The fatal accident occurred when, for as of yet unknown reasons, a big rig veered out of control and hit a BMW in the lane to its left before crashing into the concrete guardrail and falling into the creek about 50 feet below. The truck burst into flames after smashing into the creek bed. The occupants of the BMW, a 38-year-old mother and her two children, a 10-year-old daughter and 10-week-old infant, were trapped in the vehicle, which was precariously dangling off the side of a bridge after the truck had swerved into it.

The truck driver was killed in the crash, which also caused the spillage of about 50 gallons of diesel fuel into the creek. All three occupants of the BMW, who sustained broken bones and other moderate injuries, were immediately transported to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. Both directions of the 101 were closed due to the crash.

Though the cause of this accident has not yet been determined, there are many potential reasons why a big rig may lose control. Truck driver fatigue is a common problem in the trucking industry and it is possible that the driver fell asleep at the wheel after too many hours on the road. There are many other possibilities, however, that are not related to truck driver negligence. Some of these include: hazardous road conditions, brake failure, and/or mechanical or equipment defects.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a California truck accident caused by the negligence of a truck driver, trucking company or truck manufacturer, you may be entitled to compensation for the losses you have suffered. To learn more about your legal rights and options, contact an experienced Santa Barbara truck accident attorney with the Law Offices of Renee J. Nordstrand today for a consultation at (805) 962-2022.

The DePuy ASR XL Acetabluar System was marketed in the United States in 2005 and placed in thousands of patients. Since 2008, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) received hundreds of claims of problems about this implant. In March 2010 Johnson & Johnson, the parent company of DePuy, admitted that the ASR XL Acetabluar System had a much higher than expected failure rate and in August 2010, recalled the product. As a result of the defect, many patients must have the ASR XL Acetabluar System removed from their body and replaced. Patients may be left with significant long-term health problems as a result of the defective product.

As consumers, we trust and expect that the products we purchase and use are safe and free of any design flaw or manufacturing defect that could cause injury, illness, or death. This is especially the case with medical devices and implant systems. Unfortunately, due to various forms of negligence and oversight, defective and poorly designed products often make their way onto the market, causing consumers to suffer harm.

At the Law Offices of Renee J. Nordstrand, our Santa Barbara defective product attorneys have the legal skills and resources to hold negligent manufacturers legally responsible for consumer injury or wrongful death. If you or someone you care about has experienced DePuy hip implant failure, our lawyers can help you obtain compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, and other damages. For a free consultation, call (805) 962-2022.

According to the New York Times, many artificial joints, including the products created by Zimmer and DePuy, do not have to be tested in patients or cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in order for them to be placed on the market. With baby boomers making up a large population and slowly entering into the later years of their lives, many individuals are facing hip replacement surgery, which makes it more important than ever that hip implant systems are properly designed for efficiency and quality.

Hip implant failure presents many challenges for a person. Not only does a patient have to undergo corrective surgery to replace the implant, he or she must cope with paying medical bills, pain and suffering, physical therapy, and other challenges.

A hip replacement failure attorney in Santa Barbara at the Law Offices of Renee J. Nordstrand can inform patients who have experienced DePuy and Zimmer hip implant failure of their legal rights and options. Our lawyers have years of experience handling serious personal injury and product liability cases. To learn more about how we can help you obtain the compensation you deserve, call (805) 962-2022 for a free consultation.

Once DePuy receives confirmation that a patient has received an ASR hip implant, recall-related expenses can be documented and submitted for reimbursement. DePuy will address medical costs directly associated with the recall of the ASR Hip System. These costs relate to recall-related patient out-of-pocket expenses, such as co-pays, deductable expenses, lost wages and travel costs, related to revision surgeries. DePuy will cover expenses for testing and treatment. Although this seems simple enough, it is important for patients to ensure that their rights are protected during the process of obtaining full and just compensation from DePuy.

At the Law Offices of Renee J. Nordstrand, our dedicated Santa Barbara DePuy hip implant failure lawyers are dedicated to obtaining maximum compensation for each patient harmed by DePuy’s negligent hip implant testing and manufacturing. If you have suffered as the result of the DePuy implant in California, contact us today for a free consultation. Call (805) 962-2022.

DePuy Orthopaedics, Inc., a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson, introduced the ASR XL Acetabular hip implant system in the U.S. in 2005. It sported an innovative metal-on-metal design, as opposed to the traditional metal ball inserted into a plastic cup of its predecessors. The ASR was constructed, not by developing a whole new product, but by retrofitting a metal alloy cup from the ASR Hip Resurfacing System onto a standard hip implant. DePuy did not conduct clinical trials for the ASR.

In 2010, after the DePuy artificial hip system had already been implanted in about 100,000 Americans, the National Joint Registry (NJR) of England and Wales released data showing a high rate of replacement, or revision, for the ASR. The data revealed a five-year revision rate of an estimated 13 percent for the ASR XL Acetabular System and 12 percent for the ASR Hip Resurfacing System, although the later was not used in the U.S. Additional reports concluded that 21 percent of DePuy ASR hip systems had to be replaced by four years. This jumps to 49 percent by six years. With this information, DePuy recalled the ASR XL artificial hip implants on August 24, 2010.

Hip replacement surgery is not a simple process; it is an invasive operation which requires months of recovery and rehabilitation. If the hip implant fails, the patient’s subjected to a hip revision surgery. Even if the hip implant does not completely fail, it could cause serious complications such as heavy metal poisoning and tumors around the implant. In any case, it is likely that the patient would experience increased pain and discomfort.

At the Law Offices of Renee J. Nordstrand, our dedicated Santa Barbara DePuy hip implant failure lawyers are dedicated to obtaining maximum compensation for each patient harmed by DePuy’s negligent hip implant testing and manufacturing. If you have suffered as the result of the DePuy implant in California, contact us today free consultation. Call (805) 962-2022.

