San Diego Injury Law Blog

The subject of mild traumatic brain injuries has received quite a bit of press lately thanks to the NFL. Research is showing that in addition to knee and back injuries, NFL players are suffering brain damage in previously unreported numbers. In response to the growing public concern, the co-chairmen of the NFL's committee on brain injuries resigned from the group last week after much criticism that the group had been downplaying the brain-injury risks associated with the game.

What is well known is that over 1.5 million suffer from an injury to the brain every year, and nearly 50,000 die. While brain damage can be triggered by a myriad of causes, the biggest culprit is trauma to the head. These brain injuries, commonly referred to as traumatic brain injuries, are the easiest to diagnose and usually have the greatest impact on a victim's life.

Within the definition of traumatic brain injury there are numerous types, the most common being concussion, diffuse axonal injury, coup-contrecoup injury, and contusion. Though football has been in the news recently as a cause of traumatic brain injury, the majority of brain injuries are caused by an accident of some sort, or an intentional act.

As a personal injury firm, we most-often see brain injuries in the context of motor vehicle accidents, including both cars and motorcycles. But brain injuries can be caused by other sources, including prescription medications, slip-and-fall incident, and crimes (battery).

If you suspect you, or someone you know, has suffered a mild traumatic brain injury, it is important that you get appropriate medical treatment right away, and get a proper diagnosis. Here is an excellent resource from the Mayo Clinic on the symptoms of traumatic brain injury.

The Walton Law Firm represents personal injury victims throughout San Diego County and has recovered millions of dollars for individuals involved car accidents, pedestrian accidents, nursing home malpractice, motorcycle accidents, uninsured motorist claims, defective products, construction accidents, slip and fall injuries, dog bites, and insurance disputes. Call (760) 607-1325 for a free consultation. Vista Personal Injury Lawyer.

Frank Rogozienski felt that something wasn't right. The judge in his divorce case kept ruling against him, including voiding a prenuptial agreement that cost Mr. Rogozienski $20 million in stock. Making matters worse, the presiding judge on the case refused to disclose any conflicts of interest he might have.

Mr. Rogozienski decided to conduct his own investigation into any conflicts of interest, and discovered that the judge, James Allen, had received a timeshare condominum during the pendency of the Rogozienski divorce case. A little more digging revealed that the friend that gave Allen the time share, received it from a San Diego lawyer named S. Michael Love. You know what's coming next. Attorney Love was the lawyer for Mr. Rogozienski's wife Shirley in the divorce proceedings.

After the divorce, Mr. Rogozienski sued Love and Allen for professional negligence. Allen, a lawyer who was sitting as a private judge, was held to have judicial immunity and protected from liability. Love on the other hand, was determined to be negligent by a San Diego jury and awarded Mr. Rogozienski $800,000 in attorney's fees. From news accounts, it doesn't sound like the jury was all that fond of Mr. Rogozieski. For his emotional distress damages he was awarded 1 dollar.

Both attorney Love and judge Allen are subject to a California State Bar investigation. Both have long histories in the San Diego legal community, and neither has been subject to a State Bar investigation before.

Source: San Diego Union Tribune

The accident and injury lawyers at Walton Law Firm LLP represent individuals and families who have been injured in all types of accidents, including car accidents, motorcycle accidents, pedestrian accidents, bicycle accidents, construction accident. Call (866) 607-1325 for a free consultation.

For many years now, the issue of medical insurance payments to health care providers who care for personal injury victims has been a source of confusion and frustration among personal injury lawyers. When an injured person incurs medical bills as a result of an accident, and then recovers money from the person/entity that caused the injury, should the injured person be allowed to recover the full amount of the medical charges billed by the health care provider (doctors, hospitals, etc.), or simply be allowed to recover the amount paid by the health insurance carrier?

The answer to that was cleared up a bit yesterday when the Fourth District Court of Appeals (Div. One) issued its opinion in Howell v. Hamilton Meats & Provisions.

Rebecca Howell suffered very serious injuries when the car she was driving was struck by a truck being driven by one of Hamilton Meats’ employees, who made an illegal U-turn. Ms. Howell suffered a major spinal injury that required two surgeries and substantial post-surgical care. She sued Hamilton Meats, who admitted fault, and a trial was held on the amount of her damages.

