Recent Blog Posts in March 2009

A California Construction worker was killed last Wednesday morning. He was on the job when he was seriously injured after being run over by a tractor while working on Highway 99 near Fresno, California. The man was taken by helicopter to Modesto hospital where he died later that day as the result of his injuries from the accident. The victim was injured by a grading tractor and this particular tractor would have caused severe lacerations and even severed limbs. He may have suffered from significant blood loss and possible brain damage if he would have lived.

Although the details as to why he was hit by the tractor, or who was driving the tractor have not been released, the family of this man may have cause to file a workers compensation case against the company for whom the man worked given the fact that he was injured on the job. Even though their loved one died they will still be responsible for paying them medical expenses which accumulated at an attempt to save his life, not to mention the coast of a funeral and burial of their loved.

Tragedy such as this happens all of the time because of negligence on the job or faulty equipment provided by companies for their workers. If you or a loved one has been the victim of an on-the-job injury caused by a negligent employer / employee or defective equipment please contact one of our Fresno Workplace Accident Attorneys today! We will help you in this time of need and offer you a free consultation which is confidential.

In September of 2006, a hit and run boating accident happened on Shaver Lake, not too far from Fresno, California.  An 11 year old boy, Dallen Mclntyre, was hit by another boat and left for dead. The young boy suffered serious injuries, but thankfully survived the horrific accident.

At the beginning of the investigation, The Fresno Police Department (FPD) had only a description of the boat owned by the suspect who ran over the boy on the lake. But, finally there was a break in this Fresno hit-and-run boating accident case and now nearly three years later, one man (of the two men on the boat) has been convicted by the second jury to hear the case. The jurys verdict came back guilty on all charges of felony hit-and-run!

The family of Dallen can now end their two year streak of wondering  who would be punished for the life threatening boating accident that has caused their child serious injuries which he probably still suffers from today . The reports are not clear as to the specific injuries that the boy suffered, but one can assume what they may have entailed. Critical injuries caused to a person who has been run over by a boat may include that of serious lacerations all over the body, amputation of an arm or leg, brain damage or brain trauma, emotional trauma or emotional stress, the possibility of paralysis or numbness in certain areas of the body, and / or death by drowning.

The Personal Injury Attorneys who fought for the rights of both Dallen and the Mclntyre family were satisfied to hear that the jury had no problem concluding that because the boat that hit young Dallen belonged to the man on trial, he was in fact the negligent driver and legally accountable for the hit and run. When the family of the injured is awarded justice and sometimes compensation in their cases and / or lawsuits their lawyer should naturally rejoices with them.

If you or someone that you love has been involved in a boating accident involving a hit-and-run or even negligence on the part of lake facility workers, you should contact one of our Fresno Boating Accident Attorneys for a confidential and free consultation today! Our Attorney's see beneficial case results, and rejoice with our clients in justice being served!

On Sunday March 15, 2009, in Fresno, California a negligent driver killed his passenger by causing a fatal car crash. This automobile accident happened around 10 a.m. Sunday morning, near Newmark and American Avenue in Fresno. The crash only involved one car, but there were two passengers in that car. The negligent driver was under the influence of alcohol and lost control of his car.

The California Highway Patrol (CHP) said that the car accident was a complete disaster and that they had to use the Jaws of Life to get the motor vehicle driver and his passenger out of the automobile.  The drunk driver suffered minor injuries and was taken to a local hospital in Fresno County. The passenger however, was pronounced dead at the scene of the car crash.

The negligent driver is now facing D.U.I. charges and quite possibly vehicular manslaughter. As the result of his negligence his passenger was killed in a car accident. Negligence, or negligent driving, is a very serious offense, it causes automobile accidents, and covers a multitude of things such as, driving while drunk, reckless driving, and decreases the affected driver's reaction time. Negligence can cause a person to suffer a fatality, a wrongful death, critical injuries, brain injuries like brain trauma or brain damage, or even paralysis. 

If you or your loved one has been the victim of a car accident caused by a negligent driver or your loved one was killed in an automobile accident caused by a drunk driver you should contact one of our Fresno County Drunk Driving Accident Lawyers for a confidential, free consultation today.

