California news reports that a Sacramento man has died in an Elkgrove motorcycle collision. The accident occurred when the 63-year-old man riding the motorcycle collided with the side of a minivan at the intersection of Elkgrove Boulevard and Bradshaw Road. The man died at the scene from injuries sustained in the motorcycle crash. The driver of the minivan, a woman, received minor injuries in the accident. The children who were passengers in the van were not injured. While the motorcycle accident remains under investigation, no indication exists that alcohol or any other substance was a factor in the collision.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a California motorcycle accident or other type of motorvehicle crash, it's a good idea to consult with an experienced Sacramento accident attorney right away. A skilled Sacramento personal injury lawyer can begin an investigation into all of the factors surrounding a particular incident and ensure you receive all of the compensation you are entitled to. Even where an injured party is partly at fault for an accident, under California's comparative negligence law it may be possible to recover damages.

This accident serves as a tragic reminder about motorcycle safety and precautions all drivers and riders should keep in mind. Statistics reveal that more than 100,000 motorcycle accidents occur each year. Further, more than two-thirds of deaths from motorcycle accidents involve motorcycle collisions with another car on the road - often because the car doesn't see the motorcycle at all or is unable to avoid the crash once they do see the motorcyclist. Whether the minivan didn't see the motorcyclist is certainly an issue raised by this accident.

With the New Year upon us, Californians need to be aware of several new laws that have now taken effect. The nearly 800 new 2013 laws are wide ranging, and cover areas as diverse as drunk driving to sales tax hikes. If you have questions about any of the new laws and how they may affect you, it's a good idea to consult with a knowledgeable Sacramento personal injury attorney to answer your questions and give you the guidance you need regarding California laws.

A number of the new laws involve cars and drivers. For example drivers will now be allowed to provide proof of car insurance via cell-phone or other electronic device. This eliminates the requirement that you carry proof of insurance in the car.

Another law, SB 1303 concerns red-light cameras. As of 2013, law enforcement may not use red light cameras primarily as a way to raise revenue. The law makes it easier for California drivers ticketed as the result of evidence collected by a red-light camera to challenge the citation.

Drivers will also be allowed to take advantage of advances made in technology. AB 1536 allows California drivers to send, dictate and listen to text-based messages while driving as long as they use voice-command or other hands-free technology.

Another significant law is AB 45 - named after 19-year-old Brett Studebaker of San Mateo, who died in 2010 after drinking on a party bus and crashing his own vehicle while driving home an hour later. It holds party bus operators to the same standards as limousine drivers, making them legally responsible for drinking by underage passengers.

Other laws to take effect in 2013 involve worker's rights when they've been injured. In 2012 California lawmakers worked hard to overhaul the California's public pension and worker's compensation system. As a result of legislative hard work, SB 863 increases the amount of money available to employees who suffer permanent disabilities as the result of job-related accidents by $740 million. Depending on the particular circumstances, on-the-job injuries can be covered by Workers' Compensation laws, by tort law or by both. An experienced personal injury attorney can decide on the most productive way to approach your case.

Although workers compensation benefits are often lower than those obtained in a civil lawsuit (such as a claim for negligence) with the increased amount of money set aside for on the job accidents, hopefully the recovery obtained by those injured will increase.

Other laws adopted include the following:

• Some undocumented immigrants may be able to obtain driver's licenses and qualify for California college financial aid. This includes individuals who came here as children and who were given work permits by the Obama administration.

• Banning individuals from carrying unloaded rifles and shotguns in public and urban areas.

• Regulated and licensing certain "microbrews" aged in wood barrels as beer throughout California. 

• Attempts to make stadiums and sports arenas safer (in response to the horrible personal injuries suffered by Brian Stow) by requiring arena management to post contact information for security personnel that is visible from seating and parking areas so help can be summoned quickly when injuries or violence occurs.

These are but a few of the hundreds of new laws that took effect Jan. 1.

For more information or if you have questions contact the experienced California personal injury lawyers at the Law Office of Frederick J. Sette for an immediate appointment.

