The authorities believe that the driver of a Honda Civic was driving through the East Village area in search of other cars to race. When the driver approached a Chevy Camaro, the two vehicles began speeding down G Street. Near the intersection with 16th Street, the Civic crashed into a Buick that had been heading northbound on 16th. Police do not believe that the driver of the Buick was engaging in any racing activities, but was simply in the path of the other two vehicles.
]]> A witness who is a certified paramedic immediately stopped to assist the driver of the Buick, who was soon rushed to a local hospital for emergency medical treatment. He sustained broken ribs during the crash, although the exact nature and extent of his injuries is unknown as of the time of this report. The driver of the Camaro remained on the scene, and was arrested by police. The driver and three additional occupants of the Civic fled the scene, and police continue to search for them.Criminal charges are likely for both drivers involved in this illegal street race, should California police identify and locate the second driver. In addition, both could face civil suits for personal injury. Individuals injured in auto accidents that result from this type of reckless behavior are in a good position to seek damages through a civil lawsuit. Proving driver negligence is a lower hurdle to cross when the responsible parties were engaged in illegal street racing at the time of the accident.
Source: NBC 7 San Diego, "Street Racing Led to East Village Crash: Cops," Megan Tevrizian and R. Stickney, May 17, 2013
]]>Thirty-eight other states and the District of Columbia have also taken measures to keep cell phones from distracting drivers who in turn cause auto accidents. Now, in a somewhat surprising move, the major cell phone companies themselves are campaigning against cell phone use while driving.
]]> The CEOs of T-Mobile, Sprint, Verizon Wireless and AT&T have taken a responsible approach to selling their products and decided to support a massive ad campaign against distracted driving. The companies, which initially lobbied against banning cell phone use while driving, have teamed up with 200 organizations to try to stop or at least curb the dangerous practice.On one level, the cell phone companies fall in line with another industry whose products play a major role in too many crashes each year: the alcohol industry. Beer, wine and liquor companies have for years included warnings about drunk driving in booze ads, a decision that led to increased awareness about the dangers of DUI.
For their part, the cell phone companies hope the "It Can Wait" campaign will help reduce the number of accidents caused by distracted driving. Warnings and messages will show up on television, radio and even blimps, mostly targeting teen drivers.
If cell phone use does lead to an injurious auto accident, the injured party may have grounds to seek compensation for damages. And since California law prohibits this kind of distracted driving, plaintiffs are likely to have an easier time proving the other party's negligence.
Source: Oregon Live, "Cellphone companies will launch campaign against texting while driving," May 14, 2013
]]>The accident happened at about 3 p.m. on May 6, and the seriously injured woman had to be cut out of her vehicle. Rescuers transported her to a hospital in Murrieta, where she died of her injuries about 30 minutes after the collision.
]]> After striking the woman's car on the driver's side, the pickup spun through the intersection and hit another car. The driver of the second car -- 38-year-old woman from Corona -- suffered injuries that were described as minor.Police have since arrested the 63-year-old pickup truck driver. He is likely to face charges of vehicular manslaughter and hit and run. Those charges could be in addition to any civil claims, should the family of the deceased woman or the other injured woman choose to file a lawsuit.
Running a red light is clearly an act of negligence, but proving negligence even in obvious situations requires a sound legal strategy. Car accident reconstructions are often integral to such proofs, and personal injury attorneys have experience in determining exactly who is responsible for a auto accidents.
Trying to put your life back together after a devastating crash is immensely difficult, and your struggle in the wake of losing a loved one shouldn't be compounded by money woes. California residents with car accident concerns would do well to apprise themselves of their legal rights.
Source: The Press-Enterprise, "TEMECULA: Woman killed in crash identified; driver arrested," Sarah Burge, May 7, 2013
]]>The family and friends of a Chatsworth man are reeling after a recent motorcycle accident took the young veteran's life. The 27-year-old was decorated for having twice served in Afghanistan, and his mother tearfully expressed the family's intention to work in his honor to improve safety on San Fernando Valley roads.
]]> "It didn't need to happen. And I don't want to see it happen to anyone else," said the mother.As the young man rode his bike on Devonshire Street, a woman turned her car left in front of him. He skidded some distance, but was unable to stop and reportedly died when he struck the vehicle.
He was a recent graduate of Cal State Northridge, and he was also part of a motorcycle club along with a number of his military friends.
