Category Archives: Wrongful Death

Electrician Dies in Huntington Beach Fire

Brandon Orozco died Monday in a horrific accident in an underground vault in Huntington Harbour.

Orozco was part of a five member crew conducting scheduled maintenance. A fire broke out at around 12:15 in the underground electrical vault. The underground electrical vault is located in the 16200 block of Tisbury Circle near Mistral Drive. It is located on Humboldt Island.

The fire broke out when electricity suddenly began flowing through the fault. Orozco was the only member of the crew in the fault at the time. There were no other injuries reported.

Orozco’s body was removed from the vault at around 5:15 p.m. on Monday. When firefighters arrive to the scene, there was heavy smoke coming from the vault. It took the Huntington Beach and Anaheim fire departments five hours to enter the vault and retrieve Orozco’s body. After the fire was put out, the rescue workers had to wait for Edison to cut off power before entering the vault. Rescue workers had to test the vault air samples to make sure there were no more explosives in the area. The body was then transported to the Orange County coroner’s office.

The crew was from CAM Contractors Inc., a Southern California Edison subcontractor. The crew was contracted to work in the vault during a scheduled five-hour power outage. This is when the fire started. 350 customers were without power until 7 a.m. Tuesday.

Branzon Orozco was a union lineman for about three years. He worked for various electrical contractors. Orzoco had only been with CAM Contractors Inc., for about two months. His death was the first for CAM Contractors Inc.

Orozco is survived by his family. The Orozcos will have a viewing from 5 to 6 p.m. and a rosemary prayer service from 6 to 7 p.m. on Sunday at Rose Hills Memorial park in Whittier. On Monday morning, there will be a mass held at St. Andrew’s Catholic Church in Pasadena. The burial will be at Rose Hills on Tuesday. Residents affected by the power outage are collecting donations to help the Orozco family pay for funeral costs. If you are interested in donating, contact Michelle Abawi at (951)551-3441.

The cause of accident is still being investigated. Huntington Beach Fire Department investigators, Cal-OSHA, Edison, and CAM Contractors Inc. are working together to discover the cause of the fire.

If you have ever lost a loved one due to another individual’s negligence, contact a Huntington Beach wrongful death lawyer.

Newport Beach Pays $1 Million in Suit

The city settled a lawsuit for more than $1 million.

In 2011, Haeyoon Miller, 29, was killed by a eucalyptus tree that fell on her car. The eucalyptus tree was 10 tons. It crushed the car and killed Haeyoon Miller. Miller sustained blunt force trauma and crushing injuries. She was pronounced dead at the scene. This horrific accident took place at Irvine Avenue and 17th Street. It has been Newport Beach’s responsibility to care for the trees on the public property.  Costa Mesa is also responsible for paying for part of the upkeep.

The tree had no obvious signs of disease. According to witnesses, the only warning sign was a creaking noise before the tree fell. The tree was a 50 foot tall blue gum eucalyptus. It was over 60 years ago. The deadly tree was one of 100 eucalyptus trees on Irvine Avenue. The city arborist found no evidence of disease when he first examined the tree. Other arborists and experts stated that the tree’s root system was decayed.

Haeyoon Miller’s parents filed a wrongful death claim against Newport Beach and Costa Mesa, in 2012. Hyun Myung Suk, Haeyoon’s mother, sought damages in excess of $10,000 from Newport Beach. She sought damages including the expenses for her daughter’s burial, funeral, and memorial.  Hyun Myung Suk also sought damages for the loss of care, comfort, support, and companionship. Her suit alleged that the city was negligent in its planting and maintenance of the trees. The claim also alleges that Newport Beach removed eucalyptus trees to conceal and destroy evidence. Sunyl Chung, Haeyoon Miller’s father, also filed claims against Newport Beach and Costa Mesa for an undisclosed amount. He alleged that the cities were negligent in the maintenance of the trees. He is seeking damages for the cost of Miller’s vehicle and medical and emergency services.

Costa Mesa was not held responsible for the trees and paid nothing to the plaintiffs. Newport Beach City Council approved two separate $500,000 payments to Haeyoon Miller’s parents. The tree contractor paid $50,000. Neither Newport Beach nor the contractor admitted to any fault or wrongdoing.

Haeyoon Miller was a Tustin Resident. She was an accomplished violinist who studied at Julliard School of Music. Miller had moved to American from Korea to attend Julliard. A year before her death she opened a sports-training studio for children in Costa Mesa. She was also a full time executive assistant at a mortgage firm. Miller was running a quick errand to the studio when she was killed.

This unfortunate accident left Miller’s family and friends emotionally scarred. If you have ever lost a loved one in an accident, contact a Newport Beach wrongful death lawyer.

 

 

Huntington Beach Detox Facility Shut Down

West Coast Detox Services has been shut down.

In April 2012, a man was found dead at the detox center. The cause of death is still unknown, but state investigators have found serious misconduct in the detox center. Allegations include rehab patients receiving highly-regulated drugs without prescription. The victim was allegedly one of the patients who received drugs without prescriptions. West Coast Detox has surrendered its license and shut down.

The victim was Jason Redmer, 28. He was found dead in the West Coast Detox and Treatment Center on a Monday morning. This center is located in a single-family home on Yale Circle in Huntington Beach. The center is located near an elementary school. Next to the center there is a sober living home.

