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Woman Gives Birth in Traffic Jam Caused by Serious Auto Accident

July 29, 2010
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Two men were looking under the hood of their broken down Honda on the left side of northbound I-5 near SR-52 when they were slammed from behind by a large sedan, which was previously hit in what was described as a 5-car accident. The crash caused the two men working on the Honda to be thrown into the air, and both were rushed to the hospital with major injuries. A woman who was with the men was also hospitalized, but her injuries were considered to be non-life threatening.

The accident caused a major traffic jam on both I-5 and SR-52. A pregnant woman in labor was heading west on the 52 when the accident occurred and got stuck in the ensuing traffic jam. The woman was able to pull off the freeway, and paramedics were called, but, due to the traffic, couldn't reach the pregnant woman in time. She delivered a baby girl on the side of road.

Because of the severity of the accident, it took several hours to clear the freeway lanes.

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Source: SignOnSanDiego.com

The La Jolla accident and injury lawyers at Walton Law Firm represent individuals who have been injured in all types of incidents, including auto accidents, worksite injuries, elder abuse and neglect, food poisoning, pedestrian injuries, construction accidents, property injuries, and malpractice matters. Call (760) 571-5500 for a free and confidential consultation.

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Posted In: Auto Accidents , Personal Injury

Movie About McDonald's Coffee Case Being Produced

July 23, 2010
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One of the most maligned jury verdicts in United States history is the McDonald's coffee case. You can approach 100 people on the street and ask if they've heard of it, and 95 will have heard of it, and a majority of those will have a negative opinion. The case has been used as an example of how our jury system fails us, and how lawsuits are nothing more than lotteries, with frivolous claimants hoping to hit it big.

But what most people don't know is that the true case of Stella Liebeck, the plaintiff in the McDonald's coffee case has a very compelling story. Now filmmaker Susan Saladoff is trying to complete a documentary about the case, and to get the true facts out there.

For example, most people are not aware that:

• Ms. Liebeck was not driving at the time of spill, but was a passenger.

• After the spill, a vascular surgeon determined that Ms. Liebeck suffered third-degree burns over 6 percent of her body, on the area of her inner thighs, perineum, buttocks, and genital and groin areas. She required skin grafting surgery.

• She offered to settle her case for $20,000, but McDonald's rejected it.

• During discovery, McDonalds produced documents showing it had received more than 700 claims by people burned by its coffee between 1982 and 1992.

According to the website, Hot Coffee the movie will reveal what really happened to Stella Liebeck, and explore "how and why the case garnered so much media attention, who funded the effort and to what end. After seeing this documentary film, you will decide who really profited from spilling hot coffee."

Here's a trailer for the movie, which is currently raising funds to complete.

Source: HotCoffeeTheMovie.com

The San Diego accident and injury attorneys at Walton Law Firm represent individuals who have been injured in all types of accidents, including auto accidents, worksite injuries, nursing home neglect, food poisoning, pedestrian injuries, construction accidents, property injuries, and malpractice matters. Call (760 571-5500 for a free and confidential.

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Posted In: Burn Injuries , General Legal , San Diego Personal Injury

San Diego Museum Volunteer Dies After Fall

July 19, 2010
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A volunteer on the museum ship Star of India was killed on Sunday after he fell approximately 40 to 50 feet from one of the ship's pasts. According to witnesses, 68-year-old Gregory Gushaw on the starboard side of the forward mast performing training exercises with other volunteers when he fell. He apparently struck his head during the fall, and plunged into the water.

Mr. Gushaw was wearing a safety harness at the time of his fall, and had apparently performed the exercise many times before. Harbor police are conducting an investigation and have notified Cal-OSHA. The investigation will include the condition of the harness to determine if its failure played a role in the accident. The San Diego Union Tribune is reporting that Mr. Gushaw, a retired naval officer, was a longtime volunteer and a tour guide, as well as a member of the museum's board of directors.

One witness said that were at least 60 volunteers on the ship at the time of the accident, and at least one of them jumped into the water to provide assistance to Mr. Gushaw. The response by volunteers and public safety was swift, and treatment was being provided within minutes. Unfortunately, Mr. Gushaw could not be revived at the scene.

Source: San Diego Union Tribune

The Walton Law Firm represent individuals who have been injured in all types of incidents, including property injuries, defective products, car accidents, worksite injuries, food poisoning, pedestrian injuries, construction accidents, and malpractice matters. Call (760) 571-5500 for a free and confidential consultation.

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Posted In: San Diego Personal Injury , Wrongful Death

Whiplash: Causes and Symptoms

July 13, 2010
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Most people view whiplash as a minor injury, but car accident victims will tell you it's much more serious than one would expect.

