Abels & Annes, P.C. Personal Injury Blog

An Arizona bike accident has resulted in the death of a 58-year-old man whose name has not been released, according to AZCentral.com. The bicyclist was struck by one car and then dragged under a second car in the area of 7th Street and Purdue Avenue last Saturday. The victim was riding a mountain bike headed northeast when he was hit by a 46-year-old motorist who was driving a 1991 Nissan Pathfinder moving northbound. The bicyclist landed in the path of a 2005 Ford escape being driven by a 33-year-old man that was also moving northbound. The bike rider was dragged by the Ford until the vehicle stopped. Neither driver was impaired and no traffic tickets have yet been issued. It is not been reported if an Arizona injury lawyer is involved in the case. Read the story as reported by AZFamily.com and ABC news here.

As our Phoenix bicycle accident lawyers previously reported, a hit-and-run accident in Tempe, Arizona last July resulted in the death of a 32-year-old man from Mesa. A 22-year-old driver convicted for hitting the bicyclist and then fleeing the scene has been sentenced to one year in jail and three years probation, according to ABC news. Police alleged that the bike rider was legally traveling with the flow of traffic near Southern Avenue and Rural Road when he was hit by the defendant around 12 AM on July 10, 2010. After the collision, the motorist did not stop fled the scene. Several people in vehicles nearby called 911 and went to the bicyclist’s aid as he was lying in the street. The victim was taken by ambulance to an area hospital where he later passed away. The defendant had been charged with leaving the scene of a fatal accident. He pled guilty last Wednesday. Initially after the accident occurred, police released video of the accident in an attempt to locate the driver. Click here to watch the video on Phoenix New Times Blogs. It has not been reported if a civil lawsuit has been filed or if an Arizona bike crash lawyer is involved in the case.

Arizona injury lawyers are taking note that the City of Phoenix recently released 2009 car crash statistics which showed a 13% drop from 2008, AZCentral is reporting. Further, the total number of accidents were 22,713, the lowest in 20 years. The rate of accidents per every 1000 people went from 17 down to 14. Injuries from auto accidents: The statistics state that there was an 8.9% drop for the number of people injured in accidents, and 136 deaths, which is down from 143 in the year 2008. Pedestrian accidents: Phoenix pedestrian accidents went from 589 in 2008 down to 525 in 2009. 36 pedestrians were hit and killed by vehicles in 2009, down from 41 2008. In 2009 pedestrian deaths accounted for 26.3% of all traffic fatalities. Bicycle collisions: Phoenix bicycle accidents also saw a reduction 2009. There were 467 collisions, down from 478 and 2008. 423 bicycle riders were injured and nine were killed. Statistics showed April had the greatest amount of accidents, while September was the most deadly. Friday was the worst day for accidents, and 12 PM to 3 PM was the worst time. Alcohol only played a role in 6% of accidents, but was involved in 44% of crash related deaths, showing again how dangerous drinking and driving can be. If you’ve been involved in an Arizona car crash , Phoenix bike accident or Mesa pedestrian collision, call the personal injury lawyers at Abels & Annes for free consultation. Call 866-99-ABELS to speak directly to an attorney now.

Arizona injury lawyer Gary Annes recently received a $35,000 jury verdict in a case pending in Cook County, Illinois. The lawsuit involved a car versus motorscooter collision took place in June, 2008 in Chicago. The accident occurred when our client was stopped in traffic on westbound Lawrence Avenue. The plaintiff was behind another car waiting to make a left turn. At that time an automobile driver who was also westbound, traveling in a Buick Century, failed to observe our client in time and rear-ended him, knocking him to the ground. The plaintiff landed on his back, directly striking the pavement. Immediately after the crash our client had neck, back, head and left foot pain. Over the next 24 hours his pain increased and he had difficulty sleeping. The next day the plaintiff was seen at a local trauma center. X-rays were negative for fractures. The client’s pain remained constant over the next week and he soon sought treatment with a neurologist. The pain was most significant in his low back. The physician ordered a course of physical therapy and an MRI. The MRI was negative. A lawsuit was filed by our firm due to the fact that defendants auto insurance company was only offering $5000 to settle. The choice to litigate the case paid off for the client, as the verdict was seven times greater than the insurance carrier’s settlement offer. If you have been injured in a Phoenix area auto accident, contact the Arizona personal injury lawyers at Abels & Annes for a free consultation. Call 866-99-ABELS to speak directly to an attorney now.

An Arizona car vs. pedestrian accident in July, 2010 has left one person dead and another facing a potential prison sentence, according to AZCentral.com. The driver accused of causing the accident is a 29-year-old Phoenix man who allegedly lost control of a Cadillac last summer, crashing it into a crowd of pedestrians crossing the street. One of the five injured was killed in the accident that took place near Bell Road, west of Arizona 51. The at fault motorist reportedly left the scene of the Phoenix accident without checking on any of the accident victims, in violation of Arizona law. Arizona law mandates that any driver of a vehicle involved in an accident that results in injury to or death of a person must stop the car at the scene of the crash and remain at the scene until cleared by officials to leave. A driver who fails to meet these requirements and also caused the crash is guilty of a Class 3 felony. Witnesses reported seeing the Cadillac speeding down Bell Road around 36th Street where the driver appeared to lose control. After running down a group of pedestrians crossing the street, the car stopped and several occupants of the vehicle fled in different directions. The Cadillac passengers later turned themselves in to the police, but the driver failed to do so and was later arrested at his girlfriend’s house. He faces several charges, including leaving the scene of the accident. He could face up to 10 years in prison when his case goes to trial in March. Cases like this usually involve a civil claim in addition to the pending criminal charges. It has not been reported if the pedestrian victim’s family has retained a Phoenix personal injury attorney or if a civil lawsuit has been filed.

