San Diego Injury Lawyer Blog

The Marine Corps announced that it significantly reduced the number of fatal motorcycle accidents involving Marines in 2009. In 2008, the Marines reported a record high of 25 deadly motorcycle crashes. They year before, the Marine Corps 19 Marines were killed in motorcycle wrecks. However, in 2009, the total number of Marines who lost their life was reduced to only 14--a reduction of more than 40%.

San Diego has three Marine bases--Camp Pandleton, Miramar Air Station, and the Marine Corps Recruiting Depot. Camp Pendleton and MCAS Miramar accounted for 4 deaths each during 2009. In 2008, 9 Camp Pendleton Marines and 2 MCAS Miramar Marines were killed due to motorcycle accidents. No data was released for MCRD San Diego.

In the wake of the rising Marine casualties from motorcycle crashes, the USMC hired contractor Cape Fox Professional Services to provide suitable training programs to Marines in motorcycle riding and safety. In the past five years, the number of Marine motorcycle fatalities has constantly increased from 13 in 2005, to 16 in 2006, 19 in 2007, 25 in 2008, before significantly reducing to 14 in 2009. Citing the significant drop as a success of Cape Fox Professional Services, Washington has renewed their contract for the 2010 fiscal year. The Marine Corps will soon also launch an interactive website, SemperRide.com, where professionals featured in $500,000 safety movie, Semper Ride, can be contacted by Marine motorcyclists.

Our office celebrates and appreciates the effort of our local San Diego Marine community to be safe motorcyclists and hope that the new safety program will continue to reduce the number of motorcycle accident fatalities. However, two issues are still concerning. First, 14 Marines were killed due to motorcycle accidents--which is still far too many to have lost their lives. Second, 8 out of the 14 fatal motorcycle wrecks involved San Diego based Marines--that is nearly 60% of all Marine motorcycle deaths occurring in San Diego! Our office supports the Marines and their mission and recognize the risk and sacrifice they make when they put themselves in harms' way defending our country. It is therefore tragic when Marines unnecessarily lose their lives in motorcycle accidents that can be avoided.

Continue reading "Fatal Motorcycle Accidents by Marines Reduced by Nearly Half in 2009" »

A man and woman were seriously injured in a San Diego County motorcycle accident on February 14, 2009, as the motorcycle they were riding was struck by a car at a Carlsbad Village intersection in North San Diego County.

The victims were traveling on Carlsbad Boulevard around 11:20 a.m. when a car driven by a teenage girl, a resident of Upland, CA, pulled out from the intersection of Christiansen Way and collided with their motorcycle. The woman, who was riding pillion, was flown to a hospital, and the male driver was transported by ground ambulance. The teenage car driver was not arrested.

Our office wishes a speedy recovery to the people who were injured in this serious motorcycle crash. We urge all drivers to drive a little more carefully and responsibly so as to ensure that no one faces any harm while travelling on the road.

Ross Jurewitz is a San Diego motorcycle accident lawyer and the managing attorney of the Jurewitz Law Group, a law firm with offices in San Diego and Carlsbad dedicated to representing people seriously injured and the families of people killed by the negligence of others. If you or a loved one has been hurt or killed in a Carlsbad motorcycle accident, please call Mr. Jurewitz at 888-233-5020 for a free consultation.

In addition, if you would like more information to help you or your family following a motorcycle wreck, please order your free copy of Mr. Jurewitz's book, The Ten Biggest Mistakes that can Destroy Your California Accident Case. It is free to all California residents.

What are the top 5 types of California motorcycle accidents? How should motorcycle riders avoid them? San Diego, CA motorcycle accident attorney Ross Jurewitz of the Jurewitz Law Group reveals these answers.

Just listened to an amazing interview by Ben Glass of Ben Glass Law in Fairfax, Virginia. He was interviewing Seattle, Washington motorcycle accident lawyer Max Meyers of Scott McDonald and Associates, PLLC, located in Kirkland, Washington.

Mr. Meyers has built a niche injury accident law practice representing the victims of serious motorcycle accidents. As we have stated on our own site, motorcycle riders are particularly vulnerable to injury or death when they are involved in a traffic collision. The rider's exposure to all outside forces because he lacks the protection of a vehicle's steel frame, as well as the difference in mass between motorcycles and cars or trucks, almost guarantees a major injury.

As I listened to the interview, I was particularly impressed by the level of caring Mr. Meyers has for Washington motorcyclists and his clients. He has gone so far as to publish a free helpful book for Washington motorcycle accident victims which can be ordered online. It is also available in various motorcycle dealerships throughout the Seattle | Kirkland area.

