Dave Abels, Author at Abels & Annes, P.C.

Hit-And-Run Driver Strikes 3 Bicyclists in Maricopa County

Spring time weather has hit Phoenix and it looks like it is here to stay. The mild temperature combined with the generally sunny weather means that many people are hitting the roads on bicycles, either for transportation or for exercise. With an increased presence of cyclists often comes an increase in the number of bicycle versus automobile collisions with those on bikes usually suffering injuries.

When an accident involving a bicyclist occurs, the same rules and laws that govern car accidents come into play. Those involved in the collision are required to remain at the scene until they are cleared by police and tickets may be issued to anyone determined to have violated a law. Despite these requirements, drivers in Phoenix continue to ignore their duties with many drivers fleeing the scene of a bicycle accident involving a cyclist. In the event a fleeing driver is later apprehended, the legal charges faced are likely to be greater as additional counts may be added for a hit-and-run accident.

Victims of bicycle accident may be entitled to seek relief for the injuries they sustain in a crash. These claims can provide payments to cover things like medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering that must be endured as a result of an accident. Speaking with a personal injury lawyer in the Phoenix area may help you understand whether you have a valid claim, and if so, whether you may be entitled to financial relief.

Authorities with the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Department responded to the scene of an accident involving three people walking bicycles on Saturday night. The incident, which happened near 115th Avenue and Happy Valley Road, allegedly occurred when a pickup truck traveling near the bicyclists entered the shoulder of the road and struck the cyclists as they walked. The driver of the pickup truck then fled the scene without providing any information to the police or the victims of the crash.

All three bicyclists were injured in the incident and needed medical treatment. One cyclist’s injuries were serious and required that individual be transported by air ambulance to a local hospital.
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Driver Critical After Truck Accident in Surprise

by Dave Abels

On average, semi trucks are involved in fewer accidents per mile driven than other types of vehicles, including passenger cars, vans, and SUVs. Operators of semi trucks need special licensing and additional training before they can legally operate a rig and they also have more experience behind the wheel, two factors often believed to be part of the reason that semi trucks are involved in relatively few accidents.

However, when a truck accident occurs, the results are often more severe and extreme than they would be if the accident involved smaller vehicles. The size, weight, and distribution of a truck means that it often has significant momentum and force when a collision does occur. Additionally, if a truck is involved with a vehicle or object smaller than the truck itself, the smaller object or vehicle usually absorbs the majority of the impact, leading to a potential for serious injuries stemming from any truck accident.

The victims involved in a truck accident in the Phoenix area or across the rest of Arizona may be entitled to relief for their damages. A personal injury lawyer can help you understand whether you are entitled to recover for your losses, including any medical expenses you have been forced to incur and time that you have been forced to miss from work. These claims are separate and distinct from any traffic or criminal charges that may be brought by the state; in fact, claims for personal injuries are often available even where an at-fault driver did not receive a ticket for his or her negligence.

Local police in Surprise responded to the scene of an accident on the Loop 303 this morning and found a gruesome sight. A truck traveling near Grand Avenue left the road’s surface and struck a guard rail on the right side, causing a piece of metal from the guard rail to impale the truck from the windshield area through the back of the truck which reportedly carried newspapers. The metal also impaired the driver’s leg, nearly severing it and leaving the man with critical injuries.
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Early Dust Storm Brings Potential for Car Accidents

by Dave Abels

Summertime in Phoenix often brings more than just sunshine. Dust storms make a seasonal appearance most years, decreasing visibility and making it difficult to drive a car. The lowered visibility is a primary reason that car accidents in Phoenix and the rest of the Valley increase when dust storms are present.

Dust storms by themselves do not usually cause car accidents. Generally, the poor weather condition combines with drivers who are speeding, ignoring traffic signals, or otherwise acting in a negligent manner and the combination of all factors results in a collision. The laws in Phoenix are designed to protect accident victims in the event of a crash, allowing victims who are injured the right to seek a recovery for their damages. Often, these recoveries can provide compensation for medical expenses, rehabilitation needs, and even lost wages that were unable to be earned while an accident victim recovered. Speaking with a personal injury lawyer who represents car accident victims is a good place to learn about your legal right and legal options after a collision.

