San Diego Injury Lawyer Blog

On March 5, 2013, Volvo Car Group officially announced the world-first cyclist detection technology. A radar sensor is placed in the car’s front grille and a camera is installed in the central control panel and interior rear-view mirror facing the street ahead. The technology can distinguish between pedestrians and now cyclists, which is called Pedestrian and Cyclist Detection with full auto brake.

If a cyclist or pedestrian were to get too close in front of the vehicle, a red flashing warning light would go off inside the vehicle and would automatically activate full braking power. This saves the driver from potentially hitting and injuring a pedestrian or cyclist in the event of a delayed or lack of reaction to instant danger.

Although Volvo’s new technology can reduce injury and damage, the technology is limited since the sensors protect the front of the car and not the back.

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The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), part of the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT), regularly shuts down trucking companies due to repeated or serious safety violations. The agency recently ordered an individual California truck driver off the road, however – an extra step that the agency rarely takes except in serious cases.

According to the out of service order filed by the FMCSA, the driver had violated both state law and federal regulations regarding drug or alcohol use and driving several times over the past year. The agency says that the driver has been cited more than once for driving a commercial vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Impaired or drunk driving is dangerous in any vehicle, but when the driver is operating a large truck or bus, the results can be devastating.

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4moms has recalled about 1,440 units of its “breeze” play yard sheets because the sheets pose an entrapment and suffocation hazard for small children, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).

The sheets are made of cream-colored cotton jersey, and were sold as an accessory to accompany the brand’s “play yard,” a modular playpen. The sheets were intended to cover the bottom of the play yard, but the recalled sheets are too small to cover the entire bottom snugly. As a result, it is possible for a child to crawl between the sheet and the bottom of the play yard and become trapped, a situation which could lead to suffocation or other injuries.

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A new sign reading “Please Don’t Drink and Drive” greets drivers on state Route 125 in Santee, the legacy of a fatal drunk driving crash in 2009 that claimed one life and sent another driver to the hospital with serious injuries. The sign was paid for by the deceased driver’s family, who wanted a way to warn other drivers against causing these preventable car crashes and to remember their loved one.

The sign honors the victim of the 2009 crash, who lost her life when an intoxicated teen driver crashed into her vehicle. The teenager survived the accident, but suffered brain damage including memory loss and blindness in one eye. Now at the age of 21, the driver has joined the fight to eliminate drunk driving and encourage others to drive safe and sober.

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Many experienced San Diego County big rig accident attorneys know how inclement weather can play a role in a large truck or other vehicle crash, and the rainstorms of last week were no exception. During the downpour, several vehicle accidents took place on interstates in the San Diego area.

A jackknife accident involving a tractor-trailer and two other vehicles blocked traffic on Interstate 15 just south of Interstate 8, according to the California Highway Patrol. Jackknife accidents occur when a truck’s trailer can’t stop at the same speed as the tractor, which often happens on wet pavement or when brake problems occur. The trailer’s momentum pushes it into an acute angle with the tractor that looks like a partly-opened jackknife, hence the name.

Continue reading "Rain Leads to Truck, Car Crashes on San Diego-Area Interstates" »

A freight train accident claimed a man’s life in Oceanside recently, according to a news report from NBC San Diego. According to investigators, the man was walking on or near the train crossing at Mission Avenue when the freight train, operated by BSNF, struck him.

At least one eyewitness was present at the scene of the crash, which occurred around 10 p.m. He reported that it looked like the man was trying to cross the train tracks as the train approached. The witness described the train’s whistle blowing and the train braking, but it was unable to stop before the collision occurred.

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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.

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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 at the Jurewitz Law Group 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.

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We want to wish everyone a happy New Year! Now that 2012 is a thing of the past, what can we expect in 2013 as a Californian?

At the turn of the New Year, there were a total of 876 new California laws that went into effect. The new laws range from making picketing at funerals a crime (SB 661) to prohibiting college officials from requesting/requiring students to disclose access to personal social media accounts (SB 1349).

Continue reading "New Year, New Laws: 2013 Laws Affecting Consumers in California" »

A motorcycle accident on Interstate 15 just south of the Scripps Poway Parkway in San Diego left the motorcyclist injured and slowed traffic for several hours, according to a recent news report from CBS 8.

The accident occurred when the motorcycle’s front wheel failed, causing it to swerve and strike the median. The motorcyclist was thrown from the bike during the crash. Rescue workers took him to a local hospital, which has not released a report on his injuries. Investigators are still trying to determine what caused the accident.

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New Year’s Eve is one of the busiest holidays of the year for parties, which means that it’s also a busy time of year on the roads – especially after dark. Alcohol is a common part of many New Year’s parties, but it is also a common part of many serious accidents.

You can help start 2013 safely for yourself and others by following a few holiday safety tips:

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California is one of several U.S. states that has “strict liability” for dog bites. This rule can have a significant effect on how you and your skilled San Diego County dog bite injury attorney decide to approach your case after a dog bite occurs.

In “strict liability” dog bite states like California, an owner may be held liable for a dog bite even if the dog has never bitten before or the owner had no reason to believe the dog would act aggressively toward others.

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