Will Drivers Learn To Share The Roads With Cyclists?

The United States census statistics released in September showed an sudden surge of an over 40% increase in cyclists between 2000 and 2008. However, with the increase in cyclists there is a rise in safety risks among cyclists. Drivers have become more frustrated with the amount of cyclists on the road, and sharing the roads have led some drivers to antagonism and caused altercations rather than an amicable adjustment. Just this week a physician who resides in Brentwood, California was convicted of mayhem, assault with a deadly weapon, and several other serious criminal charges after an altercation in 2008 on Mandeville Canyon Road left two cyclists seriously injured. Dr. Thompson now faces up to ten years in prison when sentenced in December, but was jailed immediately following the conviction as the prosecutor called him " a flight risk and a safety threat to cyclists" in an article in the Los Angeles Times.

Although statistics show fatalities related to cycling to have fallen in recent years, the injuries sustained by cyclists due to traffic collisions have become more severe. Biking advocates have struggled in determining safer ways to share the roads with drivers, and some ideas have even been considered controversial. Some have suggested creating a separate infrastructure for cyclists, such as not just a separate bicycle lane, rather a bike lane separated from the roadway by some sort of barrier or curb. Others have proposed that drivers should simply expect cyclists on the roadways as a normality and take the proper precautions in sharing the road. As tensions escalate between drivers and cyclists, who have become equally frustrated with sharing the road with one another, advocates of cycling note that "mutual respect is the key to safely coexisting in traffic". Many cyclists have developed a mindset of riding their bicycles as if they were driving a car in order to avoid problems on the road.

Proper safety precautions and regulations have yet to be agreed upon, but cyclists and drivers alike have focused more concern to the issue. Recognizing the issue may be the first step creating a resolution, but until one is met, the roads continue to make cyclists more vulnerable to injuries from altercations and antagonism from drivers. The Los Angeles Times has published a number of stories and articles with tips for both cyclists and drivers to make the city streets safer. While the conviction of Brentwood physician, Dr. Thompson, is an extreme example, it serves as a warning to drivers that they must learn to control their annoyance with cyclists and accommodate their driving styles so that the roads may be safely shared. The two cyclists which Dr. Thompson is accused of deliberately endangering suffered serious injuries, some permanently scaring and impairing, are both saddened by the situation as both sides have lost time from their lives as a result of an altercation that could have simply been avoided all together.

Bicycle accident victims suffering serious head injuries as a result of hit and run accidents are well advised to contact an experienced personal injury attorney to help uncover all sources of compensation. Lederer and Nojima, LLP has had years of experience in representing victims of bicycle-auto accidents. Children, students at UCLA and other schools, and bike messengers are in harm's way every day. A serious brain injury resulting from a bike - car crash has the potential to derail a bicyclist's health, ability to make a living, and ability to enjoy life as before. Our experience in insurance defense has given us skills and insight that help us obtain proper compensation for our bicycle-riding clients who have suffered head injuries, broken bones, or other serious injury. We handle wrongful death claims and lawsuits for people who have lost loved ones in car - bicycle accidents in Southern California.Contact us to learn how our experience and track record of success can translate to relief for you and your family after a bicycle accident.

First Rain of the Season Causes Danderous Driving Conditions

The first rain of the year fell last week. With that rain comes a significant danger on the roadway. Normally, the Los Angeles Police Department responds to about 20 car accidents between midnight and 6:00 am on a normal night. Last Tuesday the rain caused them to respond to almost 200 accidents. In addition to those accidents, there were many more with no police on scene. Please be extra cautious while driving in the rain when the roads are slick and may be full of potholes and debris. If you were involved in a car accident, please seek the advise of a qualified personal injury attorney before giving a statement to any insurance company, including your own. If you were injured in that accident you should seek prompt treatment at the hospital or urgent care or with your own personal physician. Make sure to advise the doctor about all of your injuries and symptoms. Again, be careful out there this winter, the roads are a dangerous place.

Attorneys at Lederer & Nojima, LLP are ready to assist you if you have been injured in an accident . The roads can be dangerous and deadly during the wet season, but our attorneys are prepared to assist you. Please contact our office for a free consultation.

Motorcyclist dies after being trapped under a car.

This morning the Orange County Register reported a fatal motorcycle accident on the I-405 Northbound where it meets the 22 freeway. The motorcyclist hit a Toyota Matrix, then lost control and crashed. The impact caused the victim to fall from his motorcycle, soon after a Buick Sedan hit the biker, tragically trapping him under the bike. The accident took the life of an unidentified motorcyclist.

