2011 January | Los Angeles Top Attorneys Blog: (310) 826-6300

Newport Beach Police Sued for Wrongful Death of Man with Bipolar Disorder

Jan 31

Los Angeles LawyerPersonal Injury, Wrongful Death Claim Los angeles wrongful death lawsuits 1 Comment

The city of Newport Beach is currently being sued by a woman after an erroneous arrest led to the suicide of her husband while in jail.

Four claims were filed by Sandy Wedgeworth and family members after 43-year old William Robert Wedgeworth, who has a bipolar disorder, hung himself with bedsheets in a Newport Beach Police Department jail cell last July 31. Earlier that day, William was arrested on suspicion of spousal abuse however, Sandy claimed that she wanted her husband to get psychiatric help but not be arrested. In her 9-1-1 call, she requested emergency medical aid for her husband, who was having a “manic episode”.

She reportedly told police that she wanted her husband to be hospitalized under California’s Welfare & Institutions Code 5150, which states that any person who is a danger to themselves or others should be put in 72-hour detention for observation. Back in Aug. 28, 2009, police allegedly responded to a similar incident and her husband was hospitalized.

Mother Arrested in Suspected DUI Crash Which Killed Daughter

Jan 28

Los Angeles LawyerCar Accident, DUI, Personal Injury 2 Comments

Every 45 minutes, one person is killed by a drunk driver.

Take for example, in Temacula, a 41-year old mother of 3 was arrested by the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department on suspicion of murder and 3 counts of DUI causing injury after a fatal crash that killed her own daughter and injured her children.

Karen Honeycutt was driving the family SUV around 3 PM at Redhawk and Vail Ranch parkways when she inexplicably lost control over the vehicle. According to the authorities, the SUV struck a tree before it slammed into a light pole and rolled over.

The impact of the crash ejected 9-year old Chloe Honeycutt and her 17-year old sibling who were both unrestrained by safety belts. Another sibling, an 8-year old wore his seat belt and did not get ejected. Chloe died while her siblings were sent to the Riverside County Regional Medical Center for their injuries.

The Sheriff’s officials have reported that the mother also suffered injuries but is already conscious in the hospital as the injuries aren’t life threatening. Although the investigation is just beginning, alcohol appears to be a factor in the crash hence the arrest.

Drowsy Driver Survives Train Collision After His Vehicle is Severed

Jan 21

Los Angeles LawyerCar Accident, Personal Injury, train accident drowsy driving, drunk driving, Personal Injury, train collision 2 Comments

An elderly driver in Pacoima was lucky to emerge without a scratch after his vehicle was struck and severed by a crossing Union Pacific cargo train.

It was reported that the car and train collision occurred at 1:15 A.M. when the man fell asleep behind the wheel and stopped in the middle of the railroad tracks.

According to the Los Angeles Police Department Valley Traffic division, the elderly driver drove his Hyundai Sonata past the caution arm of the train tracks. The impact of the crash ripped the car in half and the rear-half, with the driver still inside spun 180 degrees.

The tracks underneath the train got bent and buckled all the way to Sylmar because of the percussion which caused of wave of force that bent the tracks.

While the man was lucky enough to escape unscathed even after his vehicle was cut in half, the authorities arrested him on suspicion of drunk driving.

Martha Stewart Gets 9-Stitches From Dog Accident Injury

Jan 18

Los Angeles LawyerUncategorized 2 Comments

Looks like things at her own home aren’t ideal for Martha Stewart, who has been dubbed as “America’s goddess of domestic perfection”.

The 69-year old media mogul was sent to the hospital after sustaining a facial injury when her pet dog accidentally hit her. Allegedly, she was saying goodbye to her sleeping French bulldog Francesca when her pet reared up and struck her in the face.

The accidental “headbutt” split Stewart’s lip and in her blog she described the experience, “…she hit me in the face like a boxing glove hitting an opponent’s face. My neck snapped back. I felt a bit of whiplash as blood gushed forth from my split lip.”

Stewart called her daughter and then asked for a ride to the hospital from the police. A plastic surgeon Dr. William Nolan treated her. She received 9 stitches on her wound on her upper lip.

Children of Deceased Couple Awarded $14.4 million in Wrongful Death Suit

Jan 14

Los Angeles LawyerGeneral Negligence, Personal Injury, Wrongful Death Claim 2 Comments

In the case against Toyota for the wrongful death of CHP officer Mark Saylor and his family, a $10 million settlement was reached between the car company and the surviving family. However, a recent jury decision in San Diego eclipsed the settlement after it awarded $14.4 million to the surviving children of a couple killed in a 2006 car accident.

In the wrongful death lawsuit filed by Casey and Melanie Barber’s three young sons (who were 8,5, and 3 at the time of the accident), it claimed that Mossy Ford, a San Diego car dealership was negligent when it undertook repairs for Barber’s Ford E50 Sportsmobile van. It was argued that the damage to the tire could not have been fixed by an ordinary repair and that the dealership should have changed it instead of trying to repair it.

Huntington Beach Sued for Bicycle Accident Injuries

Jan 11

Los Angeles LawyerBicycle Accident, Personal Injury, Premises Liability Claims 1 Comment

A 56-year old Huntington Beach resident has filed a claim against the city after a serious bicycle accident near a railroad crossing because of a gap in the road.

The plaintiff, Eugene Grant Duke stated in his claim that he was riding his bike over railroad tracks on Springdale Street when the front tire of his bike got caught between two rubber surface mats causing him to get thrown head first into the concrete.

In his claim, he said that he suffered major injuries to his face that needed reconstructive surgery. His ocular cheek bones and right thumb got fractured and needed to be surgically repaired. Aside from stitches and multiple facial scars, he also claimed his vision has become impaired after the accident.

$2.2 Million Awarded To Patient in Faulty Hip Surgery

Jan 10

Los Angeles LawyerUncategorized 3 Comments

David Chao may be the team doctor of a popular football team and an orthopedic surgeon. He has operated on many pro athletes but his status does not excuse him from his liability towards his patients.

The 46-year old doctor was recently found negligent by an arbitration panel and ordered to pay $2.2 million to a former patient on whom he performed hip surgery on May 2007. The suit, which was filed on November 2008 alleged that Chao lacerated Kathleen Adams’ femoral artery, vein and nerve during the operation which resulted to chronic pain and a limp.