On Tuesday March 24, 2009 a woman driving southbound on Highway 99 in Fresno, California was shot at by another automobile while driving her car along the 99 close to American Avenue. It was around 7pm in the evening when she noticed a Chevrolet GMC pick- truck, with several passengers, beside her on the 99 highway. She soon heard gun shots, and not long after realized that she was injured. The police are still trying to determine if her injuries are minor or severe and if they were caused from the bullets or from the broken glass fragments of her car window. The pick-up truck drove away, and is wanted by the Fresno County Sheriff's Department.

Whether it is a simple fender bender, a serious car crash, a fatal car accident, or something like a shooting while driving on the highway, it can be considered a legal issue. In Fresno, Highway 99 is the scene for many car accidents like head-on collisions, truck accidents, and motorcycle accidents.  In the case of the Fresno Highway 99 shooting reported above, a possible multiple car crash could have occurred had the driver been severely injured and lost control of her automobile.

There were no fatalities in this story, but there have been many fatalities in stories involving car accidents, head-on collisions, and motorcycle accidents on the 99 in Fresno. With this known fact, all Fresno residents, and those using the 99 highway for their travels and work commutes should be made aware of the highly educated and qualified Fresno Highway 99 Accident Lawyers.

At The Law Offices of Lee Arter, our Fresno Highway 99 Accident Attorneys are ready and available to offer you a free, confidential consultation. Our desire is to help you or your loved ones with legal needs in matters of auto accidents on Highway 99, and / or other roads in and around Fresno.

Many wrongful deaths occur here in Fresno and the surrounding areas, but do they get legal attention? Yesterday we spoke of several California residents who were killed in a plane crash in Montana. There were undeniable implications that there were faults in the chain of command system used by the company that owned the plan. Further research shows that even more evidence will point to this plane crash being the result of negligence and the cause of so many wrongful deaths.

The cause of the crash is yet to be determined, but authorities are saying that it is possible that the plane was holding 4 people over its weight limits of 10 people. In addition to the violations of the weight regulations, the air craft did not even have the technology necessary for an investigation purposed in determining the cause of the crash if one ever were to happen. Even further, the air craft was not legally certified to carry those California residents and other passengers; who were considered commercial passengers. One could even look at the fact that small air ports, such as the one that the plane was to land on, do not have the mandatory radar and / or technology to operate proper protocol in circumstances where planes need to give distress calls.

With all of these concerning issues one has to wonder why is something not being done about "accidents" such as these. Issues such as authorization and certification, and the lack of attention given by those in charge of running and sending out commercial planes are serious negligence and legal issues. Families are in mourning over the loss of their loved ones because of the negligence on the part of aircraft authorities.

If you are a family member of one of the victims who died in this crash, or who died in any other crash  in Fresno that was related to mechanical malfunctions causing the wrongful death of your loved one please contact our Fresno Wrongful Death Attorneys at 800-785-9924 for a free consultation. 

How many of us travel from Fresno to Mammoth to go skiing for pleasure? How many of us leave our home in Fresno, California to board planes for our travels of leisure and pleasure and assume that the safety regulations have been followed. We assume and expect that the conduct of the pilot and those associated with the airport and flights have our best interest at heart. No one in Fresno ever expects a plane to crash, or that they would lose a loved one in a plane accident.

But on Sunday, March 22, 2009 several families lost their loved ones in just this kind of accident, a plane crashed. Among the 14 people who died in the airplane crash in Butte, Montana, at least nine of the passengers were California Residents traveling to Bozeman, Montana in hopes of having a family skiing vacation. The death toll includes a family of four, and a family of five; both with small children. Just a simple family ski trip turned into the wrongful death of 13 people.

Why did this happen? The plane requested to land at a nearby airport and upon confirmation changed course in the midst of flight. It was reported that the pilot did not sound concerned or alarmed, and never reported that he was having trouble with the aircraft. The head of the company that owns the plane did not even have any idea as to who was flying the plane on that flight. Clearly something happened here that was more than just a random occurrence; something should and could have been done to prevent this crash.

If you, or anyone that you know from Fresno, has had a loved one die in a plane crash as the result of negligence on the part of the pilot or the company who owns the plan, please contact one of our highly qualified Fresno Wrongful Death Lawyers today. In your free consultation we will offer you insight about your rights as well as available compensation.

