Posted On: March 31, 2009

Forty-Six Deaths in 10 years on Highway 67

The North County Times is out with a story about Highway 67 in Ramona, the site of yesterday's horrible auto accident that claimed the life of a young woman, and reveals a very troubling history about this busy stretch of San Diego County roadway. In the last 10 years there have been 46 deaths by auto accidents.

According to CalTrans, the culprit in most of the crashes was excessive speed. Local residents say that most cars travel much faster than the posted speed limit of 55 mph. Yesterday's accident is believed to have been caused by racing cars, one of which broadsided Alexendria Drake, pushing her Volvo into a tree and claiming her life.

While there have been discussions about expanding the highway, and adding a barrier in the center divider, no money has been allocated by governmental agencies for that purpose. This troubles residents, including JoAnn Bryant who no longer allows her family to drive on the road at night. "It's just too dangerous a road if you care about anybody," she said.

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Posted On: March 30, 2009

Racing Cars Crash, Young Mother Dies

RAMONA, CA - A 25-year-old mother was killed yesterday on Route 67 after her car was struck by out of control racers. Alexandria Drake of Chula Vista was driving her Volvo near Quail Rock Road when she was struck by a speeding Jaguar that had veered into oncoming traffic.

According to witnesses, the Jaguar was a racing a white Mercedes Benz when it lost control. Several other cars and a motorcycle crashed when trying to avoid the Jaguar, which also crashed. In addition to the fatality, three other people suffered injuries, including the driver of the Jaguar. Ms. Drake's three-month old child was strapped in the backseat and was not hurt.

Police are trying to identify the driver of the white Mercedes, who did not stop. Anyone with information is encouraged to call the CHP at (619) 401-2000.


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The San Diego accident attorneys at Walton Law Firm LLP represent victims of auto accidents, motorcycle accident, construction accidents, and all other injury cases, including cases involving wrongful death. Call (760) 607-1325 or fill out an online form for a free and confidential consultation.

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Posted On: March 27, 2009

Temecula Boy Receives $20 Million Settlement in Traumatic Brain Injury Case

A Temecula boy who fell from a play structure at a local Burger King restaurant was awarded a $20 million settlement. Jacob Buckett, now 12, suffered a traumatic brain injury when he fell at a location in the play structure where there was no cushioned flooring. According to reports, the boy suffered damage to his parietal lobe, his left front lobe, and to his lungs when he fell.

Jacob was hospitalized for more than a month, which was followed by six weeks at a rehabilitation facility. Due to the size of the personal injury settlement, it is very likely that Jacob suffered permanent brain damage that will require attention for the long term.

Several defendants were named in the lawsuit arising from the accident, including the franchisee, the parent company, and the company that installed the playground equipment. It is unclear whether one defendant or all contributed to the settlement.

The Temecula injury lawyers at Walton Law Firm LLP represent accident victims throughout Southern California in cases of personal injury and wrongful death.

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Posted On: March 24, 2009

The Passing of Natasha Richardson and Jade Goody – Why we care so much . . .

Natasha Richardson’s untimely death from a skiing accident at the age of 45 captured the attention of the world. She left behind her husband and two sons, ages 13 and 14. Jade Goody, a young mother in England, died of cervical cancer last weekend leaving behind her two young sons, ages 4 and 5. Ms. Richardson’s passing was unexpected, and her family had little or no time to prepare for her death. Ms. Goody knew she was going to die and talked to her sons about it telling them she would be the brightest star in the night sky.

As parents, we do so much to protect our children from harm, but too few of us plan for the future of our children should harm come to us. It is not an easy subject to think about, but there is comfort of knowing that you can take steps to ease a transition for your children should the unexpected occur. Estate planning is a fundamental part of this process. You may designate the person or people you would like to care for your children by preparing a nomination of guardian form. A trust and will can ensure the avoidance of probate and ensure that your estate will not have to incur the fees associated with probate.

For assistance with preparing your estate plan, contact estate planning attorney Kristen Walton at Walton Law Firm LLP for a free consultation.

