San Diego Injury Accident Lawyer Blog

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has authorized testing of a number of ground-breaking vehicle technologies in recent years, including self-driving vehicles that are currently making their way around the streets of suburban Detroit. When it comes to hands-free texting options, however, the agency’s chief, David Strickland, recently stated that more research is required.

Texting while driving is banned by law in many states, including California, which also requires drivers to use hands-free devices when making voice calls. However, studies by several safety organizations, including the American Automobile Association (AAA), indicate that merely keeping one’s hands off a cell phone or other device may not be enough to curb driver distraction and prevent deadly accidents.

The AAA study, performed in conjunction with the University of Utah, followed 100 Salt Lake City drivers who spent four hours driving on the road and in a simulator. Each driver wore a special cap that measured brain functions in key areas related to attention and reaction times, and cameras mounted inside the vehicles tracked drivers’ eye movements and reaction to objects in the field of vision.

The study found that hands-free didn’t mean distraction-free; even when giving voice commands, drivers were less able to control their vehicles safely and pay proper attention to the road. The NHTSA director’s comments indicate that the agency is taking such studies seriously when it comes to regulating hands-free devices.

Distracted driving can cause serious injuries and even death. If you’ve been injured by a distracted driver in the San Diego area, the skilled southern California distracted driving injury attorneys at Jurewitz Law Group can help. Contact us today for a free and confidential case evaluation.

Fireworks are a big part of the Independence Day holiday for many American families. Unfortunately, fireworks can also be a source of injuries and, in some cases, even death. Each year, about 200 people need emergency room care for burn injuries related to fireworks, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). Many of these victims are children, who are entranced by fireworks, but may not understand the risks that come with them.

To help keep those you love safe this July fourth, implement safety tips like:

• Designating one adult to light fireworks and to clean up the fireworks area. Instruct all other adults and children to stay a safe distance from the fireworks. You might even draw a line to help children determine where to stand.
• Supervising children at all times near fireworks, especially when playing with sparklers. Many adults don’t realize that sparklers can cause serious burns.
• Avoiding fireworks packaged in plain brown wrappers. These are generally intended for professional use and can cause serious burns or fires if used at home.
• Keeping a hose, fire extinguishers, buckets of water or sand, or other tools handy to douse unintentional fires. Check local fire conditions and advisories, and never use fireworks when dry conditions make the risk of wildfires high.
• Considering treating your family and friends to a professional show instead of lighting fireworks at home.

If you’re injured this holiday, please don’t hesitate to call the experienced San Diego injury lawyers at Jurewitz Law Group at (619) 233-5020 for a free and confidential consultation to discuss your legal options.

As personal injury lawyers, we have constantly been following legislation and statistics regarding the use of cell phones and their effect on road safety. In many jurisdictions including Ontario, the use of cell phones has been outlawed while driving, forcing drivers to use hands-free technology if they are to make phone calls when on the road.

This shift to hands-free technology has spawned a number of studies, which have attempted to analyze whether these technologies are indeed safer to use than the outgoing hands-on systems, which have been outlawed.

A recent study by the American Automobile Association has shown that even tools that allow a driver to make phone calls without the use of his or her hands can significantly increase the risk of a car accident. The thinking goes that although hands-free technology allows the driver to maintain his or her hands on the wheel and eyes on the road, the concentration required to operate these devices distracts the driver and causes a high level of inattention.

Because the brain is focused on things other than driving, the driver may miss things like a stop sign or a red light without even noticing. This, in turn, can lead to an increase in motor vehicle accidents. New “voice-to-text” systems seem to be particularly distracting, putting in question the market’s evident migration towards these technologies.

At Intraligi Law Firm, we want to remind all drivers that basically everything that could even remotely distract you from the road could lead to a car accident. We’ve written extensively in the past about texting and calling while driving, but want to remind our readers that any distraction is a dangerous one, so don’t be fooled by the appeal of hands-free technology while driving, even if these are still acceptable by law.

Stephan Intraligi, Hon.B.A., J.D., Esq.

Mr. Intraligi is a personal injury lawyer in Toronto, and also offers consultations as an injury lawyer in Ottawa to all victims of car accidents, slip and falls, and all other type of personal injury-related matters.