At trial, a jury awarded Ms. Howell a total amount of $689,978.63, which included payment for all past medical care, and for her general pain and suffering damages. After the trial, the Hamilton Meats moved to reduce the past medical expense portion of the verdict by a whopping $130.286.90 from $189,987.63 to $59,692.73, since that was the amount her health insurer (PacificCare) had paid to her health care providers. The trial judge agreed, holding that Ms. Howell would receive a windfall if she received more money for past medical care than she would ever personally be liable for. Ms. Howell appealed.

After some excellent lawyering (a hat tip here to San Diego lawyer John Rice), the court of appeal reversed the trial judge, and ordered that Ms. Howell be awarded the full amount of the medical bills that were billed by her health care providers without any reductions. The court held that any trial court reductions was a violation of the long-standing collateral source rule (payments from source independent of negligent party should not be deducted from damages), and that the wrongdoer, here Hamilton Meats, should not receive the benefit from Ms. Howell’s own responsibility and thrift, or any side deals made between PacificCare and her doctors. In short, why should Hamilton Meats get a $130.286.90 break simply because Ms. Howell, the person it injured, purchased good health insurance?

The court said:

Under California’s collateral source rule, Howell, as a person who as invested in premiums to assure her medical care, should receive the benefits of her thrift; and Hamilton, as the party liable for Howell’s injuries, should not garner the benefits of Howell’s providence. The law allows Howell to keep this collateral source benefit for herself because she was responsible for the benefit by maintaining her own insurance.

You can be sure the defense bar and insurance industry will be appealing this one. But it’s hard to argue the logic in terms of providing justice. If private health insurance companies and private doctors and hospitals agree to price reductions for care, why should defendants who cause injury get the benefit?

To read the entire Howell opinion click here (.pdf).

The Walton Law Firm represent accident victims throughout San Diego County and has recovered millions of dollars for individuals involved car accidents, motorcycle accidents, pedestrian injuries, uninsured motorist claims, animal bites, construction accidents, slip and fall injuries, dog bites, insurance disputes, and medical malpractice suits. Call (760) 607-1325 for a free consultation.

Two San Diego County women in their 30s died this weekend in separate incidents when drunk drivers veered off the road and struck them as they walked on the side of the road.

North of El Cajon, Cydil Kohlmeyer was walking near the 1200 block of Pepper Drive when a pickup truck being driven by 51-year-old Deborah Felix lost control and struck Kohlmeyer. After striking Kohlmeyer, the truck struck a parked car, a nearby fence, and then traveled over a front year and into a home. Neighbors ran outside and detained Felix, who tried to run from the scene. She was later arrested on suspicion of felony drunken driving.

The other incident occurred in Poway, where Kristen Bedard, age 36, was walking northbound on Community Road when a vehicle travelling southbound veered onto the sidewalk and striking her. The driver of the vehicle, who was not identified, is suspected of driving under the influence. An investigation is ongoing.

Sources: North County Times and 10News.com

The accident and injury lawyers at Encinitas Walton Law Firm LLP represent individuals and families who have been injured in all types of accidents, including car accidents, motorcycle accidents, pedestrian accidents, bicycle accidents, construction accident. Call (866) 607-1325 for a free consultation. Vista Car Accident

As was expected, the family of a Huntington Beach junior lifeguard who was accidentally killed during camp when she was run over by a lifeguard boat has filed a claim against the City of Huntington Beach. The claim alleges that Huntington Beach lifeguard Greg Crow, the boat operator, was negligent, and that his negligence caused Alyssa Squirrell's death. As was blogged about here, Alyssa died during a training drill where the junior lifeguards would jump off the back of the rescue boat near the surfline.

The filing of a claim is not a lawsuit, but a precursor to a lawsuit. Under California law, anytime a person wants to file a law against any governmental entity, whether a city, county, or any other public agency, it must first file a claim against the public entity, and the claim must be denied. In addition, the claim must be filed within 6 months of the incident. If the claim is not filed within six months, the person is usually barred from filing a lawsuit.

This requirement, which places an unfair burden on claimants, is often confusing for claimants. For example, if Alyssa Squirrell was killed by a private boater, not a city employee, her family would have up to two years to file a wrongful death case against the boater. Since the prospective defendant is the City of Huntington Beach, they must first file the claim referenced above, then will be permitted to file a lawsuit once the claim is denied (which is what Huntington Beach will do). After the claim is denied, the family will have six months. So while California has a two-year statute of limitations in most personal injury claims, it is usually one year in cases involving public entities.

The Squirrell case is just a plain tragedy. By all accounts the boat operator was an excellent lifeguard, who, for just a moment, acted negligently.

