Abels & Annes, P.C. Personal Injury Blog

When it comes to driving under the influence, police officers, lawyers, and judges have heard every excuse in the book but none of them is a valid reason to drive a car while intoxicated, whether on alcohol, drugs, or another substance. Impaired driving continues to threaten the safety of Arizonans as drivers hit the roads when they should use another form of transportation. More dangerous than a drunk driver is a dunk driver that causes a collision and then flees the scene of the accident, leaving behind injured victims who may need medical attention and who may be unable to call for help. Because these accidents are so dangerous, Arizona imposes severe penalties on those drivers who are under the influence when they are involved in a crash and then leave the scene of the incident, often including felony charges and the potential for serious jail time. Yet as car accident lawyers, our office receives numerous calls from victims of these crashes who did nothing wrong but were harmed through the negligence of another. Glendale police have reported such an accident as occurring on Thursday near Glendale Avenue and 35th Avenue. They believe that a 57-year-old man was driving drunk when he caused a crash in an intersection during a left turn. The at-fault driver allegedly left the scene and was followed by a witness to the crash, leading to the man’s arrest and subsequent charges for his part in the collision. Police have reported that the man refused sobriety tests upon apprehension but that he did admit to drinking that day. As of now, the man has been charged with aggravated assault and leaving the scene of a crash that resulted in an injury; additional charges may be leveled as this investigation continues to unfold. The driver of the […]

Arizona has some of the strictest laws in the nation when it comes to prohibitions against drunk or impaired driving and the fines and penalties that follow violators are severe. Yet weekly, Arizona drivers cause car accidents because they are drunk or under the influence of another intoxicating substance like drugs or pharmaceuticals. Drunk drivers span all age ranges and demographics and are much more likely to cause injuries or death in a car crash than others because impaired drivers are more reckless and less cautious than others on the road. Personal injury lawyers know how devastating these accidents can be and it is more distressing since no drunk driving crash need happen; if citizens choose another means of transportation, all drunk driving accidents could be prevented. As drivers continue to operate their vehicles in reckless conditions, innocent victims will continue to sustain injuries and will be left to wonder how they will pay for their medical bills. Fortunately Arizona law provides injury victims with the means to obtain a financial recovery for their losses in the event of an automobile collision either by collecting against an at-fault driver or by making a claim against their own insurance, depending on the facts of the specific accident. This important right of victims should not be overlooked as accidents continue daily, like a Saturday morning car crash that claimed a teenager’s life in Tucson. While police are still investigating, it appears that a 20-year-old driver was impaired by alcohol and/or drugs when he struck a median multiple times on West Valencia Road, ejecting a 19-year-old male and causing his death. In addition to the driver and the young man who was killed, three others were in the vehicle and all sustained injuries that required medical treatment at area hospitals. Authorities anticipate issuing […]

Police believe that a serious car crash on Saturday started when two vehicles were drag racing in Phoenix and at least one driver lost control of his car. The incident took place near 35th Avenue and Greenway Road between 7:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. and began with two cars that were racing one another. One of the racing cars collided head-on with a third car that was in the area, causing significant damage to both vehicles and forcing one of the cars to roll over onto its roof. Inside the third car were a man and three children who ranged in age from three to eleven, all of whom were critically injured. The racing car was reportedly driven by a young male and had a second young male as a passenger. Both sustained injuries and were transported to local hospitals but were expected to survive. The driver of the third car was also injured but was described as sustaining minor injuries when compared to the children. It is not yet clear whether the undamaged car involved in the street race remained at the scene or left prior to the arrival of local police. Street racing is illegal in Arizona and it poses a serious threat to public safety, yet some drivers still engage in the activity regardless of the consequences. If street racing results in an accident that seriously injures or kills another, a driver may face a felony charge and, if convicted, may serve serious time behind bars. Additionally, anyone caught street racing may lose his or her driver’s license, be forced to pay fines, be required to perform community service, or face other penalties. In addition to those punishments instilled by the state of Arizona, a drag racing driver who causes another to become injured may also be […]