A Santa Barbara man was struck by a car and killed on Saturday evening, the Santa Barbara Independent reports.   The accident occurred at State and Islay Streets around 8:30 pm.  The victim, who was homeless and whose identity has yet to be released, was crossing the intersection of State and Islay Streets as Javier Castillo, 23, proceeded northbound on State Street in a 2004 Mazda RX-8. Castillo told investigators he believed the man was going to make it across the intersection on foot before he reached it by vehicle; however, he miscalculated and struck the victim. 

The victim sustained a broken leg and chest wounds before passing away from his injuries at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. 

According to police, witnesses have substantiated Castillo’s account of how the incident occurred, and to date no criminal charges have been filed against him.  The investigation is still ongoing, however, and any witnesses to the accident should contact Officer Mark Hunt at (805) 897-3719.

If you’ve been forced to cope with sudden loss of a loved one due to someone else’s negligence, we at the Law Office of Renee J. Nordstrand understand your concerns and want to help.  Our resources, experience, and depth of legal knowledge consistently result in successful settlements for families who have experienced tremendous loss.   Contact Los Angeles and Santa Barbara wrongful death attorneys today for a free consultation.

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The parents of Devin Leigh Petelski, who was killed following a car crash with a Los Angeles Police Department Patrol car on October 15, 2009, have filed a lawsuit against the police department, the LA Times reports. 

Petelski, who was 25 at the time of the incident and working as a substance abuse counselor, had entered the intersection of Venice Boulevard and Glyndon Avenue when a patrol car, driven by LAPD officers Ramon Vasquez and James Eldridge on Venice Boulevard, struck Petelski’s vehicle. The accident spun the police car, which slammed into a tree and traffic sign. Petelski was hospitalized and died two days after the accident from her injuries.

The Petelski’s lawsuit alleges negligence, citing that the patrol car was driving above the posted speed limit of forty miles per hour and that the officers were using neither lights nor sirens to warn other motorists as they sped.  According to LAPD Commander Stuart Maislin, the police department had recently implemented a policy before the crash that required all officers to use both lights and sirens when exceeding the speed limit in response to an emergency. Vasquez and Eldridge were responding to a burglary call, however they had not told dispatchers that they were responding to the call, and there was another unit that had already been dispatched to respond.

If you have lost a loved one in an a car accident due to someone else’s negligence, please contact experienced and compassionated wrongful death attorneys who will fight for your legal rights during your time of need.  At the Law Office of Renee J. Nordstrand, we offer free consultations and you won’t pay legal fees until we successfully settle your case.

Seven-year-old Tabatha Cope remains in critical condition today after she was struck by a hit and run driver while skateboarding with friends on Monday evening, the Orange County Register reports.

Tabatha, of Dana Point, was playing in a group of fifteen to twenty children on Silver Lantern Street and La Paz Avenue at approximately 6:30 pm on Monday, when she was struck by a light-colored raised pick up truck.  The truck’s driver did not stop following the collision and has not contacted authorities.

Tabatha sustained serious injuries in the incident, including a broken collarbone, broken ribs, the loss of most of her teeth, and a lacerated liver.  Tabatha’s father, Joseph Cope, urged the hit and run driver to come forward. 

Our thoughts and best wishes are with this Tabatha as she recovers from her injuries.

 If you or a loved one has been the victim of a hit and run driver, please contact experienced accident attorneys today to learn about your legal rights to monetary compensation for medical expenses, lost earnings, and future care and treatment.  At the Law Office of Renee J. Nordstrand, you pay no attorney fees until we win your case.

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Bill Williams, of Simi Valley sustained serious injuries in a motorcycle crash on Sunday, the Ventura County Start reports.  Williams, age 35, was operating an off-road motorcycle on the 2500 block of Angela Street when he collided with a parked car and injured his head, leg, and arm.

Witnesses state that Williams was attempting a wheel stand when the accident occurred.  He was not wearing a helmet.

According to the NHTSA, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in 2008, “5,290 motorcyclists were killed—an increase of 2 percent over the 5,174 motorcyclists killed in 2007. There were 96,000 motorcyclists injured during 2008”.  Further, “NHTSA estimates that helmets saved 1,829 motorcyclists’ lives in 2008, and that 823 more could have been saved if all motorcyclists had worn helmets.”  These staggering statistics substantiate the need for helmets to protect motorcyclists during accidents. 

May 2010 is Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month, and we at the Law Office of Renee J. Nordstrand urge both motorcyclists and vehicle drivers to be aware of motorcycle safety during this time. For example, motorcyclists may benefit from taking rider-training programs dedicated to lowering crash rates. Vehicle drivers and the general public can prepare for the summer months where the number of motorcycle riders will increase on busy highways and roads, necessitating an attitude of all drivers and riders to be willing to share the road.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a motorcycle accident, contact experienced motorcycle attorneys today for a free consultation.

A man was killed Wednesday afternoon following a pedestrian to car accident on Ward Street in Garden Grove, the Orange County Register reports. 

According to the article, the pedestrian was crossing a marked crosswalk at approximately 4 pm when a car traveling northbound on Ward Street failed to stop at the cross walk and struck the unidentified pedestrian, who was pronounced dead at the scene of the incident. 

Police state that drugs and alcohol were not a factor in causing the accident, however, gave few additional details as to how the incident occurred. 

If you have been the victim in a pedestrian to car accident, you may be entitled to monetary compensation for lost earnings, medical expenses, and pain and suffering. Contact skilled personal injury attorneys today for a free consultation and to learn how Law Office of Renee J. Nordstrand will fight for your legal rights.