2009 August Archive

The Mercury News recently reported in an article that a San Jose resident was struck and killed while crossing the street north of Downtown San Jose. The 51-year-old, whose name was not revealed, was struck between Hedding Street and Mission Avenue while crossing First Street. The man was taken to a local hospital after the pedestrian accident in San Jose, but medical personnel were unable to save him.

The man was struck by a white 2008 BMW, according to a Sergeant. The BMW was driven by a 33-year-old, San Jose woman. The woman was not determined to be under the influence of any substance, nor did she flee the scene of the accident. She has not been charged with a crime as of yet.

San Jose police report that this incident is the ninth involving pedestrian death in vehicle-related collisions in the city of San Jose in 2009. Though negligence may not have played as much of a role in this man’s death as it has in other pedestrian related deaths, negligence is still one of the leading causes for pedestrian injury in vehicle-related accidents.

If you or a loved one has recently been involved in a vehicle-pedestrian accident, please don’t hesitate to contact the personal injury attorneys at Van Der Walde & Associates. Our knowledgeable lawyers will examine the details surrounding your accident, and will hold those responsible for their actions. Please contact a skilled San Jose pedestrian accident attorney today for a free consultation, and we’ll help restore the order that your accident took away.

A San Francisco train crash involving two light-rail trains is being investigated by the National Transportation and Safety Board, according to a story. The NTSB investigators have already determined that one of the train operators blacked-out immediately before the crash, and that the conductor had turned off the train’s automatic controls as well. Neither alcohol abuse nor inattention seems to have contributed to causing the crash.

The collision involved two trains, one of which was moving and the other which was halted at a boarding platform. A total of 47 people were injured, all of whom were taken to local area hospitals to seek treatment. None of the personal injuries in San Francisco were deemed to be life-threatening. Broken bones, bruises, and lacerations seemed to characterize the majority of the injuries.

It has also been revealed that drivers intentionally turn off the automatic controls of a train as that train nears a boarding platform in hopes that passenger loading time is cut down and the train remains on schedule.  Though this behavior is relatively commonplace, it increases the likelihood that human error, such as was the case in this accident, can lead to an accident and injure a large number of people.

If you or a loved one has been involved in an accident, and you feel as though another party is to blame for causing the accident, don’t hesitate to contact the experienced Northern California personal injury lawyers at Van Der Walde & Associates. Our skilled attorneys will examine the details of your case, and will determine who was responsible for your accident. Please call us today for a free consultation.

According to a San Francisco local CBS affiliate report, four Marin County teenagers were recently injured in a rollover accident. The driver of the car, 18-year-old Christopher Oshaben, was not injured, but his passengers, all under the age of 18 and not identified by name, suffered non-life threatening injuries. Those with injuries were taken to Marin General Hospital for treatment.

California Highway Patrol is investigating the car crash in San Francisco, and does not believe that alcohol played a factor. It was not reported whether or not any other vehicles were involved. Updates on the conditions of the injured teens were unavailable.

Rollover accidents can occur for a number of reasons. Driver inattention and reckless driving is one major reason, but there are other factors that can contribute as well. Faulty vehicle design, mostly with SUVs, can also contribute to vehicle rollover. Dangerous road conditions, such as poorly planned roads with sharp turns that do not have proper traffic signage to warn motorists to reduce speeds, can also cause a vehicle to rollover. Or, if traffic signage is present, then that signage may not be legible, either because it is obstructed by shrubbery, faded due to weather exposure, or in some other state of disrepair. Even poorly paved roads can contribute towards causing a rollover accident.

In the event of any crash, it is always a good idea to seek the help of a California personal injury lawyer. At Van Der Walde & Associates, our skilled Northern California auto accident attorneys will examine the details of your accident, deciphering what caused it and whose fault it was. Please contact us today for a free consultation, and we will see to it that those responsible for your accident are held accountable.

The Mercury News recently reported in an article that a man being killed by a Caltrain just south of the Blossom Hill station in San Jose. A 63 year-old man of San Jose was struck and killed by a Caltrain.  Though initial reports believed the death to be the result of suicide, it has been determined that suicide is an unlikely cause. The official cause has still not been determined.

Investigators believe that the man may have been attempting to take a short cut across the tracks. The wrongful death accident in San Jose, which occurred under the Highway 85 overpass near Great Oaks Boulevard, marks the eighth fatality this year attributed to a Caltrain. In 2008, there were a total of 16 deaths attributed to Caltrain.

The question is raised as to whether or not this accident could have been avoided. The patrol of train tracks, particularly those areas that are more prone to short-cut-taking by pedestrians, is an issue that needs to be addressed because the number of deaths does not seem to be at all dissipating. Whether or not negligence on the part of Caltrain played a factor is yet to be determined.

However, in the event that negligence does lead to personal injury of any kind, then it’s a good idea to enlist the help of an experienced San Jose personal injury lawyer who will examine the details of your case to determine who, if anyone, was at fault. For those instances where negligence did play a factor, the skilled attorneys at Van Der Walde & Associates are here to help. Call us today for a free consultation, and we will seek retribution from those responsible for your personal injury.