In an unusual turn of events, a dust storm hit the Phoenix area yesterday, months before the summer monsoon season sets in and months before dust storms usually happen in the Valley. The storm began in the area of I-10, south of Phoenix but quickly traveled north, covering many highways and city roads in dust. It is unclear whether any car accidents are being blamed in whole or in part on the storm, but as the season progresses, it is likely that similar storms will contribute to at least some collisions.

Experts all agree that when a dust storm occurs, the safest thing is to avoid it if possible. Do not drive if you do not have to and if you are already driving when a storm begins, pull over if necessary. Also, reduce your speed and anticipate the presence of other vehicles on the road, even if the dust makes it difficult to see them. If you have young children or pets outside, consider bringing them inside the house until the storm passes to make sure they are not injured if a collision does occur on your street.
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SUVs Collide, Hit Fire Truck in Phoenix

by Dave Abels

The majority of car accidents that occur in Phoenix are due to negligence on the part of at least one person involved in the crash. In many cases, a driver will fail to operate in a safe manner, leading to a collision. In others, though, someone involved in designing a car or a tire may have erred, leading to an issue that makes a vehicle prone to crash. Regardless of how an accident occurs, if negligence is involved, the victims of a crash likely are entitled to seek relief for their damages.

Determining if negligence played a role in an accident can be incredibly difficult for the average driver to ascertain. Speaking with a lawyer who handles claims on behalf of car accident victims may be a good place to start if you want to learn about your legal rights and legal options following a crash.

In a large number of accidents, multiple vehicles are involved but only one driver acted in an erroneous manner. This can happen if a driver runs a red light or a stop sign, fails to yield the right of way, or even drives to fast for conditions and places his or her car in the same spot as another vehicle that is being driven in a safe manner. At this point in time, officials are trying to determine if that is what caused two SUVs to collide this weekend in Phoenix.

Police have reported that two SUVs were in the area of Central and Broadway when the two vehicles collided for reasons that have not yet been determined. One vehicle held a family of five while a female driver was the sole occupant of the second. The force of the collision caused both cars to slide into a Phoenix Fire Department truck that was stopped at a red light at the intersection, waiting to proceed towards the truck’s home station. The second impact caused several of the doors on the fire truck to become pinned shut, forcing the firefighters on board to escape through the cab of the truck. They began immediately assessing those inside the SUVs for injuries once they had freed themselves from the truck.

Two front-seat adults and a 16-year-old back-seat passenger in the first SUV were injured and were transported to hospitals for treatment. Two other children, aged 8 and 10, did not appear to be injured and were not in need of medical help. The sole occupant of the second SUV, a 28-year-old woman, was seriously injured and was transported to a trauma center for assessment and treatment of her injuries. Her current condition remains unknown.
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Possible Impaired Driver Hits and Kills Toddler in Stroller

by Dave Abels

Car accidents occur every day in Phoenix and many of them result in injuries to the drivers and passengers involved. Though some collisions may be unavoidable, the majority of them are due to the negligence or reckless of one or more individuals involved. Often, crashes of this type may lead to traffic tickets, criminal charges, or other penalties levied by the State of Arizona against those responsible. In addition to any charges by the state, though, an at-fault driver may also be held legally liable to the victims of the crash for the damages they sustained. In many cases, this can include medical bills incurred and likely to be incurred in the future, lost wages, and less tangible damages like pain and suffering.

But people in automobiles are not the only ones at risk when a driver acts in a negligent manner. In fact, anyone in the area of the driver, including bicyclists, motorcyclists, and pedestrians may be at risk for involvement in a crash and may suffer injuries as a result. The same laws that allow victims inside cars to recover for their damages allow anyone involved in an accident with the potential right to seek recovery for their injuries. Speaking with a lawyer who handles car accident cases may help you understand if your incident entitles to you relief.

Unfortunately, in some accidents, children are injured or even killed. Injuries to children and minors are always tragic and can never be undone, However, the children and their parents or legal guardians may be entitled to legal relief that can help pay for expenses for a child’s injuries or for the losses sustained when a child is killed, though no relief can ever properly compensate a family for the loss of a child’s life.