Members of the community have placed memorializing candles and other items at the intersection where the accident occurred, and a vigil in tribute to the veteran was scheduled for May 1.
It was unclear whether or not the family intends to take action in civil court, though it would appear that the car driver may be liable for negligence.
Source: CBS Los Angeles, "Devastated Family Pledges To Make Roads Safer After Decorated Marine Dies In Motorcycle Accident," April 30, 2013
]]>One woman is doing what she can to end that. She knows firsthand what it feels like to be a victim of sexual abuse. The woman says she was abused by a female nanny for five years as a young child.
]]> The woman will be walking 1,500 miles in Florida from Key West to Tallahassee. The woman is walking to raise awareness about child sexual abuse and to push lawmakers to pass more rigid laws.In recent weeks, disturbing information has been revealed by the Archdiocese of Los Angeles regarding sexual abuse within the church. Few can forget the Jerry Sandusky case. As readers may recall, the former Penn State football coach was convicted of sexually abusing young boys that he met through his charity organization. Both cases show what can happen when people fail to protect children from sexual abuse.
In addition to punishing abusers for their crimes, victims of sexual abuse may also be able to hold organizations responsible for their failures through civil lawsuits. Just last week, we wrote about a settlement that was reached between the Archdiocese of Los Angeles and four people who say they were victimized by a priest who was later held criminally responsible for his crimes.
In addition to raising awareness about the issue through community activities, people can work to end child sex abuse by holding people and organizations responsible for their inaction, as the four victims who recently settled with the archdiocese did. After all, we must all work together to end child sex abuse.
Source: CBS Miami, "Child Sex Abuse Survivor Walks 1,500 Miles To Build Awareness," March 23, 2013
]]>Just recently, four of the priest's alleged victims received settlements from the Archdiocese of Los Angeles for their mishandling of the cases. According to the Los Angeles Times, the priest told Archbishop Roger Mahoney that he had molested two young boys in 1986. Instead of going to the authorities, the then-archbishop sent the priest to a treatment facility. Sadly, the priest went on to abuse other children.
]]> The priest in this specific instance was not the only one responsible for the sexual abuse of young children. As we've discussed on this blog before, documents released by the archdiocese in January show that top officials failed to properly handle countless sexual abuse allegations. Their protection of the church's reputation appears to have been put before the protection of young children.Totaling close to $10 million, these recent settlements range between $995,000 and $4 million. In a statement, the archdiocese took responsibility for the priest's actions and "expressed deep regret" for the way the cases were handled. One alleged victim, however, was forever changed by the abuse he endured as a child.
"My faith has been shattered," the alleged victim said.
The archdiocese said that they are committed to protecting young children from abuse. However, victims who have grown into adults may wonder why church leaders didn't maintain that same level of commitment in the past.
Source: NBC Southern California, "Los Angeles Archdiocese Apologizes for "Mistakes" in Handling Priest Abuse Case," Jonathan Lloyd and Toni Guinyard, March 14, 2013
]]>Later this month, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children will host a summit to come up with ways to prevent sexual abuse in youth sports activities. One way to do that may be through more parent involvement.
]]> "The days of just dropping off a kid at practice on some team and coming back three hours later - I think those days are gone," a victim of child sex abuse said in a recent article in The Washington Times.One of the biggest issues for organizations that serve youth is making sure people report abuse allegations in a timely manner. Failing to report suspected abuse to the proper authorities only allows the cycle of abuse to continue.
Schools, youth sports organizations, places of worship and other organizations that serve youth must do all that they can to protect young children from sexual abuse. One way to do that is to make sure everyone has a clear understanding of how and when suspected abuse should be reported.
Source: The Washington Times, "'Summit' to tackle prevention of child abuse in sports," Cheryl Wetzstein, March 12, 2013
]]>As discussed in a previous post, documents released by the archdiocese appear to show that former archbishop Cardinal Roger Mahoney concealed sexual abuse allegations. While he has apologized for his mistakes, some people do not feel that he has been punished for his apparent wrongdoings.
]]> One woman says she was abused by a priest decades ago. She is upset that Cardinal Mahoney will have the honor of voting for a new pope after Pope Benedict XVI resigned despite the fact that documents show that he did not act with the best interests of the innocent victims in mind."We feel he should have had the decency to stay home," the woman said.
The woman is hopeful that the newly elected pope will make child sex abuse a top priority and punish those who may have covered up abuse allegations.
