Expert Advocacy

San Diego DUI Driver that Killed Mother Found Guilty

An El Cajon jury reached a verdict regarding a Nov. 21, 2009 car crash that killed 35-year old Cydil Deann Kohlmeyer. The guilty driver was sentenced for 15 years on the charges of misdemeanor hit-and-run and gross vehicular manslaughter for driving while intoxicated.

The guilty, 53-year-old Deborah Felix, had fatally injured Kohlmeyer, a mother of three while driving drunk along Pepper Drive in El Cajon. Felix had also managed to strike mailboxes and a pickup after hitting the victim. Felix will be sentenced on May 11 by El Cajon Judge Lantz Lewis. Jurors also found Felix guilty of a sentence-enhancing allegation that she had fled the scene of the accident after committing the crime. According to Felix, she wanted to urinate and had gone farther away from the scene to relieve herself. What a silly and inexcusable reason to leave the scene of the accident!

Our office is in agreement with the verdict and hope that Felix serves all of her time for taking the life of Ms. Kohlmeyer. People driving under influence should be punished harshly. We hope that other drivers learn from this, and restrain themselves from drinking and driving. If a drunk driver is unfortunate enough to cause an accident, please be responsible enough to stay at the scene and try to assist the injured until help arrives.…

Los Angeles Motorcycle Accident Kills Stuntwoman

A 28-year old Hollywood stuntwoman lost her life in a fatal Los Angeles motorcycle accident that happened on April 6, 2010, on the Ventura Freeway in Studio City.

The deceased, April E. Stirton of North Hollywood, was on the 101 Freeway going over 55 miles per hour when she lost the balance of her Yamaha Roadstar and fell down. The Roadster jammed under a big rig and she was hit by the rear wheels of a tow truck. According to the California Highway Patrol, Stirton was drag for nearly 10 miles before the truck driver realized what had happened. Stirton has worked on shows like CSI and True Blood.

Our office offers our heartfelt prayers and condolences to the friends and family of Stirton. It is sad to have lost such a remarkable stuntwoman while doing something what she is good at. It is even more horrible that her body was drag for nearly 10 miles before the truck pulled over. Didn’t the truck driver feel the impact? Didn’t he sense that his truck was not driving properly? How did he not notice?…

Woman Arrested for DUI after Fatal Anaheim Car Accident

Cameron Cook, 18, of Ladera Ranch was killed in a fatal Orange County DUI car accident that occurred on April 2, 2011 around 11:40 p.m., south of Katella Avenue along the 57 freeway in Anaheim, approximately 91 miles from San Diego. California Highway Patrol officers reported that Cook was a passenger in a Camaro that was struck by a Honda Civic driven by Ashley Bryan.

California Highway Patrol officer Devon Boatman said that the Camaro spun after being struck and finally came to rest facing north on the right shoulder of No. 5 lane along the southbound 57 freeway. The vehicle was then struck by Bryan’s vehicle, pushing Cook over the edge of an overpass to the ground below. Cook was immediately transported to a local hospital for treatment where he was later pronounced dead.

Officials later arrested Bryan on suspicion of driving under the influence and gross vehicular manslaughter. From the available information, it is clear that Bryan’s negligent actions lead to this fatal car accident that killed the teenager. It is indeed an unfortunate thing that due to the negligent and intoxicated driver the young teenager lost her life. Bryan will most likely be found to have violated California Vehicle Code Section 23152(a) which states that “It is unlawful for any person who is under the influence of any alcoholic beverage or drug, or under the combined influence of any alcoholic beverage and drug, to drive a vehicle.”

Cook’s family members should consult with an experienced wrongful death lawyer in Orange County to obtain compensation to pay funeral and burial costs, loss of earnings and financial support, and loss of love and companionship. Our law office offers sincere condolences to all those who knew and loved Cook for their loss.…

U-Turn Attempt on CR-98 Results in Injuries

A man who tried to make an improper U-turn on CR-98 near Woodland recently caused a crash that left him with possibly severe injuries, according to a recent article in The Daily Democrat.

