Tesla’s Autopilot, More Deaths at Disneyland, and a Cop’s “Happy Hunting”
California’s February News Features Personal Injury Claims for Cases Involving Police Misconduct, Defective Products, and Traffic Accident Tragedies
The second month of the year was just as hectic as the first. After dealing with and putting the devastating rains that terrorized California behind us, other major developments have affected many citizens. Let’s look at more accidents or injury in California for February 2023.
The state has been the scene of several traffic accidents. Although the number of casualties for the month cannot be calculated yet, we can now know the quality of citizens’ driving. As we will see below, California has the second-worst drivers in the country, according to a study. Some of the most notable accidents this month include drunk driving resulting in a fatality after hitting a tree in Lincoln; suspects striking a pedestrian during a police chase in Northridge; and a vehicle driving the wrong way causing a multi-car accident that killed two people in Westminster.
Personal injury cases involving defective products in California have also been a notable topic during February 2023. As we will note below, several major brands have recalled their products for being seriously harmful to health. Likewise, companies of the caliber of Disney or PG&E are going to have to deal with more wrongful death lawsuits.
California Personal Injury News Highlights for February 2023
In this blog post, we’ll share with you the latest news from California. Cases here are from automobile incidents, theme park tragedies, or shocking cases of police misconduct related to personal injury. If at any time you are identified or have experienced a similar situation, do not hesitate to ask for legal help.
Tesla, King Of Chaos
Practice Area: Product Liability
Suffering incidents due to the negligence of a defective product don’t happen on a frequent basis. However, there are certain brands that tend to come to the forefront for their constant production errors. Tesla, despite its growing popularity, is one of those companies that continues to release cars with deficiencies that lead to injuries and deaths. In fact, there is not a week of the year when their electric vehicles are not involved in some media accident. And, if no mishap occurs, their clients make sure to draw attention to themselves, as is the case with the driver in the following video.
The largest Tesla accident so far this year took place on February 18th, in Contra Costa. The driver of a Tesla Model S was killed instantly when he crashed into a fire truck. The truck was blocking a lane where another accident had just occurred. Authorities claimed to be unaware of the reasons for the crash, but are concerned that the autopilot was to blame. The uncertainties of this collision have prompted NHTSA to take action. The agency has opened another process to the investigation that was initiated in 2021. This time, to try to learn how Tesla’s Autopilot system responds to and detects parked emergency vehicles.
Risk of Dangerous Bacteria in Eye Drops and All-Purpose Cleaners
The auto manufacturer is not alone in having product mishaps. Today, it is common to see companies recalling items that, for various reasons, have been negligently fabricated. The wrongful manufacture of these products can lead to injuries and, consequently, lawsuits. This has happened to two companies that marketed a product that had a risk of dangerous bacteria.
EzriCare eye drops were the first to recall their merchandise. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention alerted doctors to a lethal outbreak. The reported accidents included 55 people affected, including five individuals with permanent vision loss and one fatality.
In addition, about five million Fabuloso cleaning products had to be recalled for the same reason. The Consumer Product Safety Commission warned that the popular cleaning bottles could contain dangerous species of bacteria. Apparently, an essential preservative was not added during manufacturing to avoid health risks, making them less than fabulous for some people to use.
Disney and PG&E, Responsible For Negligent Homicide
Practice Area: Premises Liability
Personal injuries can be devastating to people’s health, especially if they have had traumatic experiences. Although the possibility of filing a lawsuit can help deal with injuries and medical expenses, suffering cases such as fires are not easily forgotten. Even so, filing a claim can at least bring justice against the guilty party. Four families who lost a relative in the Zogg fire of 2020 are going through the same situation.
Pacific Gas & Electric is facing an involuntary manslaughter lawsuit for the death of four people. According to the official report, the fire started when a pine tree fell on a PG&E distribution line. However, this is not the first time the nation’s largest utility company has been sued in court. Since 2017, it has been singled out as responsible for more than 30 fires that destroyed more than 23,000 homes and killed about 100 people.
