The rains came unexpectedly hard that morning and caused the roads to become slick and slippery. Both accidents are devastating to all involved. And both demonstrate the need to slow down and consider how whether effects the roads.

In the second accident, Alejandro Gonzalez lost his life when a water truck, traveling two fast, lost control and crossed into on coming traffic on Pleasant Valley Road. As a Lawyer who has to deal with aftermath of these accidents, I would be looking to the driver and his employer to be held responsible for this accident. Under California law, an employer is responsible for the negligent or careless acts of his employees. Certainly this seems to be the case.

Camarillo is small community in Ventura County next to Oxnard and Thousand Oaks. For those who live an work in the surrounding cities El Rio, Oxnard, Ventura, New Bury Park often travel through Camarillo. This tragedy can effect anyone. And it makes it more important to live up to your obligation to our community as drivers.

My heart goes out to the families of those impacted by any traffic collision and senseless death.

To learn more about how our lawyers may be able to help, visit us at by linking to The Halpern Law Firm

Unfortunately, for an Oxnard California boy, when he could not resist the sound of the ice cream truck's music and gave chase, he was struck by a passing motorist and suffered serious injuries. He is recovering in a Los Angeles Hospital from a fractured skull, brain injury and internal bleeding. This particular story was reported in the Ventura County Star. However this tragedy that is all to common.

These ice cream trucks have been driving through Oxnard, Ventura, Santa Paula, Fillmore, Camarillo and throughout Ventura and Los Angeles Counties for decades, playing the familiar call to the children to come running. And thats exactly what the kids do, they run and run and run for the ice cream truck. Including running across streets.

Lessons we need to learn - Include the dangers imposed both as drivers and owners of the ice cream trucks and as responsible drivers in our communities. We must recognize a child's reaction and take steps to minimize the danger.

First for the Ice Cream truck, they should not play their music or sound their horn unless its safe. The truck should be stopped in a safe location, the driver should be outside or set of warning cones to alert other drivers. Second as a driver, when you see an ice cream truck, slow down anticipate what a child might do and take precautions.

Its easy to blame a child but as adults we must take responsibility not only for out own actions but in anticipation of others.

To learn more about how our lawyers may be able to help, visit us at by linking to The Halpern Law Firm

Lets hope for a speedy recovery for this little boy in Oxnard.

I urge everyone to read and book mark the web site Protect Consumer Justice. This web page offers insightful and informative material about the truth of the justice systems protection of consumer rights and how big business and sometimes government actions are eroding consumer rights. In a recent post entitled "Dennis Quaid: Actor, father, documentary film maker, MICRA fighter" author Eric Bailey summarizes actor Dennis Quaid's crusade to help fight medical malpractice for the protection of consumers and patients. This fight began after the well publicized medical error that resulted in the actors twins receiving a lethal dose of the drug heparin. Quaid sued both the hospital that made the error and manufacturer that mislabeled the medication.

The actor has turned his crusade into a documentary “Chasing Zero: Winning the War on Healthcare Harm,” that aired on the Discovery Channel. And is scheduled to be replayed May 1 and May 8. I recommend that everyone take the time to view this program.

As lawyers we deal directly with victims of tragedy, we hear their stories of accident, injuries, mistakes. We feel their pain and their loss. We do not take on cases lightly we pursue justice to provide for those who have suffered and to expose those who have caused harm so that it can be prevented in the future.

California State Route 126 located in Ventura county just North of Los Angeles has to be one of California's most dangerous roads. On April 17, 2010 a sheriff patrol slammed into a vehicle attempting to turn left onto highway 126. The accident was reported and commented upon in the Ventura County Star. We are glad to learn that those injured are recovering.

This car accident occurred between the towns of Fillmore and Santa Paula in Ventura County. This stretch of highway has been known for decades as "blood alley", because of the high incidents of deadly crashes. In 2005 The Halpern Law Firm brought a case against the State of California alleging that Highway 126 was a dangerous condition of public property. After lengthy litigation the state agreed and paid 3 million dollars to our client. Later it was reported that cross median barriers would be installed. Obviously they were not and the highway remains deadly and dangerous.

The people of Santa Paula, Fillmore, Oxnard, Ventura, Simi Valley, Santa Clarita and surrounding counties must stand up and demand that the Highway be made safe. Only by holding those responsible for making the highway safe, will the commuters be protected. If you or a loved one has suffered a loss as result of a dangerous highway or car accident, contact The Halpern Law Firm we will be able to discuss with you all of your rights.