The driver, a 90-year-old Woodland resident, tried to make a U-turn and head in the opposite direction on CR-98 from the way he was driving. During the turn, his vehicle crashed into a truck driven by another Woodland resident, a 58-year-old woman. Rescue workers took the 90-year-old to a local hospital for evaluation of the bloody nose and neck pain he suffered in the crash. The other driver did not appear to be injured at the scene.

Failing to obey traffic rules is a common cause of auto accidents in California. Many traffic rules are indicated by signs, signals, and lines painted on roadways, but others are not always made obvious on every stretch of road. Drivers are expected to know the rules of the road and to follow them in order to avoid serious accidents that may leave themselves and others injured or even killed.

Our diligent California car accident injury lawyers can help you and your loved ones through every step of the process after an accident, from filing claims with any insurance companies to seeking compensation from negligent parties in court. For more information about your legal rights and options, call us today for a free, confidential telephone consultation.…

Dangerous Pit Bull Dog on the Loose in University City Neighborhood of San Diego

Last Friday evening San Diego police warned University City residents of a dangerous pit bull on the loose. The pit bull attacked another dog at the University Gardens neighborhood park on Governor Dr. at around 5:30 p.m.

A San Diego police officer that responded to the dog attack was also attacked by the pit bull. The San Diego officer shot the pit bull, but it then fled into the canyon nearby. A San Diego police helicopter helped officers search for the pit bull and warned University City residents of the dangerous dog on the loose. San Diego police did not find the dog that evening and Animal Control continued the search on Saturday.…

Studies Show Cell Phone Conversations Cause Dangerous Distractions

Driver distraction is a major cause of car accidents in San Diego and throughout the U.S., and distraction has increased over the past decade largely because cell phone use has become commonplace. Where most of the population used to make phone calls only from land lines in houses, offices, or pay phones, today 93 percent of U.S. drivers have cell phones, and far too many of them have phone conversations while behind the wheel.

Recent laws passed in California and other states have limited the use of cell phones in cars, banning acts like texting or holding the phone in one’s hand in order to use it. However, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation, having a cell phone conversation even while using a hands-free device increases the risk of a crash as much as holding the cell phone in one’s hand in order to talk on it. Studies show that a person talking on any type of telecommunication device while driving is 37 percent less likely to be able to respond appropriately to sudden driving emergencies, making them four times more likely to cause an accident.

When a person is driving, his or her brain is equally distracted by a conversation, whether it’s over a hands-free device or a handheld one. Understanding what you are being told, deciding how to respond, and then speaking back into the phone may not feel particularly difficult, but every step in the process takes brainpower away from the most critical task: driving the vehicle safely.

Our accomplished San Diego distracted driving crash lawyers have helped many injured people and their families get the compensation they need after an accident. We strive to provide the best possible representation for every client. To discuss your case with us free of charge, contact our office today.…

What Doctor Mistakes Frequently Lead to a San Diego Birth Injury?

While techniques for assisting mothers during birth have been developed for thousands of years, the act of birth and delivery is still a delicate process that requires experienced medical help and proper coordination from a medical staff.

Every year, thousands of newborns suffer some form of birth injury and while the effects of some are brief, many others can impair a child for the rest of his or her life.