Cases of deaths reach even the most unexpected corners of the world. Disneyland, despite being known for bringing joy and fun, has also been involved in a case of wrongful death. The happiest place on earth experienced a tragic event after a fatal incident. Visitors to the park found a deceased woman after falling off the Mickey and Friends ride. This event comes just two months after a man committed suicide in the park’s parking lot.
$9.15 Million Settlement After Injury on the Bart Train
It is common to see victims sue private companies for various types of injuries. But, what happens if a person is injured or dies while using a public service? The answer is clear: any accident caused by the negligence of a worker or in a public space is actionable. And that’s what a San Francisco man has done after suffering an amputation. David Nelson experienced a horrific accident while exiting the BART train in 2021. After removing his bicycle from the train car, Nelson was taking the rest of his belongings out when the doors closed. According to the indictment, the victim tried to hold the doors open but got trapped. Still, the operator ignored the alert and began the next ride. For the personal injury caused by the California public train, Nelson obtained a settlement of more than $9M this February 2023.
California Has the Second-Worst Drivers in the Nation
Practice Area: Traffic Accidents
If California is known for anything, it is the number of innocent people who lose their lives in traffic incidents. As we have previously indicated, when it comes to the quality of driving of its citizens, the state is the second worst in the country. A truly alarming fact since last year California was positioned in the seventh position. But, beyond collisions of greater or lesser severity, the most unfair cases are those caused by irresponsible drivers who cause fatalities.
Nevertheless, justice is always there to punish these acts, as one Hayward resident can attest. The man, who hit and killed a pedestrian in 2021, has been sentenced to one year in jail for DUI vehicular manslaughter. The driver apparently had an open can of beer in the car.
Distractions, speeding, or running traffic signals lead to lethal consequences for many citizens annually. In fact, even celebrities are exposed to traffic accidents. Some are even responsible for causing them. The most recent case is that of Arnold Schwarzenegger, who, earlier this month, hit a bicycle in West Los Angeles. Although the cyclist was negligent and turned abruptly in front of the actor’s vehicle, no one was injured.
California Police Misconduct Streak
Practice Area: Police Misconduct
Not all California personal injury news in February 2023 is linked to collisions or defective products. Civil rights violations due to police misconduct are a hot topic. Especially because of cases of misconduct by some law enforcement officers. However, the mentality of citizens has now changed, and they are increasingly reporting cases of police negligence.
Earlier this month, the widow of a man shot dead by police filed a lawsuit. The woman is accusing the officers of wrongful death for shooting her husband in the back when he was in the midst of a mental breakdown and was unarmed. This case is very similar to the David Ordaz Jr. case, which Adamson Ahdoot is defending and which has kept the California community on edge due to the media impact it continues to have.
An LAPD officer’s comment before initiating a shooting of a suspect has also caused a stir. The police agent was caught on a fellow officer’s body camera saying “happy hunting.” The situation, as expected, ended with lethal gunfire for the suspect, who was armed and opened fire first. Despite the police brutality, the officer was suspended for two days following an internal investigation.
Yes, most cases are not penalized with the severity they deserve. However, there are others where police misconduct is punished harshly. In fact, Oakland’s mayor has fired the city’s police chief for mishandling internal negligence. According to her statement, he is suspected of having covered up some situations of police misconduct among his officers.
Call Us if You Have Suffered a California Personal Injury Case
The personal injury accidents that occurred in California this February 2023 will scar victims for life. It is important to know your legal rights, especially after traumatic experiences with physical and mental injuries. But above all, you need to bring the guilty party to justice if they were negligent.
If you have been through a case similar to any of the above, do not hesitate to call us. With over 100 years of combined legal experience, our attorneys will guarantee the best settlement for you.
Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, we can help you with your case. If you don’t know whether your accident is eligible for financial compensation, contact our team now. We will provide you with a free initial consultation where we will explain your legal options. Call (800) 310-1606 today to schedule your appointment. We can assist you in both English and Spanish.
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