Sacramento Car Accident Lawyer Blog

Just south of our Sacramento home, a tremendous accident occurred between a big rig and a car early this morning in Concord, California. As a lawyer in Sacramento, I know how dangerous a collision of this type can be for the parties involved.

Reports are still scattered, but police say that the car and big rig crushed the median in the crash, spilling diesel fuel and setting the big rig’s engine on fire. The fire eventually encompassed the entire trailer.

There are no reports yet of injuries sustained by the people involved in the collision.

Accidents involving large trucks, usually referred to as big rigs, have serious implications. The mere size and weight of these trucks is so much greater than that of a normal passenger car that injuries are usually much more severe.

If you or someone you love has been injured in an accident with a big rig, you will need advice. Please call the Law Offices of Moseley Collins for a free consultation.

To read more about this accident, please click here.

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Posted In: Truck "Big Rig" Accidents

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A country road tends to give people the feeling of safety at high speeds... especially teenagers. A car crash near our Sacramento home in Fresno, California put 2 teenagers in critical condition and one dead.

Police reports say that five teens were driving along a country road at speeds reaching 90 mph. The car lost control and hit a tree, totaling the car. The two teens that are now in the hospital with critical conditions were not wearing their seatbelts and were ejected from the vehicle.

Accident such as this are so easily prevented by maintaining a safe speed and keeping seatbelts on. Talk to your own teens about the necessity of such measures... it could save their life.

If you or one of your family members have been injured in an accident such as this, you need advice. Please give us a call at the Law Offices of Moseley Collins, we are here to help.

Please, slow down and buckle up...

For more information, please read this article.

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Posted In: Car Accidents

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I was reading an article today that reminded me of the dangers of the "blind spot" while driving. Not far from our Sacramento home, a woman in San Ramon was the victim of a "blind spot" car crash.

The article tells of a 20-year old driving his Suzuki Sidekick along the freeway. He merged to get in the slow lane without seeing the San Ramon woman, Cynthia Muson-Lim, in the lane next to his car. To avoid the Sidekick, Cynthia swerved off the freeway, hitting a tree. She died at the scene.

The thing that amazed me about this story was the fact that the young man not only did not realize the woman was there initially, but even after the accident was not aware of what had happened. A witness actually followed him, lights flashing, to inform him of the crash.

Be careful when you drive. I cannot say it enough. If you or a loved one has been injured in a car accident by someone's negligence, please give us a call at the Law Offices of Moseley Collins.

Watch those blind spots...

For more information on this accident, please click here.

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Posted In: Car Accidents

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Who is at fault? If you have been in an accident, this question will undoubtedly cross your mind. This is the question all our clients here in Sacramento, CA want to know when they call our law offices. At its most basic level, who is at fault can be determined by common law which looks at four different aspects: negligence, recklessness, intentional misconduct, and strict liability.

So what are all these terms, you ask? I know that many of us have heard terms such as negligence and recklessness before, but what does it mean for you and your accident?

If the driver of the vehicle is being negligent it means that they are not being careful and this carelessness causes an accident or injury. In other words, they are neglecting their responsibilities as a driver. Being a reckless driver is willfully disregarding the safety of others. “Reckless driving” for example has been used to describe someone driving 25 mph over the speed limit. Intentional misconduct is just as it sounds, willfully causing damage or injury. Finally, strict liability is when fault is attributed to the manufacturer or seller of a defective product whether negligence is found or not.

If you feel that someone has committed one of these four acts in an accident you or someone you know has been in, please give us a call at the Law Offices of Moseley Collins.

For more information, please click here.

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Posted In: Knowledge & Statistics

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At our Personal Injury Law Firm in Sacramento, CA, I see many accidents in which the person killed was not wearing his or her seatbelt. Out of curiosity, I decided to see if I could find seatbelt statistics for California. On the website for the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) I found just what I was looking for. A couple of statistics, listed below, reassured me of the necessity to buckle up:

* Seat belts reduce a person’s chances of dying in a crash by 50 percent.

* In 2004, NHTSA estimates that in California 481 unrestrained vehicle occupants would have survived their crash had they simply buckled up.

Reading further on, however, I was actually encouraged by many of the percentages the OTS provided. It seems that California is ahead of the game compared to many other states nationally in the outlook they have towards seatbelt use:

* California’s seat belt usage rate increased 2.1 percentage points from 90.4 percent in 2004 to 92.5 percent in 2005 – which is significantly better than the national average of 82 percent and represents the largest single year increase since 2000 to 2001.

* California’s 2005 teen seat belt use rate: 88.6 percent.

* California’s 2005 child safety seat usage rate is 86.9 percent.

Taking those statistics, however, and putting them into the actual number of people makes the amount of unrestrained passengers a little more daunting:

* Approximately 2.7 million vehicle occupants remain unbelted in California.