Doctors are not only responsible for the proper birth of a child, but the well-being of the mother and baby they are assigned to throughout the pregnancy term as well. As such, medical mistakes can lead to a variety of complications and injuries for both child and mother before and during birth. Frequent mistakes that may occur during birth that can cause harm to a newborn include:

• Improperly resolving shoulder dystocia. When the infant’s shoulder becomes trapped behind the mother’s pubic bone during birth, the doctor must perform certain maneuvers to dislodge the shoulder without harm. A San Diego shoulder dystocia accident injury can permanently damage nerves that keep a child from having full arm function.
• If the doctor does not recognize fetal distress, then he or she will not take swift and proper actions to help the child and keep injuries caused by suffocation or breech birth from occurring.
• Modern tools, such as forceps and vacuum suction, can help ease and quicken delivery, but if used improperly can cause both superficial and deadly head and brain injuries to the child.
• Prior to birth, doctors should examine the baby’s size, the mother’s pelvis size and shape, and other contributing factors in order to determine what actions should be taken for birth. If the proper actions are not taken, such as a cesarean section, then serious injuries could result.

Having a knowledgeable and experienced doctor on your side during birth is essential to keeping your baby safe; unfortunately, even the best doctors can make serious mistakes. If your child has been injured due to medical negligence, call the San Diego birth injury attorneys for a consultation and help with your case.…

The Most Dangerous Lines of Work in San Diego

With years spent representing San Diego residents injured both on and off work, We understand the dangers present in all manner of workplaces and also that some lines of work feature more hazards than others. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), there was an average of 118 injuries per 10,000 full-time workers in 2010. While injuries range from minor trauma that is quickly recovered from to fatality-causing injuries, every worker is in danger of suffering some form of injury during his or her career. But what jobs have a greater likelihood of injuring employees?

To stay as safe as possible, San Diego workers must understand the dangers of the professions they work in or are considering joining. Some of the most dangerous jobs commonly found in and around the San Diego area include:

• Fishing Work: High injury and fatality rate due to harsh weather conditions and heavy equipment that can cause serious injuries during an accident.
• Truck Driving: Long driving hours and grueling schedules put drivers at a higher likelihood of a crash, which is often much more devastating than a normal car accident.
• Industrial Repair: Working with malfunctioning heavy equipment can cause unexpected accidents affecting repair workers attempting to fix the machine.
• Construction: Unfinished structures, heavy machinery, dangerous equipment, large motor vehicles, and high work zones can easily cause an accident that is severe in nature.
• Electrical Installation/Repair: Working with electrical equipment can electrocute a worker during an accident, equipment malfunction, or co-worker mistake.

Work injuries are common, but thankfully workers’ compensation can help an injury victim recover from their trauma and not suffer the financial consequences of being unable to work. Unfortunately, compensation is often denied for valid claims. San Diego workers’ compensation attorney can aid you in your search for proper injury compensation. For a free consultation on your case, contact us.…

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…

One of Tort Reform’s Biggest Lies Disproved….Again

We’ve written twice now about Oklahoma’s current tort reform efforts led by Republican Senate President Pro Tem Tom Glenn Coffee (R–Oklahoma City), a former medical malpractice defense lawyer.

One of the big myths leading the Oklahoma tort reform movement and tort reform, in general, is that without tort reform, doctors will flee to other jurisdictions with tort reform. The argument goes that with tort reform, medical malpractice insurance rates go down and attract doctors–while high insurance rates drive doctors away.

The problem is that the data does not support the myth. That is the case again in Oklahoma. According to this Edmond, OK news story, the number of Oklahoma doctors is increasing even while the tort reform movement is claiming they are fleeing. In addition, the doctor-owned medical malpractice insurance carrier, Physicians Liability Insurance Company, is in the best financial shape in its three-decade-long existence. The company is posting record profits and will be the clear winner if the Oklahoma tort reform bill passes limiting injured medical patient’s right to be compensated for injuries caused by their professionally negligent doctors.

Like any political issue, it is always important to look and investigate the real data underlying the tort reform movement. Is there a real reason to substantially limit injury victim’s right to justice? If so, what is the purported benefit? And, last, is that benefit worth the cost? In almost all cases, the answer to these tort reform questions is “No”.

If you or any of your loved ones have been injured or killed due to medical malpractice, contact San Diego medical malpractice lawyer and the San Diego personal injury attorneys.…