Se Habla Español | We Speak Tagalog | (949) 535-1341 | 20371 Irvine Ave., Suite 110, Newport Beach, CA 92660
No fees until you get paid
Get Started

Author: Kohan & Bablove Injury Attorneys

Kohan & Bablove Injury Attorneys was founded by three former defense attorneys who were tired of helping insurance companies and big corporations save money by paying the least amount possible to resolve claims. We wanted to open a law firm where we could use our years of experience handling the toughest and largest claims to benefit the individual. Each of us were tired of being cogs in the wheel that focused on paying the least amount possible to injured persons regardless of injuries or the validity of their claims.

Are older drivers really a problem? All of our lives we’ve heard stories and jokes about their driving behavior and the problems they cause on the roads. But is this a real concern or just a case of stereotyping and ageism? If you are an older driver (age sixty-five and above), or you’re concerned about them, you want to know the facts. Let’s take a look.

More Seniors, More Accidents

In 2016, the most recent year with full data, the number of drivers sixty-five and older involved in fatal crashes was up 8.2 percent (noticeably more than the 5.6 percent increase in all fatal crashes for the year). The only category with a larger increase was young drivers (under age sixteen).

That increase by itself might not be alarming, but some underlying numbers could be. Over the past ten years, the number of drivers age sixty-five and over has increased by 33 percent, far more than the 7.5 percent overall increase. Drivers in that age category have been involved in a disproportionate increase in fatal crashes over that time period: They’re up 19.9 percent over ten years (they were down for every other age group, and down more than 7 percent overall).

California: Ahead of the Curve

Can you believe that as soon as eight years from now as many as one in four licensed drivers in California will be over the age of sixty-five? That’s a possibility the CHP noted not long ago in a press release announcing a new, free driver safety course for older drivers. The course is touted as a refresher, designed to help seniors evaluate their own abilities and improve their safe driving skills.

It’s too soon to tell if the message will get across. A report from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found that 90 percent of older drivers have not installed any equipment on their vehicles to make them safer and easier to handle. These devices aren’t meant to be simple conveniences but are instead meant to improve vehicle safety while allowing seniors to continue driving as they age.

Safer for Seniors, Safer for Everyone

Older drivers face challenges, but so do all of us, and making driving safer for older drivers can help everyone. Some of the devices AAA looked at (such as extra mirrors to remove blind spots) would help all drivers.

Those who look at traffic safety know this well. Since 1998, the Federal Highway Administration has recognized that the “typical” driver and pedestrian in the twenty-first century are both likely to be sixty-five or over, and it regularly issues a road design handbook that takes this into account (while applying ideas and principles that improve roadway safety for all users).

Orange County Car Accident Lawyer

When you’ve been in a car crash, the most important thing to you isn’t knowing how old the other driver is, but knowing that you’ll be compensated for all repair costs and medical expenses that you face. Regardless of how the crash happened and who was driving, you need an experienced automobile accident attorney to help with your case.

At Kohan & Bablove Injury Attorneys, we’ve helped hundreds of clients reach the settlements they need to put their lives back on track. Call us today at 949.535.1341 or contact us online through the form below to schedule a no-cost, no-obligation consultation to discuss your case.

Two different crashes in Desert Hot Springs in little more than a week recently claimed the lives of two area motorcyclists. The occupants of the other vehicles were not injured. Police have not yet released a certain cause for either crash, but it appears from reports that at least one may have been due to a common oversight by car and truck drivers that puts bikers at risk.

Two Collisions, Two Deaths

The first crash happened around 2:30 in the afternoon on Route 62 at Mission Creek Road. The motorcyclist, a Palm Desert resident, survived the initial crash but died several hours later from his injuries. No specific details have been made available, but it appears that drugs and alcohol were probably not involved. The crash was serious enough that a three-mile stretch of southbound Route 62 (Twentynine Palms Highway) was closed for more than eight hours.

On Friday morning, January 5, a second fatal crash took place on the other side of the city, near the intersection of Dillon and Mountain View. In that incident, a local man was thrown from his motorcycle when it collided with a pickup pulling a trailer. The victim died at the scene.

Left Turn Danger Highest for Motorcycles

In the second crash, the driver of the pickup is reported to have taken a left turn across the main road from an unpaved side road, putting his vehicle into the path of the oncoming biker. While the maneuver  may sound relatively innocuous, this specific type of crash—caused when a vehicle takes a left turn across the path of a motorcycle—is both very common and very dangerous.