A recent study reported by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found that, in the United States, reckless driving is one of the leading causes of death amongst teenagers between 16-19 years of age. On Tuesday, March 10, 2009 a fatal car accident left two local high school students dead, and one critically injured in Chowchilla, CA near highway 99. The accident involved a pick-up truck with three teenage passengers which collided with a Pacific Gas & Electric utility truck with only one passenger.

Although the cause of the crash has not been determined, it is likely that there was negligence on the part of one of the drivers, who may have ran a stop sign at the intersection of Avenue 23 ½ and Road 9. At any rate, the utility truck was carrying flammable materials which resulted in the pick-up truck's bursting into flames.  It has not been reported to have been alcohol or drug related, but a possible charge of Vehicular Manslaughter could be filed.

Both the driver, and one of the passengers were killed in the fire, the driver of the PG & E truck suffered only minor injuries and the third passenger was air lifted to a local Medical Center in Fresno.  It was reported that the surviving passenger had 4th degree burns covering 50- 60% of his body.

Injuries caused by auto accidents, especially burn injuries from collisions causing truck fires, explosions, and engine fires require immediate, long lasting and state of the art medical attention. This kind of medical attention may not be covered by insurance companies and costs the families and the injured a lot of money. The last thing a family or injured person wants to think about is whether or not they can afford the care needed to help them in their time of crisis.

If ever this were to happen to you, it is in your best interest to be informed about your rights in this situation. If you, your child, or anyone that you know have been involved in or died as the result of an automobile accident caused by reckless driving in Fresno, please contact one of our Fresno Auto Accident Attorneys for a free consultation so that you may be informed.

A recent study reported by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found that, in the United States, reckless driving is one of the leading causes of death amongst teenagers between 16-19 years of age. On Tuesday, March 10, 2009 a fatal car accident left two local high school students dead, and one critically injured in Chowchilla, CA near highway 99. The accident involved a pick-up truck with three teenage passengers which collided with a Pacific Gas & Electric utility truck with only one passenger.

Although the cause of the crash has not been determined, it is likely that there was negligence on the part of one of the drivers, who may have ran a stop sign at the intersection of Avenue 23 ½ and Road 9. At any rate, the utility truck was carrying flammable materials which resulted in the pick-up truck's bursting into flames.  It has not been reported to have been alcohol or drug related, but a possible charge of Vehicular Manslaughter could be filed.

Both the driver, and one of the passengers were killed in the fire, the driver of the PG & E truck suffered only minor injuries and the third passenger was air lifted to a local Medical Center in Fresno.  It was reported that the surviving passenger had 4th degree burns covering 50- 60% of his body.

Injuries caused by auto accidents, especially burn injuries from collisions causing truck fires, explosions, and engine fires require immediate, long lasting and state of the art medical attention. This kind of medical attention may not be covered by insurance companies and costs the families and the injured a lot of money. The last thing a family or injured person wants to think about is whether or not they can afford the care needed to help them in their time of crisis.

If ever this were to happen to you, it is in your best interest to be informed about your rights in this situation. If you, your child, or anyone that you know have been involved in or died as the result of an automobile accident caused by reckless driving in Fresno, please contact one of our Fresno Auto Accident Attorneys for a free consultation so that you may be informed.

While attempting to board a school bus on the morning of March 10, 2009, an SUV hit four (4) school children.  The car / pedestrian accident occurred on Princeton Street near Marks Street. 

According to the Fresno Police Department, the Sport Utility Vehicle (S.U.V.) hit the students while they were attempting to cross the street.  At the time of the accident, the street was poorly lit resulting in the street being very dark.

The Fresno Police Officers at the scene furthe reported that the driver of the SUV motor vehicle stated that he had an obstructed view of the children crossing the street, but the Fresno Police have yet to determine what could have caused the driver of the motor vehicle to have an obstructed view.

All of the seriously injured children were transported to the local Fresno hospital to be treated for their injuries.  All of the children are expected to recover.

If you or a loved one has been seriously injured while a pedestrian where you were struck or hit by an oncoming car, truck, SUV or motor vehicle, please contact our Fresno Pedestrian Accident Attorneys for a free consultation to discuss your case at 800-785-9924.

