Abels & Annes, P.C. Personal Injury Blog

A Sunrise, Arizona car accident injured two children over the weekend after police say a Camaro ran a red light and struck the Tahoe in which they were riding. Our Phoenix injury attorneys frequently write about the dangers faced by teenagers on the road. But there is no less risk for younger children: The fact remains that car accidents are the leading cause of death for children ages 3 to 14 nationwide, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, as well as teenagers of driving age. CBS5 reported that a woman driving the Camaro may have ran a red light at Cactus and Bullard on Saturday and hit the Chevy Tahoe in the intersection. The woman driving the Tahoe and her two children were injured. Both a 16-year-old girls and an infant boy were ejected from the vehicle. They were flown to an area hospital with serious injuries. Their mother was transported by ground ambulance. The driver of the Camaro was not injured, according to police. The federal government reports that 1,314 children under the age of 14 were killed in traffic accidents last year. More than 179,000 were injured. Those statistics mean an average of 4 children are killed and 490 are injured in traffic accidents each day. Government figures show child safety seats can reduce the risk of fatal injury by 71 percent for infants and by 54 percent for toddlers in passenger cars. Last year, Arizona car accidents killed 44 children under the age of 14. Seventeen of those victims were under the age of 3. A recent government report also found that SUV’s were more prone to rollover accidents in Arizona and elsewhere, which often leads to the ejection of passengers. Fifty-eight percent of those killed in SUV accidents were involved in rollover accidents, compared […]

Dos niños han resultadó gravemente heridos en un choque de carro en el área de Phoenix que ocurrió el sábado por la mañana, según las noticias de Fox. Una camioneta se dio vuelta en el accidente y ninguno de los niños heridós llevaba un cinturón de seguridad. El choque ocurrió en Cactus Road y Bullard Avenue, en Surprise, Arizona. La policía indica que un Chevrolet Camaro o el conductor de la camioneta se pasó una luz roja. El choque todavía esta bajo investigación. Dos menores de edad, un niño de 18 meses de edad y una chica de16 años de edad, fueron expulsados de un Chevy Tahoe cuando se dio vuelta. Ambos sostuvieron heridas graves en la cabeza y fueron en helicóptero a un hospital del área en condición crítica. El conductor del SUV, de 35 años, fue trasladado por ambulancia a un hospital con heridas no-amenazantes de vida. El conductor del Camaro, una mujer de 69 años de edad, no resultó gravemente herida y no fue hospitalizada. Las drogas o el alcohol no tuvierón que ver con el choque. Una vez que abogados de accidentes en Arizona se meten en el caso, es más probable que ellos traten el caso como una disputa de obligación. En mi experiencia, la mayoria de los casos de luz roja terminan con ambos conductores señalando con el dedo uno al otro. Ojala, haigá testigos independientes al accidente que observó quien corrio la luz roja. De todos modos, los menores fueron pasajeros que resultaron heridos, ellos no causaron el accidente, y ellos tendrán una demanda civil viable.

Two kids have been seriously injured in a Phoenix area car crash that occurred on Saturday morning, according to Fox news. An SUV rolled over in the accident and neither injured child was wearing a seatbelt. The collision occurred in the area Cactus Road and Bullard Avenue in Surprise, Arizona. Police are stating that a Chevrolet Camaro or the driver of the SUV ran a red light. The crash is still under investigation. Two minors, an 18-month-old boy and a 16-year-old girl, were ejected from a Chevy Tahoe when it rolled over. Both sustained serious head injuries and were helicoptered to an area hospital in critical condition. The SUV driver, age 35, was taken by ambulance to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The driver of the Camaro, a 69-year-old woman, was not seriously injured and not hospitalized. Drugs or alcohol reportedly did not play a role in the crash. Once Arizona personal injury lawyers get involved in the case, they will most likely be dealing with a disputed liability claim. In my experience, most red light cases end up with both drivers pointing the finger at each other. Hopefully, there will be independent witnesses to the accident that observed who ran a red light. Either way, the injured minors were passengers, they did not cause the accident, and they will have a viable civil claim. Click here to read the story as reported by ABC news and CBS news.

