Sacramento news reports that a California man died after being struck by a hit-and-run driver and then being run over by another car. The California Highway Patrol reports that the Sacramento hit-and-run car accident happened near the intersection of Fulton Avenue and Hurley Way.

The unknown vehicle struck a 60-year-old man, Phillip Dale Jensen who lives close to the area, and left him lying in the roadway. He was then struck a second time by a taxi driver who was making a u-turn and did not see the body. Jensen was taken to UC Davis Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

The CHP is now requesting help from the public for information relating to this accident.

With help, it is often possible to identify drivers responsible for California hit and run car accidents. A California HP sergeant notes, "It's a serious crime...these cases stay open for up to 20 years. We don't ever get rid of the physical evidence. We keep actively investigating as long as we can."

If you or a family member has been injured in a hit and run accident, it is also important to seek the advice of an experienced Sacramento personal injury attorney.

Pursuant to California's hit and run laws, individuals in car accidents are required to stop and exchange identifying information as soon as is safely possible. The failure to stop where property damage occurs is a misdemeanor. Failing to stop where a personal injury or wrongful death results, is a felony. In addition to criminal charges, those drivers who fail to stop may also face a California civil personal injury lawsuit.

Despite laws requiring an individual stop, drivers may still flee the scene of an accident for a variety of reasons. In some situations, they may simply panic. Other times, the accident may be the result of drunk driving and a driver may fear arrest. Whatever the motivation, drivers who flee the scene face stiff penalties.

What Type Of Damages Can I Recover In a Hit-and-Run Accident?

Injuries from hit and run accidents may include serious personal injuries such as:

• head and neck injuries

• brain injuries

• spinal cord injuries

• lacerations

• cuts and bruises

As with other types of California car accidents, drivers injured in hit-and-run collisions may be able to recover compensation for medical expenses, lost wages and other legal costs.

Even where it isn't possible to locate the culprit, an injured party or his or her surviving family members may be able to file an accident claim against his or her own insurance policy either as an uninsured motorist claim or a "hit and run" claim.

Hopefully, in this instance the culprit will be caught and justice served.

For more information, please contact the top Sacramento hit-and-run accident lawyers at the Law Office of Frederick J. Sette for an immediate consultation.

The manufacturer of a helicopter part alleged to be defective has just agreed to a settlement in the helicopter crash that occurred seven years ago killing two Sacramento County sheriff's deputies. Turbomeca S.A. has agreed to pay the county $1.5 million for damages resulting from the crash. The negligence lawsuit alleges that the French company supplied defective parts that caused the helicopter to run into a hill near Lake Natoma.

The third party lawsuit was filed by the county against the manufacturer to recoup damages it paid to the families of Deputy Kevin Blount and Joseph Kievernagel and Deputy Eric Henrickson.

Allegedly in the early evening of July 13, 2005, mechanical problems caused the helicopter Kievernagel was piloting and transporting Blount and Henricskson to crash into the side of a mountain. According to the lawsuit, the company was aware 4½ years earlier of the mechanical problem that caused the crash but did nothing to warn those flying the craft.

Specifically, the product liability lawsuit alleged "two months before the crash, Turbomeca was "aware of more than 10 instances of failure of the (defective part) because of an inadvertent inside-out installation, causing ... total loss of power and requiring emergency landings" of at least six helicopters, and at least four incidents involving helicopters on the ground." Further, despite being aware of the manufacturing defects "the company chose not to alert and inform its customers and regulatory agencies because it did not want to pay for a recall of over 300 engines" the lawsuit alleged.

On July 20, 2004, the company issued a service bulletin recommending that a newly designed part be installed during the next engine overhaul.

The settlement is not an admission of fault or liability.

In many situations when an individual is hurt or killed on the job, the injured party or his/her family's recovery may be limited by California worker's compensation laws. However, certain instances exist where a civil lawsuit may be filed. Typical situations where "third party" lawsuits may be filed include situations like this - i.e. where a manufacturing defect is alleged to be the cause of an injury. In these cases, an employer and family member or injured party may bring a product liability lawsuit against the manufacturer of the defective product.

Other types of work place accidents that may lead to civil negligence lawsuits include:

• Traffic accidents

• Exposure to toxic substances

• Negligent actions by other third parties on site

Contact an experienced premises liability lawyer or personal injury lawyer to learn whether your case has the possibility of a third party claim.

For more information please contact the top Sacramento workplace accident lawyers at the Law Office of Frederick J. Sette for an immediate consultation.