Serious Injury Blog
by Chris Purcell, Attorney
Irvine Children’s Museum Promotes Road Safety
Posted by Chris Purcell on May 16, 2013
A children’s museum in Irvine, California offers local schools an opportunity to discuss road safety with children. Pretend City Children’s Museum is a non-profit organization located in Orange County that promotes critical thinking and hands-on education for children. In partnership with the Irvine police department, the museum offers road safety field trips in which children can learn about road rules, traffic laws, bicycle safety and much more. The museum has also hosted a Road Safety Day in the past. Sponsored by the Automobile Club of Southern California, the road safety event taught children how to safely monitor traffic signals and crosswalks.
Some statistics from the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) highlight the importance of teaching children about road safety. According to the NHTSA, motor vehicle traffic crash injuries are one of the leading causes of death for children in the US. Approximately 70,000 pedestrians were injured in 2010 traffic accidents. 20% of the injured pedestrians were children 14 years old or younger.
A Note from Chris Purcell
If a member of your family has been injured due to someone else’s negligence while walking or cycling, you may benefit from legal representation. I’m an Orange County personal injury attorney and I fight for justice for my clients. I also take a strong personal interest in my clients’ well-being, recovery, and health. You may reach out to me here to learn more about how I can help.
Chris Purcell of Purcell Law Selected As “Super Lawyer”
Posted by Chris Purcell on May 13, 2013
We are delighted to announce that attorney Chris Purcell has been selected as a Super Lawyer as of the year 2013. The designation of Super Lawyer is awarded to attorneys “who have attained a high-degree of peer recognition and professional achievement,” according to SuperLawyers.com. To be selected as a Super Lawyer, one must undergo a thorough ratings process involving over 10 factors, including peer nominations, peer evaluations and independent third party research.
The objective of SuperLawyers.com is to formulate a trustworthy roster of high-quality attorneys who can be used by both legal counsel and consumers in need of legal representation. The annual list is published within Super Lawyers magazine, a publication with a readership of over 13 million people. The list is also available in a free Super Lawyers Mobile App available for iPhone or Android.
As a lawyer who has fought for the rights of families struggling against powerful corporate interests and large insurance companies, Chris Purcell is very honored by this achievement. If you need a Super Lawyer on your side– someone who will stand up for justice and decency– you may contact him here for a free consultation.
California Lawmakers Consider Legal Limits for Impaired Driving
Posted by Chris Purcell on May 3, 2013
According to a new article from The Sacramento Bee, the state of Washington has established a legal threshold for driving under the influence of marijuana, a first in the United States. Washington voters passed an initiative in 2012 that establishes an impaired driving standard based on the amount of THC in a driver’s blood. THC is the psychoactive component found in marijuana.
The governing of marijuana in the state of California lags behind that of Colorado. A California Assembly committee recently advanced a proposed bill that would allow the state Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) to oversee medical cannabis dispensaries, while the state Supreme Court is deciding whether California cities can ban dispensaries. Senator Lou Correa of Anaheim, California has also proposed separate legislation that would make it illegal to drive with any detectable level of drugs in a driver’s system.
Driving under the influence is a serious threat to road safety. According to the California DUI Management Information System annual report, there were nearly 200,000 DUI arrests in the state of California in 2010. During that same year, there were almost 700 car accident fatalities involving drugged driving. I recently discussed the dangers of impaired driving in an infographic, Driving Under the Influence in California.
A Note from Chris Purcell
If you’ve been hurt in a car crash due to another driver’s impaired driving, you may be entitled to legal compensation. I’m an Orange County personal injury attorney and I fight for justice for my clients. I also take a strong personal interest in my clients’ well-being, recovery, and health. You may reach out to me here to learn more about how I can help.
New Infographic: Driving Under The Influence in California
Posted by Chris Purcell on April 26, 2013
Infographic: Driving Under The Influence in California
Previously I shared an infographic about Orange County car accidents and road safety on my blog. My new infographic, pictured above, examines a specific road safety issue: driving under the influence in California at nighttime and on weekends.
The infographic data was sourced from The California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS). As part of its mission to reduce car accident injuries and car crash fatalities, OTS commissioned a California roadside survey in 2012. Drivers were stopped at random at several sites throughout the state, including the city of Anaheim. The DUI infographic reveals some startling results of the survey.
- One in seven drivers tested positive for drugs in their system.
- Marijuana was the most common drug, found in approximately 40% of the positive tests.
- In addition to marijuana, some drivers tested positive for narcotics, sedatives, stimulants, and antidepressants.
- 20% of the positive drug tests showed that the drivers had multiple drugs in their system.
- 1 in 14 drivers tested positive for alcohol use.
Driving under the influence of alcohol, illegal drugs and/or prescription drugs can put drivers, passengers, pedestrians and cyclists at risk of serious injury or death. Please share this infographic with other California drivers because road safety is everyone’s responsibility.
A Note From Chris Purcell
If you’ve been hurt in an auto accident due to another driver’s impaired driving, you may be entitled to legal compensation. I’m an Orange County personal injury attorney and I fight for justice for my clients. I also take a strong personal interest in my clients’ well-being, recovery, and health. You may reach out to me here to learn more about how I can help.
FCC Hosts Distracted Driving Event
Posted by Chris Purcell on April 24, 2013
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) recently hosted a distracted driving technology showcase on April 19. Designed to help bring an end to distracted driving car accident injuries and fatalities, the showcase offered free admission to the public in Washington, D.C. The event featured cell phone carriers, law enforcement officials and technology companies actively working to reduce distracted driving accidents. According to the FCC, 18% of all fatal car crashes in 2010 involved distracted driving. Distracted driving also resulted in over 400,000 auto accident injuries during that same year.
One of the organizations in attendance at the showcase was Iconosys, an Orange County company located in Laguna Niguel that offers several mobile phone applications to prevent distracted driving. One of the apps automatically sends a notification to inbound callers and text message senders while the app user is driving. The app also offers date and time stamped recordings of photos and documents that the driver can use in the event of a car wreck.
A Note from Chris Purcell
Has a member of your family experienced a serious injury due to a car crash caused by someone else’s negligence in the Southern California area? I’m an Orange County personal injury attorney and I may be able to help. You may reach out to me here for more information.