The safety of small tour buses and 15-passenger vans is again being called into question in the wake of last week’s fatal Arizona bus accident. As we reported on our Phoenix Injury Lawyers Blog, 11 passengers were aboard the bus when it rolled over several times on Pierce Ferry Road. Two passengers were killed and several others were taken by helicopter and ambulance to area hospitals with serious injuries. The bus was taking Chinese tourists from Las Vegas to the Grand Canyon. It is the third high-profile fatal bus accident in Arizona in the past two years. FOX News reports three Chinese tourists were killed while riding a small shuttle bus carrying 14 people. A personal injury lawsuit has been filed, claiming the driver had been smoking pot the night before and was sustaining himself with nicotine gum and energy drinks at the time of the crash. Investigators believe fatigue was a major factor and that the driver fell asleep, causing the bus to leave the road and flip over. He faces 10 felony counts, including negligent driving under the influence and logbook and lane-change violations. Our Phoenix Injury Attorneys note that the government just issued a warning to organizations that rely on 15-passenger vans to transport guests after a pair of fatal crashes in New York and Georgia. As Arizona prepares for winter tourist season, more and more of these vans and shuttle buses will be in use by hotels, nursing homes, resorts, churches and other organizations. Such organizations have an obligation to provide for the safety of passengers and guests. The government deems the 15-passenger vans so dangerous that it has forbidden schools from purchasing new vans for school transportation purposes. The two recent accidents in New York and Georgia claimed 10 lives. Tire maintenance is vitally important […]

Two separate Arizona pedestrian accidents have resulted in the death of one person and serious injuries to another. In one case, the Arizona Republic is reporting that the Peoria Police Department is asking for help in locating a female SUV driver involved in a hit-and-run pedestrian accident. The driver fled the scene of the crash that occurred near 83rd Ave. and Thunderbird Road. An 18-year-old pedestrian that was struck by the SUV is in critical condition. It is being reported that the vehicle drove up on the sidewalk and hit the victim late Friday night as the pedestrian was walking home from his place of employment. Police do not have a good description of the subject. Anyone with information about the Peoria hit and run accident should immediately call police at 623-773-7061. Another deadly pedestrian accident occurred on Friday night in Tempe, Arizona, according to azcentral.com. A man was struck by a car on Tempe Street and died from his injuries. The pedestrian was struck by 2010 Toyota Corolla while walking northbound in the area of University Drive and Price Road. The 73-year-old pedestrian was taken by ambulance to an area hospital where he passed away a short time later. Exact details as to how the deadly Tempe pedestrian accident occurred have not been reported.

A woman has been killed in a Mesa car crash that was caused by a motorist going the wrong way on the Loop 202, according to azcentral.com. This is the second wrong way accident on a Phoenix area highway this past week. A spokesman from the Mesa Police Department is stating that the crash involved a police chase. Two detectives observed a vehicle pass them going well over 100 mph on US 60 around 11 PM on Wednesday. Police were not initially following the suspect and they do not know why he was traveling at such an excessive rate of speed. The speeding driver was in a Jeep Grand Cherokee headed eastbound. Police officers tried pursue the Jeep, but then slowed down and called in a police helicopter. Police vehicles reportedly stayed a half mile in back of the suspect to try to avoid unnecessary danger to the public. The driver of the Jeep blew through traffic lights as it sped through parts of Mesa. Officers tried to stop the vehicle at the intersection of Power and Brown Roads by blocking the intersection with police cars, however the driver got around them by driving through landscaping. The police also tried using stop sticks at Hermosa Vista Drive and Gilbert Road, but the speeder was able to avoid capture again and got onto the Loop 202 heading east in the westbound lanes. The Jeep then struck a car head-on, killing its 36-year-old female driver. The driver of the Jeep is facing manslaughter charges, and additional charges are expected to be filed. Phoenix auto accident lawyers at our office reported just a few days ago that a teenage driver on the Loop 101 caused an accident by driving the wrong way. Three people were injured and hospitalized in that accident.