Spurred by safety concerns, Honda is recalling approximately 400,000 North American vehicles due to the possibility of airbag deployment at random times as opposed to only upon impact as intended. The recall affects 2003 and 2004 Honda Odysseys and the 2003 Honda Accura MDX that were sold in the United States and Canada. Honda claims that the defective unit has not caused any collisions at this point but acknowledges that there have been several reports of non-crash airbag deployments, prompting the move to recall the affected units and to install an electrical noise filter, which is believed to prevent electrical interference that is causing the malfunctions. An improper airbag deployment can be a very dangerous situation as an airbag deploys at a high rate of speed and occupies much of the area where a passenger resides. In the case of a driver, an airbag located in a dashboard or steering wheel is designed to deploy quickly and efficiently, cushioning the driver and preventing the driver’s body from striking a hard surface at the front of the vehicle. To ensure this occurs, an airbag takes up most of the free space between where a driver sits and the steering wheel, meaning that a fully deployed airbag almost always obscures a driver’s vision and ability to see the road. Preventing a driver from the ability to see traffic is inherently dangerous and likely to cause a crash, even if one has not yet occurred. Owners of the recalled vehicles should contact their local dealerships for more information and to learn about the procedures to follow for obtaining a proper fix to this issue, including whether it is safe to continue driving your vehicle at the present time. Honda has stated that all registered owners of the recalled cars and SUVs will be […]

Police have not yet determined what caused an 87-year-old woman in Gilbert to strike a parked car and then crash through a building on Friday morning but they have confirmed that a 22-year-old woman was killed as a result. The incident occurred near a Gilbert strip mall in the area of East Baseline Road and South Power Road at approximately 10:00 a.m. Police have reported that the elderly driver was running errands at a bank near the intersection that morning and that she returned to her car after completing her banking. As she began to drive, she reportedly struck a parked car in the area, causing her to lose control of her own vehicle and sending it crashing through a glass storefront in the neighboring strip mall. The woman’s car did stop upon impact with the store but rather careened forward, traveling about 25 feet inside of the building and injuring at least 12 people. One of those victims, a 22-year-old woman, died as a result of her injuries. At least two other people inside the building were taken to area hospitals for treatment of unspecified injuries. Neither the driver nor her passenger were injured in the crash and police stated that at this time, they do not believe that impairment was a factor. That leaves investigators unsure of what caused the woman to strike a parked car in the first place, setting this deadly string of events in motion. While the investigation is ongoing, at this time it is clear that a 22-year-old woman lost her life through no fault of her own and nearly a dozen other people were injured at the same time. Arizona law requires each driver of a motor vehicle to exercise due care and caution while behind the wheel so that accidents do not […]

A Gilbert boy lost his life after being mauled by three pit bull dogs owned by his babysitter recently. He was just two years old. Police have reported that a 28-year-old woman was watching the boy and his four siblings in her home as she had done on previous occasions. The woman began babysitting for the family about 10 years ago and knew the children, though most of the time she watched the kids in the family’s home. All five of the children reportedly had special needs and were adopted by a couple who wanted to provide them with a good home. The children were in the babysitter’s home when something happened and the babysitter’s dogs began to attack. There were four pit bull mixes in the house and three of them began to maul the two-year-old boy who was unable to defend himself. The babysitter attempted to break up the attack and was seriously injured herself during the fight. She called 911 for help and responding officers performed CPR on the young child but unfortunately his injuries were too severe and he died. The babysitter underwent surgery to repair her injuries and when she awoke, she consented to have the three dogs that attacked the child euthanized. The fourth dog was not involved and is currently being held by Animal Control but will be returned to the woman upon her release from the hospital. This is a tragic example of dogs turning on small children when there is no indication that the dogs had been aggressive in the past. But the past behavior of a dog is never a guarantee of how the dog will act in the future. Arizona law makes dog owners responsible for the injuries caused by their dogs regardless of where an attack occurs and […]

As the Arizona Cardinals prepared for their game Sunday, many fans prepared as well, some of them making the trek to New Orleans to watch the Saints host the Cardinals in what was expected to be a tough football game. The family of Cardinals nose tackle Dan Williams planned to make the trip as well from their home in Tennessee to Louisiana to watch their son and brother face the Saints but unfortunately they never got the chance. The car carrying the father, mother, and sister of Williams crashed somewhere near Jackson, Mississippi at some point before the Sunday game. The exact day and time of the crash, as well as the precise location, are not known at this time but authorities have confirmed that the father of Dan Williams was killed in the accident. Williams’s mother and sister were taken to an area hospital for treatment of injuries but at this time, both are expected to survive and to recover from the crash. Williams reportedly learned of his father’s death at some point before the Cardinals were scheduled to travel to New Orleans for Sunday’s game and he was excused from the trip due to his loss. He did not play on Sunday and it is not clear when he will return to practice. Williams was a 2010 first round draft pick by the Cardinals and has had a lot of playing time since then. Fans are likely to recall an interception Williams made against Sam Bradford and the St. Louis Rams in early September, returning the interception for a touchdown. Nationally, car accidents continue to claim thousands of lives every year. In 2011, more than 32,000 people were killed in automobile accidents, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and of those killed, 754 died in Arizona. […]

