San Diego Personal Injury Attorney Blog

The San Diego Police Department is investigating an accident that seriously injured an elderly pedestrian when he was struck by a car in downtown San Diego on Monday morning. The accident occurred at the intersection of Sixth Avenue and F Street in the Core-Columbia district of San Diego, and was reported shortly before noon.

The male pedestrian, who was not identified but described as elderly, was taken to a trauma center with severe injuries. The cause of the accident remains under investigation. We hope this man is able to make it through his injuries and fully recover, although the recovery period may be lengthy. The impact of a catastrophic accident such as this one can last a lifetime. The victim and his family will be in our thoughts and prayers.

Continue reading "Elderly Pedestrian Struck by Car in Downtown San Diego " »

A 22-year-old Washington state man filed a lawsuit last week in Idaho, claiming roadway conditions on Interstate 90 caused him to break his pelvis in an accident on December 28, 2007 in northern Idaho. Kasey Crick, the plaintiff, was a passenger in a vehicle pulling a trailer on Interstate 90. According to court documents, the trailer allegedly became dislodged from the vehicle after running over a serious of deep potholes on the Interstate. Another vehicle then struck the trailer, which then collided with Crick, breaking his pelvis and causing other injuries.

Crick filed the lawsuit on December 18, 2009, after Idaho state officials previously denied blame for the accident on December 28, 2007. According to the Olympian, the Idaho Transportation Department had received complaints about the potholes around the time of the incident. The lawsuit seeks $500,000 in compensation for medical bills, lost earnings and school tuition costs. The amount is the highest allowed in the state of Idaho.

Continue reading "Washington Man Files Roadway Defect Lawsuit After Potholes Cause Broken Pelvis " »

A 55-year-old man was killed on Thursday, December 24, 2009, in a industrial accident at a lumber storage yard in San Diego. The man, identified by the San Diego Medical Examiner as Alberto Herrera-Garcia, of Ensenada, Mexico, was picking up a load of 20-foot long wood planks when the load fell off the forklift and onto him. Employees at the lumber yard called 911 and paramedics responded. Despite initiating CPR and advanced life-saving measures, Herrera-Garcia died at the scene. The accident occurred at about 9:15 a.m.

The San Diego Police responded to the scene, as well as the San Diego District Attorneys Office and CAL-OSHA. The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health, more commonly known as CAL-OSHA, investigates all industrial accidents resulting in death or serious injury. The cause of this lumberyard industrial accident is currently under investigation.

Continue reading "Ensenada Man Killed in Industrial Accident at Lumber Storage Yard in Otay Mesa" »

Escondido police are investigating a fatal accident Wednesday, December 23, 2009 in Escondido. Arthur Tingleaf, 74, of Escondido, was crossing Begonia Street near his home when he was struck by an out-of-control Honda Accord. The crash occurred shortly after 2 p.m. on Wednesday afternoon. Tingleaf was taken via ambulance to Palomar Hospital where he died a short time after arrival.

Please keep the family of Arthur Tingleaf in your prayers, as the sudden and unexpected loss of a loved one is surely devastating. Our sympathy goes out to everyone who knew and loved this man. According to reports of the accident in the San Diego Union Tribune, authorities interviewed the driver of the Honda Accord that struck Tingleaf, but did not make an arrest. Police do not believe alcohol was a factor in the fatal pedestrian accident, however the incident is still under investigation.

Continue reading "Man Struck and Killed by Out-of-Control Car Outside Home in Escondido " »

The driver of a pickup truck was taken to a San Diego hospital with "major injuries" after a crash early Tuesday morning on Interstate 805 in National City, a spokesman for the California Highway Patrol told the City News Service. The driver of the pickup truck was rear-ended by another vehicle on I-805 at unknown speeds. The crash occurred near 47th Street, at about 2:15 a.m. on Tuesday.

The CHP said drunken driving was not suspected in this National City collision, although the accident is still under investigation. If the facts of this story are accurate, the driver of the pickup truck who suffered serious injuries may have a claim against the driver of the other vehicle. The injured party would be well-advised to consult with a San Diego personal injury attorney for a consultation. An attorney can advocate the victim's rights and ensure proper compensation is obtained for medical bills, lost earnings, and pain and suffering.

Continue reading "Driver Seriously Injured in Two-Car Crash on 805 Freeway in National City " »

The San Diego Police Department (SDPD) is investigating a fatal rollover accident late Saturday night (12-19-2009) in Balboa Park. According to reports, Nancy Ellen Whalen, 63, of San Diego, was driving her 2007 Toyota Prius northbound on the 16000 block of 26th Street in the Golden Hills area when she lost control her car for unknown reasons. It went off the road into a steep gully and struck a tree, near the Balboa Park Municipal Golf Course.

