Santa Monica Personal Injury Law Blog

Approximately one year ago, former San Diego Chargers linebacker Junior Seau committed suicide. While the death was tragic, his act has led to significant research into, and discussion about, football brain injuries. It is now believed that Seau’s depression may have been caused by concussions he suffered while playing pro football.

Medical analysis of Seau’s brain found that he suffered from chronic traumatic encephalopathy, CTE. CTE is a degenerative brain illness that is caused by severe concussions as well as multiple mild concussions, or repeated hits to the head. The brain disease has been linked to memory loss as well as depression. And it is that depression that many believe caused Junior Seau’s death.

Authorities believe that street racing caused the death of a 57-year-old man in South Los Angeles last weekend. According to police, the man was crossing Compton Avenue when a vehicle traveling at high speeds hit him.

The driver was an 18-year-old man who appeared to be racing another car. According to the Los Angeles Police Department, he has confessed to speeding and is being held on vehicular manslaughter charges.

Compton Avenue is a popular location for street racing among teenagers and young adults. Unfortunately, it can take a serious or fatal accident before street racers realize the consequences of their actions.

Nissan Motor Co. will begin a recall of 19,258 of its 2013 Infinity JX and Pathfinder crossover vehicles next month for potential brake defects. According to Nissan, the front brake torque members on those vehicles may have been subjected to improper casting, making them weaker and subject to cracks. Those cracks can decrease the effectiveness of the brakes and, as a result, cause accidents.

Owners of Pathfinder crossovers and Infinity JX vehicles built between December 3, 2012 and January 29, 2013 should bring their vehicles into Nissan dealers for inspection in May. Nissan will replace any defective front torque members.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is considering adding car safety ratings for older drivers and rear-seat passengers / children. The ratings would be part of its New Car Assessment Program (NCAP), which offers five-star safety ratings on a variety of measures.

Car Safety Ratings For Older Drivers

Older drivers and vehicle occupants are more likely to be seriously injured or die in car accidents than younger drivers. In fact, older drivers have the highest death rate of all age groups in serious car accidents.

That is why the NHTSA would like to help seniors understand which cars are the safest for "silver drivers." Yet, would labeling cars as "safe for seniors" make seniors more apt to purchase them? The director of safety advocacy and research for AAA, Jake Nelson, thinks otherwise. "Seniors don't typically want 'older people' cars," he said, noting that it may be better to focus on the best safety features, rather than the best cars overall.