Recent Blog Posts in July 2010

This week in San Diego, a jury decided to award a mother and her daughter $11 million dollars.  The pair was awarded the money after they were seriously hurt during an auto accident with a Pizza Hut delivery driver.  According to reports, the driver had a seizure right before the accident occurred in November of 2008.

After deliberating for two hours, the jury awarded damages to 87 year old Olena Novak and 62 year old Shari Novak.  The jurors found that Pizza Hut was negligent in hiring the driver.

James Yukevich, lawyer for the pizza company, said that the driver did not know she was suffering from a "complex seizure disorder" until after the accident had occurs.

Reports indicate that Olena suffered a broken neck and that Shari suffered permanent brain damage and can no longer care for herself.

Hurt in an auto accident?  If so, contact our law office and set up a time to consult with a San Diego personal injury attorney.

This Saturday, it is reported that a woman died from her injuries after being involved in a single-boat accident.  The boating accident allegedly occurred near Captain Hiram's Resort and the woman was the wife of Highlands County Commissioner Jeff Carlson, who was driving the boat.

Police say that 39 year old Julie Carlson died on Sunday after the boat she was on hit a sign about 100 yards east of the resort.  At this time, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission are looking into the case.  They say that there was evidence that alcohol was on the boat.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission reports that the accident occurred on Saturday at around 10:00 PM when the 22 foot boat accelerated and struck a piling that caused Julie Carlson to hit the piling or sign.

When the boat returned to the dock for help, Julie was flown to the hospital for treatment. 

If you were injured during a San Diego boating accident, contact us to discuss your case with a San Diego personal injury lawyer.

The Sacramento Bee recently reported that one of the largest elder abuse verdicts ever awarded has been upheld by a Superior Court judge.  In a nursing home abuse lawsuit filed against Horizon West HealthCare, a $29 million verdict was awarded to the plaintiff.  The lawsuit resulted from the 2005 death of a resident at Horizon West HealthCare. 

According to reports, the deceased was named Francis Tanner and she had retired from a life of public service with both the FBI and IRS before arriving at Horizon in 2005.  While staying at the Facility, Tanner suffered a fall that led to her suffering a broken hip, which went undiagnosed by the facility for days.  Eventually, after being bedridden and receiving inadequate care, she died from an infected bed sore.  These types of sores are preventable and commonly occur when there is nursing home neglect.

During the trial, evidence revealed that the facility was understaffed and violated state laws which mandated a minimum number of care hours.  For this reason, a $29 million verdict was awarded after a jury decided that the plaintiff should be given $800,000 for pain and suffering and $28 million in punitive damages.

However, Horizon West HealthCare challenged the verdict was too high, only to have the verdict upheld by a Superior Court judge who said, "this was an overwhelming case. It does not deserve to be retried. That would be a travesty."

Contact us today to speak with a San Diego personal injury attorney about your nursing home abuse case!

This Monday morning, a boy from Lincoln Park, Illinois was found dead in his home, say area police.  The boy's death is believed to have been caused by multiple dog bites.

The Wayne County Medical Examiner's office conducted an autopsy after the boy's mother found him upstairs in his room mutilated.  The boy, Kyle Holland, died from crush wounds and sustained bites to the face, head, neck, shoulder, chest, left arm and his legs.

At this time, police report that they will continue investigating the incident and that they have not made any arrests in connection with the boy's death.  Authorities took two dogs from the boy's home, a 35 Labrador mix and a 90 pound husky/German Sheperd mix.  Both dogs belong to the mother's live-in boyfriend.

If you have suffered injuries from a dog bite in San Diego, now is the time to work with a San Diego personal injury lawyer.  To receive counsel from a lawyer, contact our law office now!

What is a toxic tort case?
A toxic tor case is a very unique type of personal injury lawsuit.  When people file toxic torts, the defendants are companies that manufacture or supply chemical products that have caused serious toxic injuries.  In order to move forward with lawsuits, plaintiffs need to prove that there is a connection between their suffering injuries and exposure to toxic chemicals, which can be extremely difficult to do.

What injuries can stem from exposure to toxic chemicals?
When people have been exposed to chemicals that are toxic in nature, they can suffer from a vast array of injuries and diseases.  Some of these dangerous diseases include:  cancer, lung disease, blood disease, respiratory disease and Mesothelioma.  People usually develop these diseases and injuries after inhaling, ingesting or absorbing toxins.

