Fires and Explosions

Five women killed in San Mateo Bridge limo fire

A limousine in the San Francisco area caught fire Saturday night while carrying nine women. Four of the passengers and the male driver managed to escape, but five of the women died in the blaze.

The  limousine traveling on a major bridge in the San Francisco Bay area burst into flames, killing five female passengers who were trapped inside and injuring four others who escaped, authorities said Sunday.

The limo was carrying nine female passengers and a male driver when it caught fire late Saturday on the San Mateo bridge, California Highway Patrol officer Art Montiel told The Associated Press.

Five occupants became trapped, while four others suffered injuries but managed to get out after the vehicle came to a stop on the bridge, the patrol said. The driver escaped uninjured.

Montiel said that the victims were all in their 30s. Authorities said the names of the dead would be released once families have been notified.

The blaze occurred around 10 p.m. on westbound lanes of the bridge, which connects San Mateo and Alameda counties, about 20 miles southeast of San Francisco.

The patrol said that smoke started coming out of the rear of the limo, and the driver pulled over as the vehicle quickly became engulfed in flames. Officers were trying to determine the cause of the blaze, which wasn’t the result of an accident.

“We have no idea right now where they were going or where they were coming from,” CHP officer Amelia Jack told KGO-TV.

Two of the women who escaped were taken to Stanford Hospital and the two others were taken to Valley Medical Center in San Jose. All four are being treated for smoke inhalation and burns.

 The mother of one of the survivors of a limousine fire that killed five women when it burst into flames as it traveled over a busy San Francisco Bay bridge says the women were heading to a bachelorette party.

Rosita Guardiano tells the San Francisco Chronicle that the bride-to-be was one of the people killed in the Saturday night fire on theSan Mateo-Hayward Bridge. She says the woman was to be married next month.

Guardiano says her daughter — 42-year-old Mary Grace Guardiano of Alameda — is in intensive care, where she’s being treated for smoke inhalation. Three other woman also suffered smoke inhalation and burns.

 

Automobile Collisions and Wrongful Death Liability

While the accident May 4 remains under investigation, the  family members of the victim would be well-advised to seek immediate consultation from an experienced wrongful death lawyer. An experienced attorney can advise the victims of their legal rights and decide the best course of action in recovering the maximum compensation for their injuries, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Also, in unique and complex situations such as this one, an attorney can hire a highly skilled independent investigator to reconstruct the scene of the accident.

The Law Offices of Gary A Kessler is a prominent and highly respected law firm in California and the United States.  Gary A Kessler has been serving the people as an experienced wrongful death attorney for over twenty-five years dedicated and committed to obtaining the best results for his clients in each and every case.  Through experience and education, our firm is able to expertly evaluate complex medical injuries and pursue wrongful death claims.

The Law Offices of Gary A Kessler has a sustaining record of outstanding results for their client’s wrongful death cases throughout California.  Our firm specializes in difficult automobile vs. tractor-trailer rig(s), collision cases, uninsured motorists cases, rollover accident cases, bus and train collision litigation, defective product liability litigation, boating collision death cases, boating capsizing and drowning cases, backyard pool drownings, Jacuzzi spa drownings, association and community pool drownings, accidental shootings, tractor-trailer and commercial vehicle fatality, fuel tank fire cases and wrongful death cases.

The term “wrongful death” is defined as the death of an individual as a result of the negligence, carelessness, intentional act of another individual, corporation, company or entity.  Filing a proper wrongful death claim is extremely difficult and complex for families because they are not only dealing with their grief over the death of a beloved family member, but also complex issues of compensation as well.  Wrongful death claims are usually sought after by relatives, siblings, or members of the decedent’s estate who have lost a considerable amount of money as well as loss of support and grief due to the wrongful death of the decedent.

