Four of the six members of the rising San Diego band, A City Serene, remain hospitalized following a tragic accident that occurred on Interstate-5 in Central California. The accident occurred when a truck lost control, became airborne, and struck a car before slamming into the side of group’s tour bus. All six band members were seriously injured and had to be airlifted to nearby Central Valley Hospitals. While two members were just released, two of the band members still remain in critical condition fighting for their lives. The other two remain hospitalized in serious condition.
According to eye-witnesses, after striking the center divide, the truck soared approximately 100 feet in the air, first striking a Honda Civic and then slamming into the side of the tour bus, causing the bus to roll. The bus was then struck again, by a car. The six band members, identified as Carly Baker (19), Kris Renfro (19), Xander Bourgeois (20), Marc Koch (20), Mike Buxbaum (20), and Michael Sherman (22), were attended to at the scene but had to be life-flighted from the scene of the accident for emergency care due to the serious extent of their injuries.
The San Diego based band had just recently left for its first tour, promoting its new release, and had only play 2 of its 17 scheduled shows. At the time of the accident, the band was traveling to San Jose where it was scheduled to play its next event. Upon returning to San Diego in October, the band was scheduled to play a homecoming event at Soma. Rather than cancelling the October 3, 2009 scheduled concert, the event will now be held as a benefit for the band, to raise money for the band members and their families who are all facing mounting medical expenses.
Trucking related accidents like this are not uncommon, especially on the open Interstate Highways that navigate throughout California. In 2008, the lawyers at Berman & Riedel, LLP handled a very similar case where a group of 9 young adults from a local San Diego church were traveling together, also heading up Interstate-5 on the Grapevine, on their way attend the wedding of a fellow church member. While stopped on the side of the freeway in the emergency lane attending to a minor mechanical problem, a big-rig truck crossed into the emergency lane, striking the parked van and its occupants from behind and sending the van off the side of the freeway. Several of the occupants were seriously injured, two having to be life-flighted for emergency medical attention.
Shortly following that accident, the firm was retained by family members to represent the most seriously injured passenger, a young woman who sustained a serious closed head injury in the accident. In the legal case that was initiated by Berman & Riedel, LLP, thorough investigation was conducted and it was discovered that the driver had a history of prior accidents, yet was allowed to continue as a driver for the company. With extensive past medical bills, future medical bills, and an inability to work as before, the attorneys with the firm helped to prove liability against the trucker and his company, whereupon a significant settlement was reached in order to help the injured client pay for all of her required future medical care as well as establish a comfortable financial reserve to assist her based upon her inability to obtain full-time employment.
Tragic accidents like these often result in serious injuries, thereby changing the lives of victims and their families. The costs of medical care is enormous, and the ability of the victims to satisfy past and future care and treatment can be daunting. If you or a loved one have been injured in a trucking related accident, you may want to contact a personal injury attorney who has experience handling these types of case, where you can discuss your options for appropriate legal recovery. Led by top AVVO rated attorney William M. Berman (AVVO 10.0 rating) and firm managing partner, the attorneys at Berman & Riedel, LLP have extensive experience in handling these types of trucking related cases and can be contacted at www.bermanlawyers.com or by calling (858) 350-8855. Initial case consultations are always both confidential and free of charge.