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Posted On: March 24, 2009

San Diego Law Firms Impacted by Economic Downturn

The Voice of San Diego is out with an article about the impact the economic downturn is having on San Diego's larger law firms. Nationwide, thousands of lawyers and support staff have been laid off, mainly younger associates that don't yet have a book of business to sustain their own workload.

Luce Forward laid off 12 San Diego lawyers last month, and Cooley Godward, Paul Hastings, DLA Piper, and Latham & Watkins have all let lawyers go.

While the number of attorneys laid off is dwarfed by firings in other sectors, the law firm layoffs underscore the weakness in the economy because in past recessions, law firms have prospered in the "countercyclical" environment, because business is naturally more contentious when there's less to share, and because lawyers are necessary to restructure failing corporations.

This downturn is different, it is said, because failing businesses aren't reorganizing but liquidating, and those who survive are choosing not to spend money on legal advice or litigation. The greatest victims in all of this are the young lawyers and law students, who are burdened with huge student loans and dim job prospects.

To read the entire article click here.

Walton Law Firm LLP is a small civil law firm in San Diego County representing individuals, families and businesses in cases of personal injury, nursing home abuse and neglect, real estate litigation, and estate planning. For convenience Walton Law Firm has offices in downtown San Diego, and in the North County.

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Posted On: March 23, 2009

Oceanside Auto Accident Claims Life

An Italian tourist is under arrest for vehicular manslaughter after his car clipped another car on southbound I-5 last night causing a major auto accident. According to reports, a PT Cruiser being driven by Alberto Allari drifted across lanes and struck an Toyota RAV-4, causing the Toyota to lose control and roll several times. Leslie Sheila Foster, a resident of Valley Center and a passenger in the RAV-4, died at the scene.

Interestingly, police have stated that it is not believed that alcohol or speed played a roll in the accident, though Allari was arrested at the scene under allegations of vehicular manslaughter. While vehicular manslaughter can be charged against any person who violates a traffic law, and that violation results in death, it is typically reserved for those who are driving under the influence, speeding, or with a history of reckless or negligent driving.

This tragic case will be one to follow.

The San Diego car accident attorneys at Walton Law Firm LLP represent individuals and families who have injured or killed in motor vehicle accidents. Consultations are free and confidential.

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Posted On: March 21, 2009

Orange County Blast Kills Two, Injures Two

An electrical water heater exploded yesterday in a Rancho Santa Margarita plastics factory, killing two employees and injuring two others. The men killed, Isidro Echeverria of Oceanside and Jose Jimenez of Garden Grove, were working the night shift at Solus Industrial Innovations when the blast occurred.

Investigators are trying to determine what caused the explosion, which was so forceful it buckled walls and blew chunks of concrete into the air.

Attorney Randy Walton was involved in a very similar explosion case five years ago when a water heater exploded in a San Diego County factory and seriously injured two employees. A lawsuit was filed against the water heater manufacturer for designing and manufacturing a defective product, as well as against a propane distributor for its contribution to the accident.

It is very likely that OSHA investigators will determine what caused this Orange County accident, which will likely be related to the design, manufacture, instillation or maintenance of the water heater.

The personal injury and wrongful death lawyers at Walton Law Firm LLP represent individuals and families throughout Southern California who have suffered due to automobile accidents, work site accidents, defective products, spinal and brain injuries, dog bites, and other accident cases. Call (866) 607-1325 for a free and confidential consultation.

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Posted On: March 18, 2009

Minor Head Injuries Can Turn Major...Fast

A patient with a serious head injury can appear "deceivingly normal at first," according to Dr. Carmelo Graffagnino of Duke University. Even though the injury may appear minor, and not particularly painful, over-time it can develop into a serious and irreversible injury.

That may be what is happening to actress Natasha Richardson, who is reportedly in very serious condition in a New York hospital after suffering a fall while skiing. According to reports, the fall occurred on a beginner's slope, and appeared to cause no serious harm at the time.

Brain%20Photo%2002.jpg According to doctors, minor head trauma can cause an epidural hemorrhage, where blood gets trapped between the skull and the layer of skin between the bone and the dura matter. Blood flowing from the hemorrhage then builds and punctures the dura.

Dr. Graffagnino says the initial fall or injury doesn't have to be hard at all, and the delay in symptoms can range from five minutes to three hours after the accident.

