Can DUI Checkpoints Help Reduce Car Accidents during Memorial Day Weekend

Are DUI checkpoints effective?

We cannot say so but as expected, the number of car accidents and fatalities has risen during the Memorial Day weekend as in other holiday weekends.

Although this year’s statistics showed that the number of drunk-driving arrests has dramatically declined compared to past years, more than 1,233 DUI arrests were reported throughout California throughout the weekend, the California Highway Patrol reports revealed.

In fact, in San Diego alone, the arrests rose by about 10 percent compared to last year or 75 DUI arrests.

Over the years, the number of people injured in drunk-driving incidents during holiday weekends has increased. Unfortunately, many of these violators were found to be teenage drivers who have been out drinking and were allowed to take wheels.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, some of the common causes of teenage death in car accidents are the following:

• Overspeeding
• Drunk driving
• Flagrant violation of traffic laws

What is welcome news is that there were no recorded fatalities nationwide during the holiday weekend, a far cry from the way some holiday weekends are remembered – with crashes and collisions.

This year’s commemoration will bring change to those weekends marred by DUI accidents and senseless loss of lives. Instead we celebrate this day with a new sense of value to the countless men and women who died in the service of our country.

To pursue your claims in DUI-related car accidents and other accident-related issues, you can consult with our experienced California personal injury attorneys. You may dial our toll free number at 1-866-772-2889, or email us at info@mesriani.com for free case analysis.

OSHA Fines Employer with More than $1M for Exposing Workers to Asbestos

What’s the price of safety?

For the US Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), safety is a priceless possession and must be a major concern in the workplace. That is why the agency immediately issued penalties amounting to about $1, 247,400 to Illinois-based AMD Industries Inc. after it was found that the company had exposed five workers to cancer-causing asbestos in December 2010.
OSHA also issued 19 willful and eight serious health citations to the company after an inspection at its facilities, as recommended by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency.

According to a statement released in its website, OSHA investigators found that the company had an asbestos removal project using unprotected and untrained workers. The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency informed the Illinois Attorney General’s Office of the illegal removal and an action was enforced.
It was found later that the workers were exposed to materials containing about 20 to 50 percent asbestos.

OSHA investigators said the company failed to protect the health and safety of the workers when they sent them out to work without protective respirators or warned them of the risks to their health.

Under the law, a willful violation exists when there is either “an intentional disregard for the requirements of the law or plain indifference to employee health and safety”.

Similarly, a serious violation occurs when there is substantial probability of death or serious physical harm that could result from a hazard that the employer knew or should have known.

If you have issues involving workplace safety or work-related injuries, you can consult with our experienced Los Angeles employment and labor attorneys. Call us at 866-325-4529 and avail of our free case analysis

Cal/ OSHA and Work Safety Violations: Employer Sentenced to 1 Year for Employee’s Death

To know the importance of safety in the workplace, look at what happened to a California roofing contractor and his foreman, who was recently sentenced to one year in county jail for the death of an employee in January 2008.

“Safety first” is a common reminder posted in many workplaces. But despite this, serious accidents continue to occur, involving workers in various places of work.
The state Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) has again reminded California employers to provide necessary protections for their workers to prevent similar accidents.

What really happened?

According to a statement by the DIR, Antonio Martinez, 39, was one of the workers working at a roofing project at a four-story apartment building located at 646 Corbett Avenue in the Twin Peaks area of San Francisco, when he fell 38 feet to the sidewalk below.

After investigations, it was found that there were no safety measures in place at the worksite, which is a clear violation of Cal/OSHA regulations. It was also revealed that although the foreman was present to oversee the work, no workers were wearing a harness or any type of protection. Moreover, there were no railings, scaffolds or other barriers to prevent a fall nor written safety policies or training conducted as required by the agency.

As a result, the violations lead to the tragic loss of life for a worker.
If you are injured in an accident caused by workplace violations of safety regulations, you can consult with our experienced California employment and labor law attorneys. Call us at 866.325.4529 and avail of our free case analysis.

Faulty Electrical Vault: Modern-day Road mines in LA

Witness the evolution of modern-day land mine-- faulty electrical vault. It is no longer underneath, but right beside LA roads. It still has the same lethal elements, but has a subtle look of innocence. You cannot blame just anyone, but it can harm any passersby.

On Tuesday morning, an electrical transformer vault exploded near the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), injuring an oncoming Metro bus driver. The explosion even caused damage to the exterior of a nearby building at Westwood Boulevard and Weyburn Avenue.

Luckily, the bus driver didn't suffer amputated leg or arm, but minor injuries. There was also no fire that affected the facilities of UCLA. Minutes after, rescuers arrived at the scene and transported the driver to nearby hospital.
Los Angeles Police has notified the Department of Water and Power regarding the accident.

Should the bus driver have suffered serious injuries, liable parties will have to compensate the motorist’s medical expenses and loss income. Most likely, the government will face responsibility in the accident, and can enable the driver to recover damages. The bus driver can also file Worker’s Compensation claim to receive medical coverage.

As you can see, bus accidents occur even in the absence of a speeding or DUI fellow driver. It can happen while traversing a dangerous zone or in the presence of an unlikely power supply. Count the odds when heading downtown Los Angeles and pray there is no catastrophe waiting to happen on your vehicle.