The attorneys at Lederer & Nojima, LLP are ready to assist you if you have been injured in an accident or lost a loved one due to an accident . Our law firm specializes in a variety of personal injury law, including motorcycle accidents and wrongful death. The roads can be dangerous and deadly at any time, but our attorneys are prepared to assist you. Please contact our office for a free consultation. To obtain our contact information please go to our website www.lntlb.com

Negligent Bus Driver Kills Pedestrian in Venice

On Monday June 1, 2009 a local Venice resident, presumed to be 30-year old Donald Barrett, was crossing the street at Pacific Avenue when a bus driver unknowingly hit him. As horrified bystanders witnessed the pedestrian being dragged about 700 feet by the empty bus, the driver had no idea he had hit anything, let alone a pedestrian. Tragically the man was pronounced dead at the scene by firefighters who responded to calls from locals nearby at about 4:30 p.m. in the afternoon. The bus driver's careless and negligent driving had shaken him so badly that instead of being arrested he was taken to a nearby hospital where he has been listed in stable condition. Locals were outraged by the recent heartbreaking accident as drivers pose a constant threat to pedestrians in that part of Venice, near Main Street and Abbot Kinney. Loved ones, witnesses, and locals posted comments to the article printed in the Los Angeles Times expressing their condolences and concerns about negligent drivers who speed down Pacific Avenue regularly and pedestrians who carelessly jaywalk. However, Donald Barrett was not jaywalking, he was simply crossing the street when a reckless bus driver took his life without notice and created a spectacle of a terrible accident for those who were innocent bystanders. We send out condolences to the family, friends, and loved ones of Donald Barrett who is believed to have lived in Venice for the past 15 years.

Unfortunate outcomes like this are all too common with the increase of unsafe, careless, and negligent city bus drivers. They must learn to be more cautious of others, not only their passengers, themselves, but the innocent bystander pedestrians who are often killed by buses that "just don't see them". I find it hard to believe that if you are watching the road you are driving on, one could hit, run over, and drag a pedestrian without knowing. Often enough the punishments for crimes like these are not fitting and families rarely find justice for the loss they have experienced.

Lederer & Nojima, LLP, have handled carious cases involving bus accidents. Heavier vehicles, such as buses, require more distance to come to a complete stop and are more difficult to make turns. Our firm has represented many individuals and families who have been victim to fatal pedestrian - bus accidents regardless of the circumstances involving the crash. If you or a loved one has been injured aboard a bus, or as the result of a bus hitting you or a loved one, please contact our office for a consultation. We have many years of experience handing such cases, as well as various other personal injury cases such as motor vehicle accident, motorcycles accidents, dog bites, slip and falls, etc.

School Bus Crash

What began as an exciting trip to the Los Angeles Brea Tar pits on Sunday, January 11, 2009, ended in an emergency triage scene when two school buses collided on the northbound 405 Interstate. The injured students, from Lennox Middle School, were treated at the scene and taken to local hospitals. New reports indicated about 50 paramedics and firefighters and 11 ambulances covered the scene and treated injured students. The rear-end collision occurred at about 9:40am near Palms Boulevard, where roadwork was conducted. Students reported feeling the bus “stop super hard” and being knocked off their seat. Students complained of immediate hip and back pain as a result of the sudden impact. The first bus driven by Carmen Gutierrez came to an abrupt stop due to slow traffic ahead, while the second bus driver, Ulises Torres crashed into it. Both buses are operated by Durham School Services and were traveling at approximately 50-55 mph. The buses were then escorted off the freeway and parked in a lot to address injured parties. Some students did not sustain any injuries, but watched as some of their classmates were taken in protective neck collars and body boards.

Lederer & Nojima LLP has represented numerous individuals injured while aboard a bus. The injured party is an innocent bystander, injured as a result of the negligence for the bus driver or outside party causing the accident. Please contact our experienced attorneys for a free evaluation.

Downtown Fatal Accident

In the fast paced city of Los Angeles, thousands of individuals rely on public transportation on a daily basis. Many travel to work while others enjoy the ease and comfort of avoiding the hassles associated with driving. This past Wednesday, on a clear and pleasant early morning, a pedestrian was tragically struck by a DASH bus, operated by the city of Los Angeles. Police are currently investigating the crash that occurred at approximately 6:30 am, on 5th Street and Flower Street, in Downtown Los Angeles. According to media reports, the bus was making a left turn from westbound 5th Street to southbound Flower when it struck the victim. The victim has been reported to have been in a crosswalk when she was struck. The victim has been identified as Gwendolyn Coleman from Burbank, CA. Gwendolyn, a 58 year old mother and grandmother, will be greatly missed by her friends and family. Our hearts go out to the Ms. Coleman’s family and friends, along with others who have tragically lost a loved one.

Fatal accidents such as the one mentioned above must be evaluated by an experienced attorney. Lederer & Nojima LLP has handled many cases against the city of Los Angeles and the public transportation agency such as the MTA, DASH and Foothill Transit. The sooner our lawyers become involved in a bus accident investigation, the more likely it is that we will be successful in obtaining the maximum available recovery of monetary compensation for victims. Please contact our office for a free consultation.