Intersection crashes account for close to 40 percent of all crashes in the United States, and potentially more than one-fourth of all crash fatalities. And in one analysis, crashes while turning left outnumbered those while turning right by more than eighteen to one. Several reasons are cited, but high on the list are falsely assuming that another driver will see you and react appropriately and simply misjudging the speed of an oncoming vehicle.

This is no surprise to bikers: It’s been recognized since the early 1980s that the most frequent multi-vehicle crash configuration for a motorcycle is a car taking a left turn across its path. The most recent data support that. In 2015, 41 percent of fatal motorcycle crashes involving another vehicle happened when the other vehicle turned left into a motorcycle.

Riverside, California Motorcycle Accident Lawyer

At Kohan & Bablove Injury Attorneys, our team of experienced attorneys understands all aspects of California automobile accident law. When you’ve been in a crash, whether as a driver, a passenger, or a pedestrian; whether in a car, a truck, a bus, or on a motorcycle; give us a call. We offer a free, no-obligation consultation in our Orange or Riverside County offices. You can reach us today at 949.535.1341 or contact us online through the form below at your convenience to learn more about how we can help.

A twenty-one-year-old woman from San Pedro remains in the hospital with severe brain injuries more than two weeks after a drunk driver ran a red light and crashed into the car she was in. There’s a sad irony here as the victim and a friend had been out drinking that night but did the right thing by calling an Uber to get home.

Unfortunately, the driver who caused the crash was not as responsible. He had reportedly also been drinking that night and was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence after the crash.

Multiple Injuries, Multiple Charges

Since the crash at Artesia Boulevard and Aviation Way in Redondo Beach around 2:00 a.m. on December 22, the victim has undergone multiple surgeries but at last report was still unconscious and in intensive care. The other passenger in the Uber also suffered serious injuries and spent more than a week at the hospital, although he was expected to leave soon. The Uber driver and the driver who caused the crash were not seriously hurt.

The drunk driver submitted to a blood test for alcohol at the scene, and while the results have not been made public, he was arrested on several charges, including at least one for driving under the influence and causing injury, an offense that assumes a driver has at least a 0.08 percent blood alcohol content.

Just a few minutes before running the light and causing this crash, the driver had also crashed into a nearby building and left the scene; that led to a hit-and-run property damage charge being included.

He pleaded not guilty to all charges several days after the crash but was being held on $250,000 bail. If convicted on the charges already filed, he could face up to fourteen years in prison.

Highest Risk for Brain Injury

Sports- and military service- related injuries have grabbed most of the headlines about traumatic brain injury (TBI) in recent years, but the truth is that a person is more likely to suffer one as the result of a car crash.

Motor vehicle accidents are the third leading cause of fatal TBI, and the number one cause of TBI hospitalizations for those between the ages of ten and fifty-four.

The most recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that TBI is involved in around 30 percent of all injury deaths in the United States.

Long Road to Recovery

There’s no simple or reliable way to predict how any victim of a TBI will recover. Some regain full function in a short time while others are afflicted with life-long problems.

We hope that the young woman affected in this crash can complete her final year of college and that she’s able to pursue her goal of attending nursing school. Her friends have set up a fundraising effort for her.

Orange County Brain Injury Lawyer

When you or someone close to you has suffered a serious injury, such as a brain injury, because of the negligence or reckless act of another, it’s important to take all action possible to make sure that justice is served. The damage can be severe and long-lasting, and the expense of care, recovery, and lost wages and income can run high.

You can turn to the experienced brain injury attorneys at Kohan & Bablove, Injury Attorneys for help. Call us today at 949.535.1341 or contact us online through the form below to discuss your case, free of charge, and to learn more about the options open to you.

Most people only file a car accident claim once or twice in their life, so it’s no surprise the process feels unfamiliar and slower than expected. Understanding how California’s system actually works, and how long each stage typically takes, makes it much easier to spot when a claim is progressing normally versus when an insurer is stalling.

Quick answer: California is an at-fault state, meaning the at-fault driver’s insurance pays for damages. A typical claim moves through investigation, medical treatment, a demand letter, and negotiation, usually taking three to twelve months, though disputed liability or a lawsuit can extend that well beyond a year.

A Lake Elsinore man was killed in a crash while riding his motorcycle earlier this month, reminding us of the hazards bikers face. The early evening crash in Lakeland Village on Friday the 15th also injured one other person. The collision happened on Grand Avenue when the biker crossed into the other lane and into the path of another vehicle. A passenger in that car was hospitalized with minor injuries.