The Collision was widely reported on April 2, 2009 by all of the news agencies in Southern California and throughout the nation. A quick Google search shows how this tragedy was reported.

So what happened. A driver a truck transporting cars, lost control and braking power of his truck as he was coming down Angeles Forest Highway, into La Cananada. When his brakes failed he slammed through an intersection causing this terrible accident.

This accident should not have happened.. First CALTRANS was warned for several years to ban trucks on this stretch of the Angeles Forrest Highway because of the fear and risk of what happened that April 2, 2009. There was a prior accident where the same type that caused the destruction of several vehicles. City officials from La Canada had requested the ban of trucks - but those request were ignored by CALTRANS officials. It is only now after this horrible accident that the ban will go into effect. CALTRANS should have acted sooner, ban trucks on that stretch of the road, as the change of conditions in that area over time made this route unsafe for commercial truck travel.

CALTRANS would be responsible in some part for the damages incurred by those who lost there loved ones and suffered injuries. Holding CALTRANS responsible requires getting around the immunities that attach to government agencies such as CALTRANS. Essentially CALTRANS is immune from liability for design of the highway, unless it can be established that due to changed conditions the intersection is now a dangerous and that CALTRANS new of the danger with enough time to correct the condition prior to the accident. In this case, aggressive investigation will undoubtedly establish the conditions necessary to hold CALTRANS liable. And they should be held liable and responsible.

The driver of the truck and his employer would be responsible for this accident. A truck driver must use extraordinary cation to prevent these accident. He and his employer must diligently inspect the truck before every trip. Certainly investigation into this matter will include obtaining the driving record, the trip logs and all maintenance records for the vehicle.

I am very saddened whenever I here of such devastating losses. It is such a tough time for those injured and the family of those killed to be thinking about why. In such cases it is important to find competent legal representation. This will take the burden off you and your family so that you can begin the healing process. If you were effected by the La Canada tragedy or wish to speak with an attorney about other accidents and injuries please contact The Halpern Law Firm. You will speak directly with a lawyer to help you through these difficult times.

It can be a scary commute across the central valley. Especially this time of year where thousands of motorist commute from Southern California Cities such as Los Angeles, Orange County, Ventura, Simi Valley up to Northern California for the holiday. And vice versa. We have to share the 5 and 99 freeway through the valley with these big rig trucks. Its important that as we make this drive we slow down to help protect ourselves and our passengers, we can not count on the truck drivers.

The common factor in each of the reported collisions was fog and big rigs. This is a deadly combination. Its unfortunate that we have to read with sadness these stories every year when the fog sets in and reduces visibility sometimes to zero. I think that in conditions such as this, Big Rig trucks should be grounded and not allowed on the roads until conditions become safer. Similar to the grounding of airplanes when the conditions make it unsafe to travel.

This photograph shows the sheer destruction of vehicles that are hit by big rigs.

In an earlier entries " Big trucks cause injuries on Los Angeles Freeways" and "Truck accident kills man in Los Angeles Westlake District." I discussed the dangers of trucks on our highways. The foggy conditions magnify these dangers. The article by Steinberg and Colon in the Fresno Bee give good tips of safe driving in the fog. Additional driving tips can be found at California Highway Patrol Web Page “Fog Driving Safety Tips”
If you must travel during foggy condition, please follow these safe driving tips.

An important message from The Halpern Law Firm , is to be careful out there and have a safe holiday season. If you or a loved one is an unfortunate victim of an accident, its important to take the immediate steps to protect your legal rights and insure fair and just recovery. The attorneys at the The Halpern Law Firm will listen to your story and provide you with the best legal advise so that you can begin to heal, knowing that your rights and recovery are being protected.

In a past entry “Los Angeles Women Killed in Traffic Accident on PCH demonstrates dangers” I discussed the dangers that happen when you become stranded on the freeway. This recent collision in North Hollywood demonstrates these dangers. We all hope that those people reported injured have a speedy recovery.

As far as responsibility. A detailed investigation will have to be conducted to determine all potential responsible parties. Certainly the driver of the impala that was reported to have been caused the initial crash. Other pertinent information would have to include why the stranded vehicle was stopped on the freeway to begin with and how other vehicles became involved in this accident.

Thorough investigation into all parts of accident is important to assure a full and fair recovery to victims of this case. This investigation must include the existence of any uninsured motorist coverage, not only on the drivers, but also on any passengers injured in this collision.

If you or loved one is a victim of an auto accident please contact us at The Halpern Law Firm . We will listen to your story and provide you with the best legal advise so as to secure a fair and just settlement.