A new study published in the most recent issue of Pediatrics reveals an alarming statistic: Bounce houses injure a child every 46 minutes. The number of injuries from inflatable bouncers - including moonwalks, castles and bounce houses - has increased by 15 times since 1995, causing 5+ injuries per every 100,000 American children.

Just a few months ago a similar warning was issued by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) concerning at home trampoline use. In September, AAP issued a statement discouraging the recreational use of trampolines, stating the activity "poses a major injury risk for kids and there's no clear way to reduce chances of getting hurt."

If you or a loved one has been injured on while on a trampoline or bounce house, it's a good idea to consult with an experienced Sacramento personal injury lawyer. Depending on the circumstances of your matter it may be possible to recover compensation for your injuries through a negligence lawsuit based on product liability, premises liability or other theory of recovery.

Like bounce house injuries, trampoline injuries occur far more frequently than many people imagine. According to the study in 2009, the last year of available data, trampoline injury rates were 70 injuries per 100,000 children ages 0- to 4-years-old and 160 injuries per 100,000 5- to 14-year-olds, for a total of 98,000 injuries that year. Older kids were more likely to use a bicycle or other unsafe equipment on the trampoline, while young children under the age of 6 were most likely to get hurt. Between three percent and 14 percent of the injuries required hospitalization.

"Unfortunately, the very forces that make trampoline use fun for many children also lead to unique injury mechanisms and patterns of injury," the statement's authors write.

Trampoline and bounce house injuries include:

• Fractures 

• Dislocations

• Sprains and strains

• Broken bones

• Head and neck injuries

• Spinal cord injuries

The most serious injuries often result from failed attempts at somersaults and flips while bouncing, sometimes resulting in lifelong injuries.

A director of the bounce house study noted: "It is time for us to take action to prevent these injuries ... Ensuring that parents are aware of the potential risks, improving surveillance of the injuries, developing national safety guidelines and improving bouncer design are the first steps."

"Because children are the end users and because companies typically do not provide the supervision on rented inflatable bouncers, the burden of safety falls ultimately on the parents' shoulders." Further while bouncers can be fun and safe when used properly, "Parents should be familiar with the risks and dangers and should receive proper supervision instruction."

For more information about bounce house or trampoline safety, or if you or a loved one has been injured while on a trampoline or bounce house, please contact an experienced Sacramento personal injury attorney at the Law Office of Frederick J. Sette for an immediate consultation.

Sacramento news reports that two California teens died over the weekend as the result of a rollover car crash. According to reports, three teens were riding in a 203 Acura when they approached a roadway curve. The driver could not control the car as he maneuvered around the bend. The car left the roadway, hitting a utility and tree before flipping over. Two passengers were killed, and the driver sustained moderate personal injuries. Alcohol was not considered to be a factor in the car accident.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a car accident, it's important to seek the advice of an experienced Sacramento personal injury lawyer right away. Although the severity of car accidents varies - rollovers are some of the most serious. Rollovers typically occur as the result of drivers trying to over-correct to avoid a roadway hazard, or adjust to the curve of a roadway. However, when a driver maneuvers too quickly he or she may cause the car to flip. This may be a result of driver error, or in some cases roadway design. A roadway design like the angle of a decline, the absence of appropriate barriers or improperly designed shoulders may create a condition that makes rollovers more likely. If an entity designed a road that is unreasonably dangerous, it may be held liable for negligence.

Other times, rollovers occur due to negligence in the manufacture of a car or its parts. This may be due to a defective auto-part or tire manufacturer design. In some cases, the type of vehicle may make it more likely that a vehicle will flip - such as an SUV. Many times, it may be possible to file a negligence lawsuit where the design of a vehicle is unreasonably dangerous or has a defective design or part.

Rollover accidents lead to many different types of injuries including, but not limited to:

 • Neck injuries

 • Head injuries

 • Traumatic brain injuries

 • Broken bones

 For more information or if you or a loved one have been injured in a California car accident, please contact a top Sacramento personal injury lawyer at the Law Office of Frederick J. Sette for an immediate consultation.

A recent story in the Los Angeles Times begins "Los Angeles isn't known as a city for walking. Maybe there is a good reason - it's too dangerous." According to the article, Los Angeles drivers are responsible for a higher rate of fatal pedestrian accidents and bicycle accidents than drivers nationally.