Source: ocregister.com

Walton Law Firm represents personal injury victims throughout San Diego County in cases involving negligent conduct, including car accidents, pedestrian accidents, medical malpractice, motorcycle accidents, uninsured motorist claims, defective products, construction accidents, slip and fall injuries, dog bites, and insurance disputes. Call (760) 607-1325 for a free consultation.

The California Citizens against Lawsuit Abuse (CALA), an insurance industry-backed organization whose goal is to limit access to justice, is out with a study that finds that eight of California's largest cities and nine of the largest counties spent $504.1 million in 2007 and 2008 to defend lawsuits, and to pay settlement and judgments.

While those numbers may be accurate (it's hard to tell), the so-called study provides no real context for the number. For example, what percentage of the overall budgets of the cities and counties does $504.1 million represent for a two-year period? How many lawsuits are we talking about here, and what percentage were meritorious, and what percentage were defeated? We'll probably never know, which is the problem with the "lawsuit abuse" organizations.

For example, a few years ago a San Francisco jury awarded $27 million to the family of a 4-year-old girl who was fatally struck by a City of San Francisco truck driver who ran a red light, jumped a curb, and crushed the little girl and her mother, who was severely injured. Is that a legitimate lawsuit and verdict against the City? Or the more recent Metrolink crashes in Los Angeles that killed 18 people after the engineer, it was learned, was texting moments before the accident. If those injured or killed bring cases against entities responsible for the crash, is that considered "lawsuit abuse"?

That's the problem with CALA's report. Whenever it, and similar organizations, issue a press release it must be taken with a grain of salt. Shouldn't the legal fees and awards from legitimate claims be deducted from the overall number being bandied about by CALA? I mean, I don't think anyone would argue that the victims of the Metrolink shouldn't be compensated for the devastation that has been visited upon them by the negligence of a government employee.

But we won't hear about the legitimate claims from CALA, because "fair-and-balanced" information is not part of its objective. We will only hear about the claims that sound frivolous, so the public will infer that aggrieved people are abusing the justice system, when there is very little evidence to support that. Does CALA protect the taxpayers, or is it's objective something larger. This is from the Center for Justice Democracy:

While CALA represents themselves as grassroots citizens groups, and they say they are sustained by small donations from ordinary citizens, they actually represent major corporations and industries seeking to escape liability for the harm they cause consumers. The money trail from these groups leads directly to large corporate donors, including tobacco, insurance, oil and gas, chemical and pharmaceutical companies, medical associations, and auto manufacturers. They are also funded by the American Tort Reform Association (ATRA), as well as professional associations, local businesses and industries that also wish to be shielded from consumer lawsuits.

Be wary of organizations who want to "reform" the justice system. Our system works remarkably well the way it is. Want proof of that? Just go down to the court house and watch a few trials. I will bet that you will be impressed with the quality of cases that have been brought (even the ones that lose), and you'll have a renewed sense of satisfaction in our system of justice.

Based in San Diego, California, the accident and injury lawyers at the Walton Law Firm represent individuals and families throughout the region who have been injured in all types of auto accidents, motorcycle accidents, and all other accidents caused by negligent conduct. Call (866) 607-1325 for a free consultation.

The dangers of cheerleading have been in the news quite a bit recently. While the activity has become more akin to gymnastics than cheering for the sport team, there is very little oversight, and almost no training of coaches. Most high schools, for example, will simply hire a recent graduate to "coach" the cheerleading squad.

In Florida, a jury awarded a former gymnastics coach over $25 million for an accident that left him a quadriplegic from the neck down. Shane Downey was using some tumbling equipment a a North Florida Gymnastics and Cheerleading and fell and broke his neck. The jury decided the gym was entirely at fault for Downey's catastrophic injuries.

This is an interesting verdict. Typically, a gym member would "assume the risk," particularly someone who was apparently an accomplished gymnast like Downey. The video below explains a bit more.

Source: First Coast News

Based in Carlsbad, California, the accident and injury lawyers at the Walton Law Firm represent individuals and families throughout San Diego County who have been injured in all types of auto accidents, motorcycle accidents, and all other accidents caused by negligent conduct. Call (866) 607-1325 for a free consultation.

CNN is out with a story about how to avoid medical mistakes. The story - which can be found by clicking here - highlights the story of a pregnant woman who is mistakenly given a CT scan of her abdomen, sites some startling statistics. For example, the Joint Commission, which grants accreditation to hospitals, reports that wrong-site, wrong-side, and wrong-patient procedures occurs more than 40 times every week in the United States.

