Zachar Law Blog

Teen Killed By Fire Department Vehicle After Asiana Crash: Who's at fault?

A teenager survived the Asiana Airlines crash in San Francisco only to be struck and killed by a fire vehicle rushing to fight a blaze that broke out on the plane, authorities said.

 As the wreckage of Asiana Flight 214 burned, Ye Meng Yuan was lying on the ground just 30 feet (9 meters) away, buried by the firefighting foam rescue workers were spraying to douse the flames

 No one knows exactly how the 16-year-old Chinese student got to that spot, but officials say one thing is clear now: She somehow survived the crash.

And in the chaotic moments that followed — flames devouring the fuselage, those aboard escaping by emergency slides, flight attendants frantically cutting away seat belts to free passengers — a fire truck ran over Yuan, killing her.

The new details — released Friday by the coroner’s office — compounded the tragedy for her family and confirmed the growing suspicions that emergency workers have had since soon after the July 6 crash: One of the three who died did so by rescuers’ actions.

 “There’s not a lot of words to describe how badly we feel, how sorry we feel,” said San Francisco Fire Chief Joanne Hayes-White.

Yuan’s family was upset after learning the details of their daughter’s death and wants her body returned to China, County Coroner Robert Foucrault said.

“It was a difficult conversation,” he said.

 Hayes-White said she was trying to arrange a meeting with them and that the “tragic accident” would prompt a review of how the fire department uses the foam and responds to emergencies at the airport.

 “There’s always room for us to evaluate and improve our response,” she said. “(There’s) very unfortunate news today. However, many, many lives were saved and we made a valiant effort to do so on July 6.”

 In a statement, the Chinese Consulate called on authorities to determine responsibility for Yuan’s death. Hayes-White said she did not immediately foresee any disciplinary action. San Francisco police and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the incident.

 In all, 304 of the 307 people aboard the Boeing 777 survived the crash at San Francisco International Airport.

 Yuan and her close friend, 16-year-old Wang Linjia, who also died, were students at Jiangshan Middle School in Zhejiang, an affluent coastal province in eastern China, Chinese state media has reported.

 They were part of a group of students and teachers from the school who were heading to summer camp in Southern California.

 Yuan and Linjia were seated at the back of the plane. Authorities say the jetliner came in too low and too slow, clipping its landing gear and then its tail on a rocky seawall just short of the runway.

Linjia’s body was found near the seawall at the edge of the runway.

It was unclear how Yuan got from the airplane to the spot where she died. Investigators believe she was down on the ground and not standing up during the “volatile” and “dangerous” aftermath of the plane crash, the fire chief said.

Foucrault declined to go into detail on how he determined the teenager was alive before she was struck, but said there was internal hemorrhaging that indicated her heart was still beating at the time.

Authorities confirmed last week that Yuan was hit by a vehicle racing to extinguish the flames in the plane. Police said she was on the ground and covered in the foam that rescuers had sprayed on the wreckage.

The other victim, 15-year-old Liu Yipeng, died at a hospital on July 12.

Who is responsible? 

More likely than not, Asiana is 100% responsible for this young girl's death.  From all reports, the crash appears to have been pilot error.  Sad. In causing the crash, Asiana is responsible for all injuries and damages that result. 

Now, as a result of the crash, it is foreseeable that emergency response vehicles will rush to the scene at the same time that passengers are fleeing from the plane.  Through the smoke, chaos and foam---not a shock that this could happen.  Sad, but not a shock.

I see Asiana being 100% responsible here. 

Related articles

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When Black Friday Gets Out of Hand

This year’s Black Friday has come to pass, as we head into the last few weeks of 2012. Black Friday has always been known for hours in line waiting for doors to open across the nation at midnight to get some of the best deals of the year. So what does a Phoenix Personal Injury Lawyer have to do with Black Friday?

Thousands wait in line for their moment to get their hands on a product that has been marked down to almost a ridiculous price. However, it is known that the numbers of items is limited.  With so many people in line, and so many people rushing for the same deals, there’s almost always is an issue with people getting injured or even trampled on.

Who exactly is responsible for these injuries?

As expected this year, again, injuries have been reported at stores across the country because of the Black Friday madness. In Covington, Washington a couple was struck by a man in an SUV. Both were airlifted to Harborview Hospital in Seattle.

In L.A. shoppers stormed into a Urban Outfitters, breaking glass and injuring 5 people.

