San Mateo Personal Injury Law Blog

Many people in America probably see certain news headlines about lawsuits and think, "Man, you can sue someone for anything these days." Unfortunately, there are certain instances in which even the most skeptical person would probably think it is obvious that something must have gone wrong to cause some fatal accidents. Many people across the country, including some in San Mateo County, were probably thinking exactly that when reports surfaced that five women died in a fire that started in a limousine crossing the San Mateo Bridge.

The tragic scene unfolded late in the evening of May 4, around 10 p.m. The initial reports indicated that there were 10 people in the limo - including the driver - when the fire started in the vehicle. There were more questions than answers as the authorities rushed to the scene to determine what exactly had caused such a lethal situation. Five people escaped the fire, although four of the survivors were transported for medical care.

Some of our San Mateo County readers may be able to imagine what it would be like to be a victim in pedestrian-vehicle auto accident. The relative lack of safety features that a pedestrian enjoys while walking, jogging or biking along local roads is a serious concern when faced with a collision involving a motor vehicle. For the pedestrian, serious injuries are likely to occur. For the driver of the vehicle, this type of car accident could see them on the wrong end of an accident investigation, ultimately resulting in a finding of liability and being held responsible for paying compensation to cover things like medical expenses and pain and suffering. That monetary punishment may be significant enough, but if the driver is also accused of hit and run, that is when problems become even more significant.

That was the case recently, when a 61-year-old woman reported to police that she had been struck by a motor vehicle while jogging in Menlo Park. The accident reportedly occurred in the early morning hours before 6 a.m. on April 10. Several previous posts here have covered pedestrian-vehicle accidents, which remain a serious problem in the San Mateo County area. And, as spring blooms into summer and more people get out-and-about, there's a chance there could be even more of these accidents.

Although a car collision can take place at almost any place and at any time, there are some places where local residents know the danger is higher. A car accident involving two vehicles is likely to result in some injuries, although with advanced safety features in today's cars it would seem that the likelihood of that happening should be lessening. However, a car crash involving a vehicle and a pedestrian will almost certainly leave the pedestrian with a serious injury.

Unfortunately, that appears to have been what happened recently in an auto accident near Surfer's Beach. According to the reports, a man who was walking his dog in that area on April 2 was struck by a vehicle being driven on Highway 1. The man reportedly suffered a broken leg and was transported for medical care shortly after the accident occurred. Sadly, his dog did not survive the collision.

Nothing catches a local news organization's attention like a high-speed chase. News networks will break into regularly scheduled programming to bring the chase to television viewers, mostly by following along with a helicopter-mounted camera. California has seen its fair share of famous car chases, including probably the most well-known incident involving O.J. Simpson and his white Bronco. However, as entertaining as news organizations and TV viewers may find these types of situations, it is important to remember that real people's lives may be at risk during a car chase. One couple from Menlo Park has recently alleged in a civil lawsuit that they were injured when just such a chase resulted in a car crash between their vehicle and a fleeing suspect.

In the lawsuit, which was filed on March 18, the couple is suing not only the suspect driver, but also the State of California and the California Highway Patrol. While the couple acknowledges that the suspect driver was acting recklessly and negligently, the couple has alleged that the CHP were negligent as well in that the authorities engaged in this high-speed chase on a public street with a disregard for the safety of others. The couple further claims that the chase wasn't necessary to secure the suspect in custody.