Arizona Accident Information Law Blog : Arizona Personal Injury Lawyer & Attorney : Solomon & Relihan Law Firm : Auto Accidents & Car Wrecks : AZ Accident Information Law Blog

Eric Okerblom was a freshman at the University of California Berkeley who planned to join the cycling team in his sophomore year. He was cycling in daylight on a straight country road when he was struck and killed by the teen driver. Okerblom and his attorney subpoened the phone records and discovered that driver had been texting at the time of the accident.

Okerblom's foundation has organized a cross-country bike ride to raise awareness of distracted driving and lobby for laws against it. The ride began last month in California and is now passing through Arizona. The ride is specifically going through states that have little or no regulation of distracted driving, such as Arizona.

State Senator Al Melvin and Representative Steve Farley both have bills in their respective chambers to ban texting while driving. Farley first introduced his bill in 2007, but it has not garnered enough support. Since 2007, 30 states and the District of Columbia have passed distracted driving laws.

Driving a motorcycle can often be extremely dangerous under normal circumstances. However, when one adds alcohol to the mix, the danger increases ten-fold because of the driver’s inability to maintain control of the bike in most cases. Motorcycle safety on the roadways is extremely important because of the increased chance for severe injury. Motorcycle riders are usually only protected with helmets, therefore accidents involving a motorcycle rider cause serious injuries including broken bones, serious cerebral or spinal injuries, concussions and many other potentially life-threatening injuries. In most cases, motorcycle riders do not wear a helmet, which exponentially increases the chances of serious injury or even death. Wearing a helmet can easily protect the rider from serious damage to the head and neck, which can drastically improve their chances of walking away from the accident.

The injured includes a 16-year-old girl who was on the flight for an introductory flight for possible flying lessons and a 46-year-old flight instructor who is suffering life threatening injuries. The plane was a single engine Remos airplane. The crash occurred at Marana Northwest Regional Airport where witnesses saw the plane take off, take a hard right turn, circle around and miss the runway causing the plane to land in a field nearby. Luckily a medical helicopter crew that was based in the airport began helping the girl and flight instructor right away. The Federal Aviation Administration has stated that the federal agency is investigating the crash. 

Plane crashes occur much more frequently than is imagined. There are a number of causes that could be responsible for the crash like this one. If the company who built the airplane has manufactured a defective part of equipment, then they could be held accountable for any injuries that occurred in the crash. The people that maintain the engine of the plane can also be held accountable if they improperly fixed or improperly inspected the plane. If you or a family member was injured in a plane crash related accident, then contacting an Arizona personal injury attorney is your best option for compensation

Police have reported that the man was traveling down Congress Street when he lost control of his bicycle and hit a vehicle that was traveling in the middle lane. The bicyclist died instantly on the scene according to reports and the investigation remains ongoing. It has not been reported whether or not alcohol was involved in the accident or if the bicyclist had suffered any physical ailments that may have caused the accident. 

With a case like this one, there a hundreds of possibilities that could account for why this accident occurred and ended the life of one bicycle. In 2008 there were 716 deaths that died on US roads. It is crucial for motorists and bicyclists to do everything possible to follow safety precautions and be aware of potential dangers. With the summer heat in Arizona, the health risks are higher and the potential to become dehydrated or suffer from heat exhaustion is higher. When bicyclists are preparing to ride, it is important that they consider all potential hazards in order to prevent a tragedy like this one occurring. If you or a family member has suffered a bicycle accident then contacting an Arizona personal injury attorney is the best option for compensation.

 The report states that police will be giving out fines ranging from $10 all the way to $500 for drivers that are pulled over without auto insurance. The report states Wisconsin was one of two states that did not require drivers to have auto insurance, however, after this new law has passed, New Hampshire will be the only state to not require auto insurance.

According to the state of Arizona insurance department, automobile insurance is required as one of several ways to prove financial responsibility. Before a person can register a vehicle in the state of Arizona, this proof is required. The required coverage for auto insurance is $15,000 per person for bodily injury and a minimum of $10,000 per accident for property damage. There are other ways for drivers to prove financial responsibility including bonds, certificates of deposit or cash amounts of up to $40,000. In the 48 states that require auto insurance, driving without auto insurance is illegal and can result in criminal penalties and revocation of your driver’s license. Without car insurance of some sort, a driver could be held liable for any automobile accidents they are involved in and it will also prevent medical coverage for any injuries they may sustain in the accident as well.

For more information on auto insurance, visit Solomon & Relihan's Insurance Issues Information page.

According to a Fire Department spokesperson, the driver of the vehicle noticed smoke coming from the trunk, and then handed the passenger a glass of water in order to put it out. When that did not work to put out the fire, the driver decided to stop the vehicle and run to a nearby pharmacy in order to purchase more water to put out the fire, leaving his two passengers sitting in the car. Although the fire was spreading, the passengers sitting in the car had trouble getting out of the vehicle since the car was parked next to a curb and they became trapped. Fire officials arrived at the scene to find the vehicle completely engulfed in flames. Luckily the two passengers were in stable condition when taken to the hospital. The male (26 years old) and female (25) suffered from second degree burns to their hands back and neck. 

The driver is being suspected of being under the influence of alcohol and it has been reported that he did not realize the seriousness of the fire since he did not call 911. Officials suspect that the fire originated the fire started in an after-market power inverter. 

In a case like this, it is important to really evaluate what caused the fire and who is at fault. Sadly in this case, the injuries could have been preventable. Serious burns can affect the rest of your life. Many factors were involved in this accident, for instance the fire could have resulted in a manufacturer defect. To prevent this type of accident, it is important that no amount of alcohol be consumed by the driver. It is also important that at the first sign of danger you to exit the vehicle immediately. 

For more information on the dangers if driving under the influence, visit the Solomon & Relihan DUI Information page.

Most of the cases were about expired food and employees not washing their hands.  All four of the locations were cited for not having food stored in the correct temperatures.  Forty-four percent of the inspections were all major violations within these establishments.  In some states it is required of the food vendor to post the most recent inspection on display, it is not a requirement in Arizona.  Vendors who have repeat violations must suffer the consequences of legal action. 

While each of the vendors spoken to in the investigation by ABC 15 claims they are committed to the customer’s safety, the paperwork claims otherwise.  Food poisoning can result in serious vomiting, nausea, stomach pains, and even death.  No one should have to face the consequences of any vendor’s negligence.  It is important to always be aware of where you and your family eat.  Before attending any event, check out the Maricopa County website where health inspections are posted.

For more information, visit the Maricopa County inspection website.

For additional information on food safety and other product liability issues, visit the Solomon & Relihan Product Liability information page.

Although the drain was left open, the automatic drain stopper apparently activated and the tub filled with water.  After the mother found the baby under water, the mother grabbed the child, ran outside crying and yelled, “My baby drowned” until two workers came to her and one of them performed CPR on the baby. When the firefighters showed up at the apartment complex, the baby was still not breathing.  The baby was then transported to Phoenix Children’s hospital where he was pronounced dead.  Police officials have not stated whether or not the mother will face criminal charges. 

Accidents like this one happen more often than they should.  It takes a minute of carelessness to have your life changed forever.  The family of this child cannot undo this accident, but hopefully parents will learn from this incident so the same tragic occurrence won’t happen to their family.  This tragedy should be a wakeup call for parents who think that this type of accident could never happen to them.  A child’s life should not be left to a piece of equipment.  There are several ways that an accident like this could have been prevented.  It is important that parents never leave their baby unattended so they are not left to face this emotional heartbreak.  

For more information on child drowning accidents, visit the Solomon & Relihan Child Drowning information page.