Technically, whiplash is a sudden over-extension of the neck that is usually caused by being struck from behind, as in a rear-end car accident. At the moment of impact, the body moves forward but the head remains still for a fraction of a second, and then the head abruptly follows the body. This violent movement can result in tearing of ligaments and tendons, and in the worse-case, muscles.

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Symptoms from whiplash run the gamut, and don't usually appear until 12 to 24 hours post-accident. Typically, pain begins in the neck, which can become very stiff, severely limiting range of motion. The pain may be accompanied by headaches, fatigue, vision problems, and muscle spasms. If the pain begins to spread to shoulders or arms, or there is numbness or tingling down the extremities, then it is recommended that a doctor be contacted right away.

When treatment is obtained, most doctors will take an x-ray of the cervical spine to rule out any fractures or other misalignment. Depending on the presentation of symptoms, an MRI may be ordered. It is not uncommon to experience pain and other symptoms for up to four weeks post-injury. In more severe cases, pain killers and physical therapy may be ordered.

If the whiplash is caused by an auto accident, the injured party may be entitled to compensation from the negligent driver. In California that compensation usually consists of payment of all medical bills, past and future, any lost wages, and a reasonable sum for the pain, suffering, inconvenience, hassle, and other impacts the accident has had on the person’s life.

The Walton Law Firm represent individuals who have been injured in all types of accidents, including injuries caused by car accidents, motorcycle accidents, worksite injuries, food poisoning, pedestrian injuries, construction accidents, property injuries, and malpractice matters. Call (760) 571-5500 for a free and confidential consultation.

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Posted In: Personal Injury , San Diego Car Accident , San Diego Personal Injury

Fireworks Cause Injury at San Marcos Show

July 5, 2010
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The fireworks show at San Marcos' Bradley Park turned out to be a bit of a dud, and a painful dud at that, when an errant firework shot into a crowd of spectators and injured four people. Thankfully, the injuries don't sound serious, but one individual was taken to Palomar Hospital for treatment and apparently released.

It's unclear what caused the firework to shoot sideways instead of up, and the company Pyro Spectators of Rialto did not return calls from the North County Times.

The misfire occurred at approximately 9:30 p.m. just as the crowd of about 4,000 was waiting for the grand finale. Those injured were all sitting near the caretaker's residence inside the park. According to city spokesperson Jenny Peterson, this is the first time in 25 years there was a mishap.

News of the incident was first publicized via Twitter by witnesses on the ground, including one person who promptly posted a video of incident. The video does show the actual misfire, but is audio of the aftermath, including the victim in what is obviously severe pain.

Source: North County Times

The accident and injury lawyers at Walton Law Firm represent individuals who have been injured in all types of incidents, including auto accidents, worksite injuries, nursing home neglect, food poisoning, pedestrian injuries, construction accidents, property injuries, and malpractice matters. Call (760) 571-5500 for a free and confidential consultation.

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Posted In: North County Accidents , Personal Injury , San Diego Personal Injury

Pacific Law Center Closing its Doors

July 1, 2010
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It was announced yesterday that the Pacific Law Center is no longer taking new clients, and will be closing its doors. The heavy-advertising law firm with a checkered past has concluded that the business model of taking cases on payment plans is just not working in today's economic times. The 107 employees were apparently informed yesterday.

Most people know the firm from its heavy advertising, particularly during Padres games. It was a firm with a questionable reputation until Kerry Steigerwalt, a highly regarded criminal defense attorney, took over the firm in 2008. It was renamed Kerry Steigerwalt's Pacific Law Center, and focused on criminal, personal injury, bankruptcy, and, as of late, loan-modification cases.

“Our model is predicated on people making payments,” Steigerwalt told the San Diego Union Tribune. “Fewer and fewer people have money to hire us, and those that do are not paying. It just became a managerial nightmare.”

Steigerwalt emphasized that the firm is not going out of business, and all current cases will be seen through to resolution. He said simply wants to "begin winding down" the law firm.

It is well known that the Pacific Law Center has had its share of detractors. A simple search on the San Diego Superior Court database will reveal a stunning number of malpractice lawsuits. And by all accounts Steigerwalt did his best to improve the level of service provided by the firm, but at the end of the day, with a faulty business model and a poor economy, it appears that he could not rehabilitate the firm's poor reputation

Source: San Diego Union Tribune

The Escondido personal injury lawyers at Walton Law Firm represent individuals who have been injured in all types of incidents, including auto accidents, worksite injuries, nursing home neglect, food poisoning, pedestrian injuries, construction accidents, property injuries, and malpractice matters. Call (866) 607-1325 for a free and confidential consultation.

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Posted In: Personal Injury , San Diego Car Accident , San Diego Personal Injury

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