2010 September Archive

A solo car accident sparked a small vegetation fire on southbound Highway 1 near Vandenberg Village in Santa Barbara County‚ approximately 200 miles north of San Diego.  This car accident occurred around 8:08 a.m. a quarter mile away from Constellation Road.

Santa Barbara County Fire Captain David Sadeck said that a white Ford truck struck a pole and knocked down the power lines across the northbound and southbound lanes of the highway.  The fire sparked due to this car accident was extinguished by fire fighters. The injured car driver was rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment.

It is not clear what caused this car accident and the cause of fire spark is also unknown. If it is found that this car accident occurred due to a mechanical fault‚ then the concerned automotive manufacturer might be held guilty for this car accident.  Injured victim is entitled for the compensation to cover the cost incurred on treatment and other related damages. The vegetation owner is also entitled for a compensation to cover the damages incurred in this car accident.

The injured car driver would be well-served to consult with a Santa Barbara County car accident attorney who could stay abreast with the investigation and help him get a just compensation for the pain suffered.

Ross Jurewitz is a Santa Barbara County personal injury lawyer and the managing attorney of the Jurewitz Law Group‚ a California injury accident law firm dedicated to representing families of people injured in a car accident.  If you or a loved one has been injured or killed in a car accident in Orange County‚ please order your free copy of Mr. Jurewitz’s book‚ The Ten Biggest Mistakes that can Destroy Your California Accident Case. It is full of helpful information that will help you protect your legal rights and it is free to all California residents.

One person was killed in a head-on car accident in an unincorporated area of San Diego County near Santee on September 28‚ 2010‚ around 7:00 p.m.  According to California Highway Patrol officers‚ a 90-year-old man was driving southbound in a sedan on the Wildcat Canyon Road in San Diego.

Due to unknown reasons‚ the sedan crossed into the oncoming traffic in front of the SUV. The SUV driver was unable to avoid the sedan and caused a head-on auto accident.  The driver and passenger of the SUV suffered minor injuries and were transported to a nearby hospital for treatment. The sedan driver was pronounced dead at the accident scene. From the present facts‚ it is unclear whether drugs and alcohol were the factors behind this fatal car accident.

Northbound Wildcat Canyon Road remained blocked for some time after this car accident. If in the investigation it is found that the sedan driver lost his life due to negligence of SUV driver or any mechanical fault‚ then the SUV driver or the manufacturer may be held responsible for causing the accident.

The sedan’s family members should seek assistance from an experienced car accident lawyer in San Diego who could help them get a fair compensation to cover cost of funeral and burial and loss of love and companionship. We express our sincere condolences to all those who knew and loved the sedan driver for such a heart rendering and irreversible loss.

Ross Jurewitz is a personal injury lawyer in San Diego and the managing attorney of the Jurewitz Law Group‚ a California law firm dedicated to representing families of people injured in an auto accident.  If you or a loved one has been injured or killed in a car accident in California‚ please order your free copy of Mr. Jurewitz’s book‚ The Ten Biggest Mistakes that can Destroy Your California Accident Case. It is full of helpful information that will help you protect your legal rights and it is free to all California residents.

Eileen Dominque Miranda‚ 18‚ was killed in a fiery car accident on September 25‚ 2010‚ around 5:15 p.m. along Interstate 805.  According to the San Diego County Medical Examiner’s office‚ Miranda was one of the several passengers who were travelling in a southbound sedan that struck a ravine.

The sedan driver apparently lost control and the vehicle hit a ravine and burst into flames. One of the passersby performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation on Miranda until the paramedics arrived. Medical officers later pronounced Miranda dead at the accident scene. Six other people suffered serious injuries and were transported to a nearby hospital for treatment.

Based on the limited information available about this auto accident‚ the cause of the accident is not clearly understood. It is not clear who was driving the car‚ how fast the car was travelling‚ and why the car collided with the ravine. This traffic collision raises a number of questions about what happened and why‚ and who was responsible. The investigation by the California Highway Patrol will hopefully provide answers as to what happened and who was responsible for this horrifying crash.

In situations such as this one where a passenger is the victim of a fatal auto accident‚ the family members of the victim might benefit from speaking with a knowledgeable San Diego car accident attorney. A car accident lawyer can help Miranda’s family understand and protect their legal rights to compensation for their loss in a wrongful death claim‚ including damages for funeral and burial expenses‚ predictable future earnings of the decedent‚ loss of love‚ care and companionship.