In response to previous traffic accidents which resulted on Highway 99 in Fresno, California, Caltrans has developed a $12 Million Dollar Fog Warning System.  Apparently, the system monitors the speed of drivers on Hwy. 99 and can detect if there is fog 30 seconds ahead of the speeding driver.  The system will then warn drivers to reduce speed before entering fog banks.

This fog warning system along Highway 99 is supposed to be one of the most technologically advanced fog warning systems in the United States.  This $12 Million dollar warning system uses cameras and weather sensors to identify and report on the various displays.  This fog reporting system is unique in that it is the first automated fog system.

The benefit of this multi-million dollar automated fog reporting system is yet to be determined, especially where drivers are only told of approaching fog.  Hopefully this system could also report as to fogs located ahead, where drivers would be prepared to stop, not just slow down.  Also, it is further to be determined whether the fog reporting signs are visible to those drivers who are driving in thick fog on Hwy. 99.

If you have been the victim of an auto accident or truck accident on Highway 99 in or around Fresno, please contact one of our Fresno Auto Accident Lawyers or Fresno Truck Accident Lawyers for a free consultation.  Contact us today at 800-785-9924.

Last September there was a major Metrolink Train Accident in Chatsworth, California.  Upon the release of the trial court transcripts, the presence of various safety violations were identified.  Specifically, the metrolink engineer was making calls and sending and receiving texts just prior to the metrolink accident in violation of prescribed safety rules and regulations.

Apparently the Metrolink engineer received and sent a total of 43 text messages while on duty and operating the Metrolink which was a blatant violation of the safety rules and regulations designed for train safety.

Previous text messages indicate that the Metrolink engineer permitted non-Metrolink personnel to sit at the controls of the Metrolink while the Metrolink was in operation, which is also in violation of train safety rules and regulations.

Further, the investigation concluded that all signals and safety equipment were operational, where responsibility for the death of the twenty-four people killed in the Chatsworth, California Metrolink Train Accident resulted from the negligent operation of the train. 

Our hearts go out to each of the individuals who were killed in this train Metrolink train accident.  If you or a loved one was seriously injured in any train accident, please contact one of our Fresno Train Accident Attorneys for a free consultations.  Additionally, if you were driving a car or truck involved in an auto accident with a train, please contact one of our Fresno Auto Accident Lawyers for a free consultation.

In late February, a fatal bicycle accident on Blackstone Avenue caused the Fresno Police Department to close a segment of the road.  The intersection of the bicycle accident occurred at Blackstone and McKinley around 9:00 p.m.

The bicycle rider was attempting to cross Blackstone Avenue, which is a busy road.  The investigation reported that the driver of a motor vehicle was traveling in a northernly direction when the bicyclist was struck. 

The bicyclist was reported dead at the scene of the bicyle accident / car accident.  At the time this accident was reported, the police investigators did not belive that eithe speed or alcohol were factors in the bicycle / pedestrian accident.

If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in a bicycle accident or pedestrian accident as a result of the negligence of a motor vehicle driver in Fresno, California, please contact one of our Fresno Bicycle Accident Attorneys or Fresno Pedestrian Accident Lawyers for a free confidential initial consultation today at 800-785-9924.

The California Highway Patrol reported that a motor vehicle and a train collided around 5:00 a.m. at a railroad crossing at Florin Road which is near 29th Street.  The train conductor was conducting a freight train with no passengers.  The driver of the motor vehicle sustained moderate to severe injuries and was transported to UC Davis Medical Center in Sacramento hospital for his non life-threatening injuries.  Upon the freigh train hitting the passenger automobile, the car caught on fire, where the car subsequently hit the railroad crossing arm which subsequently created a traffic backup.

Investigators at the scene of the train accident were attempting to determine whether any train safety equipment malfunctioned which could have resulted in this train / car accident.  As yet, neither alcohol nor speeding appear to be factors in this non-fatal accident.

If you or a loved one has been seriously or critically injured in a train accident or a car accident in or around Fresno, please contact our Fresno Train Accident Attorneys and / or our Fresno Auto Accident Lawyers for a free confidential consultation to discuss your injuries and the facts surrounding your accident.

