Pit Bulls Maul Baby, San Diego Mother Prosecuted for Neglect

Carrie McKinney, a 22-year old San Diego mother lost custody of her 7-month old baby boy and possibly will face criminal charges for neglect. Carrie left her baby boy strapped in a carrier on the floor at her friend’s place in Riverside County with two dogs. The dogs, a 5-year old pit bull and an 8-month old pit bull mix both females, bit the boy in the groin area and ripped apart the baby’s testicles. The baby has been admitted at Loma Linda University Medical Center for medical and surgical care and is with Child Protective Services. The owner of the pit bulls has agreed to euthanize the dogs.

Our office wishes the baby a quick recovery and a healthy life ahead. It is never advisable to leave babies unattended and the risk increases dramatically when there are dogs, especially dangerous dogs like pit bulls, or other animals around. Parents must be very careful when leaving their babies unattended, which can lead to serious and fatal injuries to their loved ones.…

San Diego Bus Accident Injures Nine People

Nine people were injured in a San Diego bus accident that occurred between a Metropolitan Transit System and a Mitsubishi Eclipse in the City Heights area of San Diego on March 24, 2010 around 3:40 p.m.

The car driver was apparently drunk and ran a red light at the University Avenue intersection with 37th Street. He then collided into the bus that was eastbound on the 37th Street. The car rammed into the bus just behind its front wheels which made the Eclipse spin. The drunk driver fled from the scene on foot. The collision caused back and neck pains to nine of the forty passengers.

Our office hopes for the young driver of the Eclipse is caught as soon as possible and prosecuted. He should be charged for such reckless behavior and for felony drunk driving causing injury. Driving while intoxicated is inexcusable, particularly when it causes serious injury.

We sincerely hope and pray that none of the injured victims sustain any-life threatening injuries…

Orange County Man Struck and Seriously Injured by Trains Twice in Two Weeks

A 57-year old California man faced grave injuries in an Orange County train accident as he fell onto the tracks at a station in Irvine on February 23, 2010. Ironically, the man was hit exactly two weeks before by a train in Laguna Nigel in which he got dragged 90 feet causing amputation of his wrist.

Although the man’s injuries are said to be serious, they are not life-threatening. He is also being mentally evaluated. Being struck by trains twice in two weeks indicates a heightened possibility that the man played a part in causing one or both accidents. He may have, in fact, been trying to commit suicide. However, such conclusions are premature and we have to wait for the treatment and evaluation to be completed.

Trains are extremely dangerous. They have a huge mass capable of seriously injuring or killing multiple persons at one time given the speed at which they travel and that they cannot stop quickly to avoid collisions. It is always a smart idea to give trains and trolleys wide berth and to stand back away from train tracks when trains pass.…

Elders Hit While Crossing Street in Palm Springs

87-year-old Robert Mathiasen and an 83-year-old woman were struck in a tragic pedestrian crash that occurred on February 24, 2012, around 7:28 p.m. in the 2000 block of North Palm Canyon Drive. According to Riverside County sheriff’s officials, both the victims were trying to cross the street when they were hit by a northbound Ford Taurus.

The pair was immediately transported to Desert Regional Medical Center for treatment, where Mathasen was later pronounced dead around 9:18 p.m. The Taurus driver cooperated with the investigation.

From the present facts, it is unclear as to how this pedestrian accident occurred. Was the motorist distracted? Or was he speeding?

The victim’s family members should immediately seek counsel from an experienced Riverside County pedestrian accident lawyer, who would educate them about their legal rights.

The victim’s family members may file a wrongful death claim against the car driver to obtain compensation to cover funeral and burial costs, loss of love, care and companionship, and other accident-related damages.

Our law office sends sincere condolences to victim’s family members. We also hope and pray that the injuries suffered by the female pedestrian heal soon.…

Pedestrian Fatally Struck By Car in Riverside County

A woman was killed in a tragic pedestrian crash that occurred on February 26, 2012, around 6:21 p.m. at 7th Street and Grand Avenue. According to Riverside County fire officials, the victim was walking at the street when she was hit by a car.

The pedestrian suffered life-threatening injuries and was pronounced dead at the accident scene. From the present facts, it is unclear as to how this pedestrian accident occurred. Was the motorist distracted? Or was he speeding?

The victim’s family members should immediately seek counsel from an experienced Riverside County pedestrian accident lawyer, who would educate them about their legal rights.

The victim’s family members may file a wrongful death claim against the car driver to obtain compensation to cover funeral and burial costs, loss of love, care and companionship, and other accident-related damages.

Our law office sends sincere condolences to victim’s family members.…

Escondido Dog Bite Attack Leaves Man Seriously Injured

A 56-year old man was badly bitten in a San Diego County dog bite attack on February 16, 2010, by a pair of aggressive dogs, one of which has a history of biting. This dog bite accident took place in a West Escondido gated community.

The victim, Tom Atkinson, said he was finishing a jog on Rock View Glen in the Emerald Heights development when he noticed two loose pit-bull mix dogs growling at a neighbor and his leashed dog. He joined the neighbor and fought off the dogs. However, as Atkinson continued up the street, the dogs turned around and charged. He was bitten several times by the pair of animals, leaving him with one bad bite to the forearm that required stitches to close the wound and another deep bite to the thigh.