We express our sincere condolences to all those who knew and loved Miranda for such a tragic and devastating loss. We also hope that the injured victims are able to recover back to their complete health soon.

Ross Jurewitz is a personal injury attorney in San Diego and the managing attorney of the Jurewitz Law Group‚ a California law firm dedicated to representing families of people injured in an auto accident.  If you or a loved one has been injured or killed in a car accident in California‚ please order your free copy of Mr. Jurewitz’s book‚ The Ten Biggest Mistakes that can Destroy Your California Accident Case. It is full of helpful information that will help you protect your legal rights and it is free to all California residents.

It’s college football season and there are few games as big as the annual Red River Rivalry game between the University of Texas Longhorns and the University of Oklahoma Sooners‚ played each year in Dallas at the Texas State Fair.  The game pits fierce rivals against each other and inspires bets of all kinds amongst the fans.

As most of my clients (and opposing attorneys) know‚ I’m a big UT fan.  I’m willing to put my pride on my Longhorns.

Our San Diego personal injury law firm has made a bet with Clayton Hasbrook of the Hasbrook & Hasbrook law firm.   Clayton is an Oklahoma City car accident attorney .  He also handles Oklahoma medical malpractice and personal injury cases .  The three attorneys at Hasbrook Law all received their undergraduate and law degrees from OU.

The wager is that the loser must change their Facebook Page avatars to the rival’s logo for a week.  This might not sound like much‚ but for a die-hard UT fan – the crimson and cream OU logo is just plain ugly.

Obviously‚ though‚ we think the Longhorns will win a tough game and continue on to win the Big XII–even after a very disappointing loss to UCLA–on their way to a BCS bowl game.

An unidentified bicyclist was killed on September 19‚ 2010‚ when she lost control of her bicycle after hitting a curb and swerved into incoming traffic.  According to the San Diego County Sheriff‚ the woman attempted to turn left onto Rancho Santa Fe Road and ran into a center divider around 12:15 p.m.

The bicyclist‚ in an attempt to gain control of her bike‚ swerved to the right and collided with the through traffic on Rancho Santa Fe Road. Police found her body trapped beneath a vehicle and declared her dead at the accident scene.

The cause of this fatal bicycle accident is unclear‚ but investigating officers will determine whether the bike rider was at fault or not. Carlsbad Lieutenant Paul Mendes said that alcohol and drugs are not believed to be the cause behind this bike accident.

Our prayers go out to the bicyclist and her friends and family.  This is a tragic loss‚ as is the loss of any human life.  Based upon the news story‚ several questions come to mind which may lead the bike rider’s family to consult with an experienced San Diego personal injury lawyer.  First‚ what caused her to lose control of her bike and hit the curbline?  Was it a defect in the road? Another motorist? A problem with her bike? Second‚ how far did she swing out into the road and how quickly? This may be important in determining how closely the driver was following behind her before she was struck.  If the driver did not give enough space‚ then he may be responsible—in at least some part—for causing this collision and her death.  Obtaining a copy of the police report will be a good first step in this investigation.

Ross Jurewitz is a San Diego bicycle accident lawyer and the managing attorney of the Jurewitz Law Group‚ a California personal injury law firm dedicated to representing the families of people killed in bike accidents.  If you or a loved one has been killed or injured in a traffic collision in San Diego‚ please order your free copy of Mr. Jurewitz’s book‚ The Ten Biggest Mistakes that can Destroy Your California Accident Case. It is full of helpful information that will help you protect your legal rights and it is free to all California residents.

A 50-year old pedestrian was struck and killed by an SUV while he was attempting to cross the street in the Midway District of San Diego. According to San Diego Police Officer Dino Delimitros‚ the elderly man was struck by a southbound Jeep Grand Cherokee when he the accident occurred.  Officer Delimitros stated that he believed the pedestrian was crossing against the street light.