In what officials have described as a horrifying scene, a three-year-old child was killed after being struck by a car in Phoenix yesterday afternoon. Police in Phoenix responded to the scene of the incident which occurred near a Walmart parking lot. They determined that a 22-year-old individual was operating a car in the area and approached a babysitter pushing the child in a stroller. The driver reportedly stopped at a stop sign and then continued forward towards the sitter and child reportedly without slowing or stopping, thereby causing a collisions with the stroller in which the child was riding. The driver allegedly continued for a short distance and then stopped when the driver realized a collision occurred. When police responded, they determined that the driver may have been under the influence and that marijuana may have been present in the car, leading to the driver’s arrest and an investigation into the driver’s actions.
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Multi Vehicle Crash Leaves Motorcyclist Dead

by Dave Abels

When all drivers are operating in a safe manner and with caution and care towards others on the road, driving a car or riding a motorcycle can be relatively safe. Most people make it from one point to another without being involved in an accident or crash and without thinking much about the dangers that are inherent to driving. But in many cases, drivers are distracted, impaired, or otherwise negligent while behind the wheel, leading to a decreased focus on traffic and increasing the changes of an accident happening.

Often, a negligent driver strikes another vehicle in a crash, meaning that an innocent driver and his or her passengers are involved in a crash simply for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Car accidents in Phoenix may be minor or severe. In the best scenarios, no one is injured and only minor property damage occurs. However, in serious accidents, those involved may be killed as a result of the crash, potentially leading to a wrongful death claim.

When a loved one or family member is killed due to the negligence of another, the surviving family members or loved ones may be entitled to seek relief for their damages even though no amount of money can ever provide proper compensation for the losses suffered. Speaking with a personal injury lawyer who handles these wrongful death claims can help you understand if you have a valid claim and whether you may be entitled to relief.

Police in Tempe have confirmed a tragic accident took place on Wednesday evening during a busy commuting period along eastbound US 60. Though it is early in their investigation, police believe that a motorcyclist collided with a passenger car while in the vicinity of McClintock Drive. Officials believe that the force of the crash threw the biker off the motorcycle and onto the road’s surface where a second passenger vehicle struck and then run over the biker, causing fatal injuries.

The investigation into the incident is ongoing at this time as police attempt to determine which factors set the fatal accident into effect and whether negligence on the part of anyone involved in the crash contributed. Part of eastbound US 60 remained closed after the accident last night for investigators to review the scene and for crews to clear the affected lanes.
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NFL Owner Jim Irsay Arrested for DUI and Possession

by Dave Abels

Multiple media outlets have reported that Jim Irsay, the well-known owner of the Indianapolis Colts, was arrested last night on suspicion of driving under the influence and possession of a controlled substance. Reportedly, Irsay was booked into a local jail in Hamilton County early Monday morning.

Police in Carmel, Indiana reportedly saw Irsay driving slowly on a local road and stopping in the middle of the street. He also allegedly failed to signal before turning which led authorities to stop Irsay and administer field sobriety tests, which he reportedly failed. Irsay was arrested and charged with operating a vehicle while intoxicated, a crime in Indiana as well as every other state, including Arizona. As part of his arrest, officers searched Irsay’s car and reportedly found prescription drugs that were not associated with any prescription bottles in Irsay’s possession, leading to a second charge of possession of a controlled substance. Bond in Irsay’s case was set at $22,500 and as of early this morning, he remained behind bars and in police custody.

Back in 2002, Irsay admitted he had an addiction to prescription pain killers following multiple surgeries and treatments, referring to his pain at that time as chronic. Twitter posts in late 2013 from Irsay indicate that he has not had an alcoholic drink in 15 years, leading many to speculate as to the intoxicant allegedly in Irsay’s system while he drove last night.

Forbes values the Indianapolis Colts as the 11th most valuable franchise in the National Football League and estimates the team’s worth at $1.6 billion. Irsay is the sole owner of the franchise and is well known for his outspokenness, hands-on approach to ownership, and social media presence. The NFL has stated that if Irsay will face discipline from the league in addition to any punishments or sentences asserted by the courts in this matter.
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Unlicensed Teen Allegedly Causes Fatal Crash, Then Flees

by Dave Abels

The laws in Phoenix and the rest of Arizona require drivers who are involved in accidents to remain at the scene of the crash until authorities have had the opportunity to respond. Those drivers that do not remain face the possibility of additional charges which can lead to fines, a suspended license, or even incarceration in the event the driver is convicted. These charges are often in addition to others that would have been brought on their own had the driver remained at the scene, including offenses like running a red light or speeding.

Hit and run accidents in Phoenix often leave a motorist or pedestrian injured and in need of medical care. If no one but the fleeing driver witnesses the accident, the victim may be left unable to call for help or assistance, and delays in treatment can exacerbate injuries or even cause death. That is one of the reasons motorists are legally required to stay at the scene of an accident until cleared by police.