In Rhode Island, state regulators ordered that video cameras be placed in all operating rooms after several medical errors, including an incident where doctors removed the tonsils of a child who was in the hospital for eye surgery. The hospital had at least six known surgical errors in the previous eight years.

Jim Conway from the Institute of Healthcare Improvements wants to empower patients to make sure they are not victims of medical malpractice. He is promoting a list of advice:

1. Say: "My name is ______________, my date of birth is _____________, and I'm here for an appendectomy.” You might feel like an idiot, says Conway, but say this to every doctor, nurse, and technician who takes care of you.

2. Say: "Please check my ID bracelet." Hospital staff is supposed to confirm your identity in at least two ways.

3. Say: "Please look in my chart and tell me what procedure I'm having." If the nurse gives you the right answer make sure she is looking at the chart.

4. Say: "I want to mark up my surgical site with the surgeon present."

5. Be impolite. Make sure you the information you are given is exactly correct.

Source: CNN.com

Walton Law Firm represents personal injury victims throughout San Diego County and has recovered millions of dollars for individuals involved car accidents, pedestrian accidents, medical malpractice, motorcycle accidents, uninsured motorist claims, defective products, construction accidents, slip and fall injuries, dog bites, and insurance disputes. Call (760) 607-1325 for a free consultation.

George Washington once said:

Discipline is the soul of an army. It makes small numbers formidable; procures success to the weak, and esteem to all.

Letter of Instructions to the Captains of the Virginia Regiments [July 29, 1759]. The advocates of consumer rights, viewing the resources of defense firms and corporate defendants, can relate to the trepidation felt by the out-numbered and out-gunned Continental Army. Because of that disparity in resources, Consumer Attorneys of California ("CAOC") consolidates the voices of consumer attorneys throughout the state to (1) preserve and protect the constitutional right to trial by jury for all consumers, (2) champion the cause of those who deserve redress for injury to person or property, (3) encourage and promote changes to California law by legislative, initiative or court action, (4) oppose injustice in existing or contemplated legislation, (5) correct harsh, unjust and oppressive legislation or judicial decisions, (6) advance the common law and promote the public good through the civil justice system and concerted efforts to secure safe products, a safe workplace, a clean environment, and quality health care, (7) uphold the honor, integrity and dignity of the legal profession by encouraging mutual support and cooperation among members, (8) promote the highest standards of professional conduct, and (9) inspire excellence in advocacy. This post is a multi-blog effort to inform consumer attorneys about CAOC's value and encourage participation in CAOC through membership.

CAOC works tirelessly to protect or advance those causes of import to consumers and their attorneys in California. Often those efforts, though valuable, receive little fanfare. For example, CAOC recently sponsored SB 510, which affects the re-sale of what are known as "structured settlements," in which victims receive financial compensation over a period of time for medical expenses and basic living needs, as determined by a jury. Before SB 510 was signed by the Governor, Courts expressed frustration at their inability to prevent the sale of structured settlements on terms that might ultimately lead to long-term financial hardship for the victim. Now, SB 510 gives judges the information they need to make a reasoned decision about the propriety of a structured settlement sale.

Measures like CAOC-sponsored SB 510 help protect the most vulnerable members of our society and ask for nothing in return. They exemplify the spirit of CAOC. However, CAOC is only as effective in its mission as its membership allows it to be. When consumer attorneys join the ranks of CAOC, its voice gains in power and clarity. But if consumer advocates sit on the sidelines, hoping to benefit from the work of others, CAOC is stretched thin, and we are all at risk as a result.

Now, consumer advocate bloggers from across the state are combining their voices to call upon each and every lawyer and firm that regularly represents plaintiffs to join CAOC, thereby strengthening the consumer's first line of defense. The blogs participating in this unified call to action are:

• The Complex Litigator (H. Scott Leviant)
• The UCL Practitioner (Kimberly Kralowec)
• Bailey Class Action Daily (Matt Bailey)
• California Employee Rights Blog (James J. Peters)
• An Appeal to Reason (Donna Bader)
• California Personal Injury and Insurance Blog (Jonathan G. Stein)
• California Debt Blog (Jonathan G. Stein)
• TrialLawyerTips.com (Mitch Jackson and Lisa Wilson)
• California Injury Blog (John Bisnar)
• San Diego Injury Lawyer Blog (Ross A. Jurewitz)
• San Diego Car Accident Lawyer Blog (Ross Jurewitz
• San Diego Injury Accident Lawyer Blog (Ross A. Jurewitz)
• California Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer Blog (Walton Law Firm LLP)
• San Diego Injury Law Blog (Walton Law Firm LLP)
• California Personal Injury Law Blog (Norman Gregory Fernandez)
• Biker Lawyer Blog (Norman Gregory Fernandez)
• California Credit Law (Mark F. Anderson, Carol Brewer & Andy Ogilvie)
• Lemon Law Blog (Mark F. Anderson, Carol Brewer & Andy Ogilvie)

Show your support of consumers' rights by joining and supporting CAOC. Together we can make an impact that we cannot make alone.