Have you been harmed by toxic chemicals?
If so, you may be able to file a toxic tort.  The key to your success, however, is hiring a San Diego personal injury attorney that has handled these types of cases in the past.  Contact our law office to learn more!

There are two main diseases that are known to be caused by exposure to asbestos.  Below, each of these diseases is explained:

§  Mesothelioma:  this is the most common disease that results from exposure to asbestos.  Mesothelioma can be fatal and is a deadly condition that causes the parenchymal tissue in people's lungs to become inflamed.  This prevents blood/air exchange and can be life-threatening.

§  Lung Cancer:  when people are exposed to asbestos, they can develop lung cancer.  While developing lung cancer is fairly rare after asbestos exposure, it can happen and may result when people are exposed to brown or blue asbestos.

If you suffered an asbestos injury due to another person's negligence in San Diego, it is important that you discuss your injury with a San Diego personal injury lawyer as soon as possible.  In some cases, you may be entitled to compensation.  Contact our firm now to set up an initial case evaluation.

In San Diego, an 18 year old sailor had to be hospitalized after hitting a guardrail. 

Reports indicate that during an auto accident, the sailor suffered severe injuries.  Sonar Technician (Surface) 3^rd Class Douglas M. Hill lost one leg as it was seriously injured below the knee.  Authorities say that Hill also had to have his other leg amputated.

The California Highway Patrol reports that Hill was driving a 1998 Ford Mustang on Interstate 5 at approximately 2:00 PM.  While driving, his car crossed three lanes of traffic and then smashed into a metal guardrail, eventually flipping over completely. 

CHP investigators say that Hill had been speeding at the time of the collision and witnesses report that he was racing other cars during the crash.  One investigator said, "We are looking at different aspects of the investigation… we are not classifying it as a speeding type of accident as of yet."

Investigators have yet to speak with Hill about his accident and are still interviewing witnesses. 

If you have been injured in an auto accident in San Diego, now is the perfect time to consult with a San Diego personal injury lawyer.  Contact our law office now!

In a trial for a woman that stands accused of killing four people in northern San Diego during an auto accident, the jury has told the judge that they are deadlocked.  

Superior Court jurors sent a note to the judge this week, which prompting the defendant's (Deanna Fridley) attorney to ask for a mistrial.   In the mean time, prosecutors are trying to have a lone holdout juror replaced.

If she is convicted, Fridley will face life imprisonment as she was charged with four counts of second-degree murder.  According to prosecutors, the auto accident was caused because the 26 year old had been driving under the influence of methamphetamine on state Route 76.  Her car hit another vehicle and burst into flames after killing four people.

Many things can cause car accidents, however, driving under the influence happens to be a leading cause.  If you were hit by a drunk driver, you owe it to yourself to obtain help from a San Diego personal injury lawyer by contacting our legal team today!

On Friday, both a driver of a car and a pedestrian suffered injuries during separate traffic accidents, say police.

The first accident took place before noon in Kearny Mesa.  According to officers, a man driving a Mercedes on Ruffin Road failed to stop at a red light.  This led to his vehicle crashing into a 1996 Jeep that was heading eastbound on Chesapeake.  The Jeep flipped over from the impact and its driver had to be taken to the hospital to receive treatment for a serious head injury.

At 1:30 PM, another accident occurred in downtown San Diego.  Police say that a woman in a 2000 Toyota 4-Runner was driving north on 2^nd Avenue and making a left hand turn when she caused a pedestrian accident.  The man she struck suffered a head injury and a broken femur, but his injuries were not classified as being serious.

Authorities report that alcohol did not play a role in either accident.

Being injured by the negligence of another person is a serious matter that deserves serious legal representation.  If you are a victim of negligence in San Diego, contact our legal team and speak with a San Diego personal injury lawyer.

On Tuesday night, police told news sources that a San Diego woman has been arrested for suspicion of murder and driving under the influence.  The woman is connected to a fatal car accident that took place in April which led to the death of 95 year old Stevens Benjamin Friedman as well as the injuries of two others.

47 year old Melanie Rebecca Flores was placed under arrest by Coronado police at 7:30 PM on Tuesday.  She stands accused of driving while intoxicated on April 21, 2010.

During the accident, Flores hit two vehicles, injuring the vehicles' drivers and Friedman who was in the front passenger seat of one car.  He allegedly died of a blunt-force injury to his chest. 

Flores' arraignment took place this week Thursday.   Due to the serious injuries she suffered, Flores' arrest had been delayed by police.

Were you hurt during an auto accident in San Diego?  Contact us to speak with a San Diego personal injury attorney about your case.