The documents that were released by the Los Angeles Archdiocese have left many people stunned. It is clear that people believe everything should be done to protect young children from abusers. Failing to report sexual abuse allegations hurts the victims themselves as well as their communities. People who conceal abuse allegations should be punished.
Source: CBS Los Angeles, "Alleged Church Sex Abuse Victim Outraged Over Mahoney's Inclusion In Papal Conclave," March 4, 2013
]]>A group of young students in another state was sexually abused by their music teacher. The abuse occurred between 2000 and 2011 in the children's school as well as at their homes during private lessons.
]]> The 49-year-old music teacher recently pleaded guilty to sexual abuse and child endangerment charges. He will be required to serve six years' probation and must register as a sex offender for the next two decades. In addition, he will lose his teaching license.In addition to the criminal proceedings and penalties handed down to the music teacher, the school where he worked could be held responsible for their failures. School officials must do all that they can to protect young children by making appropriate hiring decisions. In addition, they must be sure they are monitoring their staff members.
The world we live in is a dangerous place at times. However, parents in California and beyond often view schools as a safe haven for their children. A school should be a place where children grow and learn.
Sadly, as readers of this blog are aware, sexual abuse occurs all too often in schools across the country. Schools should be held responsible when they fail to protect their young students from their abusers. A civil lawsuit not only gives victims and their family members a sense of justice, it also signals to school officials that abuse will not be tolerated in schools.
Source: The Wall Street Journal, "LI music teacher pleads guilty to sex abuse," Feb. 25, 2013
•· Our firm handles cases like the one discussed in this post. Please visit our Los Angeles child abuse page for more information.
]]>New York's current archbishop, Cardinal Timothy Dolan, previously served as Milwaukee's archbishop. Hundreds of people have filed claims against the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, claiming that they were abused by priests.
]]> This week, Cardinal Dolan was questioned by attorneys representing abuse victims about whether or not he attempted to conceal abuse allegations. While serving as archbishop in Milwaukee, Dolan released the names of priests who were responsible for abusing young children. In the wake of Pope Benedict XVI's resignation, some have questioned whether Dolan could be a potential successor.Two years ago, the Archdiocese of Milwaukee filed for bankruptcy in order to compensate abuse victims. However, bankruptcy proceedings were halted after the archdiocese claimed that many of the hundreds of sexual abuse cases were invalid. Seven other dioceses have filed for bankruptcy as a result of lawsuits filed by sexual abuse victims.
People rely on spiritual leaders to provide them with counsel. They expect that they will always do the right thing. Sadly, these cases show that that has not always been the case. While abusers should be held criminally responsible for their crimes, those who hid abuse allegations should also be held accountable.
Source: The New York Times, "Lawyers Question New York Cardinal in Milwaukee Suits," Laurie Goodstein, Feb. 20, 2013
]]>In addition to the disturbing information revealed during Sandusky's criminal trial, an independent investigation by Penn State exposed even more troubling information. The investigation, which was conducted by former FBI director Louis Freeh, revealed that officials at Penn State knew about the sexual abuse, yet failed to report it to the authorities.
]]> Former Penn State football coach Joe Paterno was identified as one of those officials. However, his family is now claiming that the independent investigation completed by Louis Freeh was flawed. The family says they had their own investigation conducted, which shows that Paterno did not attempt to hide abuse allegations.Although there may be differing opinions about what Joe Paterno and other school officials knew about Jerry Sandusky, this case continues to serve as a reminder to people in California and others elsewhere that cases of suspected abuse must be reported to the proper authorities. Failure to do so puts other children at risk and serves as an injustice for the victims.
In addition to revealing failures within the school's administration, the Freeh Report also included recommendations for Penn State in order to prevent something like this from ever happening again. Many of those recommendations have been implemented. In addition to Penn State, other schools and colleges around the country should also be working to do all that they can to protect young children from sexual abuse.
Source: Reuters, "Paterno family report slams finding of sex abuse cover-up," Mark Shade, Feb. 10, 2013
]]>The files contain disturbing information and show that top officials in the archdiocese failed to report abuse allegations to police and even took steps to prevent law enforcement from finding out about suspected abuse.
]]> Former Archbishop Roger Mahoney has apologized for his mishandling of abuse cases. Despite his apparent remorse, CNN reports that the current archbishop recently relieved him of his public and administrative duties.Files for more than 120 priests were released. Now authorities are combing through the pages to determine if any criminal wrongdoing was committed. However, even if criminal activity is revealed, the statute of limitations will likely prevent law enforcement from pursuing criminal charges. No criminal charges were filed against church officials when previous investigations were conducted.