The baby stroller maker Maclaren USA Inc. is recalling 1 million umbrella baby strollers after received reports of 12 children who have had fingertips amputated by side hinges. The Connecticut-based manufacturer has apparently been working with the Consumer Product Safety Commission on what is being called a "voluntary recall." (Click here for the CPSC notice.)

According to reports, the Maclaren USA has received reports of 15 injuries to children placing their fingers in the hinges on the side of the stroller. Those injuries have increased in the last two years.

The recalled strollers include all "Volo" and "Techno XT" models sold in the last 10 years. The company is asking that owners immediately stop using the strollers until protective covers are placed on the hinges. Maclaren will provide free hinge covers to all owners who request them. (Click here for more info.)

Here are images of the strollers being recalled:

The umbrella strollers are made in China, and sold in the U.S. at retailers including Babies “R” Us and Target.

Source: Bloomberg

The injury and accident attorneys at Walton Law Firm LLP represent individuals and families who have been injured in all types of accidents, including those caused by defective products. Call (866) 607-1325 for a free consultation.

Two people suffered serious injuries in unrelated car accidents in San Marcos this weekend. The first occurred on Saturday afternoon when a woman driving a GMC Yukon was traveling north on Woodland Parkway and was t-boned by a Dodge truck as she entered the intersection at Rancheros Drive. The force of the collision caused the Yukon to overturn, and partially ejected the driver, who suffered serious injuries in the crash. According to news reports, the woman is expected to survive.

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The other accident occurred at approximately 8:45 p.m. on Pico Avenue near the Corky Smith Gym. In that accident, a Saturn car hit a pedestrian as he was trying to cross Pico. The collision caused the pedestrian to roll onto the Saturn's roof and on to the road. Interestingly, the man got up from the scene and walked to his home nearby. His daughter called for medical help, and the mane was taken to Palomar Medical Center with a broken arm and a skull fracture.

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Source: North County Times

The North County based Walton Law Firm represents accident victims throughout San Diego County and has recovered millions of dollars for individuals involved car accidents, pedestrian accidents, motorcycle accidents, uninsured motorist claims, defective products, construction accidents, slip and fall injuries, dog bites, insurance disputes, and medical malpractice suits. Call (760) 607-1325 for a free consultation.

Clayton Snow, an 11-year-old middle school student in Vista, was viciously attacked by two Rottweilers while walking home from school last Friday. Snow suffered approximately 40 bites on his arms, chest, hand, and stomach, causing wounds that required dozens of stitches to close.

According to witnesses, it was truly a horrific scene. A kindergarten teacher from Hannalei Elementary School told the North County Times that saw the attack, and jumped out of her car to go and help. She and another woman tried to shield the boy from the dogs, but the dogs would simply go around them and continue to attack the boy.

"I turned around, and he's face down on the pavement," Smith said. "And they've ripped his pants and underpants off, like around his ankles and they're dragging him, and I thought, I'm going to watch this boy die."

The owner of the dogs has voluntarily surrendered the dogs to the North County Humane Society, where the dogs will be put down.

Snow is recovering well, his mother told the paper, but her concerns are less about his physical wounds and more about his mental state. He apparently his having nightmares about the attack.

As someone that has represented numerous dog bite victims, it is usually the psychological effects of the attack that causes the most harm, not the bites themselves. I once represented a water delivery man that received a relatively small bite while delivering water in San Marcos. The wound was small, and healed quickly, but the psychological impacted really caused a disruption in his life. He could hardly work for several months after the incident.

The owner of the dog, who will now face legal liability, told the paper he was sorry about the incident. He said his dogs were trained at obedience school.

Source: North County Times

The North County dog bite lawyers at Walton Law Firm represents individuals who have been attacked by dogs of all breeds. Attorney Randy Walton was recently consulted by the media on dog bite law. All consultations are free of charge, and completely confidential. Call (760) 607-1325 or complete our online questionnaire.