Should you encounter a freak accident on Westwood, you can consult with a Personal Injury lawyer in Los Angeles to help you. Your Bus accident attorney will assist you on filing a lawsuit and asserting compensation for your losses.
You may call Mesriani Law Group number at 1-866-772-2889 toll free. You may also send an email at info@mesriani.com for free case analysis.

Kiss crash: Rocker Gene Simmons Daughter Injured in LA Chain Collision

Have you ever heard of a “Kiss crash”? It's a combination of rock and collision when approaching downtown Los Angeles. Seems like rock music and car driving was inherited by Gene Simmons' daughter as she crashed her Dodge Charger after partying in LA.

Sophie Simmons was on her way home from a Victoria's Secret event when a car rear- ended her vehicle. The accident caused two other collisions. Sophie was rushed to a local hospital for treatment of minor head injuries.

She escaped serious injuries because she wore her seatbelt, but still got hurt because her car’s air bags failed to deploy. It's better than a coma though.

Sophie showed how a “Kiss Crash” injury would look as she posted her pictures on Twitter. She tweeted followers that they are invited on her survival party at TRU Nightclub Hollywood. In response to the accident, her parents resorted to posting happy family photos.

Partying and driving at Los Angeles has often caused collisions and resulted to head injuries. More so, drivers who are drunk have been arrested for Driving Under Influence (DUI) and caused fatalities. Such negligent acts are prohibited under Personal Injury law and have corresponding penalties.

However, rock lasses can be difficult to tame especially at night on LA streets. Should you find yourself in a “Kiss Crash”, you can consult with a Personal Injury lawyer in Los Angeles to help you take legal action. You may call Mesriani Law Group number at 1-866-772-2889 toll free. You may also send an email at info@mesriani.com for free case analysis.

Celebrity Football Player David Beckham Escapes LA Crash Injuries

Glitz and glam will not be for Beckhams after a Los Angeles car crash. Even a stellar midfielder, David Beckham, can meet an accident on collision-prone 405 Highway.

The Los Angeles Galaxy's football icon was involved in a collision with a Mitsubishi car near Torrance. He was with his 12-year-old son Brooklyn, his passenger, and they were both unhurt after the crash.

Luckily, the Beckhams got away with the accident not just injury-free, but also ticket-free. It might be due to Beckhams prompt action to pull over and cooperate with police officers. Had he been stubborn like a posh celeb, he will surely next meet his wife behind bars.

The California Highway Patrol officers said Beckham's black Cadillac rear-ended the car and caused neck injuries to the driver. It was uncertain whether the highest-paid midfielder has made arrangements to cover the car driver's medical injuries.

If he chooses to provide such financial aid, he can prove his generosity and sense of responsibility, not just a stylish football hit.

Accidentally crashing your car onto a celeb millionaire is surely a lot better than with an uninsured motorist. A driver with insurance policy can help you pay hospital bills without the need to go on trial. However, should a Hollywood driver fails to compensate your bodily injuries; you can consult with a lawyer and pursue a Personal Injury lawsuit. Such legal action can help you assert payment for your losses.

For more information, you may visit http://www.mesrianilaw.com or call Mesriani Law Group at 1-866-325-4529 toll free. You may also send an email at info@mesriani.com for a free case analysis.

LAPD Sued for Sexual Orientation Discrimination and Harassment

While neither the Civil Rights Act of 1964 nor any other federal law prohibit discrimination based on an individual’s sexual orientation, some states such as California have taken the initiative in disallowing employment discrimination against gays and lesbians.

Under the Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), a person’s sexual orientation is considered a “protected characteristic”. All private and public employers within California are prohibited from discriminating, harassing, or retaliating against employees for their perceived sexual orientation regardless of whether they’re gay, lesbian, bisexual, or heterosexual.

However, in Los Angeles, the police department is being sued by a former police sergeant who worked in the Los Angeles Police District’s Media Relation Section, claiming that he was discriminated against, harassed, and retaliated on during his employment.

According to the lawsuit filed in Los Angeles Superior Court by Sgt. Ronald Crump, his supervisor Lt. John Romero repeatedly harassed him because he is a homosexual. He alleged that he was referred to by Romero as “the new Ruby minus the heels”, was even told that “I was a religion major at Liberty University. Jerry Falwell (a conservative televangelist who founded said school) would roll over in his grave if he knew I hired you.”

When Crump reported the harassment to Mary Grady, who oversaw the unit, Romero talked to him and said, “Don’t forget I hired you even though you’re gay.” Crump then elevated his complaint to Police Chief Bill Bratton in June 2009 but instead, he was transferred after his vacation to an “undesirable assignment”. He claims that he was denied promotions because of his complaint.

In response to Crump’s accusations, the city says that Crump’s transfer had nothing to do with his sexual orientation. Grady allegedly transferred him because he did not work well with Romero and that the change of his assignment did not affect his rank or pay.

Every employee, regardless of his race, national origin, religion, gender, disability, and in California, even sexual orientation, deserve to work in a workplace free from discrimination and harassment.

So if you have any questions about discrimination especially about sexual orientation discrimination, you may submit your queries or case for analysis to the website of the Mesriani Law Group at http://www.mesrianilaw.com or call them at their toll free number at 1-866-325-4529.