Expert Advocacy

October is National Spinal Health Month

October is National Spinal Health Month, offering Californians of all ages the chance to learn more about how to protect themselves from spinal cord injuries and keep a healthy spine. Back and spine injuries are among the catastrophic injuries that are the most difficult and expensive to treat. Even relatively minor back or spine injuries may require an extended time to heal and impair your functioning in a number of ways.

To protect your spinal health, consider the following tips:

• Practice safe lifting. Bending from the waist, especially when picking up heavy objects, increases your risks of spinal injuries. When lifting, engage your abdominal muscles and bend your knees to lift with your leg muscles, not your back.
• Exercise for a healthy spine. Adding exercises to improve your core strength, work on flexibility, and cross-train your body all help improve spinal health, which protects your back and may reduce the severity of your injuries in an accident. Avoid straining or jerking your back or any other part of your body when you exercise.
• Wear supportive shoes. Wearing shoes with cushioned, supportive, non-skid soles can help protect your back and spine, especially if your job requires you to be on your feet for extended periods of time.

Our experienced San Diego spinal cord injury attorneys can help you protect your legal rights and seek the compensation you need after a back or spinal cord injury. For a free and confidential case evaluation, call us today.…

Riverside County Motorcycle Accident Kills Motorcyclist

A 46-year old unidentified motorcyclist was killed in a fatal Riverside County motorcycle accident that occurred on September 27, 2010. According to the Moreno Valley Police, the victim was found lying seriously injured at the bottom of a ravine in Moreno Valley near Ironwood Avenue, approximately 90 miles north of San Diego.

An off-duty California Highway Patrol officer saw an injured man lying at the foot of a 20-foot embankment. The injured victim was then immediately rushed to Riverside County Regional Medical Center where he succumbed to his injuries. Police do not know when and how this traffic accident occurred.

It is unclear what caused this fatal motorcycle accident. However, it cannot be ruled out that it might have occurred due to any mechanical failure or design issue. If it is found that this motorcycle accident occurred due to any mechanical or design issue then the automotive manufacturer might be held guilty for biker’s death. Motorcyclist’s family needs to consult an experienced Riverside motorcycle accident lawyer who could help them aware of their legal rights.

The victim’s family might be eligible for compensation to cover the cost of funeral and burial, loss of future earnings, loss of love, care and companionship. We offer our deepest condolences to all those who knew and loved the motorcyclist for such a heart rendering loss.…

Los Angeles County Motorcycle Accident Kills Softball Coach

Fred Fraijo, 49, a Northview High School softball assistant, was killed in a San Gabriel Valley motorcycle accident on the 10 Freeway (Interstate 10, I-10) in San Dimas in east Los Angeles County, approximately 120 miles north of San Diego. According to the California Highway Patrol, this fatal Los Angeles motorcycle accident occurred on September 22, 2010, around 5:20 a.m.

At the time of the motorcycle accident, Fraijo rode his 2004 Harley-Davidson motorcycle and crashed it into a big-rig truck parked on the shoulder. Fraijo was pronounced dead at the scene.

If the loss of control was due to an uneven road or a mechanical failure, Fraijo’s family may be entitled to compensation. These types of claims are literally specific and require an immediate and detailed investigation be performed by trained experts managed by a skilled personal injury lawyer. However, regardless of whether the accident is the fault of anyone else, our prayers go out to his family for their devastating loss.…

Rollovers, Seat Belt Misuse Key Factors in Car Accident Spinal Cord Injuries

Studies of spinal cord injuries suffered in car accidents have identified several key factors. Improper seat belt use, rollovers, and vehicles with a higher center of gravity all increase the risk that someone in the vehicle will suffer a catastrophic spinal cord injury during an accident.

A study published in the journal Accident: Analysis and Prevention found that 70 percent of spinal cord injuries suffered in car accidents occurred during a rollover accident. Thirty-nine percent of those injured in these accidents suffered spinal cord damage when they were involved in a vehicle ejection. Only 25 percent of spinal cord injury survivors were wearing a seatbelt at the time of the accident.

Seat belt use is the key to preventing spinal cord damage in car crashes, but using seat belts properly is just as important. A 2011 study in the World Journal of Pediatrics found that spinal cord injuries were reduced when vehicle occupants wore seat belts with shoulder harnesses, instead of wearing a seat belt across their laps only. The study also found that people who relied solely on the airbag, instead of both the airbag and seat belt, were more likely to suffer damage to the cervical spine – the type of damage that can cause permanent paralysis.

Spinal cord injuries are just one of the types of catastrophic injuries a severe car accident can cause. If you or someone you care for has suffered such devastating injuries, the skilled San Diego spinal cord injury accident attorneys can help. To discuss your situation with us, contact us today.…

San Diego County Helicopter Crash Injures Two

A helicopter crashed on September 20, 2009, in San Diego County. The crash occurred in a remote area of North San Diego County and two people were hurt in the accident.

San Diego Sheriff’s Lt. Gary Steadman reported on the incident, noting that the crash occurred very near Valley Center and was reported around 2:30 p.m.. However, due to the remote area of the crash, the helicopter was not located until 20 minutes later. Nick Shuler, Fire Battalion Chief, said that the crash scene was not easily accessible for firefighters and paramedics to reach. There has been no immediate report on the cause of the crash or what type of helicopter it was that crashed.