In most states, if the death of a relative or spouse was caused by the wrongful act of another, surviving family members can file a wrongful death lawsuit against the negligent party or parties.  In order to file a wrongful death claim, you must be able to prove that you will experience severe future emotional and financial hardship because of the loss of the death of a relative, family member or spouse.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Inland Empire man injured in transformer explosion

A man was critically injured when an electrical transformer blew up and severed a power line in Mira Loma on Thursday afternoon, fire officials reported

A helicopter flew the burn victim to an area hospital after the explosion, which was reported near Ridge-view Avenue and 58th Street at 4:27 p.m., a Cal Fire/Riverside County fire news release stated.

Riverside County sheriff’s deputies closed roads for a two block radius around the blast site while Southern California Edison workers make repairs.

Beyond Workers’ Comp

Many injured  workers assume they are only able to receive workers’ compensation benefits for injuries on the job site.  A careful analysis of the accident by an attorney experienced in job site injury claims may reveal other sources of financial compensation.  If an employee of another subcontractor was responsible for the faulty equipment that injured you, we may pursue an injury claim against his or her employer, for example.  A general contractor who failed to maintain a safe workplace may also be liable.

The Law Offices of Gary A Kessler have a long history of winning impressive results for construction injury victims and the family members of those who died a wrongful death due to construction accidents.

Demand accountability from those responsible for the dangerous conditions of the construction site accidents.  Many times the insurance companies will play “hardball” if you try to settle the case yourself or you have employed a lawyer who does not have the litigation experience to handle such a complex case.  We at the Law Offices of Gary A Kessler have twenty years of litigation experience and know how to handle the insurance companies to your advantage.  We are prepared to front all costs required for the necessary investigation and expert witnesses needed to prepare your case for trial.

The laws regarding construction accident cases are complex and include many facets of the law. It is vital to surviving family members to seek the advice of an experienced construction accident lawyer such as Gary A Kessler at the Law Offices of Gary A Kessler to protect your rights and those of your loved ones.

Fires and explosions are sudden and devastating, destroying homes and buildings, and causing physical injuries and death.  Burn injuries are painful and disfiguring, and require long recovery periods.  Smoke inhalation, and inhalation of toxic fumes and gases from flammable fabrics and furniture stuffed with polyurethane foam, cause added injury and increase the likelihood of death.

Determining the cause of a fire or explosion requires extensive experience and thorough investigation involving engineering, electrical, and gas line experts as well as fire scene experts.  The Law Offices of Gary A Kessler has the experience and the resources to effectively prepare and litigate cases on behalf of plaintiffs and family members injured or killed in fires and explosions.

The Law Offices of Gary A Kessler regularly represent plaintiffs in cases of catastrophic injury and wrongful death in fires and explosions caused or exacerbated by unsafe premises, unsafe construction sites, and unsafe products.

Faulty electrical wiring and furnaces, gas leaks, malfunctioning or absent smoke detectors, inaccessible or inadequate escape routes, the presence of flammable fabrics and furniture, and the presence of dried vegetation that can fuel wild and urban interface fires are all examples of sources of liability for property owners or product manufacturers.

Determining the cause of a fire or explosion requires extensive experience and thorough investigation involving engineering, electrical, and gas line experts as well as fire scene experts.  The Law Offices of Gary A Kessler has the experience and the resources to effectively prepare and litigate cases on behalf of plaintiffs and family members injured or killed in fires and explosions.

With over 25 years of experience, Gary A Kessler has earned the respect of our colleagues and the courts in California and nationwide for our personal injury work.  We have achieved a winning record on behalf of our clients, and we are proud of our successful cases that lead to safety improvements through strengthened laws and product recall.

If you or a loved one has suffered a serious injury or lost a loved one in a fire, we encourage you to contact the Law Offices of Gary A Kessler today for a free consultation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fiery gasoline tanker collision , killed a teenage motorist from Hesperia

A fiery gasoline tanker collision hurt the trucker, killed a teenage motorist from Hesperia and closed a major street less than 11/2 miles from Victorville’s main shopping mall, San Bernardino County Fire Department and coroner’s officials said.