Every summer, several California children lose their lives or suffer serious injury when they are left inside a closed car in the summer heat.  Even on seemingly mild days, the temperature inside a vehicle can reach dangerous levels.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), about 25 U.S. children die each year due to being trapped in a hot vehicle.  Several dozen more children are injured, and some suffer life-altering disabilities as a result.

Children trapped in hot cars are at particular risk of heat exhaustion or heatstroke because a car’s windows and panels act like a greenhouse, trapping heat inside the passenger compartment and trunk.  If the temperature outside is 80 degrees Fahrenheit, a car parked in full sun can reach an internal temperature of 131 degrees – too hot for even an adult to touch comfortably.  Cars parked in the sun in 100 degree weather may reach 172 degrees or more inside.

Even a few minutes of exposure to these high temperatures can cause permanent damage to a baby or young child, whose bodies don’t have the tolerance or ability to cope with heat like that of an adult’s body.  Even older children and adults should not sit in closed vehicles in these temperatures, however, since no one is immune to the risks posed by heatstroke.

If your child has been injured after being carelessly left inside a vehicle, please don’t hesitate to call the experienced San Diego child injury attorneys at Jurewitz Law Group to learn more about your family’s legal rights and options. Our number is (888) 233-5020, and your initial consultation is always free and confidential.

Boating offers great summer fun for southern California residents and visitors of all ages.  However, adding alcohol to a boating excursion can quickly turn a day of fun into an irreversible tragedy.  While an experienced San Diego boating accident attorney can protect your rights after an injury, the wisest course is to reduce your own injury risk by never mixing boating and alcohol.

According to the California Department of Boating and Waterways (DBW), a boater’s ability to operate a boat or personal watercraft safely is impaired when the boater’s blood alcohol concentration is just 0.35 percent – less than half the legal limit for driving a car.  For many boaters, just one or two drinks will raise the blood alcohol concentration to 0.35 percent, endangering not only the person operating the boat, but others aboard as well.

The ability to operate a boat or personal watercraft isn’t the only thing alcohol impairs.  Boaters who have been drinking are also less able to notice and avoid hazards both on and off the boat.  If another boater or swimmer needs help, an impaired boater is less able to determine how to rescue them safely, much less carry out a rescue plan safely.

Alcohol consumption reduces a person’s abilities in several areas that are essential to boating safely.  Depth perception, balance and coordination, reaction time, concentration, and the ability to discern color and shape, especially at night, are all impaired – and any of these skills may be required at any time when operating a boat or personal watercraft, especially if a sudden emergency arises.

Summer means more time spent in family and community swimming pools and hot tubs, where the risks of drowning or entrapment are always present. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recently launched its “Pool Safely” campaign to encourage water safety for adults and children alike.

As many experienced San Diego child accident attorneys have seen, drowning or near-drowning causes many deaths and injuries each year. The CPSC estimates that 75 percent of all drownings or near-drownings in swimming pools and hot tubs involve children under age 15. To keep those you love safe this summer, consider the following tips:

• Always supervise children when they are in or near a pool or a hot tub.  Children should never go in the water alone.
• Teach children basic water safety tips, such as how to stay away from pools and other bodies of water, to ask permission before swimming, and how to swim and float safely.
• Keep swimmers away from pool drains, pipes, and other openings so that they don’t accidentally become entrapped.
• Keep a cell phone or cordless phone handset near the pool at all times, so you can call 911 quickly in case of sudden emergency.
• Make sure the pool and hot tub areas are fenced in. Consider installing alarms on doors and fences leading to the pool, so you will be alerted if a child opens one to enter the pool area.
• If you’re searching for a missing child, check the pool first. The difference between a life lost in a drowning and a life saved from drowning can be a matter of seconds.

Although most employers take their responsibilities seriously when it comes to workplace safety, no workplace is completely free of risks.  The National Safety Council (NSC) promotes the month of June as National Safety Month each year, encouraging employees and employers to look at safety and health risks in their own workplaces. While many experienced San Diego workplace accident attorneys can provide assistance to southern California residents injured on the job, the best outcome is always to avoid injuries when possible.

The theme of this year’s National Safety Month is “Safety Starts With Me.”  The goal, according to organizers, is to encourage workers to look out for their own safety and that of their co-workers. While the theme doesn’t reduce the responsibilities of employers to meet state and federal safety and health standards, it does encourage employees to keep their eyes peeled for potential hazards and to address them.