One of the dogs was impounded by a San Diego County Animal Control Officer but was later released to the owner, who promised to keep it on a 10-day quarantine. The other dog also was allowed to stay with the owner but was not quarantined. There may be an administrative hearing to determine whether the dogs are potentially dangerous under the law.

Our office wishes for a speedy recovery for Tom Atkinson. We are indeed glad more serious harm was not done! Some of you may know from prior posts that I am not a fan of breed specific dog laws, particularly those that target Rottweilers or Pit Bulls. While these breeds are most commonly involved in dog bite attacks, it is my own belief that these attacks are the fault of poor owners who are attracted to owning these breeds due to their menacing appearance and strong physiques. Certainly, if you own either of these breeds, you must be a strong and dominant owner—more so than if you own another, less physically imposing breed. Dogs are pack animals and will submit to a pack leader that it respects. Respect, for dogs, comes from an owner who has strong mental discipline and will discipline their pet when it gets out of line.

In this case, how could the owners of these dogs allow them to run free in this neighborhood? This is particularly true of the owner of the dog with the prior bite history. This is completely inexcusable. It is bad enough that Mr. Atkinson was attacked and severely wounded. However, what would have happened—as we normally see in these cases—if these dogs would have attacked a child? Typically, the result is massive traumatic injury and perhaps even death for the child who cannot defend itself against such strong animals. Dog owners must always be responsible, but even more so when they own potentially lethal breeds.…

Lawyers Rated As Worst Drivers

According to a recent study conducted by Insurance.com, 44% of lawyers and judges — a higher percentage than any other profession — reported to insurance companies while comparison shopping for auto insurance that they had been involved in a prior driving accident. This is the highest accident rate amongst any profession included in this survey. The findings were published in a list entitled Top 10 Most Dangerous Drivers by Profession.

This is a higher rate of accidents than those reported by interstate truck drivers, financial professionals, waiters, or government workers. According to Insurance.com Vice President Sam Belden, the higher rate of auto accidents months lawyers and judges as well as financial professionals, who came in second, is because these professions demand multitasking, have higher stress, and require professionals to be focused on multiple tasks at the same time. According to Belden, this leads to more accidents.

However, government workers came in third. This profession is not typically known for high-pressure schedules and its workers are typically just as prone to multitasking as lawyers or judges.

The safest drivers, according to the study, were athletes and homemakers. Belden believes that homemakers are very safe drivers because they tend to take your time while driving and use greater caution because they’re typically driving with their children in their vehicles. In addition, homemakers and athletes also tend not to drive during rush hour when most car accidents occur.…

Orange County Truck Accident Leaves One Injured

A 36-year old woman was severely injured in an Orange County truck accident as a commercial truck tractor went off a residential street in Garden Grove and hit several trees, a fence, concrete planters and a block wall before coming to a stop. This truck accident took place on February 12, 2010 around 11 a.m. The injured woman, Olga Quiroz, was standing in her yard when she was struck and dragged under the truck. Quiroz was taken to a local hospital with lacerations, fractures, and other injuries to her legs.

The truck driver, William Davis, 44, of Orange, was uninjured, and evaluated to have been driving under the influence of alcohol and was later arrested on suspicion of felony DUI. Davis has also been linked to a non-injury hit and run traffic collision that happened about 45 minutes before at Euclid Avenue and Trask Street.

Our office wishes for a speedy recovery for Olga Quiroz. It has to be said that drivers need to be extremely careful while driving in residential areas. Also, driving under influence can lead to fatal consequences.…

San Diego County Motorcycle Accident Seriously Injures Two

A man and woman were seriously injured in a San Diego County motorcycle accident on February 14, 2009, as the motorcycle they were riding was struck by a car at a Carlsbad Village intersection in North San Diego County.

The victims were traveling on Carlsbad Boulevard around 11:20 a.m. when a car driven by a teenage girl, a resident of Upland, CA, pulled out from the intersection of Christiansen Way and collided with their motorcycle. The woman, who was riding pillion, was flown to a hospital, and the male driver was transported by ground ambulance. The teenage car driver was not arrested.

Our office wishes a speedy recovery to the people who were injured in this serious motorcycle crash. We urge all drivers to drive a little more carefully and responsibly so as to ensure that no one faces any harm while traveling on the road.…

Indio Pedestrian Fatally Struck by Motorcycle, then Car

44-year-old Brigitte Jasso was struck and killed in a severe pedestrian accident that occurred on January 26, 2012, around along the westbound lanes of Indio Boulevard. According to coroner’s officials, Jasso was first struck by a motorcyclist and then by a black Ford Taurus while crossing a major street in that city.

Jasso sustained scrapes, bruises, and some broken bones after the initial motorcycle accident moments later, a black Ford Taurus struck and fatally injured the victim.

From the present facts, it is unclear as to how this pedestrian accident occurred. Was the motorcyclist distracted? Did the car driver see her?

Did anyone ignore traffic signals? These and several other questions remains unanswered as yet.

At this time, the victim’s family members should immediately seek counsel from an experienced Riverside County car and motorcycle accident lawyer who would educate them about their legal rights. If negligent operation by any of the motorist caused this car accident, then he may be legally required to compensate the victim’s family for the cost of treatment, and other related damages.

The victim’s family members may file a wrongful death claim against the at-fault motorist to obtain compensation to cover funeral and burial costs, loss of love, care and companionship, and other accident-related damages.

Our law office sends sincere condolences to the victim’s family members.…