Other Recent Crashes

A crash in Winchester on December 3 took the life of a Temecula motorcyclist and left a party van engulfed in flames, but there were no other injuries (only the van driver was aboard at the time). A crash on December 1 in Temecula left one biker seriously injured.

Another crash, in Moreno Valley and also on December 1, left a resident of that town dead after his motorcycle collided with another vehicle. Few details of that incident were publicized.

California Helmet Safety: Very Good News

Helmet use was not mentioned in any of the reports on these crashes, but California has seen very good compliance with helmet laws. The most recent federal report estimated that about 259 lives were saved each year thanks to helmets, but also noted that, because helmet use is already so high here, only about another eight lives would have been saved with 100 percent compliance.

Helmets aren’t foolproof, but they make crashes more survivable.

Bikers Still at Risk

California’s report for 2014 (the most recent for the state) recorded more than 12,000 bikers injured and 540 killed in traffic incidents that year. Motorcycle operators were determined to be at fault in a little more than half (55 percent) of injury-causing collisions and close to two-thirds (64 percent) of fatal crashes.

It’s not clear why there’s such a discrepancy or why motorcyclists are more often found to be at fault (in an ideal world, you’d expect all drivers to be at fault about half the time).

Bikers remain more vulnerable than other motorists in any case. The data in recent years seems shocking, but it doesn’t lie: Per mile traveled, motorcycle operators are close to five times more likely to be injured in a crash and an astounding twenty-nine times more likely to be in a fatal accident.

Everyone on the road needs to do a better job of looking out for motorcycles, but it’s imperative that bikers are extra aware of their situation to avoid potential crashes.

Riverside Motorcycle Accident Lawyer

Motorcyclists are frequent accident victims, but just like other motorists, they sometimes cause crashes, too. As an experienced motorcycle accident law firm, Kohan & Bablove, Injury Attorneys can help you with either type of case. We put the victim first and do everything possible to make sure you’ll receive the compensation you need to get your life moving again.

Give us a call today at 949.535.1341 or fill out the Contact form below to schedule a no-cost, no-obligation consultation to discuss your case.

It’s been a bad stretch for motor vehicle collisions with pedestrians in Orange County recently. There have been several high-profile incidents already this month, and with December usually ranked as one of the worst months for pedestrian crashes, we’re bound to see more before the new year.

Pedestrians are advised to be extra cautious at this time of year, and drivers—who, after all, are behind the wheels of the most dangerous element of the collision equation—are urged to be more alert than usual during the winter months.

Different Circumstances, Similar Results

The first crash happened in Huntington Beach on the 7th. A man who was walking in one of the northbound lanes of Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) near Seapoint Street was struck and killed around 5:30 in the morning. The driver who struck him stayed at the scene, and part of highway was closed for more than four hours.

The following evening, just a few miles farther north on PCH, a woman was struck and hospitalized in serious condition at First Street in Seal Beach. That driver also stayed on the scene.

Just a couple of hours earlier in Garden Grove, a seventy-one-year-old man was struck as he crossed Brookhurst Street near Bixby Ave. That victim, unfortunately, died at the scene. The driver in that collision also stayed on the scene.

The fact that all three of these drivers stayed on the scene is unusual but a welcome change, considering that, in recent years, California has had a big problem with hit-and-run drivers.

Seasonal Increase in Risk

In 2015, Orange County ranked a better-than-average forty-fourth among California counties in pedestrian injuries and fatalities, with 938 total incidents. Statewide, California saw 742 pedestrian deaths that year.

But those incidents aren’t evenly distributed from month to month. The shorter daylight hours at this time of year always bring more danger: During the winter months (December, January, and February), nearly two-thirds of all pedestrian fatalities occur between 3 p.m. and midnight. In fact, two of the three incidents mentioned above were in that time window.

Orange County Pedestrian Accident Lawyer

Despite the best intentions of ambitious programs like Road to Zero, pedestrian traffic fatalities are likely to be a concern well into the future. When you find yourself the victim of a car crash, whether as a motorist or a pedestrian, it’s important to work with a firm with years of experience helping clients secure fair compensation.

Kohan & Bablove Injury Attorneys offers every client a free consultation. Give us a call at 949.535.1341 or fill out the online contact form below to schedule yours today.

There’s good news for workers in California: Serious illnesses and injuries on the job declined last year, hitting the lowest rate in at least a decade. For every 100 full-time workers in the state, there were a total of 3.7 cases of some occupational injury or illness. Overall, there were 466,600 such cases reported in California in 2016—slightly better than 2015 but not a recent record. On average, about 2.2 employees per 100 had to take time away from work because of an injury.

