According to a lieutenant with the United States Coast Guard, which helps keep the San Diego bay and nearby areas safe and clear for boat departures and arrivals, the likelihood that such a crash would take place here is slim. "It is an excellent natural harbor with very little currents and very little hazards in terms of shoal water," Lt. J.G. Ryan Beck told a local news outlet. "The only restriction is really Ballast Point, which is the narrowest point of the channel in San Diego Bay."
]]> Regardless of those assurances, the crash of the Costa Concordia, which is owned by San Diego-based Carnival Cruiselines, understandably has many travelers on edge. In that accident, in which more than 30 people died, passengers reported that safety drills and emergency evacuation procedures were not followed properly.Therefore, if you are going on a cruise ship vacation, it is essential that you familiarize yourself with such safety procedures and be ready to spring into action at any time. In addition, know where your children and other family members are at all times. In addition, speak up if you believe safety procedures have been skipped or shortened. Being proactive and insistent may ultimately save your life.
Source: La Jolla Light, "Coast Guard reminds San Diego of safe travels despite Costa Concordia accident," Michael Pines, Jan. 22, 2012
]]>The accident occurred at about 4:15 on Saturday, when the light rail train had about 50 passengers on board. As it was crossing an intersection, the train struck an SUV on the tracks, pushing the vehicle about 30 yards before coming to a stop.
]]> The 62-year-old male driver was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident, as was a 25-year-old female passenger. A 21-month-old boy in the vehicle was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment, but he was soon pronounced dead. A fourth passenger was also transported to a hospital, where she was said to be in stable condition. Six passengers from the train also suffered injuries necessitating hospital treatment, and they were placed in fair condition following the crash.In the initial investigation into the fatal crash, police and transit officials viewed the video surveillance tape of the intersection at which the accident occurred. The video footage showed that the crossing arms and signals were working properly at the time of the crash. Police have reportedly deduced that the SUV drove around the crossing arms after a freight train had crossed the intersection, seemingly believing that there were no additional trains coming.
Source: News 10, "3 dead after SUV collides with light rail train," Amy Jacobson Kurokawa, Jan. 30, 2012
]]>The study tracked 56 children, all of whom had sustained a traumatic brain injury between the ages of 2 and 7, for 10 years following their injury, examining their intellectual abilities, social skills and behavior. After the completion of the study, researchers reportedly found that many children who suffer a brain trauma end up dealing with lasting effects and deficiencies caused by the incident, a significant departure from previous thinking on the subject.
]]> Notably, children who sustain a brain injury do continue to recover over time, researchers said, which means that treatment may be effective months and even years after the incident. However, the study uncovered no way to predict which children end up with a more complete recovery, and which feel the effects throughout their lives.They did find that children who had a "quality home environment and access to appropriate rehabilitation" are less likely to suffer long-term effects of a traumatic brain injury than children who do not have access to rehab.
In addition, researchers believe that the type of brain injury significantly affects the child's recovery. Specifically, if the whole brain is involved in the injury, with ripping and twisting of multiple connections, the damage is more likely to be long-lasting. But if the injury is isolated, the child has a better chance at a full recovery, researchers said.
Source: MSNBC, "Kids' brain injuries can cause lingering problems for years, study finds," Linda Carroll, Jan. 23, 2012
]]>For the family of a 3-year-old boy who fatally choked on a pushpin at his preschool, the results of an investigation into their boy's death will not provide relief. The California Department of Social Services found that the preschool the 3-year-old was attending violated three safety rules that contributed to the boy's death. In light of the information, the family has filed a wrongful death suit.
]]> The boy went to the bathroom at the school unattended and found the pushpin. According to investigators, the school violated care and supervisory rules, failed to keep supplies in a proper storage space and did not accommodate students with a safe environment. Worse still, the school had received prior - albeit more common - violations that indicate the school has a dangerous premises for children.The careless and reckless situation the child was put in by the school is at the center of the family's wrongful death lawsuit. This story may be a bit extreme and the consequences that the boy and his family have suffered are very sad.
However, it serves as a reminder that when someone loses their life due to the negligence of others, there are ways for the victim's family members to achieve justice. A wrongful death suit can bring fair and just compensation to the surviving family. Though that will never fill the void left by a loved one, the financial restitution that could be awarded in a wrongful death suit can provide you with support during a very emotional time.
Source: NBC 7 San Diego, "Toddler's Parents to File Wrongful Death Lawsuit," Sarah Grieco, Jan. 5, 2012
]]>In the study, which asked teen drivers to describe their behavior prior to a serious auto accident in which they had been involved, researchers reportedly found that drivers with friends or other teen passengers in the car were more likely to engage in risky behavior than those who were driving alone. Specifically, about 70 percent of teenage boys and 50 percent of girls admitted that the actions of their teenage passengers had distracted them prior to the accident.