A recent study performed by the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute found that one-third of all of Los Angeles traffic fatalities involved pedestrians and about 3% of the fatalities were bicyclists. These figures are triple and double the national averages, respectively.

The authors of the study however, point to the large number of people competing for space on California's roadways, rather than specific problems with Los Angeles drivers. The numbers are even worse for places like New York City, where 49.6% of all traffic fatalities involved pedestrians and 6.1% were bicyclists.

If you have suffered an injury or lost a loved one as the result of a motor vehicle accident - whether as a passenger, pedestrian or bicyclist - it's important to speak to an experienced California personal injury attorney right away to secure your rights and discuss your next steps. In many instances it may be possible to recover compensation for your injuries, including medical expenses, lost wages and pain and suffering.

One of the purposes of the study was to expose traffic issues with an eye toward improving safety and preventing accidents. However, an important component of change is funding - currently less than 1% of transportation funding goes to improvements for pedestrians and bicyclists. As stated by a representative of the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition:

"If we want to get serious about traffic safety, we need to get serious about funding equity so we can build infrastructure that allows people to walk and bike safely around their communities," he said. "Our current metrics value automobile throughput over traffic safety."

Unfortunately, recent bike safety legislation that would have improved conditions was just vetoed by Gov. Jerry Brown. SB 1464 would have required motorists to give bicyclists at least three feet of room while passing, or slow down -- citing concern that it could cause more car accidents. Brown said he worried about requiring motorists to slow to 15 mph when passing bicyclists if there is not three feet between them.

Sacramento area pedestrians and bikers fare better than those in Los Angeles, but the state still needs to work on comprehensive laws that will improve California's roadways for all foot, bike and motorized transportation.

For more information, or if you or a loved one has suffered a serious personal injury, please contact a knowledgeable Sacramento personal injury lawyer at the Law Office of Frederick J. Sette for an immediate consultation. 

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.

The family of a bicyclist who died after being hit by a car on Grizzly Peak Boulevard has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the City of Oakland. The negligence suit alleged that the condition of the roadway contributed to the death of Allen Lee, 53, due to its poor maintenance.

According to the lawsuit, the city should be held responsible in Lee's death because it knew that the roadway was in bad repair but failed to make the necessary improvements despite repeated complaints.

Accidents may happen for any number of reasons. While driver error, driver distraction or drunk driving may be the leading causes of car accidents, bike accidents and other roadway injuries, many times the seriousness of an accident is contributed to or exacerbated by the condition of the roadway.

Where the condition of the road - how it is designed or maintained - contributes to a bicycle accident or car accident, it may be possible to bring a roadway negligence lawsuit. By filing a roadway negligence lawsuit you may be able to recover compensation for various types of damages including medical expenses, pain and suffering and lost past and future wages.

Seeking the advice of a top Sacramento personal injury lawyer is important to determine all possible factors that may have caused or contributed to an accident to ensure you may recover all the compensation you deserve.

Here the personal injury complaint alleges that Lee was thrown over the front handlebars of his bike after his bike's front tire became caught in a two inch deep rut in the middle of the road that caused to bike to stop suddenly. The abrupt stop threw him into the path of an oncoming car that was unable to stop in time.

The complaint seeks damages from the city for its failure to keep the roadway in good repair. According to the lawsuit Oakland is responsible for ensuring its roadways are safely maintained. A representative of the family notes, "As recently as four or five months before this happened, there were local organizations that were communicating with the city about this particular roadway and all the cracks in it ...If the roadway poses a danger to either motorists or bicyclists and the public agency has notice of that danger, it is required to fix it."

The wrongful death lawsuit is seeking unspecified monetary damages from the city including costs associated with funeral and burial expenses, lost wages and punitive damages.

For more information about roadway negligence or wrongful death lawsuits contact an experienced Sacramento personal injury lawyer at the Law Office of Frederick J. Sette for an immediate consultation. 

News reports that the family of a 16-year-old killed in Hawaii while riding a jet-ski has filed a negligence lawsuit against both the Australian tourist who ran into her and the Jet Ski Rental company, Aloha Jet Ski, for its role in contributing to her death.