The San Diego pedestrian accident happened at the intersection of Rosecrans Street and Kurtz Street around 8:45 p.m. on September 19‚ 2010‚ when the pedestrian was crossing southbound across Rosecrans.  The fatally injured man was later pronounced dead at a local San Diego hospital. The SUV driver was not cited immediately.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family and friends of the deceased pedestrian.  From the facts set forth in the news story‚ it appears that the man was at fault for causing the accident because he was crossing against the traffic signal.  However‚ legally speaking‚ it is not quite so clear cut.  Under California Vehicle Code Section 21950(a)‚ “The driver of a vehicle shall yield the right-of-way to a pedestrian crossing the roadway within any marked crosswalk or within any unmarked crosswalk at an intersection….”  Subdivision (b) then relates to the duty of care a pedestian has for his or her own safety: “The provisions of this section shall not relieve a pedestrian from the duty of using due care for his or her safety.  No pedestrian shall suddenly leave a curb or other place of safety and walk or run into the path of a vehicle which is so close as to constitute an immediate hazard…”  Finally‚ subdivision (c) states that even if the pedestrian is crossing the street “against a light” or “illegally”‚ it is up to the driver to avoid an accident or collision if he or she can.  “The provisions of subdivision (b) shall not relieve a driver of a vehicle from the duty of exercising due care for the safety of any pedestrian within any marked crosswalk or within any unmarked crosswalk at an intersection.”

Based upon a reading of Section 21950‚ it is quite possible that both the driver and pedestrian may be responsible for this deadly pedestrian accident if the driver saw or could have seen the pedestrian crossing against the light and avoided the accident by stopping or swerving.  Further‚ because the pedestrian may not be 100% at fault and the driver 100% fault-free under their responsibilities set forth by California law‚ the family of the pedestrian may still be able to recover damages for the loss of their loved one in this accident.  Of course‚ any recovery would be diminished by the pedestrian’s own carelessness and fault for causing the accident.  But his “contributory negligence” does not bar his family from recovery.  They would be well-served to consult with an experienced San Diego personal injury attorney about their rights.

Ross Jurewitz is a San Diego personal injury lawyer and the managing attorney of the Jurewitz Law Group‚ a California wrongful death law firm dedicated to representing families of people killed in pedestrian accidents.  If you or a loved one has been killed or injured in a car accident in San Diego‚ please order your free copy of Mr. Jurewitz’s book‚ The Ten Biggest Mistakes that can Destroy Your California Accident Case. It is full of helpful information that will help you protect your legal rights and it is free to all California residents.

Six teenagers suffered serious injuries when a SUV they were travelling in crashed on September 15‚ 2010 in the Pine Valley area of San Diego County around 3:00 p.m. According to California Highway Patrol officers this car accident occurred on southbound Buckman Springs Road north of Oak Drive.

The driver of the car‚ a 15-year-old teenager‚ took  his grandmother’s car without permission and picked his school friends up for the ride. The car was speeding when the driver failed to take a curve and lost control. California Highway Patrol public affairs officer Brian Pennings said that the SUV rolled over several times before coming to rest on its wheels.

One of the teenagers was not wearing a seatbelt‚ but luckily was not ejected out of the car and was transported to Rady Children’s Hospital for treatment. All the injured occupants were immediately rushed to nearby hospitals for treatment.

From the present facts‚ the teen driver seems to be at fault. He most certainly was not driving with a valid driver’s license since he is underage.  If after the investigation it is found that the teenager was driving at an unsafe speed and that caused the accident to occur‚ he might be responsible to pay all the injured victims compensation to pay for medical costs and pain and suffering.

Ross Jurewitz is a San Diego car accident lawyer and the managing attorney of the Jurewitz Law Group‚ a California personal injury law firm dedicated to representing families of people killed in a car accident.  If you or a loved one has been injured or killed in a car accident in California‚ please order your free copy of Mr. Jurewitz’s book‚ The Ten Biggest Mistakes that can Destroy Your California Accident Case. It is full of helpful information that will help you protect your legal rights and it is free to all California residents.

Two motorists sustained serious injuries in a head–on car collision along Rancho Santa Fe Road on September 7‚ 2010 around 11:30 a.m. The public relations coordinator for Rancho Santa Fe Protection District said that two female drivers became trapped in their cars near the intersection of Calzada del Bosque as a result of the auto accident.

Both the women were evacuated out of their crumbled vehicles by the emergency crew.  Both of them were airlifted to Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla for trauma care as they sustained severe injuries.