Whether you are a seasoned rider or a weekend lawyer, I would highly recommend ordering his free book. If you or a loved one was unfortunate enough to be injured or killed in a Washington motorcycle accident, you can contact Mr. Meyers at his Washington personal injury law firm at (425) 822-5700.

Interstate 5 (I-5 or "the 5") freeway is the major north-south freeway running along San Diego County's coastline. It is a very heavily traveled road and is the site of many traffic accidents, including car wrecks, motorcycle accidents, and truck crashes.

We have added a new web report on our San Diego personal injury website that addresses Interstate 5 car accidents. Check it out.

The Interstate 15 (I-15 or "the 15") freeway runs along the inland part of San Diego County and runs north from National City through Escondido and Temecula in the north until it reaches Nevada near Las Vegas.

I-15 is a highly traveled shipping lane for interstate trucks and big-rigs. Because of their larger size and reduced maneuverability, we see an increased number of motor vehicle accidents along the freeway, including car accidents, truck crashes, and motorcycle wrecks.

We have added a new web report on our San Diego injury accident website about Interstate 15 trucking accidents and car wrecks. Check it out.

Motorcycle accidents are more likely than car accidents to cause serious injury or death to the rider. San Diego motorcyclists, more than most motorists, need the help of a trained and experienced personal injury attorney.

We recently added a helpful article about motorcycle accidents and injuries on our San Diego personal injury website. We hope that you find it useful and beneficial.

A 50-year-old man presumably from San Diego County was left in critical injury around 12:40 p.m. on July 11, 2009, when he fell off of his motorcycle along Carmel County Road. The unidentified man had been trying to make a stop on the southbound side of the road while he approached state Route 56, according to San Diego police.

The man had hit the brakes on his motorcycle and skidded approximately 129 feet before falling to the ground and sliding even further. Paramedics who arrived on the scene took the man to the hospital with a ruptured spleen, several broken bones, and numerous cuts and scrapes. He was still listed as being in critical condition as of Sunday afternoon. You can read more about this San Diego County motorcycle accident in this SignOnSanDiego.com story.

If you or anyone you know has ever been injured or killed in a San Diego motorcycle crash, please contact San Diego personal injury attorney Ross Jurewitz and the San Diego personal injury lawyers at the Jurewitz Law Group at (619) 233-5020. You may also contact these San Diego injury lawyers online here.

An Oceanside motorcycle crash on Highway 76 near the Interstate 5 onramp on June 28 was reportedly caused by a hit-and-run SUV driver who had fled the scene, along with his two passengers.

The accident occurred around 7 p.m. on Sunday when the driver of a GMC Yukon ran a red light on westbound 76 as they drove toward the onramp, which then caused the motorcycle coming towards them to broadside the SUV. The passenger on the motorcycle was a 20-year-old Escondido woman who was ejected and crashed through one of the Yukon's windows and ultimately landing inside of the SUV. The driver of the motorcycle, known only as a man from Escondido, crashed into the SUV and landed on the road. Both riders from the motorcycle had to be flown to a San Diego trauma center with non-life threatening injuries. You can read more about this Oceanside hit-and-run motorcycle accident in this North County Times story.

Continue reading "Oceanside Motorcycle Accident Caused by Hit-and-Run SUV Driver" »

San Diego's East County saw a hit-and-run motorcycle accident that left the driver of a street bike hospitalized on the evening of Friday, May 22, 2009. The man had not yet been identified.

California Highway Patrol officers reported that the motorcycle had struck a motor vehicle around 1:40 a.m. on Friday, and also hit the center divider while driving northbound on the connector from State Route 125 to eastbound State Route 94, after which he took off and ultimately fled the scene. CHP officers found the motorcyclist in San Diego's Spring Valley area about half an hour after the accident was reported, around 2:15 a.m. at the Kenwood Gardens Apartments. You can read more about this San Diego motorcycle accident in this SanDiego6.com story.

Continue reading "San Diego County Hit and Run Motorcycle Accident" »

May is National Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month, and just in time too, considering the nice weather and conditions that draw out more motorcycle and chopper riders across the nation than in other times of the year.

The California Highway Patrol's is taking this opportunity to encourage all motorcycle riders, new and old, to be more vigilant and safe on California's roads. California has long since been known for its great weather and scenery and is a more popular state in which to motorcycle than others, so the risk of motorcycle injuries is higher than the national average. California has 1.2 million licensed motorcycle riders and every year thousands of motorcyclists are involved in fatal collisions. Rider fatalities are consistently on the rise with each passing year, including San Diego, which has seen its' own rise in the number of fatal motorcycle accidents.

Continue reading "California Highway Patrol Report Shows San Diego Motorcycle Accidents On the Rise" »

Many an accident on the road that cause injuries or even fatalities are not due to unsafe exterior conditions or even the irresponsibility of other drivers nearby. A lot of times, the fault lies in the interior conditions of our vehicles and, more often than not, fatigue.