In addition to fixing hazards in their own work areas or alerting employers about safety concerns, California employees may report safety issues to Cal/OSHA for inspection. Reporting can be done anonymously, and it may be necessary if workers can’t fix a problem themselves and managers are not responsive to reports about ongoing safety problems.  OSHA law also protects whistleblowers in several ways.

During National Safety Month, the NSC plans to highlight four areas of concern that lead to thousands of workplace injuries each year.  These include slip and fall accidents, employee wellness, emergency preparedness, and ergonomics.  By focusing on major areas that can affect employees’ health and safety, National Safety Month attempts to reduce the number of workplace accidents and keep workers healthier – protecting both their long-term wellness and the company’s productivity.

San Diego is home to thousands of parents and caregivers who drive each day, often bringing the children they care for along on the trip.  While most parents and caregivers understand the importance of having a properly-installed child safety seat to protect kids in case of a crash, fewer realize that equipment installed in the vehicle itself can also pose a risk to curious children.

Power windows are one such piece of equipment.  Although power windows can cause injuries, there are ways to protect children in vehicles that have them.  About five children suffer fatal injuries related to power windows each year, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), and nearly 1,000 people are injured by power windows each year.

While some child deaths and injuries are caused by malfunctioning or defective power windows, others occur when the window is working correctly but is used improperly.  Inquisitive children who like to play with buttons and switches are at particular risk for these injuries, because they may be old enough to operate the power windows but not yet old enough to understand how these windows can cause injuries. About 68 percent of injuries suffered when a child was pinched or trapped in a power window were fractures or crush injuries, according to the NHTSA.

The skilled San Diego injury attorneys at Jurewitz Law Group can help you seek compensation if you or someone you love is injured by an unsafe or defective vehicle part. Contact us today to learn more.

Memorial Day marks the official beginning of summer, which means that increasing numbers of southern California residents and visitors will be spending time at lakes, rivers, pools, and the ocean.

The experienced San Diego accident attorneys at Jurewitz Law Group encourage you to stay safe near the water this summer.  Here are a few tips for water safety:

• Take a buddy.  Never swim alone.  Children should be supervised by an attentive adult, and adults should take one or more friends along when swimming.
• Use a PFD.  Children and weak swimmers should use personal floatation devices (PFDs) that fit correctly and are the correct size.  All boaters or those on personal watercraft should wear PFDs, regardless of their swimming skills.
• Test the waters.  Swim only in areas where you know the depth of the water, the location of any underwater hazards, and the conditions of the water, such as waves, currents, or undertow.  If you’re unsure what you’ll face in the water, don’t enter it until you’ve found out what conditions are like.  Never swim in high winds, at night, or when weather or other conditions make the water unsafe.
• Shower after you swim.  When swimming in a natural body of water or a public pool, taking a shower after you swim can help prevent illness from infectious agents like E. coli that may be present in the water.  Young children, elderly individuals, and people with immune-system-suppressing medical conditions should take special care to shower or bathe after swimming.

If you or someone you love is injured this summer, don’t hesitate to contact the focused San Diego accident lawyers at the Jurewitz Law Group. We can help you pinpoint the cause of your injuries and pursue the compensation you need.

May is Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month. For drivers throughout San Diego and the entire U.S., motorcycle safety isn’t the responsibility of the motorcyclist alone. Other motorists, pedestrians, and bicyclists must also take care to share the road safely with bikers, reducing the risk of accidents and injuries.

Whether you’re taking a special trip or merely completing your daily commute, you can help keep San Diego’s streets safe for motorcyclists and protect those in your own vehicle at the same time. When you’re on the road:

• Double-check for motorcycles in your mirrors and in your vehicle’s blind spots. Bikes are smaller than cars, so they are more easily concealed from a quick glance.
• Look twice in every direction before proceeding through an intersection. Some motorcyclists will slip between or beside vehicles to get through an intersection, and you may not see them on a first check.
• Leave a larger following distance between your vehicle and a motorcycle ahead of you than you would normally leave for another vehicle. Motorcycles need the additional space to maneuver and stop in emergency situations without falling, especially if the pavement is wet or slippery.
• Never share a lane with a motorcycle, even if there appears to be room. Always give motorcyclists a full lane width in which to maneuver for safety.

If you’ve been injured in a motorcycle accident, the skilled San Diego motorcycle accident attorneys at Jurewitz Law Group can help. Contact us today to learn more.  Your initial consultation is free and confidential.