Different Risks

Despite the good news for the overall average, many kinds of jobs are much less safe than others. Those in some office occupations, as you might expect, are at the lowest risk: architects and engineers, financial services workers, and those in legal, computer, and mathematics jobs, while more hands-on roles such as welders face comparatively higher risks.

On the opposite end of the scale, workers in construction, maintenance and repair, and building and grounds cleaning work had the highest rates, approaching three times the average. For every 10,000 workers in building and grounds cleaning and maintenance, more than 284 incidents led to lost work (compared to only about five for computer workers). The statewide average for all occupations was 103.

Same Old, Same Old

This year’s report, issued by the California Department of Industrial Relations largely using data collected by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, found that both the types of injury and their causes have remained much the same in the years they’ve been issuing this report.

Overexertion was the main cause of injury, followed by contact with an object and then falls, trips, and slips. Combined, these three categories were responsible for the vast majority of injuries. Exposure to harmful substances, transportation accidents, and violence accounted for nearly all the rest.

Most of the injuries were sprains, strains, and tears, which made up a bit more than a third of recorded injuries. But the types of injuries workers fell victim to were varied: cuts, punctures, bruises, burns, broken bones, and even amputations made the list.

Orange County Construction Accident Lawyer

Close to half a million California workers were injured on the job in 2016, but some groups of workers fared even worse. Last year’s data aren’t available, but in 2015, 388 men and women were killed while on the job here.

Most work accidents are preventable, and while most injuries are minor, some can leave a worker with lifelong effects. That’s why, when you’re injured on the job, it’s important to talk with an experienced personal injury firm like the team at Kohan & Bablove Injury Attorneys. We have an in-depth understanding of workplace injury law, including construction accidents and many other on-the-job injuries.

Call us at 949.535.1341 or fill out the form at the bottom of this page today to schedule a free consultation.

Every member of the girls’ junior varsity basketball team from the Newport Christian School in Newport Beach was reportedly injured when their van failed to stop in traffic and rear-ended another vehicle, ultimately becoming part of a five-vehicle crash.

The November 16 crash on the 91 Freeway in Riverside, near the Adams Street exit, left all eastbound lanes closed for nearly an hour in the early afternoon. The road was partially reopened at that point, and the crash was completely cleared within two hours, although delays lingered.

Thirteen people, including all eleven girls on the team, were taken to area hospitals. The most seriously injured victim was said to have a broken bone. At least one driver of another vehicle involved in the crash was among those taken for medical treatment.

Bus Crashes a Daily Occurrence

Buses, including school buses and vans used to transport students, are involved in a lot more crashes than you might suspect. In 2015, there were about 53,000 crashes resulting in property damage, about 15,000 crashes with an injury, and 257 crashes that led to a fatal injury. Only 295 people died in bus crashes that year, compared to a total of more than 35,000 in all motor vehicle crashes.

The good news for bus passengers, but not for the pedestrians and other motorists involved in bus crashes, is that the majority of victims in those fatal bus crashes (246 of 295, or more than 83 percent) were outside a bus and not passengers on one. Even when an occupant of a bus is a victim, it’s more likely to be a bus driver than a passenger.

School Bus Crash Risk Low

School bus crashes are infrequent events, although they still happen. Historically, they account for less than 0.5 percent of all crashes and an even smaller portion of all traffic fatalities. It’s still not difficult to find examples, though, and we’ve seen a few recently that not only involved buses but affected other school sports teams.

A bus crash in Missouri in September claimed the life of a middle school running coach, while in October three people on a bus carrying a high school football team were injured when another vehicle crossed the median. (The driver of the other vehicle died in that collision.) The players from Newport Beach were fortunate that the end result of their crash was not so bad,  although more vehicles were involved.

Orange County Bus Accident Lawyer

When you’ve been the victim in a motor vehicle accident of any kind, including a bus crash, call on the experienced team at Kohan & Bablove Injury Attorneys. We understand all the potential complications in this kind of case and have helped many clients settle their cases with those who caused them harm.
ok

We also offer a free, no-obligation consultation to all new clients to discuss the details of their injuries. Give us a call today at 949.535.1341 or fill out the form below to learn more or schedule an appointment.

Two men were seriously injured last week when the quad ATV they were riding on was hit by another vehicle, which may have been fleeing a crime scene. An investigation is still underway, but the occupants of the truck might have just stolen marijuana plants from a nearby property.

The crash sent the two men on the ATV to the hospital via airlift. The vehicle, a pickup truck, fled the scene and has not yet been found. Add this incident to the ever-lengthening list documenting an ongoing problem in Riverside County: hit-and-run crashes.