Abogados de accidente de carro de Abels & Annes en Phoenix estan listos para representar a un residente local que resultó herido la semana pasada en un accidente de auto en Scottsdale. El choque ocurrió el 20 de octubre de 2010 en los carriles con rumbo al sur de Scottsdale justo al norte de Quinta Avenida. El demandante y su hija de 10 años de edad fueron detenidos en el tráfico cuando otro conductor en un coche de alquiler choco su vehículo en el trasero. El Departamento de Policía de Scottsdale respondieron al accidente. Después de una investigación ellos le dieron una multa al demandante. Después del choque nuestro cliente empezó a sufrir de dolores de cabeza, mareos, dolor de cuello superior y dolor de espalda superior, dolor lumbar y dolor en la cadera izquierda y rodilla izquierda. Debido a sus heridas, el demandante fue a ver su médico de familia poco después del accidente. Sobre los próximos varios días su dolor llegó a ser más intenso. El ahora esta tratando con un médico ortopédico. El niño en el carro ha sido visto por su pediatra. Si usted ha sido herido en un accidente de tránsito en Arizona, contacte a los abogados de accidente en Phoenix de Abels & Annes para una consulta gratis. Llame al 602-819-5191.

An Arizona motorcyclist has died in an accident that occurred in the North Valley on Tuesday, according to ABC news. The Phoenix bike crash took place at Union Hills Drive and 28th St. in the late afternoon, which is a stop light intersection in a residential area. It is being reported that the accident occurred when a female driver of a car made a left turn into the path of the motorcycle. The woman later told police she did not see the motorcyclist approaching. When the vehicles collided the gas tank on the motorcycle punctured and burst into flames, burning both the bike and the car. The Arizona Republic is reporting that the motorcyclist was thrown around 30 feet and sustained severe chest injuries. The motorcycle rider, age 26, was rushed by ambulance to John C. Lincoln Hospital in critical condition and died a short time later. The driver of the car only suffered minor injuries. The Phoenix Police Department is handling the motorcycle crash investigation. They do not believe the left turning driver was impaired. The intersection had to be closed for several hours. It has not been reported if a Phoenix personal injury lawyer is involved in the case yet. There will most likely be a civil claim pursued in this matter, as drivers in the state of Arizona have a duty to yield to oncoming traffic when making a left turn.

On Tuesday night a deadly Mesa bike accident claimed the life of 11-year-old girl, according to azfamily.com. The accident took place around 6 PM at the intersection of Brown Road and Lindsay Road. A 16-year-old driver of the pickup truck was reportedly passing a vehicle in front of him, and he failed to observe the bicyclist and struck her. The 11-year-old victim was out for bicycle ride with her family at the time of the accident. The name of the girl has not been released. The Mesa Police Department is handling the accident investigation. No charges have yet been filed, and it appears that drugs or alcohol did not play a role in the accident. As the weather cools off in the Phoenix area, more and more bicyclists will be on the streets. Arizona drivers have to diligently lookout for bikes on the roadway, especially children. ADOT reports that in the year 2008 there were nearly 2000 bicycle accidents in our state. In those accidents,113 children between the ages of 10 – 14 were injured, and two were killed. Statistics for 2009 have not yet been released.

An Arizona car crash has resulted in three people sustaining serious injuries, according to azfamily.com. The accident involved three vehicles in the West Valley on Sunday night. The collision occurred when the teenage driver of a Volkswagen headed eastbound on the Loop 101 in the area of 67th Avenue lost control of his vehicle, crossed the center median and drove into oncoming traffic. The Volkswagen collided with a black SUV being driven by a man in his 60s. The Volkswagen’s spare tire then flew off and hit a silver Volvo that was moving eastbound. DPS handled the traffic crash investigation. The three people injured in the accident were all hospitalized. The exact nature of their injuries has not been reported. The Phoenix accident shut down the expressway for several hours.