An Amtrak train fatally struck a man at the Hayward-San Lorenzo border in California.  Amtrak and police officials confirmed that a man was walking along the train tracks near Meekland Avenue and Paseo Grande.  The investigtion is still pending in an attempt to determine why the man who was killed failed to get out of the way of the oncoming Amtrak train.

Emergency personnel responded to the scene of the train accident around 4:00 p.m., so darkness or lack of light was not a factor for either the train conductor or the man who was fatally killed on the train tracks.  The initial investigation further determined that the man was walking on the tracks with his back to the oncoming Amtrak train.

The California Highway Patrol determined that the man landed about 75 feet away from where he was initially struck by Amtrak Corridor Train 537.  An Amtrak spokesperson reported that 20 passengers were on the Amtrak train, and there were no injuries reported amongst the passengers or the staff on the train.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a train accident as a result of the negligent operation or negligent upkeep of the train safety equipment in Fresno, please contact our Fresno Train Accident Attorneys for a free confidential initial consultation.

On February 17 at around 8:00 p.m., a pedestrian was killed in a fatal pedestrian accident involving a car.  This Fresno pedestrian accident occurred at the intersection of Howard Ave. and California Ave, east of Kerman.

The pedestrian victim who was killed was wearing dark clothing and was not crossing in a cross-walk.  California Highway Patrol Investigators believe that the pedestrian victim may have been in the middle of the road when he was fatally killed by the car driver.  Initially, the California Highway Patrol believed that it was a hit-and-run accident, but initial reports indicate that the driver had a "good reason" for leaving the fatal pedestrian accident scene.  Additionally, the CHP doesn't believe that either alcohol or excessive speed were factors in this pedestrian fatal accident in Fresno.

If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in a pedestrian accident in Fresno, please contact our Fresno Pedestrian Accident Lawyers for a free confidential initial consultation.  We are here to help.

In 2001, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) shot an 18-year-old boy after a high-speed pursuit in and around Fresno County.  Specifically, in January 20, 2001, the young man ran a stop sign and an hour long police chase ensued.  Around 3:00 p.m. on the date of the wrongful death, the young man passed Keyes Road on Highway 99.  The CHP Officers attempted to perform a pit-maneuver on the Ford Expedition driven by the young man when he was making a U-Turn.  There was some disagreement as to the specific facts of whether or not the officer was pinned, but the officer did fire six shots at the young man.  The young man subsequently died as a result of his gunshot wounds, which the Fresno federal jury determined was in fact wrongful death.

A Fresno jury awarded $4.6 Million Dollars to the parents.  $1.01 Million Dollars was awarded to his parents for violating their son's Fourth Amendment right.  The Constitution of the United States's Fourth Amendment prohibits an unlawful search and seizure of an individual or his property.  The parents were further awarded $4.5 Million Dollars as the Fresno jury further determined that the California Highway Patrol Officer who shot their son was negligent.  This $4.5 Million Dollars was subsequently reduced by 20%, as the jury determined that their son was partially negligent and at-fault for his injuries.  Punative damages for the unconscionable shooting is yet to be determined, but will be determined soon by the Fresno court.

While no amount of money can bring back their deceased son, the parents felt that this wrongful death ruling was about justice.

If a loved one has been the victim of a wrongful death as a direct result of a town, city, county, or state employee, or as a result of the negligence of another individual in Fresno, please contact one of our Fresno Wrongful Death Attorneys for a free confidential initial consultation.

Two passengers and a third victim, believed to be the pilot, died in a plane crash on the western side of Catalina Island in California during the rain storm which was bound for John Wayne Airport in California.

The two passengers were tourists who were relaxing on Catalina Island.  The pilot is believed to be the President of a plane charter flight company.  If the pilot is in fact the person they believe, he did have a private pilot's license and the necessary qualifications to fly using the controls in poor weather conditions.  He was, however, not licensed to fly charter flights, and thus should not have been flying the two innocent victims who were killed as a result of this plane crash.

In the last decade, 20 (twenty) people have died in eight separate plane crashes who either departed from or were planning on flying into Catalina Island, including these three plane crash victims.

If you have been injured in a plane crash or plane collision, or if a loved one was killed in a plane crash as a result of the negligence of a pilot or crew, or as a result of a product defect in or around Fresno, please contact one of our Fresno Personal Injury Lawyers for a free confidential initial consultaiton to discuss this plane crash.