Expert Advocacy

Protecting Yourself from Dog Attacks in San Diego

While dogs provide wonderful companionship to families and individuals every day around the world, man’s best friend can also pose a danger of bites that can leave long-lasting harm to a victim. Although these attacks are often sudden and unexpected, steps can be taken to protect yourself and your loved ones from a dog bite incident in San Diego, so follow these tips.

Preventing a Dog Bite

In order to prevent an attack when encountering a dog, follow these steps:

• Do not interact with an unknown dog, and only interact with an animal when its owner gives permission.
• Do not interact with canines that are eating, drinking, restrained, sleeping, resting, injured, very old, or with their puppies. They will naturally be more defensive and more likely to attack.
• If in danger of an attack, prevent interaction with the animal and remain calm. Do not run away, as this will cause the dog to chase and attack you. Instead, stand still at a 90-degree angle to the dog, avoid eye contact, and slowly back away after it loses interest.

During a Dog Attack

If you are attacked by a dog, it is important to follow these tips in order to minimize injury and the duration of the attack:

• Give the animal any loose items you have, such as jackets and bags, to distract them and keep them from biting you.
• Put anything you can between you and the dog (tables, chairs, etc.) to stop it from getting close and biting.
• Loudly and authoritatively yell commands such as “No” and “Stop,” which the dog may be trained to obey.
• If you are knocked down, curl up on the ground with your legs tucked underneath you, head facing the ground, and hands behind your head and neck. This will minimize the damage that a dog can do while attacking.

While many dog attacks can be prevented every year, there are still many others that are unavoidable. When such attacks are the result of another’s negligence or reckless behavior, injured victims can seek compensation from the responsible party. If you or a loved one has been injured in such an incident, the San Diego dog bite injury attorneys can apply their years of experience to help you find compensation for your injuries. For more information on how we can aid you in your case, contact us.…

Recent San Diego-Area Hot Air Balloon Accidents Highlight Need for Safety

Every southern California injury attorney has seen injuries that resulted from recreational activities gone wrong. Southern California is one of the world’s most beloved tourist spots, featuring amusement parks, ocean getaways, and other natural sites – but certain activities carry an increased risk of injury.

Two recent accidents involving hot air balloon rides underscore the need to practice safety when enjoying recreational events. The first, according to a report from KESQ, involved a family taking a hot air balloon ride in Palm Desert, California. The balloon crash-landed near the end of the ride, shaking up those in the basket and causing minor injuries to several people, all of whom are expected to recover.…

Bicyclist Suffers Broken Leg in Riverside DUI Crash

A bicyclist was gravely injured in a serious Riverside DUI car accident that occurred on January 10, 2012, around 12:30 p.m. along the 300 block of East Seventh Street in San Jacinto. According to Riverside County sheriff’s officials, the bicyclist was injured in a traffic collision by 31-year-old Timothy Christopher Jones.

The bicyclist suffered a broken leg and was immediately transported to the nearby hospital for medical treatment. Jones was arrested and booked for investigation of misdemeanor DUI.

Jones 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.” Under California law, it is also illegal to drive a vehicle with a blood alcohol content of 0.08 percent or higher.

The bicyclist’s family members would be well advised to confer with an experienced Riverside County DUI accident lawyer who would educate them about their legal rights and options. The victim’s family members may file a personal injury claim against the car driver to obtain compensation to cover medical, hospital and treatment cost, and other accident-related damages.

Our personal injury law office hopes that the injuries suffered by the victim heal soon and do not prove fatal.…

San Bernardino Car Crash Kills Bicyclist

60-year-old Bernard F. Culverson was fatally struck in a serious San Bernardino auto accident that occurred on January 9, 2012, around 5:30 a.m. west on Third Street. According to police, Culverson was riding his unlit bicycle when he crossed into the intersection with Waterman Avenue and got hit by a car being driven by 28-year-old Benito Bustos-Gonzalez.

Culverson sustained fatal internal injuries and was immediately transported to Loma Linda University Medical Center where he was pronounced dead, around 3:41a.m., the next day. According to police, Gonzalez entered the street on a green light and was not even licensed to drive.

From the present information, it is evident that negligent driving and irresponsible actions of the car driver led to this serious bicycle accident.

The victim’s family members should immediately seek counsel from an experienced San Bernardino County bicycle 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.…

Be on the Lookout for Signs of San Diego Elder Abuse

The decision of how to best take care of your parents as they grow older is a difficult process for everyone, but these decisions can become even more problematic when taking into consideration the threat of elder abuse present in many nursing homes across the nation. Elder abuse is defined as the unfair and harmful treatment of an elderly person and can be physical, emotional, sexual, financial, or neglectful in nature.

While elder abuse can occur anywhere, these incidents are often found to happen in nursing homes, making it difficult for relatives to detect and end. As such, it is important for relatives to look for signs of both elder neglect and abuse when visiting relatives. According to the National Center on Elder Abuse, different forms of abuse can result in different signs and symptoms. As such, it is important to be aware of the following signs:

• Bruises, welts, lacerations, broken or fractured bones, sprains, and dislocations.
• Untreated injuries in various stages of healing.
• Sudden change in behavior in elder.
• Caregiver’s refusal to allow visitors to see an elder alone.
• Damage of elder’s genital area.
• Unusual behavior and emotions not typically associated with the elder.
• Untreated or unattended health problems.
• Unsafe or unclean living conditions.
• Malnourishment and poor personal hygiene.
• Abrupt and unexplained changes in bank accounts, withdrawals, financial documents, or asset transfers.