On Sunday night, Phoenix police received notice of a collision between two cars at the intersection of McDowell and 15th Avenue. When police officers responded to the scene, though, they found not only two cars with victims inside but also a pedestrian victim who was hit and killed by a light pole as a result of the crash. Police are still investigating the accident and trying to determine fault but at this time, it appears that a car traveling southbound on 15th Avenue collided with a car traveling eastbound on McDowell. One of the cars ran a red light and entered the intersection against traffic, causing the crash, but both drivers are claiming that the other one ran the light. The two cars collided in the intersection, causing a significant impact that made one of the drivers lose control of the vehicle, spinning out into traffic and striking a light pole on the corner. Police believe that a 25-year-old man was standing near that light pole at the time of the crash and may have been walking away from the intersection when the car hit the pole. The impact with the light pole caused it to fall to the ground, striking the 25-year-old pedestrian and critically injuring him. He died on the scene and police believe that he may not have seen the pole falling towards him. At least one of the two cars had a passenger and it appears that all drivers and the passenger were transported to area hospitals for treatment of minor injuries. All are expected to survive. Neither driver has been issued a ticket at this point as police officers have not determined which vehicle caused the crash. However, in addition to a citation for running a red light, the at-fault driver may face charges related […]

Police were called to investigate a crash on Tuesday morning between a car and three children who were waiting for a school bus. At this time, the police believe that the 18-year-old female driver may have been distracted behind the wheel, causing her not to see the children and causing a collision. The incident occurred in Buckeye near the intersection of 309th Avenue and Lynwood, shortly after 7:00 a.m. The woman was reportedly driving eastbound on Lynwood with six children on the west side of the intersection waiting to be picked up by a school bus. The driver allegedly did not see any of the children and struck three of them with her car, a Ford Taurus. She remained at the scene and spoke with police but at this time, she has not received any traffic citations. The three children who were hit have been reported as males ages 6, 7, and 13. All three were transported to Phoenix Children’s Hospital for treatment but are expected to make full recoveries. Some initial reports indicated that the children all faced life threatening injuries while others described the accident as resulting mostly in bumps and bruises, but at this time, all three boys have been released from the hospital. It is every parent’s nightmare to learn that their child has been involved in an accident and has been injured. Unfortunately, over 184,000 children are seriously injured in auto accidents every year in the United States and 1,300 children under the age of 14 are killed. Many parents believe that their children will be safe while waiting for a school bus in the morning but as this crash illustrates, that is not always the case. Police believe that the driver in this accident may have been distracted at the time of the crash. […]

A Tucson collision between two motorcycles left one man dead and another man seriously injured on Saturday afternoon. The crash occurred near the intersection of Bopp Road and Kinney Road, an area mostly known for its planned communities and mountainous views. Police believe that a 59-year-old man was riding his motorcycle in the area and speeding as he approached two other men on bikes. Witnesses have reported that the 59-year-old man had passed vehicles in a no passing zone and was traveling above the posted speed limit when he approached the rear of a second motorcycle which was driven by a 53-year-old man. The first biker struck the bike of the second and caused a serious crash between the two and prompting emergency crews to respond. The 53-year-old man was transported to an area hospital where he later died of his injuries. The 59-year-old man also received medical treatment at a hospital and is currently listed in serious condition. At this time, authorities believe that the 59-year-old man may have been impaired at the time of the collision and it is possible that the man will face criminal charges as a result. Another motorcyclist appeared to be riding with the 53-year-old victim but did not stop after the crash. At this point in time, police have not identified that man and have not be able to speak with him. Anyone with any information regarding the unidentified biker or the crash in general is asked to contact the Tucson police. With fall approaching as as temperatures begin to drop, motorcyclists will start hitting the roads in larger numbers than those in the heat of the summer. With an increased motorcycle presence on the roads, there comes an increased number of motorcycle accidents, many of which result in injuries or, in some […]