Recent Blog Posts in February 2010

Mesa police have identified a man who may have intentionally swerved in front a moving bus.

Robert J. Donahue, 54, died from the injuries he sustained after being hit by a city bus. According to Ed Wessing, a spokesman for the Mesa Police Department, Donahue swerved into the path in front of the bus. At this time, it has not been determined whether or not Donahue’s actions were intentional or simply a mistake.

A spokesperson for the Mesa Fire Department said that when paramedics arrived at the scene Donahue was under the bus, conscious but not alert.

Willard Boyer, the only passenger on the bus at the time of the accident, said Donahue turned right in front of the bus, giving the bus driver no time to react. Donahue allegedly hit the windshield and then rolled underneath the bus.

Donahue was taken to a nearby hospital in Scottsdale, where he later died from his injuries.

A pedestrian who was struck by a pickup truck while crossing the street is now fighting to stay alive.

Tiffani Nichols, 58, was crossing the street—not in a crosswalk—when a truck traveling on the southbound side of the road hit her. Unconscious but still breathing, she rushed to a Scottsdale area hospital.

Now in critical condition, Nichols is fighting for her life. The accident left her with multiple injuries, although the extent of her injuries has not been disclosed.

Because speed and alcohol do not seem to be a factor, police say it’s unlikely the driver will be criminally charged.

A wrongful death trial is underway for a lawsuit filed against the city of Tucson for a drunk driving accident that left a teenager dead.

The parents of 14-year-old Jose Rincon Jr. claim the city of Tucson, Glenda Rumsey, and Chuy’s restaurant are to blame for the death of their son, who died after he was hit by a car driven by Rumsey while riding his bicycle.

The accident occurred in January 2008. After consuming 10 beers in five hours, Rumsey got behind the wheel and drove. At some point, her car struck Rincon and a friend who were riding their bicycles. Evidence later proved Rumsey’s blood alcohol concentration was .249 percent two hours after the accident, which is three times the .08 legal limit.

Rumsey has since been convicted of vehicular manslaughter and sentenced to 14 years in prison. The Rincons settled their lawsuit against Chuy’s for an undisclosed amount.

The Rincon’s attorney, Ronald Mercaldo, is arguing that the city of Tucson is also to blame for the fatal accident. He said a city engineer abandoned plans to add five feet of asphalt to the roadway. Mercaldo argued that had the road been five feet wider the accident never would have happened.  

Richard Davis, the attorney defending the city, said that Rumsey had driven on the road where the accident occurred many times, and that she knew the lanes merged. He also said there were plenty of signs, and argued that roads cannot be designed to be “drunk driver-proof.”

If you have lost a loved one in a drunk driving accident or bicycle accident, a Phoenix personal injury attorney at the Knowles Law Firm, PLC would be happy to meet with you during a free consultation to discuss your rights to wrongful death benefits. To arrange a free consultation, please contact the office today by calling (888) 332-5621 or (602) 702-5431!

Last week the U.S. Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and Health Canada announced that Starbucks Coffee Company has voluntarily recalled 11,000 glass water bottles in the United States and 1,200 water bottles in Canada.

The coffee giant decided to issue the recall after it received 10 reports of water bottles shattering, 8 of which resulted in hand lacerations. The water bottles usually shatter as the consumer is removing or inserting the stopper.

Product Description:

The recalled product is a 20-ounce bottle labeled with the words, “Glass Water Bottle” in blue. The SKU number on the bottle is 11003503. The bottles were retailed for approximately $9 each in Starbucks stores, as well as at Starbucks locations within other stores. The bottles were available for purchase during January 2010.

All consumers who purchased one of these water bottles is urged to stop using them right away and return them to the Starbucks location where it was purchased, where they will receive a full reimbursement. Each person will also receive a complimentary beverage.

Contact a Phoenix Product Liability Lawyer

When a person is involved in a motor vehicle accident, they could be eligible to recover damages in a personal injury lawsuit. However, in order to win an injury or accident lawsuit to recover those damages, the victim must prove the accident was caused by the negligence or reckless actions of another.  As you can imagine, this can be difficult to prove. Often times the people involved in the accident don’t remember exactly what happened, and then it usually turns into a matter of he said she said.  And while the police do their best to write their reports as accurately as possible, sometimes it takes an advanced investigation to determine who or what really is a fault for the accident.

One way of investigating the accident is by recreating the accident. Accident reconstructionists are trained to recreate the course of events that eventually lead to the accident based on testimony from the parties and any witnesses, as well as other facts the police gathered during their investigation. By recreating the accident itself police are often able to identify the root cause of the accident and who is at fault.

As you can imagine, having a highly trained accident reconstruction team is invaluable to any police force. Well, thanks to an $11,395 grant from the state Governor’s Office of Highway Safety, the Chandler Police Department now has the money to fund advanced traffic crash reconstruction training. Officers in the department’s traffic unit accident investigation team will now be able to take courses on advanced investigative techniques in motor vehicle accidents involving pedestrians and motorcycles.

If you have been involved in a motorcycle accident or pedestrian accident in Chandler or any of the surrounding cities, a Phoenix personal injury attorney at the Knowles Law Firm can help you pursue an injury claim for maximum compensation. To learn more, contact the Knowles Law Firm today to schedule a FREE consultation!