Priest sexual abuse attorneys in the State of Delaware have received a verdict of $30 million against the St. Elizabeth Roman Catholic parish after a jury found the church was grossly negligent in not properly supervising a former priest, according to the New York Times. The 58-year-old plaintiff was abused as a teenager in the 1960s. The church is reportedly responsible for paying $3 million of the verdict. However, they could be responsible for paying more money after the jury rules on the issue of punitive damages. The judge hearing the case has instructed the jurors to come back next week for more testimony and decide the issue. Sometimes a punitive damages verdict can dwarf the initial verdict. During the trial, the plaintiff reportedly stated to the jury that the case was not about money and he just wanted the truth to be told. Read the story as reported by delawareonline.com here.

An Arizona bike accident that occurred on Sunday, November 14th around 4:30 AM has resulted in the death of the 53-year-old man, according to Fox news. A 54-year-old female motorist who hit the bicycle rider and then fled the scene has been arrested by the Phoenix Police Department. The accident occurred in the area of 48th St. and Van Buren when the driver hit a bicyclist moving westbound. The driver was traveling in a 2003 Chevrolet Cavalier and she attempted to flee the scene after the accident. Police officers were able to apprehend her within blocks of the accident scene and they now believe she was driving while impaired. The bicyclist died at the scene. The driver was arrested and charged with manslaughter and leaving the scene of an accident causing death. Additional charges reportedly could be made after toxicology reports are reviewed. Read the story as reported by CBS news and ABC news here. There is no word as to whether a Phoenix bike accident lawyer is involved in the case yet. Click here to read more about Arizona hit-and-run claims.

An Arizona resident has been struck and killed in a pedestrian accident that occurred in Green Bay, Wisconsin, according to azfamily.com. The victim, who was a resident of Avondale, Arizona was accidentally struck and killed by his girlfriend who was driving while intoxicated. The deadly accident occurred last Friday around 11 PM. The victim had been unemployed for several months and was staying with his girlfriend Wisconsin. The couple had been out drinking at a local bar before the accident when they reportedly got into an argument. The Arizona man decided to walk home and then his girlfriend got into her car to go find him. She then accidentally ran him over around three blocks from the tavern. She got out of her car to try to help when she realized that she had struck him. She tried performing CPR. During the police investigation it was discovered that the woman had a blood-alcohol level of over twice the Wisconsin legal limit of 0.08. She now faces charges that include homicide by intoxicated use of a motor vehicle, which is a felony in Wisconsin. It is not been reported if a Wisconsin or Arizona injury lawyer is involved in the case yet. Here, the attorney representing the family of the victim will look to pursue a wrongful death claim against the at fault driver. Further, the lawyer may also look into whether the local tavern served the driver too much alcohol before she got into her car and drove off. While this accident happened Wisconsin, click here to read more about Arizona dramshop claims.

A Phoenix motorcycle crash has resulted in a police officer sustaining severe injuries on Friday, according to ABC news. The collision took place at Camelback Road and 7th Street in Phoenix. The motorcyclist was moving westbound on Camelback when a Chevy Monte Carlo turned left into the officer’s path, causing the motorcycle to t-bone the car. The policewoman reportedly sustained significant injuries in the accident. The Monte Carlo driver was not injured. The speed limit is 35 mph at the accident location and there are reportedly no charges pending against the left turning driver. The incident took place during Friday morning’s rush hour. KTAR.com is reporting that the officer was pinned in for a short time and then taken by ambulance to St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center. The front end of the motorcycle was heavily damaged and a door on the car was smashed in. The injuries are reportedly non-life-threatening and the officer is expected to recover. The exact nature of her injuries has not been reported. The motorcyclist is a 14 year veteran of the Phoenix Police Department. At some point is possible that the officer will be represented by a Phoenix injury attorney. Drivers turning left have a duty to yield to oncoming traffic in the State of Arizona. It is common for motorists to keep a good look out for other cars and larger vehicles, but then fail to notice smaller and more vulnerable parties such as motorcycle riders, bicyclists and pedestrians.

A Maricopa County Sheriff’s employee was taken into custody on Friday by the Goodyear Police Department for his involvement in a Phoenix area car vs. motorcycle crash that killed a woman, according to the Arizona Republic. We previously reported on our Phoenix injury lawyer blog that the collision occurred on October 16 at around 12:30 AM at Indian School and Citrus Roads in Goodyear. The 27-year-old detention officer was driving his Chevy Cobalt when he rear-ended a woman that was stopped at a stop sign on a 2009 Ducati motorcycle. The motorcycle rider was thrown from her bike and reportedly died instantly. Her foot was also severed in the collision. The victim was riding with her husband next to her at the time of the accident. He was not injured. The at fault driver reportedly admitted to police that he had been drinking throughout the day and that he felt “buzzed” when he left a tavern shortly before the accident. Goodyear police officers claim he had bloodshot and watery eyes, slurred speech and smelled of alcohol. A hospital blood test taken around 2 AM show the defendant had a BAC of 0.225%. A subsequent test taken around 4 AM by police showed a 0.14% blood-alcohol level. Both test results are well above the legal limit. The defendant surrendered to police on Friday at his attorney’s office in Phoenix. The defendant reportedly works at the 4th Avenue Jail as a corrections officer. There is no word as to whether Arizona motorcycle accident attorneys are involved in the case yet. When injury lawyers do get involved, they will pursue a claim against the intoxicated driver, however they will also look into a possible claim against the tavern that may have served the defendant too much alcohol. Click here to read about Arizona […]