Here is some basic law on school place injuries.
California law imposes upon school districts a duty to carefully supervise students
while they are on the school premises during the school day, and districts may be held liable for injuries caused by the failure to exercise such care. (Hoyem v.Manhattan Beach City Sch. Dist. (1978) 22 Cal.3d 508, 513.) Public employees, including school teachers, principals and administrators, are liable for injury caused by their own acts or omissions to the same extent as a private person, and public entities, including school districts, are liable for injuries caused by acts or omissions of their employees within the scope of employment. (Gov. Code §§§§ 820(a) and 815.2(a).)
Due to the special relationship between a school district and its students and their families, there is an affirmative duty on the district to take all reasonable steps to protect its students. This duty is based in part on the compulsory nature of education. (Rodriguez v. Inglewood Unified School Dist. (1986) 186 Cal.App.3d 707, 714-715.)
Since students spend most of their time in the classroom under the supervision of teachers, the burden to provide a safe and peaceful environment falls on their shoulders. As employees of a school district, public school teachers have a statutory duty to supervise their students in order to maintain this safe and welcoming environment. (Ed. Code §§ 44807; Dailey v. Los Angeles Unified School Dist. (1970) 2 Cal.3d 741, 747.) Teachers are required to "hold pupils to a strict account for their conduct on the way to and from school, on the playgrounds, or during recess," and may impose reasonable necessary physical restraint in order to maintain a safe environment. (Ed. Code §§ 44807.)

If you have any questions about in general or about a specific incident please contact The Halpern Law Firm . so that we can provide with specific answers to your questions.

First things first - Get immediate medical attention. If your child suffers an injury at school make sure they get the needed medical attention immediately. I always advise my clients that their health is the number one priority and they take all actions necessary to preserve their health. This means is your child is seriously injured - go to the emergency room or your pediatrician so that their injuries can be properly evaluated. If you do not have insurance your child may qualify for Medi - Cal or emergency Medi - Cal a hospital administrator should be able to help you complete the forms at the time of admission. If you know you wont qualify for medi - cal you should try to enroll your children in Los Angeles Healthy Kids Program. Information about these programs can be found at Healthy Kids / LA Care Health Plan.

If you do not have any coverage, an experienced attorney may be able to evaluate your potential case and provide you with a referral to a doctor who will provide your child with the needed medical attention. The attorney will make payment arrangement with the medical provider so that the doctor is paid out of any settlement or judgment in your case.

Worry and take care of the health of your child - let the lawyers take care of the legal stuff. It is very important that if you suspect that your child’s school injury was caused by the school, its employees or negligence on the part of the district that you contact a lawyer immediately to preserve your rights. A school district and its employees are public entities. With all government entities a Government Tort Claim must be filed within 6 months of the date of the negligence. If this deadline is not met your child’s right to recover damages may be lost.

If you have any questions or want more information about a school place injury please contact The Halpern Law Firm . for a complete confidential and free consultation.

There was construction work being done near Occidental Blvd and Hoover St. in the City of Los Angeles. Apparently a dump truck struck the man running him over. He was killed by the incident.

This is an unfortunate accident that should never have occurred. While we do not know all of the facts, it is important to be diligent and aware of your surroundings at any construction site. Further, those in charge of the construction need to assure it is being conducted safely. In this case, you cant help but wonder if a Flagman was employed would this have prevented the death of this man. Caltrans produces a "Flagging Instruction Hand Book" this is a guide that should be implemented on all construction zones. Proper use of a flagman can best protect not only the public but also the safety of the workers.

Work Zone Safety reports statistics in “Fatalities in Motor Vehicle Traffic Crashes by State and Construction/Maintenance Zone" which lists state by state statistics of fatal accidents. In 2007 there were 80 people killed in construction zone accidents ranking California third on the list of fatalities behind Florida and Texas.

It is always sad and devastating for the friends and family of someone who has been killed in accident. Frustration and anger are often accompany the grief especially in tragedies that should and could have easily been prevented. If you or loved one wishes to speak to an attorney about a accident death or injury caused in a construction zone, or any other type of accident or crash please contact us at The Halpern Law Firm .

It was reported by the O.C. Register that a Porsche Cayenne was rear ended by a big rig truck. The person killed from Fullerton was the driver of the Cayenne. Several other cars and vehicles were involved on the accident.