Police in Mesa have reported a fatal accident that occurred between a pickup truck and a man riding a scooter near a local Jack in the Box restaurant. The crash occurred near Alma School and University and authorities believe that a 15-year-old male was behind the wheel of the truck. The 15-year-old, who did not have a license, attempted to turn into the restaurant’s parking lot where a 22-year-old man on a scooter was present. The teen did have a learner’s permit and was driving with a friend in the truck when a collision occurred with the scooter, fatally injuring the 22-year-old man aboard the bike. Police have further reported that following the impact, the driver of the truck fled the scene and returned to his home.

Witnesses to the collision took note of the driver and the truck’s descriptions and presented it to the police who used the information to locate the suspect at his home. Information about any pending charges against the teen are not currently known.
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Motorcyclist Killed in Yuma Crash

by Dave Abels

The rights of motorcyclists to ride in Phoenix and the rest of Arizona often are not given the respect or the attention they deserve. But regardless of the attitudes of some drivers, the applicable laws are clear: bikers have the right to ride and other drivers must act with caution when in the area of a motorcycle. When motorists ignore bikers or fail to appreciate a biker’s presence, often a motorcycle accident occurs, which may leave the biker injured, or in the worst accidents, killed.

Phoenix area lawyers who handle injury cases on behalf of bikers understand how serious these accidents can be. With the relatively small size and weight of a motorcycle as compared to a typical passenger car, it is not surprising that the bike and its rider tend to experience the majority of the damage that occurs when a bike is hit by a car. The open nature of a motorcycle also means there is little to nothing to protect the rider in the event of a crash, which often leads to a rider’s body taking a direct hit from a car, fixed object, or even the road’s surface.

Each accident involving a motorcycle is different and the facts surrounding the crash are unique. That is why it is a good idea to speak with a personal injury lawyer after an accident to learn about the legal implications of your crash and whether you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries. Unfortunately in the worst accidents, a monetary recovery will never provide adequate compensation for the damages that occurred. This is always true when a loved one is killed in a crash while riding a bike.

Authorities in Yuma have reported a fatal accident between a motorcyclist and a car that took place on Saturday afternoon near the intersection of 16th Street and Gateway. A 65-year-old man was riding a motorcycle when police believe a car driven by an 18-year-old man rear-ended the bike, causing a serious crash that led to the biker’s death. At this time, police are not sure why the driver of the car struck the motorcycle but they have confirmed that after the initial impact, the car struck the biker’s body which led to fatal injuries.

Authorities are still investigating the collision and attempting to determine what caused the impact, including all factors that led to the initial crash. At this time, it is unclear whether the driver of the car will face criminal or traffic charges but all potential avenues are being explored.
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Scottsdale Crash Leaves 2 Dead

by Dave Abels

Car accidents happen every day in the Valley and they range from minor fender benders to more severe accidents where people are injured, or worse, killed. Nationally, more than 32,000 people were killed in car accidents across the nation in 2011 alone. In Arizona, more than 100,000 accidents occurred and more than 33,000 people were injured. A large number of those accidents happened in Phoenix and the surrounding cities, leaving many Valley residents the victims of auto accidents.

When authorities arrive on the scene of a collision, it can be difficult to determine what caused a collision in the first place. Some accidents are the result of negligent driving while others can be blamed on a faulty design or manufacturing of a vehicle. In some cases, even the authorities cannot clearly establish fault in a crash. Speaking with a personal injury lawyer who is experienced with car accidents can help you understand the legal significance of your accident and whether you may be entitled to relief for your damages.

Police in Scottsdale were called to respond to the scene of a collision on Sunday afternoon that left two people dead. At this time, police believe that the driver of an SUV, traveling on Scottsdale Road near McCormack Parkway, lost control of the vehicle and left the road’s surface where the SUV collided with a tree. No other cars are believed to have been involved in the accident.

The driver of the SUV was fatally injured in the crash and was pronounced dead at the scene. Three passengers inside the SUV were transported to area hospitals for treatment but unfortunately, one of the passengers, a 63-year-old individual, died at the hospital. The conditions of the two other passengers are not known at this time.

Police have not yet determined what caused the driver of the SUV to lose control and to strike a tree but their investigation continues. The scene of the crash was closed for approximately five hours while crews cleared away the debris and investigators reviewed evidence from the accident.
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