"Around midnight, at least 100 people had lined up for Urban Outfitters' Black Friday deals, which offered up to 50% off on some items. When the 12-foot all-glass double doors opened, the crowd pushed toward the doors and broke the left one.

Police officers were assigned to the general area but the store did not have its own security, Fine said.

An Urban Outfitters store manager declined to comment.  (Good move)

The store, which, ironically, features a stylized broken glass look to either side of the doors, was closed for a few minutes as injuries were treated and glass shards were swept away."

In the law, we use words like “reasonably foreseeable”.  If an actor’s conduct is such that it can be “reasonably foreseeable” that injury might occur to innocent people, then the law may prescribe a duty to act in a manner that requires more caution and more safe measures with regard to the class of persons that may be put in harms way. 

What does that mean, in English?

That means that if you are a store owner, giving awesome Black Friday deals which you know people will line up for and possibly “charge” the store, then you should probably be thinking about the safety of your customers. 

Think of providing security officers, or perhaps, a safer process for people to enter the store to get what they want

Shouldn’t FIRST in line be the FIRST one to get?  I mean, if some Black Friday nut is going to pitch a tent and camp out for 3 days to make sure he/she is standing there when the doors open, then I say ”Go ahead dude, you earned it!”

Why does it have to be a foot race to the back of the store to get the new GI Joe with the Kung Fu Grip?  Or that 42” TV for $3?

The law says if you know people are going to act like morons, and innocent people could get hurt, then you have a duty to control the morons. 

If you don’t, and people get hurt, can the store owner be held responsible?  In my opinion, ABSOLUTELY. No one should be injured due to others negligence. As an Injury Lawyer in Arizona, there is nothing more bothersome than someone not willing to be accountable for their actions.

Safe Driving: Scary Statistics, Better Driving Tips, and more.

  Overall as a whole, our country has seen improvement in dangerous driving habits, yet the thing most of us do on a daily basis is still the single most deadly thing we’ll ever do. These statistics below are meant to inform you that you should always stay aware while driving, and most importantly drive safe.

Motor vehicle fatalities by age group According to the Centers for Disease Control, here are the top three causes of death by age group (yeah, depressing stuff I know!). Check out what consistently ranks at the top. Yup, motor vehicle accidents (shown as Unintentional MV Traffic in blue).

We as humans are afraid of many things spiders, snakes, my 11 year old (just kidding). But with driving, we seemingly have no fear. We do it so often we don’t really think about the dangers, and often we even let our guard down--even when we shouldn’t.

Chances of being involved in an injury accident According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), two out of three motorists will be involved in an injury accident during their life. As a motorist you can expect to be involved in an accident once every 10 years. There is a 1 in 20 chance that the crash you have will involve a serious injury. Though these statistics are alarming and downright scary, many people still take driving safe for granted. You can be a great driver, but you can’t control what others do on the road. Stay ALERT!

What can you do to protect yourself?

With each year getting better and better statistically for accidents in the United States, we can be sure we are headed in the right direction to driving safe. Even the vehicles we drive are getting designed better to keep us safer with each passing year. Below are a few extra tips to keep you and your loved ones safe while driving.

Did you know taking a refresher course can help, and even safe you money on your car insurance?

  Yes it’s true!

Some laws in the U.S. require Insurance companies to give you a discount if you take a “refresher” course in Driver Education. Sure, you might think it makes no sense because you “already know it all”, but you’d be surprised to learn what new skills are out there for drivers as well as remembering things you probably forgot when you were 16. Plus, who wouldn’t want to save money on their car insurance?

Always have a safe driving mentality.

We’ve all seen the drivers who speed WAY over the limit that is posted, or people who don’t stop for stop signs or even red lights. Those are the folks that you need to worry about when you are on the road.

Always take a safe approach while driving. Eliminate any and all distractions while you drive. This includes talking to your passengers, turning off your cell phone, not trying to change the channel on your radio and so much more. 

You must always be on the defense when driving. Never be over aggressive, and never let yourself get a hot head while driving. Tail-gating someone is not a great idea. Don’t do it. Horns are for making other drivers aware of their mistakes. Such as somehow drifting in your lane, or not paying attention. They are not used for aggression against someone who happens to be driving slowly in front of you.

The last and probably the biggest thing on this list is to not drink and drive. This is by far the worst thing someone can do while they drive, and sadly, it is one of the most common reasons why people are involved in accidents in America today. Just don’t do it.