For more on Traumatic Brain Injuries visit MayoClinic.com.

The San Diego brain injury law firm of Walton Law Firm LLP represents individuals and families throughout San Diego County, including Chula Vista, El Cajon, Oceanside, and Escondido who have been impacted by traumatic brain injuries. Call today for a free and confidential consultation.

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Posted On: March 17, 2009

Passenger Dies in I-10 Big-Rig Truck Accident

A 28-year-old Palm Desert man was killed today when the car he was riding in rear-ended a big-rig truck. The driver of the car was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol.

According to the CHP, the accident occurred at approximately 1:15 a.m. on westbound I-10, near Dillon Road, when the 2007 Mustang failed to slow in time and plowed into the large truck. Apparently the driver of the commercial truck was uninjured.


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The Riverside car accident lawyers at Walton Law Firm LLP represent individuals and families who have injured in all types of accidents. All consultations are free and confidential.

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Posted On: March 13, 2009

Dramatic San Diego Motorcycle Accident Claims Life

A dramatic car accident on southbound SR 163 claimed the life of a motorcyclist. According to witnesses, an unidentified pickup truck abruptly changed lanes, cutting off a Ford Ranger pickup, causing it to lose control and veer across lanes and into another car. The Ranger then careened into a motorcyclist, throwing the rider over the center divider and into northbound traffic where he was struck by a car and killed.

The accident occurred at around 4:45 p.m. near the Kearney Villa Road exit. The pickup that started the chain of events did not stop.

The rider of the motorcycle was identified as Michael Anthony Freitas of Riverside.

The San Diego motorcycle accident attorneys at Walton Law Firm LLP represent individuals and families who have been involved in auto and motorcycle accidents. Attorney Scott Barber has been a street and dirt motorcycle rider for more than 20 years. Call for a free and confidential consultation.

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Posted On: March 11, 2009

Justice System Needs Reform Says Groups

The American College of Trial Lawyers and the Institute for the Advancement of the American Legal System has issued a report calling for major reform to the American civil justice system. Current rules allow attorneys to delay litigated disputes by demanding irrelevant or difficult to find information.

Current federal discovery rules, which require the sharing of information before trial, are antiquated according to the report. The current rules, mostly written in the 1930s, didn't contemplate the volume of documents maintained by business today, or computers and email. As a result, the rules cause cases to go on for years, and drive people to settle or dismiss without regard to the merits.

Some other reforms suggested were setting requirement for expert witness testimony, assigning cases to a single judge to the life of a case, and allowing judges to provide mediation services on cases.

The San Diego personal injury attorneys at Walton Law Firm LLP represent individuals and families throughout Southern California who have been impacted by negligence related car accidents, motorcycle accidents, defective products, food poisoning, spinal and brain injuries, construction accidents, dog bites, and other personal injury cases.

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Posted On: March 3, 2009

Medical Malpractice at Scripps Hospital May Have Caused Death

Scripps Mercy Chula Vista was one of 10 hospitals across California to receive a fine from Department of Public Health for conduct that injured or killed a patient. The Chula Vista hospital was fined $25,000 for the death of a female patient on February 29, 2008.

According to reports, the woman arrived in the Emergency Department on February 29th with high blood pressure and difficulty breathing. The E.R. doctor ordered saline solution for the patient more than 2 1/2 hours after lab results showed her sodium level was critically low. For reasons unknown, the hospital failed to quickly process the order, and the patient was transferred to the I.C.U approximately three hours after arrival never having received the saline solution.

An I.C.U. nursing realized that the saline had not been received, so another request was faxed to the pharmacy. The solution arrived about an hour later, but the nurse took a short break without administering it. The patient suffered heart failure about 10 minutes later, and died within a half hour.

The hospital's chief of staff admitted that the hospital needed "to do a better job of identifying who's in charge of the patient at any given point in time when they're in the hospital," but denied that quicker treatment would have saved the woman's life.

Walton Law Firm LLP represents individuals and families who have been impacted by medical negligence and other negligence related accidents. Cases are taken on a contingency fee, and all consultations are free and confidential.

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