in NASCAR vehicles and exotic cars. The park is located outside of the Disney Transportation and Ticket Center, which not far from the Magic Kingdom. According to an announcement that was issued by Disney in February, the Speedway is going to be closed for the summer of 2015.

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 Posted on April 20, 2015 in Car Accidents

An accident involving a motorcycle and a passenger car resulted in the death of two people on April 12. The fatal motor vehicle accident occurred in the San Fernando Valley at about 11 p.m. According to police, both the motorcyclist and the passenger car driver were declared dead at the scene of the accident.

Police say a 30-year-old man riding a motorcycle was traveling at excessive speeds near the intersection of Reseda Boulevard and Collins Street. The motorcyclist collided with the driver's side window of a Honda Accord while the 60-year-old driver was starting to make a left turn. As a result of the impact, the motorcycle landed approximately 50 feet away, and the motorcyclist crashed through the car window.

A Los Angeles Police Department detective said that when the motorcyclist went through the driver's side window, the woman who was driving the Honda was impacted. The motorcyclist ended up on the passenger side. While investigators were looking into the details of the collision, the intersection was shut down until early the next morning. According to an LAPD detective, another fatal motorcycle accident involving speed had occurred in the same area only a couple days before.

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 Posted on April 13, 2015 in Car Accidents

On April 7, a San Jose man was killed in a car accident that may have been caused by a drunk driver. According to authorities, the man was driving in the northbound lanes of Highway 101 in a Ford Taurus when a 2011 Nissan pickup rear-ended him. The pickup then reportedly left the scene of the crime by taking the Great America Parkway exit. The collision left the Taurus stalled on the highway.

Following the initial accident, the driver of a 2008 Ford pickup came across the stalled vehicle; however, he was unable to avoid striking the Taurus. The impact of the collision caused the Taurus to travel across multiple lanes of the freeway before striking a wall. The vehicle then caught fire. The vehicle was reportedly fully engulfed in flames when the rescue authorities arrived at the scene, killing the 37-year-old driver.

The vehicle that reportedly caused the accident was recovered at a nearby IHOP by local authorities. It has sustained major damage to its front end and tires. Once the local authorities contacted the State Police, the vehicle was ultimately linked to the hit-and-run accident. The driver was taken into police custody where he was charged with manslaughter and DUI.

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 Posted on April 08, 2015 in Car Accidents

A 44-year-old man was killed and a woman was critically injured in a two-vehicle accident near Santa Cruz on March 28. The crash occurred at approximately 2 p.m., according to the California Highway Patrol.

Authorities said a 1991 Ford F-150 pickup truck was driving northbound on Empire Grade Road north of Llama Ranch Road when it crossed the double yellow lines into southbound traffic and struck an oncoming 2001 Chevrolet van near the north entrance to the University of California at Santa Cruz.

The driver of the pickup truck, who lived in the unincorporated area of Aptos, was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash. The driver of the van, a 20-year-old woman, suffered critical and life-threatening injuries. She was airlifted to a nearby trauma center for treatment. Authorities said the pickup truck was traveling at a high rate of speed at the time of the crash, but the van was traveling within the posted speed limit.

Head-on collisions could be caused by any number of factors, including excessive speed, reckless driving, distracted driving or driving while impaired. Anyone who is injured in a head-on collision caused by a negligent driver may wish to consult with a lawyer about their legal options. By filing a personal injury lawsuit against the at-fault driver, an injured victim may be able to recover financial compensation for medical expenses, rehabilitation costs, lost wages due to an inability to return to work, property damages and pain and suffering. If the at-fault driver was killed in the car crash, a lawsuit may be filed against his or her estate.

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 Posted on April 06, 2015 in Workplace Accidents

California residents may have noticed that the number of high-rise construction projects being undertaken in the stare has increased recently as the economy slowly recovers from the 2008 financial crisis. Many of these projects use scaffolding systems that are raised or lowered mechanically because they are simple to put into place and relatively easy to dismantle after the work has been completed. However, the systems were developed after OSHA implemented its scaffolding safety rules, and some safety experts feel that protocols should be updated in light of the new technology.

Mast-climbers are platforms that are raised or lowered after being attached towers connected to the wall of a building, and they are often used by window installers or masons to perform finishing work. However, the systems are complex to use, and workers require specialized training before they are able to operate them safely. Some observers have speculated that a lack of this type of training may have contributed to a March 2015 construction accident in North Carolina that claimed the lives of three Latino construction workers.

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 Posted on March 30, 2015 in Car Accidents

Any California driver who becomes involved in a car crash is at risk for suffering a severe back or spinal cord injury. These types of injuries, which are often permanent, can result in the loss of movement or sensation in the arms and legs. If the injury is severe enough, the injured person may even lose the ability to control their bodily functions.

It is estimated that 250,000 to 500,000 people worldwide suffer a spinal cord injury every year. Men are at least twice as likely than women to suffer a spinal cord injury; while men mostly risk injury when they are between ages 20 to 29 and 70 or older, women are most at risk during the ages 15 to 19 and when they are 60 years and older.

Someone who has suffered a serious spinal cord injury is more likely to die prematurely than someone who did not suffer an injury. This is likely because there are a number of secondary conditions associated with spinal cord injuries, including osteoporosis, respiratory complications and deep vein thrombosis. Further, mental illness, such as depression, is not uncommon, as many who suffer injuries are less likely to participate in school or be employed.

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 Posted on March 25, 2015 in Car Accidents

A major crash in California claimed the life of a 13-year-old girl. The accident happened on March 14 in Madera County on Highway 41.

According to law enforcement authorities, a 70-year-old man driving a pickup truck crossed the centerline of the highway, striking an oncoming sedan head-on. The 13-year-old girl was reportedly riding in the backseat of the sedan. She succumbed to her injuries. A 19-year-old woman who was also riding in the car suffered injuries reported as major. She had to be extricated from the vehicle by emergency personnel. The sedan's 48-year-old driver also suffered injuries characterized as major.

The pickup truck's driver and his wife both suffered minor to moderate injuries in the accident. Law enforcement officials indicated they do not believe alcohol was a factor in the collision. Police were still investigating the accident's cause at the time of the report.

Head-on collisions are often especially catastrophic, causing serious injury or death. When a person dies in an accident caused by a driver's negligence, such as crossing the centerline, the victim's family may be left reeling with grief and battling significant financial costs at the same time. The family of a person killed in such an accident may want to file a wrongful death civil lawsuit against the driver for their negligence. Through a lawsuit, a family may be able to hold a driver civilly liable for the economic and non-economic losses that are incurred. A personal injury attorney might be able to provide help with identifying all claims, drafting and filing the complaint and advocating on their client's behalf to secure recovery.

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