We hope that these reminders serve as YOUR refresher course in maintaining some safe driving habits.

Suit Filed Against Larry H Parker Law Offices

Personal injury lawyer Larry H. Parker is best known for his tough-talking television commercials and a catchy slogan: “We’ll fight for you.”  But a Riverside County woman who was badly injured in a 2011 traffic collision contends that Parker’s firm made a series of mistakes that left her with no hope of compensation for her injuries. She has filed a legal malpractice lawsuit against Parker’s firm.

Selena Burns of Hemet suffered numerous broken bones and is confined to a wheelchair more than one year after the accident, said her attorney, Eric Dubin.  “I’m pretty sure she’s going to be in a wheelchair the rest of her life,” Dubin said.

Burns was severely injured in February 2011 when another motorist lost control of his car and collided head-on with Burns' car on the Ramona Expressway in San Jacinto. There have been many collisions on that stretch of highway, which was flooded at the time of the accident, Dubin said.  The pending lawsuit claims that the Parker law firm failed to investigate a potential legal claim against the state of California, which maintained  the highway and could have been held liable, Dubin said. The deadline to file a claim against the state passed while the case was in Parker’s office.  .

The lawsuit also said Parker’s firm did not involve any lawyers in the case. Instead, all work was performed by a paralegal and employees described as “pre-litigation assistant” and “negotiator,” the lawsuit said.  “At no time during the entire representation by Larry Parker did a single attorney perform any work or legal investigation” into the woman’s case, the lawsuit said.

Parker did not respond to a telephone message.  A lawyer who represents Parker’s firm said there is no evidence to support Burns’ claim that the state should have been held liable.  “The Parker firm did nothing wrong and made no mistake,” attorney Ronald Beck said in a letter to Dubin, which was attached to Burns’ lawsuit.

In his commercials, Parker said his firm has practiced law for more than 30 years and obtained more than $1 billion for its clients.  Burns said in the lawsuit that she fired the Parker firm after learning that it could only manage to get a $15,000 offer from the other driver’s insurer.  “To have absolutely no lawyer work up these cases and not even look at the potential for a seven-figure claim for a woman in a wheelchair is appalling and needs to be addressed,” Dubin said.

THIS IS TROUBLING, BUT HONESTLY, IN THE CONTEXT OF WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT THESE BIG ADVERTISING FIRMS, NOT AT ALL SURPRISING.

THESE FIRMS TAKE IN THOUSANDS OF CASES. SOME HAVE ONLY 1 OR 2 ATTORNEYS, BUT DOZENS OF STAFF. THERE IS NO WAY THAT THESE CASES CAN BE PROPERLY SCREENED FOR ALL POTENTIAL LEGAL AVENUES FOR THE CLIENTS, YET, THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT THESE FIRMS ADVERTISE THEY DO. 

LUCKILY FOR CLIENTS LIKE MS. BURNS, THERE IS ANOTHER WAY. A LEGAL MALPRACTICE CLAIM.  HOWEVER, THE ROAD WILL NOT BE EASY.

IN THIS LAWSUIT, SHE WILL HAVE TO PROVE HER ENTIRE CASE AGAINST THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, AS IF IT WERE STILL A DEFENDANT IN THE CASE AND HAD ITS’ OWN LAWYERS DEFENDING THE ALLEGATIONS OF A “DANGEROUS ROADWAY”.  ASSUMING SHE CAN PREVAIL ON THOSE ISSUES, THEN SHE WILL HAVE TO ALSO CONVINCE A JUDGE OR A JURY THAT THE PARKER FIRM COMMITTED MALPRACTICE BY FAILING TO INVESTIGATE AND PROTECT THAT CLAIM FOR HER. 

IN THIS CASE, ITS SEEMS IF SHE WINS ON THE FIRST ISSUE, SHE WILL WIN ON THE SECOND—HER SUIT AGAINST THE PARKER LAW FIRM. 

Can't ever talk to your Attorney? It's time to look elsewhere!

Can't ever talk to your Attorney? Always re-routed to an Assistant?

It's time to look elsewhere!

FACTS: You are involved in a personal injury claim matter.  You hire an attorney, and maybe get to speak to him/her in an initial meeting. Since then, you never hear from your attorney.  All communications get routed to an office assistant. No matter what you do, the only voice you hear (if you hear one at all) is an assistant’s. 

One word of advice: RUN!

