Los Angeles Injury Lawyer Blog

L.A. Now reports that a man has died in a Studio City construction accident after a trench he was working in collapsed. The man was pronounced dead at the scene.

Construction sites are inherently dangerous. When construction accidents occur, a common question is whether adequate safety measures were in place and if the accident could have been prevented.

An experienced Los Angeles construction accident lawyer can answer your construction accident questions, begin investigating the incident, and determine whether proper procedures were followed.

Reports indicate that the man was in an 8-foot-deep by 2-foot-wide trench when the soil gave way, burying him up to his neck. California workplace safety investigators were sent to the scene to begin evaluating how this accident occurred.

Where an unreasonably dangerous condition existed on the property, safety procedures were not followed, or other negligent or reckless conduct occurred, a victim or his or her family may be able to receive compensation for the injuries.

Continue reading "Studio City Construction Accident Kills Worker" »

Earlier this week, a tragic accident occurred at the Staples center. A two-year old was killed after falling from the luxury suite where his parents were watching the game. According to the LA Times, Lucas Anthony Tang was crawling around the box wihile his parents were taking pictures of him. After taking their eyes of him momentarily, the boy crawled to the glass partition of the box and fell 50 feet.

The accident raises questions about safety of skyboxes, specifically whether the barriers guarding them - often as low as 26 inches - are sufficient. Although the luxury box barriers complied with building codes, it's questionable whether these regulations adequately protect patrons from falls. At Qaulcomm Stadium in San Diego, a Cal/Osha investigation determined that the barriers needed to be at least 42 inches to protect against falls. However, the guidelines were appealed because the barriers might block sightlines.

The accident here is under investigation. Often, it is tragedies that bring to light gaps in safety. Hopefully as a result of this fall, safety will be closely scrutinized in order to prevent such accidents in the future.

Continue reading "Toddlers Fall At Staples Center Raises Issue Of Negligence" »

After investigating this summer's off-road desert crash, the L.A. Times reports that the Federal Bureau of Land Management "("BLM") failed to follow its own rules. In the San Bernardino accident, eight spectators were killed after a racer crashed into the crowd.

In a report issued last week, the federal agency admits that it did not follow agency procedures in permitting and overseeing the event but notes, "[W]e have swiftly taken corrective action...raising the bar for oversight and safety at all such events and moving forward with a sense of shared responsibility and accountability."

Whenever anyone involved in creating a dangerous condition, or allowing one to exist - takes actions to improve safety it is a positive step forward. Accepting responsibility for one's action and changing behavior as a result should be applauded. However where fault exists, evidence of safety improvements - doing what you should have been doing all along - will not eliminate a party's negligence.

Although the facts and circumstances of this case are still under investigation, many potential issues of liability have been raised about off-road racing in general, such as the role of promoters, what oversight the BLM should be providing, and how spectators should conduct themselves. It is common in off-road racing for spectators to crowd the vehicles, adding to the risk of harm. However, where fault exists, any contribution of spectators does not eliminate another's responsibility.

Continue reading "Federal Agency Failed To Follow Safety Rules Prior To San Bernardino Off-Road Trucking Accident" »

Last week's deadly pipeline explosion killed at least four people, injured more than 50 and burned 38 San Bruno, California homes. Although the accident of this size are rare, significant incidents, i.e. those that result in injury of death, cause more that $50,000 in property damage, release a sizeable amount of material, or accidentally catch fire or explode, are relatively common. Nationwide in 2009, 265 serious pipeline accidents occurred, resulting in 14 deaths and 63 injuries.

Although PG&E has set aside up to $100 million to compensate residents, the fund won't cover claims for personal injury or wrongful death. The facts and circumstances of the explosion are yet to be determined, however in accidents of this magnitude it is likely questions will be raised whether PG & E was negligent in its maintenance of the lines or in allowing an unreasonably dangerous condition to exist. Pipleline explosions can cause lifelong injuries including traumatic brain injuries, burn injuries, and spinal cord injuries.

This accident highlights the risk of more explosions from the thousands of aging pipelines, including 12,000 miles of pipeline throughout California. Here, the pipeline was more than 50 years old, had one section that was "unacceptably high" and was in a densely populated area.

Hopefully, this tragic accident will raise awareness of the unseen danger that runs underneath many communities throughout California and the nation, and the need to address the problem before more serious injuries and fatalities occur.

Continue reading "California Gas Explosion Kills 4, Injures More Than 50" »