Medical personnel responded the scene and extricated Whalen from her vehicle. Despite resucication efforts, she died at the scene of the crash at about 11:36 p.m. According to the San Diego Medical Examiner's press release, Whalen had been wearing a seat belt. She was the sole occupant of the Toyota Prius.

Continue reading "San Diego Woman Killed in Rollover Crash Near Balboa Park Municipal Golf Course " »

Thousands of spectators heard a horrific collision Sunday night at the second weekend of the annual Boat Parade of Lights. A boating accident involving a 33-foot Coast Guard boat and a 24-foot recreational boat occurred just before 6 p.m, causing serious injury to five adults and the death of a young boy.

According to a USCG news release, there were five people on board the Coast Guard vessel, which was responding to a report at the time of the crash. The 24-foot boat had 13 people on board. Five people on the smaller boat suffered "major traumas," and an 8-year-old boy, Anthony Cole DeWeese, later died at UCSD Medical Center. No one on board the Coast Guard vessel was reportedly injured.

Please keep the family of Anthony DeWeese in your prayers, as the sudden loss of this young boy is surely devastating and incomprehensible. The cause of this tragic accident is currently under investigation. Those injured and the family of the young boy who lost his life would be wise to consult with an experienced San Diego boating accident attorney as soon as possible - they may be entitled to compensation for this accident from the United States Coast Guard. For more information, contact Estey & Bomberger at (619) 312-4399, or another reputable personal injury law firm.

A 29-year-old San Diego man was tragically killed when he was struck by a San Diego Trolley on Thursday morning (12/17/09), the San Diego Union Tribune has reported. Christopher Brian Roberts was struck by a southbound MTS trolley at about 5:45 a.m., on Schley Street in the Barrio Logan area, north of Harbor Drive.

Roberts was employee of the National Steel and Shipbuilding Company (NASSCO). Please keep the family of Christopher Roberts in your prayers. The unexpected and sudden loss of this young man's life is surely devastating. The cause of the accident is still under investigation, and it is not known if negligence on the part of the trolley operator contributed to Roberts' death.

Every year, several people are killed in accidents involving MTS Trolleys in San Diego. Most recently last month, a cyclist was killed by a trolley on November 24, 2009 near Mount Hope on Imperial Avenue. A four-year-old girl was killed by a trolley on July 26, 2009 in Chula Vista. And a 52-year-old Escondido woman was struck and killed by an Orange Line Trolley on Sunday, July 12, 2009.

Continue reading "San Diego Man Killed in Trolley Accident in Barrio Logan" »

Pedestrian accidents often result in very serious injury, including traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, and even wrongful death. If you have been injured in a pedestrian accident, an attorney can help you obtain a fair settlement for your injuries and your future. After a San Diego pedestrian accident, the insurance company will try and hold as much compensation from you as possible. If you are considering filing a claim for your injuries, talk to an experienced lawyer. The sooner you speak to an attorney, the sooner the attorney can begin building your case to help you obtain the maximum compensation you deserve for pain and suffering, lost earnings, and medical expenses.

Continue reading "San Diego Pedestrian Accident Lawyer: Get the Compensation You Deserve " »

After two deadlocked trials, a third jury convicted John Michael Sedej, 47, of Poway, of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated for a July 13, 2007 crash. The fatal accident occurred at 1:20 a.m. at La Jolla Village Drive and Genesee Avenue. Nancy Galeana-Ramirez, 28, died in the crash. Her mother and aunt were also injured. Sedej was driving an Acura SUV when he ran a red light and collided with a 2000 Ford Expedition carrying Galeana-Ramirez and her mother and aunt.

The verdict was read October 29, after which Sedej was taken into custody. Judge Melinda Lasater will be sentencing him today - he faces up to 12 years in prison. Sedej was also convicted of DUI causing injury and driving with a measurable blood-alcohol level causing injury.

Continue reading "Poway Man to be Sentenced for 2007 Fatal DUI Crash " »

The driver of an Infiniti G35 was arrested Sunday night after rear-ending a Volkswagen Passat at the intersection of Genessee Avenue and Torrey Pines Road. According to reports from police, the VW was driving south on N. Torrey Pines Road and slowing at the intersection when the Infiniti rear-ended it "like a bullet." The impact ruptured the gas tank on the Passat and both vehicles erupted in flames. A witness to the crash broke the windows of the Infiniti and was able to rescue the driver and passenger. He was unable to rescue the driver of the Passat, Jared Franklin Purton, 33, of Pacific Beach. According to the San Diego County Medical Examiner's Office, Purton held a doctorate and was employed at the Scripps Research Institute.