There are many commercials, advertisements and other media resources that many law firms use that claim they help “protect your rights” and help you recover when you have been injured due to another’s negligence.

In a wreck, need a check?

One call, that’s all!

Lower fees—it’s about time!

But what happens when you actually call one of these firms and only speak with a legal assistant, but never an actual attorney. Is this a good sign?  What do you do when you repeatedly ask to speak with your attorney, but are denied. Can you trust the person you are talking to? 

If your attorney is too busy to get on the phone when you call, too busy to return your calls or too busy to ever meet with you, he/she is probably too busy to work your case.  Is that the type of attorney you are looking for, one who is going to leave it to assistants who probably have no more (and maybe less) education than you do?  I thought you called the “law firm” to speak with a professional who is educated in the law?  Is it good enough then that the professionals are too busy for you?

These kinds of concerns are real. These types of situations happen more often than you might think. If you have ever used the services of a big advertising firm, you probably understand this article very well. 

QUESTION:  Can you do anything about it?

ANSWER:  You bet you can.

You always have the right to seek other counsel for your case.  The ethical rules of Arizona prohibit attorneys from “contracting” with you and “locking you in” to their services.   Fee agreements in personal injury cases should specifically state that if you decide to seek representation elsewhere, you have that right. 

The No. 1 biggest client complaint is “lack of communication”.  Most if not all attorneys know this.  So what do they really think of you or your case, and what should you do if they fail or refuse to meet with you, speak with you or return a phone call or email?

Run.  Don’t walk.  Run...

Pop Warner changes practice rules for safety

Pop Warner, the first national youth sport organization to implement concussion rules, is changing its rules regarding football practices.  The first rule change limits the amount of contact drills, such as one-on-one blocking, tackling and scrimmaging to 40 minutes per practice, or no more than a third of the total weekly practice time. Pop Warner already caps practice at 2 hours a day, 3 days a week during the regular season.

The second rule change prohibits full-speed head-on blocking or tackling with players more than 3 yards apart. Full speed drills may occur only when players approach each other from the angle, but not straight into each other.

“The purpose of this change in the rules is to limit the exposure in practice, which makes up the majority of head impact," said Dr. Julian Bailes, chairman of the Pop Warner Medical Advisory Board.  Head-to-head tackling such as spearing, face tackling and butt blocking already are prohibited in Pop Warner. 

According to a study, published earlier this year, youth football players hit harder and more frequently in practice.  “We thought it was important to address this as we’ve become more aware of concussions and continuing new research goes on,” said Jon Butler, executive director of Pop Warner. 

According to Bailes, who also is co-director of the NorthShore Neurological Institute, “Youth players can generate high velocity hits as high as much bigger players like high school and college athletes.”  But it’s not just hard hits that worry Bailes - it's repeated hits. “The ultimate risk of ending your career or having life long brain injury is based on exposure. They why not eliminate all those hits early in life? Why not just take it out?”  Bailes is hopeful that these new rules can help with that. "Making these rules changes, we’re hoping to reduce the number of head blows by half.”

Studies have found that repeated hits to the head can not only lead to susceptibility to concussions, but post-concussive syndrome, and even Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, a degenerative disease with Alzheimer’s-like symptoms, including memory loss, dementia and aggression.

Pop Warner Coach Mark Meuller of Chicago agrees. “The problem with some coaches now, is that back in the day, when some coaches were learning, they went out and just tried to knock each other down. And that’s how they coach.”  Mueller added, “This will change football and it should.”  Bailes acknowledges that not everyone may welcome the changes, but believes it's in football’s best interest. “It’s a contact sport, but we think it’s the step in the right direction. It’s evolutionary.”

He added, “I hope it begins to evolve the style of play and practice so that we remove brain trauma exposure from practice as much as we can. And we can begin to lessen the tendency for these players as they get older, to lead with their head, and hit other players with their head.”

WE APPLAUD THESE CHANGES IN THE POP WARNER SYSTEM, AND ENCOURAGE ALL LEAGUES FOR YOUTH FOOTBALL TO INSTITUTE SIMILAR MEASURES. 

I love football.  Let me change that.  I adore football.  It is a violent sport.  That is one of the reasons it is so popular. 

But we are talking about youth football here.  Young kids. 