Rancho Santa Fe Road remained close for initial investigation and was opened up  around 1:30p.m. The investigation is on to find the cause of the car accident. Unfortunately‚ it is unclear from the facts of the story why the crash occurred.  There is a possibility that the accident may have been the result of a mechanical defect of either vehicle or an uneven road. It could have also been the result of one of the driver’s negligence or failure of giving the right of the way. Regardless of the facts‚ the victims should consult with a San Diego car accident lawyer who can hire a trained private investigator to investigate how the accident occurred and to determine if there are any facts which would suggest that the accident was the cause of someone’s negligence. Any delay in the investigation may result in the loss of key pieces of evidence.  If either of the car drivers is found to have caused the traffic collision‚ then she might be liable to pay the injured victim’s medical costs and other related damages.

We sincerely hope and pray that none of the injured victims sustained life threatening injuries and recovers to complete health soon.

Ross Jurewitz is a San Diego personal injury attorney and the managing lawyer of the Jurewitz Law Group‚ a California auto accident law firm dedicated to representing families of people killed in a traffic accident.  If you or a loved one has been killed or injured in an injury accident in California‚ please order your free copy of Mr. Jurewitz’s book‚ The Ten Biggest Mistakes that can Destroy Your California Accident Case. It is full of helpful information that will help you protect your legal rights and it is free to all California residents.

An unidentified pedestrian suffered serious injuries when he was struck by a car at Civic Center Drive and North Coast Highway in Oceanside on September 15‚ 2010. According to Oceanside Police‚ this North San Diego County car accident occurred around 8:40 p.m. leaving a pedestrian seriously injured.

The pedestrian suffered serious injuries to the lower portion of his body and was immediately transported to a nearby hospital for treatment.

California law requires drivers to come to a complete stop at a stop sign and proceed with caution when entering an intersection. According to California Vehicle Code section 21802 (a): "The driver of any vehicle approaching a stop sign at the entrance to‚ or within‚ an intersection shall stop as required by Section 22450”. Investigating officers closed the intersection for their initial investigation and will determine whether Section 21802 or any other California traffic law was violated.

Should the investigation determine that the driver failed to yield to the pedestrian or stop at the intersection‚ he will need to be held responsible for hitting and injuring the pedestrian.  The injured victim is advised to consult a San Diego personal injury lawyer who could help him get a fair compensation for the medical costs and pain and suffering.

Ross Jurewitz is a San Diego car accident attorney and the managing lawyer of the Jurewitz Law Group‚ a California pedestrian accident law firm dedicated to representing families of people killed in a car accident.  If you or a loved one has been killed or injured in an injury accident in California‚ please order your free copy of Mr. Jurewitz’s book‚ The Ten Biggest Mistakes that can Destroy Your California Accident Case. It is full of helpful information that will help you protect your legal rights and it is free to all California residents.

An out of control pickup truck rammed into a house and burst a natural gas line on September 14‚ 2010‚ forcing the inhabitants to evacuate the home.  This truck accident occurred in the 11000 block of Polaris Drive in the Mira Mesa neighborhood of San Diego around 7:00 p.m.

A woman present in the house at the time of the crash suffered serious injuries and was transported to the trauma center for emergency care and evaluation. Medics present at the accident scene found that the truck driver suffered from some kind of medical ailment which might have lead to this truck accident.

San Diego Fire-Rescue Department officials evacuated everyone out of the damaged home and ten neighboring homes so that they could halt the gas supply to prevent leakage.

From the present facts‚ it seems that truck driver’s inattentiveness and/or medical condition lead to this truck accident. There are many questions that arise.  Was the truck driver fit to drive? Was he under any influence of drugs or alcohol? If the truck driver was not medically fit to drive‚ then why was his driving license not cancelled by the authorities. He might also be held liable to compensate the injured woman for her medical costs and the homeowners for the damage caused to their home.

We sincerely hope and pray that the injured woman did not sustain any life-threatening injuries and recovers her health soon.  When she returns from the hospital and is up to meeting with a professional about this accident‚ she would be smart to consult with a San Diego truck accident lawyer who could help her get  fair compensation.

Ross Jurewitz is a San Diego traffic accident lawyer and the managing attorney of the Jurewitz Law Group‚ a California personal injury law firm dedicated to representing families of people injured in truck accidents.  If you or a loved one has been injured or killed in a car accident in California‚ please order your free copy of Mr. Jurewitz’s book‚ The Ten Biggest Mistakes that can Destroy Your California Accident Case. It is full of helpful information that will help you protect your legal rights and it is free to all California residents.