Prompted by the charter bus accident in Utah in January 2008 that resulted in 51 of the riders to be ejected from the vehicle into the wintry night, nine of whom died and forty-three others who were injured, the National Transportation and Safety Board recently attributed the accident as relating to the fatigue of the 71 year-old bus driver who had underestimated his speed and had a slowed reaction time.

Continue reading "Fatigue Significant Factor in San Diego Car, Bus, Motorcycle Accidents" »

Yesterday evening, a Jurewitz Law Group employee took his bicycle to a San Diego bike shop on Adams Avenue to get it tuned up and ready for the upcoming summer.

Here is the story he told us this morning:

One of the bike shop employees at the store was wearing a black, leather, motorcycle jacket. He came up to us, greeted us, and proceeded to help me with my bike. I noticed that he was not moving his right arm very much as my friend was looking at bicycle helmets. A yellow bicycle helmet caught her attention and she decided to try it on. Once she was content with the color scheme and shape of the helmet, she asked the employee if this particular helmet was good for recreational bicycle riding. He took the helmet from her with his left arm, examined it, and agreed it would be a great recreational bicycle helmet.

The employee continued on to say that it would work great if she were to ever get into a crash, but that it would only work for one crash and that's it. She would have to replace if she ever did crash. The employee said that comment as if he expected her to crash, which caught us a bit off guard. He continued on to the story about his arm and said that a helmet had just saved his life the previous week.

Continue reading "San Diego Bike Shop Employee Seriously Injured in Julian Motorcycle Accident" »

The best way to avoid a San Diego motorcycle accident is simple: Motorcyclists need to make sure that they are visible to car and truck drivers.

There are several easy ways to do that. They are:

First of all, remember that San Diego drivers tend to have a difficult time spotting motorcyclists and reacting in time. Therefore, making sure that your headlight works and is on day and nights is imperative to staying visible.

In order to be even more visible, increase the reflection of light and use reflective decal strips on your clothing and motorcycle.

Make sure to be aware of blind spots that cars and trucks have and try not to stay in those blind spots for a long period of time.

When braking, flash your brake lights a few times to catch a driver's attention and make it a point to let them know that you are slowing down.

Last but not least, if a San Diego driver does not see you, don't be afraid to use your horn.

All of these safety precautions are easy to reach and will keep you much safer on our San Diego roads. For more useful information for motorcyclists, visit the Motorcycle Safety Foundation's library.

If you or anyone you know has ever been injured on a San Diego motorcycle accident, please contact your San Diego motorcycle lawyer Ross Jurewitz and the other San Diego personal injury attorneys at the Jurewitz Law Group at 619-233-5020. You can also contact these San Diego injury lawyers online here.

On Friday, March 6, at approximately 6:30 a.m., a motorcyclist was riding west on Barnett Avenue in the Midway neighborhood of San Diego when a car changed lanes striking the motorcycle with its driver's side door. The motorcycle rider ended up pinned under the car and was later taken to UC San Diego Medical Center after emergency personnel responded to the car accident.

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San Diego authorities did not release much information about the motorcyclist. More information about the motorcycle accident can be found here.

As car drivers, we need to remember to use our mirrors every single time we change lanes. Many people forget that motorcyclists and bicycle riders share the road as well. Also, car drivers should remember that motorcyclists and bicyclists are more difficult to see, which is why we need to make sure to use not only our mirrors, but look over our shoulders as well when changing lanes.

Continue reading "Motorcycle Rider Seriously Injured in San Diego Motorcycle Accident" »

A San Diego jury awarded the widow of a motorcycle rider and his two children $4.9 million after he was struck on a motorcycle by a truck driver. After the verdict was read, the judge--as is typical--polled the jurors for their votes. However, the judge forgot to get the answers from one juror to two of the 13 questions asked during the polling process.

The juror did agree with the other jurors that the truck driver was negligent and caused the trucking accident. However the judge forgot to ask him if he agreed with the other jurors on the apportionment of damages. The jury verdict found to the truck driver to be 80% responsible for causing the accident but also found the motorcycle rider to be 20% responsible.

On appeal by the insurance defense counsel for the truck driver, the judge's mistake led to a reversal of the verdict by the Fourth District Court of Appeals. The Court of appeals held, in part, that:

...the trial court erred in accepting the juror declarations to inquire into and resolve the results of the jury's decision making process, and also when it made a credibility determination that Santana could not effectively have voted other than 80/20 at any relevant time.

The Keeners, the family of the motorcyclist, have appealed to the California Supreme Court to reinstate the jury verdict.

