Anchorage Personal Injury Lawyer - Automobile Accidents - Most Popular

Mother Runs Over Daughter Inflicting Serious Injury

Mike Schneider — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 18:43:15 GMT

Minutes after she turned 49, Maidie Maillelle climbed into her pickup truck. She was too drunk to drive. Her daughter, Tammy Maillelle, tried to stop her, but Maidie ran her down. The incident happened in Grayling, Alaska this morning. Maidie is now under arrest and facing serious criminal charges. Her daughter was medivaced to Bethel for surgery with life threatening injuries. These facts raise interesting issues under Alaska law.

If Maidie is convicted of DUI, or assault, she will be conclusively presumed to be "negligent" in any civil case brought by Tammy against her. She will be conclusively presumed to be liable for 100% of Tammy's attorney fees incurred in the civil case. The civil jury will get to decide how much in punitive damages can be awarded against her.

If Madie or the truck was insured, Tammy should receive the liability limits. If the insurance company doesn't pay, and the case goes before a jury, the jury will be told of that the insurance company is the real party in interest. If Tammy is a resident and related to the named insured, and "exhausts" the liability limits, she will also have a claim for the Underinsured motorist coverage limits.

Because of likely difficulty in finding coverage and recovering from any exposed insurance carrier, Tammy will need the help of an attorney experienced in handling such problems.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Mike Schneider

Jeffrey Morgan Dies of Crash Injuries

Mike Schneider — Sat, 31 May 2008 23:42:48 GMT

At 17, Jeffrey Morgan likely thought he would live forever. But his life and dreams were stolen from him last Tuesday night. At mile 95 of the Seward Highway, the 15 year old driver of the vehicle he was riding in lost control. The vehicle rolled. Jeffrey Morgan sustained serious injuries and died in the presence of his family last Friday. It won't bring Jeffrey back, but his parents have claims for his pre-death pain and suffering, and his wrongful death, against the driver, and against their own underinsured motorist coverage. They should discuss this sad set of facts with a good attorney.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Mike Schneider

Death During Drug Deal Could Lead to Civil Claims

Mike Schneider — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 01:12:00 GMT

Brenda Baehm, 42 died recently in Anchorage when she was run over by a vehicle operated by Cora Williams, 37. Williams claims she wasn't trying to hit Baehm, who had been allegedly trying to buy drugs from Williams' passenger, Sarah Savage-Williams, 37. Baehm's family has wrongful death claims that can be brought against Williams, and possibly Savage-Williams, and if Ms. Baehm had uninsured or underinsured motor vehicle insurance, claims can likely be made against that coverage as well. The family should contact an attorney knowledgeable in such matters as soon as possible.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Mike Schneider

Three Men Killed In Dimond Car Accident

Chrissie Cole — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 23:21:00 GMT

Three men killed in a car accident Friday night, were identified Saturday, according to Anchorage police.

The three men were riding in one of the two vehicles involved in the crash. They were identified as James Breslin, 41, of Oklahoma, Ronald Staggs, 45, of Montana and Jeffrey Gardinier, 49, of Colorado.

Witnesses told police that the Mustang, owned by Staggs, was headed west on Dimond at a high rate of speed when it appeared to lose control and jumped a median just west of Arctic Blvd.

The Mustang collided with a Chevy pickup carrying a family of four, said police. They were treated for non-life threatening injuries. The investigation is ongoing.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Chrissie Cole

Seward Highway Crash Causes Death and Serious Injury

Mike Schneider — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 23:50:29 GMT

Don Setters of Eagle River was heading home on the Seward Highway near Summit Lake July 3rd, when he crossed the center line and struck an oncoming vehicle operated by JoeAnna Hoogland of Chugiak. Hoogland's vehicle rolled several times. She was seriously injured. Setters lost his life in the violent crash. Those in the Hoogland vehicle can first try to recover for their losses by claiming against Setters' liability coverage. When that is used up, they will need to make claims against whatever underinsured motorist coverage was in place on the Hoogland vehicle. There may be other sources of underinsured motorist coverage as well. People in the Hoogland vehicle will need the help of an experienced attorney to find and recover the various insurance policy limits that may apply to this terrible crash.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Mike Schneider

