Source: San Bernardino County Coroner Office
CALICO, California – Michael J. Donofrio, 42, of Seal Beach died Saturday night in an off-road ATV motor-vehicle accident about a mile east of 36600 Ghost Town Road in Calico, according to California Highway Patrol and the San Bernardino Coroner’s press release.
Donofrio sustained upper body trauma in a 10:47 p.m. crash and was transported by paramedics to Barstow Community Hospital where he was pronounced dead at 11:43 p.m. The CHP is investigating the crash to determine its cause.
The popularity of off-road vehicles continues to rise as do the number of injuries sustained by those who enjoy them. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission there were 310 reported deaths and 115,000 emergency room treated injuries to riders of ATV’s in the United States in 2010. The number of children under 16 years old reported killed on these motor vehicles was 55 or 17% of the total deaths for the year. There were also 28,300 injuries reported to children under 16 or 25% of the total.
“Indeed ATV’s have become a fast-growing weekend sport among Californians and others,” said Attorney West Seegmiller, founder of the Seegmiller Law Firm in Irvine. “There were some 400,000 ATV’s in operation in 1985, but the latest statistics show there are now some 9.2 million in operation throughout the United States.”
Police investigate every car accident involving a death to determine the cause of a crash, Seegmiller explains. The investigation will seek to find out whether there was any criminal activity involved, another driver, alcohol, distractions, dangerous conditions or recklessness on anyone’s part.
“Families of victims killed in car accidents not only have to cope with the loss of a loved one, but later their lives may be forever changed due to the loss of income and other costs,” said Seegmiller. “The victim of any accident deserves a full investigation into the incident to determine the cause and whether anyone is responsible.”
If you have lost a loved one in a car accident we know that this is a difficult time. We offer our condolences to the family and friends of the victim. For roughly 30 years, the legal experts at Seegmiller Law Firm have represented hundreds of clients who were injured in serious traffic accidents or have lost a loved one.
Our legal team has also handled hundreds of wrongful death claims for families of victims killed in traffic accidents on or off the road. Our staff is compassionate and understands the pain its clients are going through. We know that this is a difficult time for those who have been injured and for the families of those who have been killed.
There is no cost to clients until our experienced team of lawyers and legal professionals have won your case. Finding the best car accident attorney can mean you will get the settlement you need to get your life back on track. Compensation for your injuries, loss of wages and pain and suffering can’t take away the trauma of the accident, but it can help you rebuild your life.
Call us today at 1-855-ASK WEST to speak with our car accident law firm. Seegmiller Law Firm has offices in California including its headquarters in Irvine. We also have offices outside of Orange County to serve you in Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Riverside and in Las Vegas, Nevada.