The blaze was reported at 12:54 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 15, shortly after the fuel tanker and a passenger car crashed at Bear Valley Road and Eleventh Avenue in Hesperia, across Interstate 15 from the Mall at Victor Valley.

“Residents stated they tried to come to the aid of the drivers, (but) had to turn back due to explosions and the extent of the fire,” Fire Department officials said in a written statement.

Nineteen-year-old Jorge Luis Salazar died at the scene.

Salazar had been driving his blue 1998 Mitsubishi south on Eleventh Avenue when he was struck by a blue 2007 Peterbilt semi-tractor, coroner’s officials said in a separate statement.

The trucker was injured but ran to safety.

His two trailers contained about 9,000 gallons of gasoline, most of which burned, forcing the evacuation of an apartment complex and causing minor damage to a home, water and smoke damage to an animal hospital and a half-acre vegetation fire, according to the Fire Department statement.

The tanker blaze was so intense that a crash truck specifically designed to fight fuel fires was summoned from nearby Southern California Logistics Airport in Victorville.

The fire, accident investigation and cleanup closed a three-block stretch of busy Bear Valley Road for nine hours until the roadway was reopened at 10 a.m. Sunday.

Cause of the San Bernardino  County Crash

If news accounts of this incident are accurate, the Semi driver  is likely responsible for the incident. While this devastating  accident on September 15 remains under investigation, the family members of those accident victims who were seriously injured would be well-advised to speak with an understanding and knowledgeable  wrongful death lawyer. An attorney such as Gary A. Kessler who has successfully handled serious injury accidents can advise the victim’s family of their legal rights to hold the driver accountable and best course of action should they wish to pursue a wrongful death claim.

Fault and Wrongful Death Liability

Accidents involving big-rigs  have unique and complex legal issues. If it is determined that the driver of the big-rig was  at fault for this collision, the family of the victim would be well-advised to speak to a  truck accident attorney. An experienced and knowledgeable attorney will be able to review the cause of the accident, and if warranted, arrange for an independent investigator to reconstruct the collision to determine exactly what happened and who was responsible. A skilled lawyer can also provide an explanation to the victim’s family on their legal rights in a wrongful death claim against the driver or any other parties at fault. Damages awarded in a wrongful death claim may include funeral and burial expenses, lost earnings, pain and suffering, and other damages.

Demand accountability from the trucking company.  We at the Law Offices of Gary A Kessler have handled complex trucking accident cases for twenty years.  We have the litigation experience to handle complex trucking liability cases.  We are prepared to front all costs required for the necessary investigation and expert witnesses needed to prepare your case for trial.  Remember, the trucking industry are a formidable foe and must be fought against aggressively.

The laws regarding wrongful death/”trucking accident” cases are complex and include many facets of the law.  It is vital to surviving family members to seek the advice of an experienced wrongful death/”trucking accident” lawyer such as Gary A Kessler at the Law Offices of Gary A Kessler to protect your legal rights and those of your loved ones.

Trucking accident attorney Gary A Kessler and the Law Offices of Gary A Kessler are compassionate and fully understand that you are attempting to cope with extreme grief and sorrow associated with the loss of a loved one.  The Law Offices of Gary A Kessler carefully selects its “trucking accident” cases so that we may give you (the client) the substantial personal attention necessary to obtain a successful result for your “trucking accident” case.

The Law Offices of Gary A Kessler is prepared to front all costs required for a thorough investigation and expert witnesses to prepare for trial of your case.  As in all wrongful death and serious personal injury cases, we advance all legal costs to prepare and present our client’s claim, and receive for our services only a percentage of what we recover for our attorney fees on their behalf.  Upon settlement our costs shall be reimbursed to us from the gross recovery.  If there is no recovery, no attorneys fees or costs are owed to our firm.