The center is licensed to operate through 2013. It detoxifies addicts before sending them to treatment facilities. Neighbors have complained about the facility since it opened in 2011. Police reports include complaints of spotty supervision and drug paraphernalia. Before Jason Redmer’s death, Residents have demanded the center be shut down. Upset residents listed their complaints at a Huntington Beach City Council meeting a month before Redmer’s death. City officials were not able to shut down the center.

The center was created after Don Ramsey, the founder, lost an acquaintance due to addiction. Ramsey has stated that he has taken all the necessary steps to keep the addicts clean. He had even installed surveillance cameras. Patients were also subject to drug tests.  According to Ramsey, the drug paraphernalia discovered by neighbors belong to a patient. The patient had thrown it over a fence because he was afraid of being kicked out of the program.

West Coast Detox will give up its license by September 15. This decision was made due to an agreement with the Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs. There have been no other confirmed deaths or sickness since Redmer’s death.

This is an unfortunate story of an innocent young man. If your loved one had a similar story, you may want to contact a Huntington Beach wrongful death lawyer. It is incredibly painful to lose a loved one. If the loss was due to another individual’s negligence, the loss can be even more painful. A wrongful death lawyer can help you on your road to recovery. The right lawyer will help you build a case and hold those responsible their negligence.

O.C. Student Killed in Saddleback College Fire

A Saddleback College student who succumbed to burn injuries is suspected to have been the victim of arson, officials announced on Tuesday.

Officials found the 21-year-old in a lecture hall of the third floor at the college located at 28000 Marguerite Parkway in Mission Viejo after responding to a fire on Monday. Fire officials said he was the only person inside the classroom at the Business and General Studies building. Officials are not releasing his name until family is notified of the death.

Emergency officials rushed the student to Mission Hospital in Mission Viejo, where he was flown in critical condition to Western Medical Center Santa Ana to be treated at the hospital’s burn unit. That night he succumbed to the third and second degree burns he suffered at the school and died.

Tuesday, officials released a statement on the college website announcing that classes would resume in the first floor of the Business and General Studies Building but the second and third floors would remain off-limits to students.

Capt. Jon Muir of the Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA) said officials responded to initial reports on Monday that described the fire as coming from an air conditioning unit at around 6:40 a.m. The fire was under control by around 7:14 a.m. And no classes were in session during the fire.

Investigators with the OCFA reportedly suspect the fire was caused by arson and aided by some sort of substance used to feed the fire.  They estimated that approximately $400,000 in damages was caused by the fire, $200,000 of which was caused to the building’s structure. The building was closed down for the day.

The cause of the fire continues to be under investigation.

Accidents, whether they result in personal injury or wrongful death, also involve the family and loved ones of the victims. There is the accumulation of hospital bills, auto shop bills, and unexpected expenses that come after an accident; and someone has to pay for them. If the person that was injured is no longer able to provide for the family or loved ones, then they are stuck with the financial burden.

Call Dara Khajavi Law Offices at (877)782-3777 anytime; we are available 24/7. If you call now, you will get a free consultation.

We would like to work with you in obtaining compensation that can cover your expenses and get you living back to normal once again. Call (877)782-3777now for more information!

 

Santa Ana Car Accident Fatally Injured Pedestrian

A young driver that ran two red lights at excess speeds fatally injured a pedestrian in Santa Ana late Monday morning. The pedestrian died at the hospital moments after being hit and the driver was released shortly after being questioned, pending the investigation. Investigators were sent to the site and closed the intersection for more than three hours.

A woman who crossed First Street at Sullivan Street at around 10:45 a.m. was seriously hurt when a white Volkswagen sedan traveling eastbound on First Street slammed into her.

Authorities responded to the car accident where the pedestrian who was walking via the crosswalk was hit, Ana police Cpl. Anthony Bertagna told reporters.

Emergency respondents arrived to the scene and tended to the woman who was critically injured. They loaded her into an ambulance and rushed her to a nearby hospital, where she died a short time after.

Monday night, Orange County coroner’s office officials identified the pedestrian as Graciela Sanchez, a 56-year-old, of Santa Ana.

Authorities described the driver of the white vehicle as a licensed female in her 20’s. She remained at the scene and did not appear to be intoxicated.

Traffic light video footage from the First Street and Fairview Street cameras showed the eastbound driver crossing the intersection on a red light above the speed limit, at speeds over 60 miles per hour. Witnesses told officials that the driver also ran a red light at First and Sullivan streets, where she truck the woman who was in the crosswalk and “has the right-of-way,” Bertagna said.

Officials questioned the young driver who was later released pending the continuing investigation. They did not say if she was injured.

Investigators closed down the intersection and reviewed the scene. They took notes and collected essential evidence that would help them confirm what happened there earlier that day, including talking to willing witnesses and reviewing street light camera video recordings. At about 2:30 p.m. officials reopened the intersection.

Depending on the police report and other facts from the accident, a Santa Ana car accident lawyer would be able to help the family members of Sanchez.

At Dara Khajavi Law Offices, lawyers are available to speak with new clients regarding their OC car accident anytime. Available 24/7, including holidays, Daralaw.com can provide you with a free consultation. If you’ve been in an accident, don’t hesitate to contact them, but make sure you do so before your time limit to report an accident expires.