It is being reported that two people have died after being infected with matching strains of E. coli acquired from tainted ground beef. At least sixteen people have been infected, several of whom have been hospitalized and are critically ill.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Fairbanks Farms in Ashville, New York issued a recall notice of more than 500,000 pounds of ground beef that may have been tainted by the deadly bacteria. That beef may be retailed in stores such as Trader Joe's, Wild Harvest, B.J's, and Giant Food stores. While most of the current victims are out of state, there is one confirmed case in California.

The packages of been that may be contaminated are printed with "EST. 492" inside the USDA mark of inspection or on the label. It is being reported that the contaminated beef was packaged on September 15 and 16 and may have been labeled at the retail stores with a sell-by date of September 19 through 28.

E. coli is a dangerous infection that can cause bloody diarrhea, dehydration, and in the most severe cases, kidney failure. In the current outbreak, three victims are said to be in kidney failure.

Source: CNN

The injury attorneys at Walton Law Firm represents individuals who have suffered disabling injuries in all types of incidents, including motor vehicle accidents, construction accidents, food poising cases, burn incidents, construction accidents, and animal bites. Call (866) 607-1325 for a free and confidential consultation.

The car accident deaths of two San Diego teens and prompted a reexamination of the enforcement of teen driving laws that were enacted a decade ago. Under those laws, teen drivers ages 16 to 18 are prohibited from driving a vehicle with anyone under 20 years old in the car during the year after they first get their license, unless an adult was present. [Cal. Veh. Code 12814.7] The teen license is called a provisional license.

It is widely agreed that teenagers that follow the law are safer drivers. In the case of the two local deaths, there is a good chance both accidents would have been presented with an adult in the car. Studies have shown that when a teen has one other teen in the car, the risk of a car accident doubles. With three or more passengers, the risk quadruples.

But many believe that the teen driving laws are rarely enforced. Under the law, a teen cannot be cited solely for violating the provisional license. They must be pulled over for some other infraction first. According to CHP officer Lew Hall, most officers don't write many tickets for provisional license violations because they are more focused on the driving infraction, and may not notice that the driver had been licensed for less than a year.

Last year, CHP cited 2,106 teen age drivers for driving in violation of their provisional license. Many believe the laws have been working. Only two years after the laws were enacted in 1998, car accidents involving 16-year-old drivers dropped 24 percent. In 2007, the last year data was available, personal injury and fatal accidents involving 16-year-old drivers were at a 13-year low.

Source: North County Times

The Walton Law Firm represent accident victims throughout San Diego County and has recovered millions of dollars for individuals involved car accidents, motorcycle accidents, pedestrian injuries, uninsured motorist claims, defective products, construction accidents, slip and fall injuries, dog bites, insurance disputes, and medical malpractice suits. Call (760) 607-1325 for a free consultation.

In any spinal cord injury, the degree of ones recovery is usually dependent on the speed of treatment after the injury-producing event. The longer the wait, the more likely nerve cells wither and die, and paralysis follows. But now, for the first time, Neuroscientists at UCSD have been able to re-grow axons in damaged spinal cords in lab rats whose spinal cord injuries were up to a year old.

This discovery would not have been possible without the concentration of neuroscience research being performed in the San Diego area. Five major neuroscience institutions call San Diego home: UCSD, the Burnham Institute for Medical Research, the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, The Scripps Research Institute and The Neurosciences Institute.

"San Diego has a heavy concentration of people doing both experimental and theoretical work, from molecule to the mind. There are only a few places in its league – cities like New York with Columbia University, Boston with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Baltimore with Johns Hopkins University," Said Dr. Michael Goldberg, president of the Society for Neuroscience.

The close geographical concentration has allowed for some intra-institution collaboration, which, because of the quickly expanding sciences, is done out of necessity.

"The science is so big now," said Dr. Stuart A. Lipton, who previously worked at Harvard University and is now director of Burnham's Del E. Webb Neuroscience, Aging and Stem Cell Research Center. "No one person or institution can have all of the toys, the big instruments, the necessary technologies and techniques."

San Diego neuroscientists have been leaders in studying the causes and treatments for neurological syndromes such as autism, Alzheimer's and Huntington's disease, and brain growth. It is estimated that more than 260,000 Americans live with chronic disabilities caused by spinal-cord injuries.

Source: San Diego Union Tribune

The Walton Law Firm represents individuals who have suffered disabling injuries in all types of accidents, including motor vehicle accidents, construction accidents, burn incidents, construction accidents, and animal bites. Call (866) 607-1325 for a free and confidential consultation.