If you have been seriously injured or a family member sustained fatal injuries involving a tractor-trailer rig you need to contact the Law Offices of Gary A Kessler or another experienced law firm immediately to protect your rights and preserve the evidence.  The laws and time limitations can be complex so protect your legal rights by contacting the Law Offices of Gary A Kessler today.

 

 

 

Big-Rig Collision: Huron man dies in fiery crash on Highway 41

 

A 46-year-old Huron man died inside a burning pickup after a four-vehicle

chain-reaction collision occurred Saturday morning on southbound Highway 41 in western Kings County, the California Highway Patrol said.

The highway has been closed most of Saturday was scheduled to reopen at 8 p.m., the CHP reported.

Three drivers were southbound on the highway shortly before 8 a.m. waiting for the traffic light to turn green when the driver of a big rig failed to slow for the backed-up traffic. The big rig hit the Huron man’s pickup and pushed it and two vehicles in front of it to the southwest corner of the intersection, the CHP said. One vehicle hit a support pole and another crashed into a signal light pole. The big rig’s engine, which wound up in the bed of the pickup, caught on fire. The fire spread to the other three vehicles.

Three of the drivers escaped the fiery crash with minor injuries. The Huron man, who has not yet been identified pending notification of family, did not get out of his truck and was pronounced dead at the scene.

The CHP said neither alcohol nor driver fatigue were factors in this  fatal crash closed southbound Highway 41 at Hanford Armona Road in Lemoore on Saturday, the California Highway Patrol said.

Cause of the Kings County Crash

If news accounts of this incident are accurate, the Semi driver  is likely responsible for the incident. While this devastating  accident on September 8 remains under investigation, the family members of those accident victims who were seriously injured would be well-advised to speak with an understanding and knowledgeable  wrongful death lawyer. An attorney such as Gary A. Kessler who has successfully handled serious injury accidents can advise the victim’s family of their legal rights to hold the driver accountable and best course of action should they wish to pursue a wrongful death claim.

Fault and Wrongful Death Liability

Accidents involving big-rigs  have unique and complex legal issues. If it is determined that the driver of the big-rig was  at fault for this collision, the family of the victim would be well-advised to speak to a  truck accident attorney. An experienced and knowledgeable attorney will be able to review the cause of the accident, and if warranted, arrange for an independent investigator to reconstruct the collision to determine exactly what happened and who was responsible. A skilled lawyer can also provide an explanation to the victim’s family on their legal rights in a wrongful death claim against the driver or any other parties at fault. Damages awarded in a wrongful death claim may include funeral and burial expenses, lost earnings, pain and suffering, and other damages.

Demand accountability from the trucking company.  We at the Law Offices of Gary A Kessler have handled complex trucking accident cases for twenty years.  We have the litigation experience to handle complex trucking liability cases.  We are prepared to front all costs required for the necessary investigation and expert witnesses needed to prepare your case for trial.  Remember, the trucking industry are a formidable foe and must be fought against aggressively.

The laws regarding wrongful death/”trucking accident” cases are complex and include many facets of the law.  It is vital to surviving family members to seek the advice of an experienced wrongful death/”trucking accident” lawyer such as Gary A Kessler at the Law Offices of Gary A Kessler to protect your legal rights and those of your loved ones.

Trucking accident attorney Gary A Kessler and the Law Offices of Gary A Kessler are compassionate and fully understand that you are attempting to cope with extreme grief and sorrow associated with the loss of a loved one.  The Law Offices of Gary A Kessler carefully selects its “trucking accident” cases so that we may give you (the client) the substantial personal attention necessary to obtain a successful result for your “trucking accident” case.

The Law Offices of Gary A Kessler is prepared to front all costs required for a thorough investigation and expert witnesses to prepare for trial of your case.  As in all wrongful death and serious personal injury cases, we advance all legal costs to prepare and present our client’s claim, and receive for our services only a percentage of what we recover for our attorney fees on their behalf.  Upon settlement our costs shall be reimbursed to us from the gross recovery.  If there is no recovery, no attorneys fees or costs are owed to our firm.