I have seen a great many Pop Warner games, and frankly, have at times been appalled at the demeanor of the coaches in “teaching” these young men.  I have seen the coaches scream at the kids, curse at the kids and berate them for a mistake.  I have seen them encourage hard hits, and encourage violence.  Now, while that may be a part of football for these kids one day in the future, it should not be a part of a game for 7 YEAR OLDS!

Pop Warner is doing the right thing, to protect the kids, and quite frankly to protect itself from getting sued silly in the event a serious injury occurs at one of the practices.  Football is violent—certain accidents and injuries cannot be avoided.  But, the injuries that can be avoided should, and going full speed and full bore in practice is just not necessary. 

This will save a lot of injuries.  Kudos to Pop Warner!

What if people couldn't be held responsible for Harm?

If you haven’t heard the story about Dr. Yasser Awaad of Dearborn, Michigan, let me summarize it for you:

This neurologist took advantage of as many as 255 of his patients – maybe more – by diagnosing them with diseases they didn’t have and prescribing medication they didn’t need. Why?  Apparently to cash in on large insurance payouts for the needless treatment. Not only was the treatment unnecessary, it was often harmful, as the side effects of the powerful medications ruined the lives of some of his patients.

Dr. Awaad denies any wrongdoing, saying he was just “exercising his professional judgment”. And if a package of bills currently being considered by the Michigan Senate Insurance Committee is ultimately passed, Dr. Awaad and those like him will never be held accountable for their actions.

Michigan Senate Bills 1110, 1115, 1116, 1117, and 1118 would essentially grant immunity doctors.  Injured victims and their families would have no legal recourse in the vast majority of cases. In the few that could potentially be pursued, the amount of compensation that could be recovered would be so drastically limited that no one could financially justify bringing a claim or filing a case in court.  In short, the voices of victims would be silenced. People would be completely denied their day in court for personal injury at the hands of others.

Then, the taxpayers (YOU), rather than wrongdoers, will be paying for the ongoing treatment of these injured people through Medicaid and Medicare.

Would you feel safe going to a hospital where an emergency room doctor can be negligent but not responsible for his or her actions?  Would you be comfortable having a baby delivered by your OB doctor who can’t be held accountable for his or her mistakes?

Indeed, would you be comfortable doing ANYTHING, ANYWHERE, if the people in charge could not be held accountable if they harmed you or your family?

This is what is meant by “Tort Reform”.  “Reform” literally means taking away or in some way limiting your rights to seek redress or recovery for the harms caused by another.  It sometimes may sound like a good idea---until it happens to you.  It is never as important, until it happens to you. 

Remember:

First they came for the communists,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a communist.

Then they came for the trade unionists,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a Jew.

Then they came for me
and there was no one left to speak out for me.

The laws of the United States, and each of the states, hold people accountable for their wrongdoing. 

Just stop and think for a minute:  If people could not be held accountable and liable for their wrongdoing in causing personal injury to you, what type of country/world would we live in?  It would be complete anarchy.  It is a world that I cannot envision, and never want to. 

If the proposed bills pass in Michigan, would you ever want to go there?  What if something happens to you or a family member while there, and you need medical care?  Is that a chance you want to take?

This is a very bad idea. The potential results are catastrophic for residents of Michigan. 

Please feel free to comment. 

Christopher J. Zachar selected as “Top Attorney” for 6th year in a row by SuperLawyers

For a sixth year in a row, Phoenix personal injury lawyer, Christopher Zachar of Zachar Law Firm has been selected once again to Southwest Super Lawyers as one of the "Top Attorneys" in Arizona. This distinguinshed award is given to a select few attorneys (less than 1%)  in Arizona.

Christopher Zachar is a trial lawyer and Certified Specialist in Personal Injury and Wrongful Death in Arizona. His practice is devoted 100% to representing injured victims. He is admitted to practice law in all city, county, and state courts in Arizona and before the U.S. District Court and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

He was recently admitted as a member to the U.S. Supreme Court. Chris is a member of the Arizona Association for Justice, where he has a lifetime member status. He is also a member of the American Association for Justice, the State Bar of Arizona, Arizona's Finest Lawyers, top 100 of the American Trial Lawyers Association, and Who's Who in American Law. He attends many seminars and conferences to maintain his high standards of knowledge and excellence in the practice of law. 

Chris is very proud to have been named a Super Lawyer by this exclusive organization.

Please feel free to visit Chris Zachar's online SuperLawyers profile, by clicking here.

