Lorretta Deniz, a 22-year-old woman died of injuries she suffered in a California car accident in Sutter County the night of July 4, 2009. According to a news report in the Sacramento Bee, Deniz was driving east on Colusa Highway near Drexler Road when she crossed the center line and into oncoming traffic. She then, apparently swerved and overcorrected ending up in the wrong lane again, California Highway Patrol officials said.

The front left end of Deniz's Chevrolet hit the front of a Ford van driven by Adolfo Jimenez, 23. The van rolled over on impact. Nine out of the 11 people in the van suffered injuries. Most were not wearing seatbelts, officials said. Jimenez suffered a broken leg. Other van passengers suffered spine and pelvic fractures. A 6-month-old girl, who was not in a car seat, was taken to an area hospital with a skull fracture. A passenger in Deniz's car escaped with minor injuries.

My heart goes out to the family of Loretta Deniz for their tragic loss. I offer my deepest sympathies to them. I also wish all the injured victims the very best for a speedy and complete recovery. Please keep them in your prayers.

There are obviously several unanswered questions here. Why did Deniz lose control of her vehicle? This news report does not say whether she was under the influence or had fallen asleep at the wheel. Did a mechanical malfunction or a defective product in her Chevrolet cause her to lose control of her vehicle. While it is unfortunate and sad that a majority of the Ford van's occupants were not wearing seatbelts, I would also look into whether auto product defects including design defect made the van unstable on impact. Ford vans are notorious not only for their instability but also for various auto product defects including tire failure, roof crush and seatbelt restraint system failure.

Deniz's family as well as the injured occupants of the Ford van would be well advised to consult with an experienced California personal injury lawyer who is particularly adept at handling auto products liability cases. In such cases, it is always a good idea to preserve the vehicles in their current state, unaltered, so they can be thoroughly examined by an expert for product defects, mechanical malfunction and other evidence.

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