The entire Court of Appeal opinion can be read here.

Continue reading "San Diego Wrongful Death Verdict to be Reviewed by California Supreme Court" »

A San Diego Police Officer was killed when he was involved in a San Diego motorcycle accident on February 19, 2009, according to this story.

San Diego Police Department Detective Larry Steward was riding his motorcycle on Highway 94 near Marron Valley Road in San Diego County when an SUV hit his motocycle head on. The California Highway Patrol says that the SUV swerved to avoid traffic from a CalTrans construction zone.

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This unfortunate car crash should serve as a reminder to all San Diego and California drivers that they need to be cautious when driving in a construction zone. However, Detective Steward might not have died if CalTrans' construction scene was not properly organized and safe for passing drivers. It is a little too early to tell at this point, but if I were to investigate this accident, I'd be very curious as to what specifically caused the SUV driver to swerve and why. If CalTrans had loose equipment where it should not be, or did not properly warn motorists of the danger, CalTrans' might bear some responsibility for Detective Steward's death.

Continue reading "San Diego Police Office Killed in Head-On Motorcycle Crash" »

On Monday, February 2, 2009, a Thousand Oaks motorcycle accident seriously injured Ventura County resident, Ambrosio Rodriguez. Mr. Rodriquez was taken to the hospital for his injuries after a Buick driven by Denis Liu pulled out from a parking in front of Rodriguez's motocycle while Rodriguez was driving eastbound on Hillcrest Drive near Boardwalk Avenue.

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The impact was so severe that it caused the Buick to overturn and come to rest on its' side. It is very fortunate that Ambrosio Rodriguez was not fatally injured in the accident.

According to the newspaper story, the motorcycle accident happened when Liu drove his Buick out of the parking lot and onto Hillcrest Drive without looking for oncoming traffic. This is a fairly frequent occurrence, but particularly with motorcycles and bicycles who are more difficult to see than cars. It appears that Liu was negligent and should be held responsible for compensating Ambrosio Rodriguez for his injuries.

Our office hope and pray that Mr. Rodriguez fully recovers from his injuries.

A motorcyclist was killed in San Bernardino when she fell off her motorcycle and was run over by a big-rig truck.

Sharon Woodcock, 51, of Long Beach, was driving her motorcycle eastbound on Interstate 10 and making the transition to northbound Interstate 215 when she fell off her Harley Davidson and fell into the adjoining lane. Upon falling into the lane, she was run over by the big-rig truck.

She was pronounced dead at the scene.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to her family.

The Vancouver Canuck's Luc Bourdon, a rising defensive star for the NHL team, was killed earlier today in a motorcycle accident in New Brunswick, Canada.

Bourdon was driving his motorcycle on the road between Lameque and Shippigan, his hometown, when his motorcycle collided with a transport truck.

The NHL, currently in the midst of the Stanley Cup Finals, is deeply saddened. Bourdon was the Canucks' first round draft pick in the 2005 amateur draft and the 10th pick overall. He had helped Canada win World Junior Championships in 2006 and 2007 and was fast becoming a star for the Canucks as a two-way defenseman--one who is skilled both offensively and defensively.

This accident is truly tragic. However, a similar accident involving any other person would be equally tragic. If you or a loved one have been seriously hurt in a motorcycle accident, contact the Jurewitz Law Group. We are experienced in fighting for your rights and obtaining the maximum recovery possible.

Earlier today, both sides of Ortega Highway, a scenic--but notoriously dangerous--road between San Juan Capistrano and Lake Elsinore, were closed due to a major accident involving six cars and a motorcycle.

An ambulance and tow truck were called to the scene to attend to the victims and their vehicles.

Ortega Highway is the scene of many significant, and deadly, crashes as people drive too fast along the curvy road, stare off into the scenery, or cross over into oncoming traffic.

Unfortunate video of an accident that happens more often than you would expect: a vehicle on the highway strikes another vehicle pulled over along the emergency lane.

The officer pulled over on I-80 in Sacramento to assist another driver push his vehicle off the highway after the driver had run out of gas. After the vehicle was pushed over the shoulder, the driver of another vehicle--maybe trying to get around slowed down traffic or just not paying attention--struck the CHP motorcycle.

The officer had to jump over the railing of the bridge to avoid getting hit and had to hang on for dear life to avoid falling 15-20 feet to the street below.

The crash closed I-80 for hours.

This accident should serve as a reminder to anyone who finds themselves in need of assistance on the highway, or who pulls over to the shoulder, that you still need to look out for careless drivers. The Jurewitz Law Group has represented several clients injured in car accidents like this and it is always to amazing to see the degree of carelessness that causes these accidents.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a car accident, contact our lawyers for immediate advice and assistance.