Super Lawyers Selection Process

Super Lawyers selects attorneys using a rigorous, multiphase rating process. Peer nominations and evaluations are combined with third party research. Each candidate is evaluated on 12 indicators of peer recognition and professional achievement. Selections are made on an annual, state-by-state basis.

The objective is to create a credible, comprehensive and diverse listing of outstanding attorneys that can be used as a resource for attorneys and consumers searching for legal counsel. Since Super Lawyers is intended to be used as an aid in selecting a lawyer, we limit the lawyer ratings to those who can be hired and retained by the public, i.e., lawyers in private practice and Legal Aid attorneys.

The Super Lawyers selection process involves three basic steps: creation of the candidate pool; evaluation of candidates by the research department; and peer evaluation by practice area.

Where Does Arizona Rank for Boating Safety?

You may not know this--or it may not be a surprise--but Arizona was recently ranked the seventh highest state for boating accidents.  Number 7!  

 

For many of us, this may be a surprise given that Arizona isn't exactly known for waterways or coastlines.  In fact, 8 of the top 10 states in the list have ocean coastlines, and the remaining state, Michigan, is surrounded on all sides by the Great Lakes.   Arizona is the ONLY landlocked state to make the list.  Here is the top 10, according to the U.S. Coast Guard:

 

Total number of accidents in 2008

1. Florida 

2. California

3. Texas

4. Michigan

5. New York

6. Maryland

7. Arizona

8. Georgia

9. North Carolina

10. New Jersey

 

As an attorney who has worked on countless boating accident cases, this statistic was not a surprise to me.  Yes, we are a desert state.  But we are also a state with year-round boating weather, a booming population sharing limited waterways, and a populace that is well-regarded for an ability to enjoy the outdoors and have a good time.  These factors form a perfect storm for boating dangers, and too often I see this statistic play out as a real life tragedy.

 

This past Memorial Day weekend unfortunately saw several deaths as a result of water accidents.  By Saturday there were already two separate drownings in the Salt River, both men in their mid-twenties.  Very sad and completely avoidable.

 

There are many causes for waterway accidents:  inexperience, lesser attention to the “road” in front of you, alcohol, drugs and fatigue.   Boating is fun.  And in the desert during an Arizona summer, it's REALLY fun.  When we are having fun, we shouldn’t have to worry about the rules so much, right?  Wrong.  Responsible boating means paying attention and keeping control over our vessel and its occupants. 

 

I would say that about 90% of boating accident cases I handle involve alcohol.  Too much drinking, in the hot sun, leads to inhibition loss and fatigue.  And, being in control of a “vehicle” that is capable of high speeds, in the hands of one less than responsible, is asking for trouble. 

 

Of course, boater education and training plays a role as well.  Do you know that Arizona does not require a boater-safety course in order to operate a watercraft?  You don’t need training.  You don’t have to take a test.  You don’t need a license to operate a boat on the public lakes.  Now, you may not be worried about YOU, but, what about the others you know nothing about?  We don’t all share the same educational achievements, or the same moral compass.  You simply trust that others will do what they should be doing. We know, on the Arizona lakes, that all too often that is not the case. 

 

If there is a moral to this story, it is that boaters in Arizona must be especially cautious when you are out on the water.  Given the unique circumstances to our great state, you are more likely to be involved in a boating accident in Arizona than in most other states.  Be responsible and careful, even while you are having fun.  If you cannot do that, or are not sure, then stay home. 

 

By taking basic precautions, having a fun time on the water becomes even easier!  Enjoy the boating season, Arizona--and be safe!

 

How to Stop a Car That Accelerates Out of Control (advice and video)

A colleague recently sent me this important and informative video from Consumer Reports, which discusses what to do and what not to do if your car suddenly accelerates beyond control.

This is a timely topic given the recent news about Toyota's mechanical problems, but this video is meant for drivers of ALL CARS, regardless of make or model.  

This is something that I have shared with my family and friends, and I encourage you all do do the same.  The video is short, and hopefully this is information you'll never have to use.  But in the unlikely chance that it does, you'll know the simple steps to regain control of your automobile.

I have worked on many cases in Arizona in which a vehicle defect caused a serious accident.  I can tell you from firsthand experience that many of those victims--and yes, their attorneys--wished that they had the ability to prevent or mitigate their accident.  

After all, the best type of accident is the one that never occurs.

I wish you all safe travels and cautious driving, and, if this helps someone, just one person, then it has served its purpose. As other important safety tips evolve, I will be sure to share them with you.