Please wear your seatbelt when driving, even when traveling short distances. You never know when an accident could occur, don't let it be too late.

Click it...

For more information on seatbelt statistics, please see the full article.

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Posted In: Causes & Precautions

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I read an article in the news today in which the family of a girl killed in a car accident south of Sacramento is suing the city of Simi Valley, CA. The victim of the crash, Cynthia Scott, was traveling in the passenger seat with her boyfriend in October of 2005. Driving at high speeds, Cynthia’s boyfriend eventually lost control of the car and wound up smashing into a 3,500 lb. concrete block that was placed six feet from the side of the road.

The article continues on to state that Cynthia’s family is suing the city over the close proximity of these concrete blocks to the edge of the road.

One of the most interesting points that I found in this case is the fact that California State roads require about 30 feet of clear space next to roadways. The road of Cynthia’s crash was a city street, however, and therefore governed by city rules. In my opinion, however, thirty feet to six feet is a big difference when a car veers off the road in dangerous situation.

The case was filed in April is seeking at least $5 million for Cynthia’s death.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a traumatic car crash, please call us at the Law Offices of Moseley Collins. We are here to help.

Stay safe…

Please click here to read the full article on Cynthia’s accident.

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Posted In: Car Accidents

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What do you do if you have been in a car crash and injured? Living in Sacramento, CA, we hear about accidents and injuries everyday. But do we really know the dos and don’ts if placed in the situation ourselves?

I found an article on findlaw.com that gives a good overview of what to do and not to do after an accident. Take a look at it, print it out, and keep it handy just in case.

The Dos
1. Medical Attention: Seek medical care comes first in an accident
2. Police: Call the police in serious accidents
3. Cooperate: With all law enforcement and emergency personnel
4. License Plates and Other Info: Get the license plates of all vehicles involved in the car accident and the drivers’ names, addresses, telephone numbers, and insurance information
5. Witnesses: Write down all witnesses names, addresses, and phone numbers
6. Contact: Your own insurance company
7. Photographs: Take photographs of the scene of the accident, the surrounding area, your injuries, and all damage.
8. Contact: A lawyer

The Don’ts
1. Move: Do not move your car after an accident unless necessary for safety or legal reasons
2. Get in accident #2: Don’t put yourself in a place where you are subjecting yourself to further injuries.
3. Leave: Do not leave the scene of the accident until police give you the ok
4. Evidence: Do not throw away any evidence
5. Speak legally: Do not talk about legal matters (fault, settlement, etc.) until you speak to your lawyer.

If you have been injured in an accident and would like some advice, please call the Law Offices of Moseley Collins for help.

Take care…

For further information on this article, please click here.

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Posted In: Knowledge & Statistics

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I read an article today about three siblings who were in a car crash in Sacramento, CA. It is distressing to read an article where you know that certain precautions could have possibly saved the lives of those who were killed.

The three siblings were driving in an old Mustang near Elkhorn and 28th street when their car lost control and crashed into a SUV. The crash killed two of the siblings, 18 and 15 years old, and the youngest sibling, 14 years old, is in critical condition.

The article in the paper states that the Mustang did not have airbags and the children were also not wearing seatbelts. I can’t stress enough how important these two necessities are. There are too many car accidents in Sacramento, much less the country, to be driving without protection.

If you have a loved one who has been injured in an accident, please do not hesitate to call us at the Law Offices of Moseley Collins.

Wear those seatbelts…

For full information on this accident, please read:
http://www.my58.com/news/13599248/detail.html

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Posted In: Car Accidents

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I can't tell you enough how dangerous I think motorcycles are. Each time I see one driving down the Sacramento freeway, I am just waiting for a horrible accident to happen.

I was reading an article today that confirmed this dread in me regarding motorcycles. In Irvine, Ca, a man on a motorcycle was changing lanes when his handlebar hit a tractor-trailer next to him. His motorcycle swiftly swerved into and bounced off of a Mercedes-Benz, sending him back toward the tractor-trailer, which then ran over the man. He died at the scene.

Trust me, I know how much fun it would be to have the air in your hair, the freedom of the ride, the roar of the engine beneath your legs... but stories like this will always prevent me from riding a motorcycle.

Here are some quick facts by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration:

* 4008 motorcyclists died in 2004
* 76,000 were injured in 2004
* 1158 lives were saved by wearing helmets
* 640 lives could have been saved by wearing helmets
* 1 in 3 motorcyclists that died in 2004 were speeding

If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in a motorcycle crash, please give us a call here at the Law Office of Moseley Collins. We are here to help.

Be careful out there...

Click here for more information on motorcycle statistics.

Click here for more information about the news article.

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Posted In: Motorcycle Accidents

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