Kristen Fonseca had rented a jet-ski in Hawaii from Aloha Jet and was touring Hawaii's Keehi Small Boat Harbor when she was hit by the Australian man from behind. Fonseca subsequently died from her injuries. The cause of her death has been listed as "intracranial hemorrhage."

According to the wrongful death lawsuit, employees of the jet-ski company did nothing to prevent the accident from occurring. The accident allegedly occurred as the result of the man failing to pay attention to where he was going while he was riding the jet-ski. He was apparently standing on his jet-ski and became distracted by his girlfriend who was taking video and photos and did not pay attention to other boat traffic in the bay. 

Dagley is expected to be arraigned on the misdemeanor charge Tuesday.

Wrongful death lawsuits can arise in any type of personal injury accident where an individual dies as the result of another's reckless or negligent conduct. Negligence refers to the breach of a legal duty to act reasonably or to protect another from foreseeable dangers. Many factors go into determining whether a specific action may be considered negligent and whether that action led to a person's harm. In these instances, it may be possible to recover for your damages. In a wrongful death lawsuit, the surviving family members may bring a lawsuit on behalf of the deceased. Speaking to a skilled Sacramento personal injury lawyer right away is an important first step to determine your rights in the event of any injury accident.

Here, if Fonseca is found to be reckless or careless (i.e. negligent) in his actions, then he may be held responsible for the "wrongful death" of Fonseca in a civil court and be required to pay damages such as medical costs, lost wages and emotional distress. The family is also suing the Jet-Ski company for their negligence. While all of the details of the lawsuit are unknown, whether the company took the necessary safety precautions to avoid accidents or whether the actions it took where an accident occurred were sufficient will be under review. Although the company did not specifically harm Fonseca, if their actions were such that led to foreseeable harm, they may be found responsible and be required to pay damages as well.

Whenever a tragic accident occurs, it's of upmost importance to speak to an experienced Sacramento personal injury lawyer right away. Even though filing a lawsuit may be the furthest thing from your mind, it is critical to determine all factors that may have led to an accident and ensure you protect your right to future compensation. For more information, please contact the top Sacramento wrongful death attorneys at the Law Office of Frederick J. Sette for an immediate consultation.

San Francisco news reports that a 19-year-old man has died following a drunk driving accident. The man died just a few blocks from his Bayview district home in the arms of his brother. According to reports, he was partially ejected from a car driven by a friend who was allegedly drunk. Daniel Lara has now been charged with a number of felonies in connection with the accident. Witnesses indicate that Lara had been driving "doughnuts" when the car flipped near Griffith Street and Thomas Avenue.

If you have been involved in a drunk driving accident or any other type of motorvehicle accident it's important to seek the advice of a skilled Sacramento personal injury attorney right away. Many times, it may be possible to recover compensation for your injuries.

Here, witnesses state that Eduardo Perez was in the front passenger seat when the accident occurred and ejected him half way. His older brother was riding in the backseat with another passenger. When the accident occurred, the brother ran to pull Perez out of the car and Lara drove away. Lara later returned to the scene with his father. He has now been charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, reckless driving, vehicular manslaughter and leaving the scene of an accident. Each of these charges is a felony.

This accident is a tragic reminder of the dangers of drunk driving.

In the United States the leading cause of auto accidents is driver intoxication. According to figures released by Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), 17,013 people were killed in 2005 due to alcohol related crashes in the United States - an average of one every 30 minutes. This figure represents forty percent (40%) of the 42,643 total traffic deaths

In addition to drunk driving deaths, individuals may also suffer serious injuries including head and neck injuries, spinal cord injuries, and broken bones. Victims injured by negligent drunk drivers face medical bills, loss of wages, physical pain, emotional distress and loss of enjoyment of life. If injuries are severe or permanent, families suffer economic loss, mental anguish and the loss of companionship in caring for an injured family member. In the event of death, families are torn apart without any warning.

Unfortunately despite great awareness of the risks involved with drunk driving, many California drivers continue to get behind the wheel after having one too many. If you have been injured in a California drunk driving accident or any other type of motorvehicle crash, it is important to speak with a top Sacramento personal injury attorney right away.

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