According to the Los Angeles Times, the information contained in the documents has been painful for parishioners to learn about. However, that pain likely does not compare to the pain felt by the victims themselves.
While the archdiocese may not be held criminally responsible, the release of the documents may help other victims of abuse. No child should be the victim of sexual abuse. However, when abuse does occur, allegations must be reported to the proper authorities. This saga is clear evidence of what can happen when instances of suspected abuse are not handled properly.
Source: The Huffington Post, "LAPD Reviewing LA Catholic Church Sex Abuse Files For Evidence Of Criminal Activity," Tami Abdollah and Gillian Flaccus, Feb. 5, 2013
]]>Under current California law, victims have until their 26th birthday to a file a lawsuit against their abusers. They can also file a lawsuit within three years of uncovering painful memories of abuse from the past.
]]> Some lawmakers, however, are hoping to eliminate the statute of limitations to allow people to file lawsuits against their abusers later on in life."In many cases, the discovery of psychological injuries stemming from sex abuse as a child emerge later in life -- well beyond age 26," Sen. Jim Beall said. "Therefore, there's a real need for a statute to care for survivors and give them a chance for justice after age 26."
Other states have a statute of limitations in place. However, people in those states are often allowed to file lawsuits until they are in their 30s and 40s. Florida lawmakers eliminated the statute of limitations in 2010.
Parents in California and others elsewhere often send their children to school, church, sports practices and other activities assuming that they are safe. However, as readers of this blog know, that isn't always the case.
Sexual abuse victims may suffer lifelong effects. Those who caused the trauma and those who failed to protect children from their abusers must be held responsible. Although it is unclear whether the statue of limitations will be lifted in California, more abuse victims could end up seeking justice if the bill is approved.
Source: The Huffington Post, "Sexual Abuse Laws In California Make It Difficult For Victims To Sue Abusers," Christina Villacorte, Dec. 27, 2013
Our firm works with sexual abuse victims. Please visit our Los Angeles child abuse page to learn more.
]]>The man was arrested in connection with the sexual abuse charges in 2011. He was charged with sex abuse and rape. The abuse reportedly occurred between 2005 and 2010.
]]> In November, the man pleaded no contest to the sex abuse charges. He pled guilty to rape. Recently, a judge sentenced him to close to 19 years in prison.It does not appear that the man met the three girls through his youth coaching duties. However, a story like this shows that children may not always be in the best hands. Sadly, all too often children in California and others elsewhere are harmed when officials fail to put measures in place to protect children from dangerous adults.
Los Angeles readers would agree that children should be able to go to school and participate in sports and other activities free from harm. School and athletic organization leaders must do all that they can to ensure the adults they hire will not take advantage of their power.
When children are harmed by an adult they trusted, legal options exist to hold abusers accountable for their crimes. In addition, organizations and their leaders can be held accountable for their failures. Children need to be protected. It is a clear signal that abuse will not be tolerated when both abusers and leaders are held accountable for the harm they have caused.
Source: KPTV, "Youth coach sentenced to 14 years for child sex abuse," Jan. 17, 2013
]]>A teacher and coach in another state was recently arrested after a former student came forward and told police that the teacher had an inappropriate sexual relationship with her from January 2009 until December 2010. The teacher, a 33-year-old man, was the alleged victim's gym teacher as well as the dean of students and director of athletics at the private school at the time.
]]> The alleged victim says the abuse occurred at the teacher's home, at the school and at other locations. She says that she tried to end the relationship but that the teacher continued to reach out to her. Sadly, authorities believe there could be other victims.The 33-year-old man has since begun working at another school. He faces second-degree child abuse charges. He is currently being held on $250,000 bond since his arrest.
The school where the alleged abuse took place is reportedly cooperating with police. Despite that, the school may still be held partially responsible for the alleged abuse. In some instances, school officials knew or should have known that an employee was dangerous. While criminal charges and penalties can hold abusers accountable for their crimes, civil lawsuits can hold school officials responsible for their failure to protect young children from harm.
Source: The Baltimore Sun, "Private school teacher arrested in sexual abuse investigation," Carrie Wells, Jan. 15, 2013
Our firm works with abuse victims. To learn more, please visit our Los Angeles sexual abuse page.
]]>