Authorities have identified a girl who died in a Riverside car accident as 17-year-old Lisel J. Wiedemann. This horrific car accident, which occurred the night of November 15, 2009 killed Lisel and injured four others. The Desert Sun reports that all the injured victims were in a Dodge Caliber, which was traveling east on Highway 74 near Palm Desert when the vehicle veered off the roadway, went down an embankment and overturned on to its roof. California Highway Patrol officials say drugs or alcohol were not involved.

Lisel was apparently the rear middle passenger in the Dodge. Other injured victims were: Joseph Nichol, 18, suffered collapsed lungs, a broken back and a brain injury; Raul Gonzalez, 18, sustained facial and back injuries; Lydia Lee Emer, 18, who was driving the crossover vehicle sustained injuries to her face and arm; and a fourth passenger, an unidentified 17-year-old girl, sustained arm and head injuries.

I offer my deepest condolences to the family and friends of young Lisel Wiedemann for their untimely loss. I wish all the injured victims the very best for a speedy and full recovery for their injuries. Some of them do have a long road to physical and emotional recovery. Please keep these injured teens in your prayers.

Car Accidents in Riverside

Five deaths and 233 injuries were reported in Palm Desert as a result of car accidents in 2007, according to California Highway Patrol's 2007 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS). Countywide, car accidents claimed 279 lives and injured 9,925 in 2007, according to the CHP report.

The question here is why Lydia Emer lost control of the Dodge. Was there malfunction or auto product defect in the Dodge, which caused it to go out of control? I would look into whether there was a dangerous condition on the roadway or if any other vehicles were involved. I'd also be curious to learn whether other vehicle defects such as poor roof strength, played a part in the serious injuries that resulted from this crash.

Did Auto Product Defects Play a Part?

In such cases, victims or their families would be well-advised to seek the counsel of a reputed California personal injury lawyer who has successfully handled auto products liability cases against large auto makers. In any auto product defect case, the vehicle itself is the main piece of evidence. So, it is extremely important to make sure that the vehicle is preserved in its current condition, unaltered, so it can be examined for malfunctions, defects and other evidence.

We are not representing any of the parties mentioned in this article at the time the article was posted. Our information source is cited in the article. If you were involved in this incident or a similar incident and have questions as to your rights and options, call a reputable law firm. Do not act solely upon the information provided herein. Get a consultation. The best law firms will provide a free confidential consultation to "not a fault" persons named in this article and their family members.

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