Wrongful Death
California Highway Patrol Ordered To Pay $2 Million For Wrongful Death
| June 11th, 2012
The state of California and the California Highway Patrol (CHP) have been ordered by a federal judge to pay more than $2 million to the family of a man who was wrongfully killed by CHP officers. According to The Sacramento Bee, the incident occurred on August 24th, 2008, in eastern San Joaquin County. Police reports indicate that officers received a call of illegal street racing occurring on the evening of the incident. When they arrived, the victim, who had been drinking that day, was parked at the location of the alleged racing. When officers approached the victim’s vehicle, he accelerated and fled the scene. A short chase ensued and ended when the victim’s vehicle became disabled in a ditch. Officers state that the victim then began shifting and rolling the truck back and forth between drive and reverse in an effort to free the truck from the ditch. That is when they said they became fearful for their lives and shot the man six times. The family of the victim filed a California wrongful death lawsuit against the state and it’s departments on the grounds of expert testimony based on bullet trajectory that revealed the officers were never in any danger when they opened fire on the unarmed 21-year-old victim. The California Personal Injury Lawyers with Berg Injury Lawyers hope that the decision will help bring closure to the loss for the family of the victim.Several Tips To Keep Motorists Safe During High Speed Pursuits
| January 16th, 2012
January 16, 2012 High-speed vehicle pursuits down the highway gets our adrenaline pumping in the movies. But what if you found yourself to be the helpless bystander of a real car chase during your daily commute? This happens almost on a daily basis across California, and observations have shown that most motorists don’t know what to do. An article in The Sacramento Bee described a chase that occurred several weeks ago along California’s Highway 99. News footage shows that as the chase progresses, the cars around the chase acted as if nothing was happening. They stayed at the same speed and made no efforts to get out of the way. California Highway Patrol (CHP) says that one reason this occurs is that drivers don’t scan their mirrors often enough. They suggest that motorists check all of their mirrors every 15-20 seconds. If you find yourself in the middle of a high-speed pursuit, CHP Trooper Mike Bradley stated that you should not slow down, but turn on your right blinker and work your way over to the shoulder of the highway. If you see a crime scene ahead, pull over and stop well behind officer vehicles. The California auto accident attorneys with Berg Injury Lawyers fight for victims who have been injured in accidents and support community safety campaigns throughout the year in order to prevent accidents. If you are the victim of a car accident, contact an experienced attorney today.Alameda Law Firm Offers Free Cab Rides Home on New Years Eve
| December 27th, 2011
December 26, 2011 In recent years, the holidays have become an increasingly dangerous time of year for driving in California. According to The Los Angeles Times, six people died on California highways over this past holiday weekend, and the California Highway Patrol made 889 suspected drunken driving arrests. The California drunk driving victim attorneys with Berg Injury Lawyers are sponsoring a campaign in order to help combat the growing number of drunk drivers during the holidays. The firm will be offering free cab rides home to those who have been drinking on New Years Eve. This will be the seventh year that the law firm has sponsored the Safe And Sober Cab Ride program, which offers a maximum $35 cab fair home to anyone needing a ride. The rides are provided only to a person’s residence, not to another drinking location. The cabs will be running from 10:00 PM Saturday, December 31 to 4:00 AM Sunday, January 1. Call one of the following cab companies and tell them your ride home is on Berg Injury Lawyers:- Sacramento — Call Yellow Cab Company of Sacramento at (916) 444-2222. Patrons must be picked up at a restaurant, hotel, or bar within downtown Sacramento to qualify for a free ride.
- Alameda, Oakland & Berkeley — Call Veterans Cab at (800) 281‐4488. Any fare exceeding $35 must be paid in cash.
- San Francisco — Call Luxor Cab at (415) 282‐4141.
$73 Million Awarded In California Lawsuit Against Ford
| November 14th, 2011
November 14, 2011 A Sacramento, California, jury awarded $73 million dollars in damages to plaintiffs in a case against Ford Motor Company Thursday. According to The Sacramento Bee, the judgment came after seven years of litigation surrounding a passenger van accident caused by separation of tread from a tire on the van. The accident happened on April 9, 2004, as a group of church members headed home from a concert. During the drive, the van began to shake violently as the tread of a Goodyear tire began to peel off. The driver of the van attempted to pull over, but lost control and the van rolled several times before coming to rest. The 48-year-old driver of the van and the front passenger were killed in the accident, while several other suffered injuries. In court Thursday, the attorney for the plaintiffs told jurors that Ford and Goodyear failed to alert the customers about a $2 billion recall on the tires. The jury agreed, and with a vote of 10-2, the award was given. The jury also gave a small award after they found that the van’s design was partially at fault for the crash. Ford stated they plan to appeal the decision. The California Car Accident Attorneys with Berg Injury Lawyers often handle cases where victims were injured because of faulty auto parts. If you have been injured because of a manufacturer’s negligence contact us immediately.Richmond Teen Killed, Two Others Injured During Illegal Street Race
| November 7th, 2011
November 7, 2011 In Richmond this weekend a local teen died and two others were injured in an illegal street race crash. The Contra Costa Times reported yesterday that the accident happened around 1:15 Sunday morning, along a stretch of Richmond Parkway. The street glistened as the two cars, a Nissan Altima and a BMW, floated down the asphalt that was freshly drenched with rain. The vehicles were locked neck-and-neck, when the 21-year-old driver of the Nissan hit a wet patch, lost control, and hit his friend’s BMW. The impact caused the BMW to spin out of control and flip several times before hitting a pole. The driver of the BMW died at the scene of the crash, while his two passengers were urgently rushed to the John Muir Medical Center by helicopter in critical condition. The driver of the Nissan was unharmed, but investigators arrested him on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter and driving under the influence. California issued 800 citations in 2001 for illegal racing-related infractions–a number that has grown significantly every year since. Now, it is estimated that 49 people are hurt and killed for every 1,000 individuals who participate in illegal street races. The California Car Accident Attorneys with Berg Injury Lawyers would like to encourage anyone hurt in an accident at no fault of their own to contact them immediately for a free evaluation of your case.
