Workers Compensation Attorney Orange County California

Report questions salaries in 3 upscale OC cities

The Los Angeles Times says the Orange County Grand Jury questioned whether officials in Newport Beach and Laguna Beach have more high-paid workers per capita.

Laguna Beach, with a population of about 25,000, has 22 employees who earn $100,000 annually, and Newport Beach, population 86,000, has 60 such staffers, according to the report.

Officials in Laguna Beach and Newport Beach argue that they use city employees for services that other cities contract out and must provide services for tourists.

The grand jury singled out Laguna Hills City Manager Bruce Channing, who earns $378,000 annually, including benefits. The report says the average total compensation for a city manager is $281,699 with benefits.

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Information from: Los Angeles Times, http://www.latimes.

Police Officer Injured in Orange County Motorcycle Accident ...

A four-year veteran of the Cypress Police Department has been injured in an Orange County car accident after his motorcycle was struck by a vehicle making a left turn. According to a news report in The Orange County Register, the motorcycle accident occurred at the intersection of Lincoln Avenue and Cobblestone Way in Cypress, the evening of June 3, 2011. The officer was riding his motorcycle when a GMC pickup hit him. The officer suffered non-life-threatening injuries in the crash. It is unclear if the driver of the pickup will be cited for making a dangerous left hand turn.

My thoughts and prayers are with the police officer injured in this Orange County motorcycle accident. I wish the officer the very best for a complete and speedy recovery.

Motorcycle Accident Statistics

According to California Highway Patrol’s 2008 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), 10 people were injured in Cypress motorcycle accidents. During that same year, 35 fatalities and 801 injuries occurred as a result of Orange County motorcycle accidents .

Right-of-Way Issues

An investigation is underway to determine which motorist had the right of way here. The driver of the GMC was making a left turn at the time of the crash. Investigators will have to determine if the driver of the GMC made an unsafe left turn. Under California law, motorists making left turns or U-turns must yield right-of-way to approaching vehicles.

California Vehicle Code Section 21801 (a) states: "The driver of a vehicle intending to turn to the left or to complete a U-turn upon a highway, or to turn left into public or private property, or an alley, shall yield the right-of-way to all vehicles approaching from the opposite direction which are close enough to constitute a hazard at any time during the turning movement, and shall continue to yield the right-of-way to the approaching vehicles until the left turn or U-turn can be made with reasonable safety."

Fault and Liability

In this particular case, if the driver of the GMC is determined to have been at fault, he or she could be held liable for the officer's injuries and damages. Injured victims in such cases can seek compensation for medical expenses, loss of earnings, cost of hospitalization, physical therapy and other damages. If the officer was on the job at the time, he could also claim workers compensation benefits. An experienced Orange County personal injury lawyer will be able to better advise car accident victims about their legal rights and options.

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