If you or a loved one has ever been injured or killed in a North San Diego County injury accident, contact the California personal injury attorneys.…

Two People Injured in Knott’s Berry Farm Roller Coaster Accident

The popular Southern California amusement park Knott’s Berry Farm had two guests injured on September 16, 2009, when a cable on the Xcelerator roller coaster snapped while the ride was in motion. The two victims were a 12-year-old boy and an older man, both of who had to be taken to the hospital.

The Knott’s Berry Farm spokeswoman Jennifer Blazey spoke to the media, saying that the accident happened around 4 p.m. on Wednesday, at their Orange County location in Buena Park, CA. Blazey also reported that the cable caused a laceration to the boy’s leg, and back pain in the man. They were both transported to hospitals, but as of last Friday, there had been no word on their conditions as of Friday. The hospital officials wanted to respect patient privacy laws and so did not report on their conditions.

Blazey insists that the ride is inspected daily, but has since been shut down. It is the first reported problem with the ride since it opened in 2002, according to Blazey. The state is currently investigating the personal injury case.

If you or a loved one has ever been injured or killed in a Southern California roller coaster accident, contact Orange County, CA personal injury lawyer and the Buena Park personal injury lawyers.…

Serious San Diego Bicycle Accident Causes Head Injury

Last Thursday, a 67-year-old man was hospitalized for the injuries he suffered when his bicycle crashed in San Diego County’s Linda Vista. He had been attempting to keep his hat on as the wind was blowing it off , according to police.

The scene of the accident was the 1700 block of Ulric Street at about 11:45 a.m. on Wednesday, according to San Diego police Officer Brad Ruff, who reported on the San Diego bike accident. The bicyclist’s injuries included facial fractures, a skull fracture, a broken shoulder, a broken forearm, and a lacerated kidney. He is still expected to survive. Bicycle accidents can be common in San Diego but just as well prevented, by wearing helmets and exercising sound judgment while on the road.

If you or a loved one has ever been injured or killed in a San Diego bicycle accident, contact San Diego, CA bike accident lawyer and the San Diego injury attorneys. You may also contact these San Diego, CA personal injury lawyers.…

San Diego Train Accident Kills Pedestrian

Roger Lee Bailey, 46, while trying to cross the train tracks in the North San Diego County city of Oceanside, was struck and killed by an Amtrak train on September 18, 2010 around 11:55 p.m. Oceanside Police Sgt. Travis Norton said that the man was trying to cross the tracks on the 200 block of Surfrider Way when he tripped and was struck by San Diego bound train.

The train stopped at the accident scene to await investigating officers from San Diego County Sherriff’s Department. The exact reason of Bailey’s presence on the tracks is not clear, although it appears that he was trying to cross the railroad track and may have been trying to “beat” the train. It is also not clear whether Bailey was under the influence of drugs or alcohol or sober when this fatal train accident occurred.

The exact cause of this injury accident still remains under investigation. If it is found that the train driver’s negligence or inattentiveness caused this fatal train accident, then he and Amtrak might be held responsible for the victim’s death and may be civilly liable to pay the cost of his funeral, loss of earnings, and loss of love and companionship. More facts are needed to determine if this is the case.

In the meantime, nothing can be said that would console or help Mr. Bailey’s friends and family in a time like this. The loss of a loved one is never easy but it is particularly hard when it happens in an accident where someone may be legally responsible for their death. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Mr. Bailey’s friends and family. We wish them peace.…

Carlsbad Auto Accident Pins Woman Between Two Cars

An elderly woman sustained serious injuries when she was pinned between two cars in a driveway on September 19, 2010, around 1:15 p.m. The injured victim was helping another elderly woman back out of her driveway near the intersection of Chestnut Avenue and Celinda Drive in Carlsbad when this auto accident occurred.

The injured woman became trapped between two cars and suffered serious injuries to her head and torso. At present, it seems that the inattentiveness of another elderly woman driving along the street might have lead to this car crash. Under California Vehicle Code § 21901, drivers cannot disregard pedestrians standing or walking in roadways. They must avoid an accident by stopping or turning out of harm’s way. If it is found that the woman driving her car along the street was at fault, after the Carlsbad Police perform their initial investigation, then they might be held liable for the injuries the woman standing in the street suffered. She might also be held liable to pay compensation to the injured woman for her medical costs and pain that she suffered.

We hope that the woman injured in this traffic collision recovers fully from her injuries and that no long term damage has been suffered. Our thoughts and prayers go out to her.…

Lake Elsinore Man Killed in Fatal Hit-And-Run Pickup Truck Crash

49-year-old John Cameron was killed in a serious hit-and-run truck accident that occurred on September 16, 2011, around 8 p.m. at Grand Avenue and Blackwell Blvd in the unincorporated area of Lakeland Village. According to Riverside County Coroner’s office, a truck described by witnesses as a Ford F-250 traveling north struck Cameron and fled from the accident scene.

Cameron suffered life-threatening injuries and was immediately transported to Inland Valley Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead around 8:45 p.m. Based on the limited information provided in the news accounts, the family of the deceased may be eligible for compensation. Leaving the scene of an accident is a serious violation under California law. California Vehicle Code 20001 (a) states: “The driver of a vehicle involved in an accident resulting in injury to a person, other than himself or herself, or in the death of a person shall immediately stop the vehicle at the scene of the accident.”

At this time, the deceased’s family members should seek counsel from an experienced Riverside County hit-and-run pedestrian accident lawyer who would help them learn about their legal rights and options and obtain compensation to cover funeral and burial costs, loss of anticipated wages, loss of love, care and companionship, and other accident-related damages.

Our law office offers sincere condolences to all those who knew and loved Cameron for such a tragic loss.…