According to Wikipedia, the I-40 freeway is a major East West Freeway running through the Mojave Dessert from Barstow to Needles. It is known as the “Needles Freeway”

The accident was being investigated by the California Highway Patrols Major Accident Investigation Team (MAIT). This is a specialized unit of the California Highway Patrol that is called to investigate major traffic accident, usually involving fatalities. MAIT will conduct a full blown accident reconstruction wherein they will examine the scene and vehicles to determine what happened.

As I reported in an earlier entry entitled "Big Trucks Cause Injuries on Los Angeles Freeways" big rig trucks on our highways cause a serious threat to the public. Its worth repeating these statistics here.
According to Motor Carrier Management Information System
In 2007 in California alone there were 5,315 Injuries in Crashes Involving Large Trucks and in every year since 2003 there have been between 300 and 400 fatalities as a result of large truck accidents. These statistics are derived from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), the Motor Carrier Management Information System (MCMIS) Crash and Census data, and the Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA's) Highway Statistic Series.

If you or loved one has suffered an injury in a vehicle accident. It is important to speak with an experienced attorney. The attorneys at the The Halpern Law Firm will listen and understand your story and provide you with the legal help necessary to obtain a full and complete recovery.

In response to this vicious attack, SImi Valley city counsel oredered a Ventura County Animal Control to provide a report on the dangers of pit bulls. The Ventura County Star reported the details. In summary It was reported that Pit Bulls do not see children under 12 as humans and their attacks are so dangerous because because of the pure power of the dogs jaws.

I reported in an earlier blog about dangerous dogs. This story sadly high lights these dangers. I am hopeful that these events do not repeat themselves, however I am certain that they will.

If you or loved one has been injuried by a dog attack please contact The Halpern Law Firm to speak to a knowledgable and caring attorney who get you the results and recovery you deserve.

This loss must be devastating on Cuing Nguyen family. To loose a young man in such a way seems senseless. More and more motorcyclist on on our roads. The energy and gas crisis has led to an increase in new riders. This meand that motorist need to be diligent when the drive and keep a look out.

In this senseless loss blame is something that must be investigated, if the original accident was the fault of SUV then that driver would be responsible for subsequent death of Nguyen. The second SUV would also be liable for Nguyen death.

I encourage Nguyen family or anyone else who has suffered injury or loss of a loved one from a motorcylce accident to speak with a comptent attorney, without delay.

If you have been injured or lossed a loved one in a motrocycle accident please contact The Halpern Law Firm to speak to a knowledgable and caring attorney who get you the results and recovery you deserve.

Obviuslly the Family of Mr. Ferguson must be devastated by this loss. Our sincere prayers and sympathy go out to his family and friends.

Tow trucks provide a valuable service to our community in helping stranded motorist, but they are not above the law. Drivers of every type of vehicle tow trucks, big rigs, cars, motorcycles, scooters and even bicycles need to pay attention. When you stop paying attention, even for a moment tragedy happens.

In investigating a fatal accident such as this, it would be important to obtain information from every witness to the event. Even beyond that, the tow truck was probable supplied with a "event data recorder" which would record things like speeds and breaking leading up to the accident. In addition obtaining from the City the traffic signal phasing would be helpful in putting together this accident.

Other things to obtain are the driving record of tow truck driver, including any felony arrest, DUI information and drug testing results.

In this case the Family of Mr. Furguson should speak to an experienced lawyer to assure an appropriate recovery. The lawyers at The Halpern Law Firm would be happy to speak with any one who suffered such a devastating loss. We will listen, understand, and spend the time necessary to allow you to tell your story. We will answer all your questions and provide you with best possible legal representation to make sure no stone goes unturned and you recieve the best possible recovery.

Even if this accident occurred outside of a marked crosswalk, the driver could still be responsible for Mr. Dodd's injuries. Drivers have a duty to keep a look out for all hazards, and if Mr. Dodd should have been seen, he should not have been hit. Obviously if he was inside the cross walk the driver should have stopped and let him pass safely.

I discussed the dangers of being a pedestrian in an earlier blog. This latest incident again highlights dangers and the need to keep constant look out whether your driving or a pedestrian.

I sincerely hope that Mr. Dodd has a speedy and full recovery. In this case if the responsible party is not found, Mr. Dodd may still be able to recover for his injuries directly from his uninsured motories coverage, if he has such coverage. We encourage Mr. Dodd to speak to an expereinced and knowledgeable attorney to help him secure appropriate recovery for his injuries.

If you have a loved one who has been injurred in an accident please contact The Halpern Law Firm to speak to attorney who will care, listen and help.