These are just some of the many ways that elder abuse can show itself. All relatives should stay aware of any and all detrimental changes in an elder’s physical, emotional, financial, and sexual well-being as these can be brought about by various instances of elder abuse.

Elder abuse is not only committed by elders but is often perpetrated by relatives. If you believe one of your relatives is the victim of elder abuse in Southern California, the San Diego elder abuse attorneys can help you find justice and compensation for your relative. Contact our offices today for a free consultation on your case.…

Pedestrian Fatally Struck by Train in Rialto

A person was fatally struck by an eastbound Metrolink commuter train on January 4, 2012, around 6 p.m. near Acacia Avenue. According to San Bernardino County coroner’s office, the pedestrian was struck by the train as he walked on the tracks. At this time, it is unknown whether the victim was a man or boy.

Rialto police Sgt. Robert Smith said that identification process to take some time given the battered condition of the body. From the present facts, it is unclear as to how this train accident occurred. Did the train driver ignore a red signal? Was he distracted that he did not notice the victim? Or was it the victim’s failure to observe safety signals?

At this time, the victim’s family members should immediately seek counsel from an experienced San Bernardino County train accident lawyer who would educate them about their legal rights. If negligent operation by the train conductor caused this train accident, then the train conductor and his employer might be legally required to compensate the victim’s family for the cost of funeral expenses, loss of love and companionship, and other related damages.

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

Pedestrian Fatally Struck in Palm Springs Truck Accident

A pedestrian was hit by a truck in a crosswalk of a Palm Springs intersection at North Palm Canyon and Racquet Club Drives on January 5, 2012, around 8:04 a.m. in Palm Springs. According to the police, the pedestrian was struck by an Isuzu panel truck while walking across the crosswalk.

The victim suffered life-threatening injuries and was immediately transported to a nearby hospital where he was later pronounced dead.

If the motorist is determined to have been at fault in this case, then he could be held responsible for this truck accident that killed a pedestrian. The victim’s family members should immediately seek counsel from an experienced Riverside County hit-and-run crash lawyer who would educate them about their legal rights and options.

This lawyer may help them file a wrongful death claim against the truck driver to obtain compensation to funeral and burial costs, loss of anticipated earnings, loss of love, care and companionship, and other accident-related damages.

Our personal injury law office sends sincere condolences to the victim’s family members and friends.…

Pipeline Breaks Present Health, Injury Hazards in California and Other States

Sixteen spills from oil pipelines have leaked a combined 2.4 million gallons of crude oil into waterways in California and other states in recent years, posing health and injury risks to pipeline workers and residents in the areas, according to an article from The Associated Press. The San Diego injury attorneys follow such cases closely because the injury risks associated with them can be long-reaching and long-lasting.

Since 1993, regulators have paid careful attention to pipeline spills in multiple states, including California. One particular source of concern comes from pipelines that are buried under navigable waterways, like rivers and streams. These pipelines are required to be buried only four feet under the waterway and are required to be inspected for weaknesses only once every five years. If a pipeline near water breaks, leaking oil and other materials can easily contaminate drinking water supplies, posing serious health hazards for those in the area.…

San Diego Teacher Awarded $1 Million in Discrimination Lawsuit

On December 11, 2007, a former Chula Vista third-grade teacher won a judgment of more than $1 million after a jury decided that she had been wrongfully terminated due to becoming pregnant.

Danielle Coziahr was a third-grade teacher at Silver Wing Elementary School in Otay Mesa from 2004-06. She was “probationary”, meaning that she had not obtained tenure at her position. Although the Chula Vista School District can generally choose not to renew teaching contracts for any reason, a jury decided that the real reason Ms. Coziahr was let go was because she is a woman and she was pregnant.

The jury awarded Coziahr $1,012,720 with the largest portion being future economic loss due to future lost wages. Coziahr presented evidence that she had been effectively blackballed and could not obtain another teaching position.

Ms. Coziahr provided an interview to local media. The extent of the discrimination that she suffered was inexcusable and Ms. Coziahr rightly feels justified.…

CPSC Recall Highlights Dangerous Winter Weather Products

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has recently released a report detailing winter-weather related products that have been recalled by the organization that people may still have in their homes. These products help to heat houses during cold weather and as such are much more likely to cause an accidental injury or property damage now that winter has arrived.

All of the five products listed by the CPSC have the potential to overheat and cause a fire or a form of burn injury due to their unsafe nature. The recalled products are:

• Meijer Touch Point Oscillating Ceramic Heaters – Possibility of oscillating mechanism shorting out can pose a risk of fire.
• Flow Pro, Airtech, Aloha Breeze, and Comfort Essentials Heaters – Risk of malfunctioning that leads to overheating, smoking, burning, melting, and possible fire.
• Lasko Portable Electric Heaters – Overheating of electrical connection can lead to melting and possible fire hazard.
• Honeywell Electric Baseboard and Fan Heater Thermostats – Can overheat, causing them to smoke and melt, posing a risk of burn injury.
• GE Zoneline Air Conditioners and Heaters – Possible failure of electrical component may cause fire.

While consumers are warned to not leave space heaters unattended and to make sure that there are no surrounding objects which may pose a fire risk due to a nearby heater, the malfunctions in the dangerous household products listed put consumers at serious risk. Even when a consumer takes all due precautions with the products they use, malfunctioning equipment may cause accidents and injuries which even the most cautious consumer cannot prevent.

If you or a loved one has been injured by a hazardous product, contact a defective product lawyer in San Diego County. Our experienced law team can apply their years of work in the personal injury field to your case to win the best results possible.…