Michael Landri, 30, the driver of the Infiniti, was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol and booked into county jail, where he was held on $160,000 bail. Landri and his passenger were reportedly coming home from a company Christmas party. The accident is the third suspected alcohol-related fatality this weekend in San Diego County. Two teenagers were killed in separate crashes early Saturday in North County.

Continue reading "Alleged Drunk Driver Arrested Following Fatal Crash in Torrey Pines " »

Two North County teens were killed Friday night in separate crashes, both believed to be alcohol related. The deaths were the tenth and eleventh fatalities since September 20 involving vehicles with drivers under age 21, according to the San Diego Union Tribune. At least five of the nine accidents were believed to be alcohol related, including the most recent two on Friday.

Fatal Poway Accident

Veronica Elizabeth Aguirre, 17, a cheerleader and Poway High School student, was killed in a solo vehicle crash on Mountain Meadow Road shortly after 1:00 a.m. Saturday. Aguirre was the driver and sole occupant of a Kia Sportage travelling westbound on Mountain Meadow Road in the Hidden Meadows area, where she lost control of the car and crashed. While toxicology reports are pending, investigators believe Aguirre was under the influence of alcohol.

Fatal Harmony Grove Accident

About six hours later, at about 6:30 a.m. Saturday, another teen was killed west of Escondido. Jeffrey David Hodson, who turned 18 on Wednesday, was a front seat passenger in 2004 Honda travelling south on Harmony Grove Road. The driver of that vehicle, a 17-year-old who has not been identified, lost control of the vehicle and struck a large eucalyptus tree. Hodson died at the scene, according to the San Diego Medical Examiner's Office. The driver was arrested and faces charges of vehicular manslaughter and driving under the influence of alcohol. The California Highway Patrol is the investigating agency.

Recent Teen Deaths in San Diego County

Our deepest condolences go out to everyone who knew and loved Veronica and Jeffrey. They are sadly the most recent victims of a string of fatal traffic accidents in San Diego County the the last several months, including Michael Pyper, 17; Jacob Ayers, 19; Alex Capozza, 17; William Wardrip, 16; Gerardo Chacon, 17; Miguel Arias, 20; and Nieves Alejandra Ruiz, 17. Please keep these young people's families in your prayers. The loss of these young loved ones is surely devastating.

San Diego County Social Host Ordinances

Drinking and driving is of course, against the law. Teens have the responsibility to not drive while drunk, and should absolutely not get into a vehicle with a drunk driver, now matter how old they are. But teens are not the only ones who can be held accountable for these accidents; the adults who provide them with alcohol may also face both criminal and civil responsibility.

Continue reading "Two More Teens Killed in String of Alcohol Related Crashes " »

A jury in Lee County, Florida awarded $44.9 million to Gerald Aloia, of Cape Coral, Florida. Aloia was paralyzed on October 22, 6006, when his motorcycle was struck by a Chevrolet Corvette in Cape Coral. The driver of the corvette, Deborah Veilleux, 45, died in 2007. The award was one of the largest in Lee County history, according to the Cape Coral News Press.

Motorcycle accidents are on the rise in California, according to the CA Highway Patrol. An estimated 500 motorcyclists died in fatal accidents in California in 2008. Although not all accidents can be prevented, safe riding can prevent many collisions. The attorneys at Estey & Bomberger strongly encourage all motorcycle riders to sign up for the California Motorcyclist Safety Program (CMSP) before beginning to learn to ride. To sign up for a CMSP course call 1 (877) RIDE-411.

Continue reading "Jury Awards $44.9 Million to Man Paralyzed in 2006 Car Accident " »

A man was killed Thursday morning when his pickup truck flipped off of Interstate 8 and onto Camino Del Rio North. The fatal San Diego County car accident occurred at about 7:30 a.m. According to reports in the San Diego Union Tribune, a man was driving his white 1990 Toyota pickup truck west on I-8 in one of the left lanes when, for reasons not known, he lost control of his truck and veered right. The Toyota pickup truck struck a 2004 Dodge Ram, which collided with a 1994 Jeep Grand Cherokee.

Fortunately, the drivers of the Dodge Ram and the Jeep were both able to safely pull over. The pickup truck continued its path out of control, and went off of I-8, over an embankment and through a fence. The truck overturned and came to rest near the entrance of the Volunteers of America building on Camino Del Rio north in Mission Valley. The driver, who was wearing a seatbelt, was partially ejected, a CHP officer said. He died at the scene of the crash.

Further details were not immediately available, as the cause of the fatal I-8 crash is currently under investigation. The CHP will determine if drugs or alcohol, vehicle malfunction, or a medical emergency were factors in the crash.