Long List of Recent Incidents

On the last day of October, a two-vehicle hit-and-run in Thermal left one man dead and two other people hospitalized with serious injuries. The driver suspected of causing that crash was located and arrested a few hours later.

A few days later in Perris, a Corona man was killed in a collision between his motorcycle and a large truck, which the fled the scene. At last report, police are still seeking that driver.

Only a couple of days after that tragedy, a driver hit a motorcycle and two other vehicles on the 215 in Riverside but kept going. When that driver stopped, an off-duty LA County sheriff’s deputy held him at gunpoint until CHP arrived. That driver, from Corona, was driving on a suspended license. The good news in that particular case is that no one was injured.

A Statewide Problem

This list could easily go on. If it seems like there’s a serious hit-and-run in Riverside County nearly every day, that’s shockingly close to the truth. In 2014, the most recent year with available data from the California Office of Traffic Safety, Riverside County saw 625 combined serious injuries and deaths due to hit-and-run drivers. While that’s not a number to be proud of, there’s some consolation in knowing that it landed the county on the safer side when it came to hit-and-runs that year: Only six California counties saw fewer.

Leaving the scene of an accident is a serious offense which can be categorized as either a misdemeanor (for property damage) or a felony (for causing injury or death). The maximum penalty for a hit-and-run driver, besides paying any restitution, is four years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

Riverside County Car Accident Lawyer

Those penalties apply in criminal court, but when you’ve been harmed in a car crash it’s usually in your best interest to also go after the person who caused the accident in civil court. Filing there improves your chance of receiving the compensation you deserve.

When you need to pursue restitution for any kind of motor vehicle accident, including a hit-and-run, turn to the experienced attorneys at Kohan & Bablove, Injury Attorneys. We understand what needs to be done to reach a successful settlement in an automobile accident case, and we offer a free consultation to all new clients. Pick up the phone and call us at 949.535.1341 or contact us online through the form below to make an appointment today.

Several cases asserting abuse in California nursing homes and assisted care facilities have recently raised important questions about the safety of elderly patients and residents.

As a personal injury law firm with an interest in helping the victims of elder abuse, we’ve been keeping an eye on these reports to understand how things might have gone wrong and allowed trusted caregivers to cause injury and even death to those in their care.

 

Fresno Facility Accused of Dumping Patients

In one case, a Fresno facility is being sued by a seventy-four-year-old former resident who says the nursing home dumped her outside her own home (from which she had earlier been removed because she was not capable of caring for herself).

Not only had she not been given the required thirty-day notice that she was being transferred, but the partially paralyzed stroke victim was then left on the curb after she got sick and soiled herself. That suit doesn’t end there. It also claims the facility allowed another patient to victimize her during her stay.

The state has already fined that facility $20,000 over this incident, which is one of three violations it was recently penalized for.

 

Oxnard Home Blamed for Death

The family of a woman who died at an Oxnard nursing home is suing that facility, claiming that neglect of the seventy-four-year-old patient, who had difficulty moving without help, led to her death.

Her family says she was admitted with mobility issues but that the home failed to monitor or treat her properly, leading to a series of new problems. The facility’s disregard for her health allegedly led to respiratory failure, pneumonia, the need for a feeding tube, and other complications and injuries.

At the time of her death, the suit alleges, she was undernourished and dehydrated, had terrible bed sores, and was in excruciating pain.

 

Inability to Provide Care an Issue

In yet another case, a Thousand Oaks facility has been accused of accepting a terminally ill patient, even though it was unable to provide the care she needed and was not licensed to deliver the appropriate treatment. The victim’s daughter says the eighty-eight-year-old cancer patient needed twenty-four-hour care and that she was admitted despite the facility’s shortcomings—purely for profit.

In this case and the others above, the accused businesses deny all the allegations.

 

Orange County Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer

Elder abuse takes many forms, and it’s often not as extreme as the neglect and inadequate care at issue in the cases we described in this post. Senior citizens are sometimes abused psychologically or emotionally by those who have been trusted to care for them, and many are financially abused by someone who gains their trust.

Regardless of the specific type of abuse, when someone takes advantage of a vulnerable elderly person, it’s important to hold the abuser accountable. Kohan & Bablove Injury Attorneys has experience with nursing home abuse cases, and we offer every client a free consultation. Give us a call at 949.535.1341 or complete the form below to schedule an appointment.

close CONTACT US NO PRESSURE. SPEAK TO AN ATTORNEY. NO HIDDEN FEES.
Call (949) 535-1341
Request a Consultation