If you have been seriously injured or a family member sustained fatal injuries involving a tractor-trailer rig you need to contact the Law Offices of Gary A Kessler or another experienced law firm immediately to protect your rights and preserve the evidence.  The laws and time limitations can be complex so protect your legal rights by contacting the Law Offices of Gary A Kessler today.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Concord woman dies from injuries in Monday apartment fire

 

 

CONCORD — A woman seriously injured in an apartment fire earlier this week has died, authorities said.

Elise English, 34, of Concord, was taken off life support Wednesday morning after spending the past two days in the hospital, said Contra Costa Fire Marshal Lewis Broschard III.

English was found unconscious and not breathing in her unit at the Clayton Creek Apartments on Clayton Road on Monday after firefighters got a 1:38 p.m. call to an intense two-alarm fire. Firefighters performed CPR and she was taken to the hospital.

Firefighters extinguished the fire, which consumed English’s apartment and the roof, within about half an hour. No one else — including English’s roommate — was injured, and the fire damaged a half-dozen neighboring units.

It was the second fire to occur at the apartment complex that month: On Jan. 6, a one-alarm fire sent a resident to the hospital for smoke inhalation.

Cause of the fatal Concord fire

Based on the limited information provided by news reports it is unclear what started the fire. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
 Fire & Explosions Premises Liability

Fires and explosions are sudden and devastating, destroying homes and buildings, and causing physical injuries and death.  Burn injuries are painful and disfiguring, and require long recovery periods.  Smoke inhalation, and inhalation of toxic fumes and gases from flammable fabrics and furniture stuffed with polyurethane foam, cause added injury and increase the likelihood of death.

The Law Offices of Gary A Kessler regularly represent plaintiffs in cases of catastrophic injury and wrongful death in fires and explosions caused or exacerbated by unsafe premises, unsafe construction sites, and unsafe products.

Faulty electrical wiring and furnaces, gas leaks, malfunctioning or absent smoke detectors, inaccessible or inadequate escape routes, the pressence of flammable fabrics and furniture, and the presence of dried vegetation that can fuel wild and urban interface fires are all examples of sources of liability for property owners or product manufacturers.

Determining the cause of a fire or explosion requires extensive experience and thorough investigation involving engineering, electrical, and gas line experts as well as fire scene experts.  The Law Offices of Gary A Kessler has the experience and the resources to effectively prepare and litigate cases on behalf of plaintiffs and family members injured or killed in fires and explosions.

With over 20 years of experience, Gary A Kessler has earned the respect of our colleagues and the courts in California and nationwide for our personal injury work.  We have achieved a winning record on behalf of our clients, and we are proud of our successful cases that lead to safety improvements through strengthened laws and product recall.

If you or a loved one has suffered a serious injury or lost a loved one in a fire, we encourage you to contact the Law Offices of Gary A Kessler today for a free consultation.


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Gary Kessler, California Personal Injury Lawyer Disclaimer: The California personal injury, wrongful death, swimming pool drowning, boating accident, dog bite, amusement park negligence, pedestrian accident, product liability, aviation accidents, or any other California legal information presented at this site should not be construed to be formal legal advice, nor the creation of a lawyer or attorney client relationship. The information contained herein is intended for information purposes only and should not be considered legal advice. All results described on this site were based on the individual facts of those said cases and are not indicative of future settlements. Results will differ from case to case. Please contact Gary A. Kessler, a California lawyer at our California law firm offices in Newport Beach or our San Francisco Bay Area office.

The Law Offices of Gary A. Kessler are licensed to practice in California, District of Columbia & Pennsylvania. Through local law firms with which we have associations, we are able to represent Personal Injury and Wrongful Death cases across the United States. Our associations allow us to represent clients"pro hac vice", meaning "for this particular occasion". In order to effectively and efficiently represent the client in these cases, we will employ the local law firms (at no additional cost to our client) to make routine court appearances and proceedings where it is necessary to assist our clients case.