Woman Ejected From Car Has Claims Against Driver

Mike Schneider — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 01:06:10 GMT

Kenneth Christenson, 51, was unhappy with his girlfriend and passenger. He forced her out of the moving vehicle at about mile 133 of the Parks Highway, drug her for some distance, and beat her, according to police. He has been charged with assault and driving while under the influence. The 25 year old woman has claims she can make against her drunk driver boyfriend. Even though his conduct may be found to be criminal, liability insurance on the vehicle he was driving, and/or her own uninsured or underinsured motorvehicle coverage should respond to her claims.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Mike Schneider

Three Killed and Two Seriously Injured in Parks Highway Crash

Mike Schneider — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 00:58:00 GMT

It was the fourth of July and they were only two miles from their destination. But they car they were in left the road and rolled. Dead are three 21-year-olds; William Bradley, Nathan Pollard and Jerry Luzzi, all of California. Seriously injured are 20-year-old Matthew Holmes and 19-year-old Christopher Niles, both of Michigan. All were ejected from the vehicle. They were working seasonal jobs for the McKinley Princess Wilderness Lodge.

It is not likely that there will be enough insurance on the crash vehicle. Once the driver is identified, the others will have claims against the liability coverage. Once that coverage is used up, the non-driver occupants can make claims against the Underinsured Motorist coverage on the crash vehicle. But whether further Underinsured motorist coverage claims can be made is a complex questions, turning, in part, upon the law of the states where the victims reside. The injured and the families of the dead will need the help of an experienced personal injury attorney to obtain any measure of justice as a result of this tragic crash.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Mike Schneider

Driver in Ketchikan Fatality Won't Be Charged

Jane Schneider — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 00:46:44 GMT

The driver, Robert Elliott, 39, of a "Ketchikan Duck Tour" vehicle won't be criminally charged as a result of a pedestrian collision that took the life of Californian, Myong S. Thayer last summer. Thayer stepped in front of the vehicle while it was stopped on the dock. She was standing in its blind spot. She died at the scene of the serious injuries she sustained when the vehicle was moved forward. Despite the lack of criminal charges, Thayer's personal representative can state a claim for Thayer's wrongful death. It can be argued that "blind spots" on

commercial vehicles shouldn't be tolerated, especially when those vehicles will be used around congested areas full of pedestrians unfamiliar with the surroundings or the unusual amphibious tour buses. Mirrors and other cheap fixes for this foreseeable risk of serious injury and death abound. It can be argued that Alaska Amphibious Tours, the operator of the bus, was negligent in not eliminating the "blind spot" risk on its vehicles.

For more information on this subject, please refer to the section on Car and Motorcycle Accidents.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jane Schneider

Head-On Collision Kills Five in Chicago

Jenny Albano — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 12:18:57 GMT

A man driving the wrong way down an interstate collided with another vehicle killing five people, including himself on Sunday, October 28. The tragic car accident shut down all lanes of Interstate 290 for over three hours.

"A man was driving a Volvo westbound in the eastbound lanes when he collided head-on with a BMW carrying four people. The BMW then burst into flames -- almost an explosion. It was also hit by a van that couldn't stop in time," said Illinois State Trooper Ivan Bukaczyk.

The driver of the Volvo was identified as 29 year-old Frederick Sy and the driver of the van escaped death with only minor injuries.

Bukaczyk said troopers were able to contact the family of the Volvo driver, but not those of the people who had been in the BMW. He said friends who had been traveling in another vehicle told troopers the four were members of a family from Mexico and had no known close relatives in the U.S.

Some witnesses of the crash said the driver of the Volvo may have surpassed speeds of 100 mph, but authorities have not confirmed this yet.

For more information on this subject, please refer to our section on Car and Motorcycle Accidents.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jenny Albano

No Seat Belt Worn by Driver In Fatal Crash

Jane Schneider — Fri, 14 Sep 2007 00:26:03 GMT

Tuesday, 9/11/07, the non-belted driver of a vehicle that crashed into the woods at mile 108 of the Seward Highway was found dead in his vehicle. The results of toxicology tests are pending. Alaska has a mandatory seat belt law.

For more information on this subject matter, please refer to the section on Car and Motorcycle Accidents.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jane Schneider