]]> The study found a notable difference between the driving behaviors of teenage boys and girls. Males with passengers were about six times more likely to perform an illegal driving maneuver and more than twice more likely to drive aggressively than when they drove alone. In comparison, female teen drivers rarely drove aggressively, regardless of whether they had a passenger or not.According to a researcher with State Farm Insurance, which performed the study, it is parents' responsibility to ensure that their teens use safe driving behaviors at all times. "It's critical that parents stay involved in their teens' driving beyond the learner permit phase," the researcher said. "This includes continuing to monitor their driving activities and to review ways teens can be safe drivers and passengers."
Source: Atlanta Journal-Constitution, "Risky business: Teens driving with other teens," Joel Provano, Jan. 24, 2012
]]>According to police reports, the fatal dog bite attack occurred in June. A 75-year-old San Diego woman was in her backyard in the Paradise Hills neighborhood when multiple pit bull dogs entered her backyard and attacked her. She suffered massive injuries, and was forced to undergo multiple surgeries including the amputation of one of her arms and one of her legs. She ultimately succumbed to her injuries in December.
]]> The pit bulls involved in the attack were owned by the elderly woman's neighbor, a 39-year-old San Diego woman and her 19-year-old daughter. The dogs had previously attacked another neighbor, according to a statement from the San Diego County district attorney's office. Following the June attack, the dogs were seized by the county Department of Animal Services and put to sleep.The mother and daughter were initially charged with felony possession of dangerous animals that caused great bodily injury, to which they pleaded not guilty. Following the victim's death, however, the San Diego district attorney decided to increase the charges to involuntary manslaughter. The women have not yet responded to the additional charge.
Whether or not there have been criminal charges filed in a dog bite case, the victim may be entitled to civil damages. If you have been attacked by a dog, you should consider contacting a personal injury attorney to discuss your options.
Source: Los Angeles Times, "Pitbull owners face manslaughter charges in fatal mauling," Jan. 18, 2012
]]>The report is the group's annual ranking of the 50 states plus the District of Columbia based on whether they have adopted the 15 basic laws that the group deems essential to traffic safety. The group is made up of several health, safety, insurance and law enforcement organizations that work to advance state and federal highway safety laws and policies.
]]> For this year's rankings, the group focused on laws mandating the use of seat belts, booster seats, and motorcycle helmets. It also focused on teen and distracted driving, and the severity of drunk driving laws and penalties.California was one of the 16 states, plus the District of Columbia, that received the highest rank in the report. California requires all motorcyclists to wear helmets. In addition, the state recently enacted a law requiring children between the ages of 4 and 7 to use approved booster seats when riding in cars and other motor vehicles.
All in all, 13 states enacted 16 of the group's basic traffic safety laws in 2011. In order to fully meet the 15 legislative recommendations, nearly 350 additional laws would need to be passed throughout the U.S.
Source: Clutch and Chrome, "States need motorcycle helmet laws study says," Jan. 16, 2012
]]>According to police reports, the incident occurred last month in Santa Rosa, California. The 90-year-old victim was in his driveway with his own dog, a black lab, when the pit bull and his owner walked by the victim's home. The pit bull managed to break from its leash and came running toward the victim and his dog.
]]> The pit bull reportedly lunged for the black lab first, biting it several times in the rear. But when the victim struck the pit bull with its cane in an effort to get it off his dog, the pit bull turned on the man. The dog bit him several times in the leg before his owner was able to regain control of his dog and break up the attack.But he was too late. The victim was taken to a nearby hospital in an ambulance to treat the lacerations to his leg, some of which were down to the bone. He was treated and released. His dog was also treated by a veterinarian. Both are expected to make full recoveries.
A police investigation into the incident revealed that the pit bull had a history of aggression. The dog's owner, a 47-year-old former felon, is now again facing one felony count of allowing a vicious animal to be at large. He pleaded not guilty to the crime.
Source: The Press Democrat, "Santa Rosa man arrested after pit bull bites 89-year-old man," Paul Payne, Dec. 14, 2011
]]>The crash occurred in Moss Beach, California, which is about 500 miles up the coast from San Diego. According to a report from the California State Highway Patrol, a 15-year-old girl was walking eastbound across a highway on her way to school in the early morning hours. Suddenly, the teenager was struck by an oncoming motorcycle.
]]> The bike was driven by a 48-year-old California man who was traveling south on the highway. It is not clear whether the motorcyclist simply did not see the girl, or whether he was distracted or driving carelessly prior to the crash. There are also no reports of the speed at which the man was traveling when he hit the girl.The teenager was airlifted to Stanford hospital and treated for non-life threatening injuries. She reportedly does not have any broken bones, but is dealing with intense pain. The motorcycle driver was not injured in the crash.
This is the second pedestrian accident to occur in Moss Beach in recent weeks. In early December, a woman was hit by a car in the same intersection as the most recent crash. She suffered major internal injuries, but her current status is unknown.
Source: Half Moon Bay Patch, "Motorcycle Hits 15-Year-Old in Moss Beach," Kristine Wong, Jan. 10, 2012
]]>Certainly, a player should be able to decide whether he wants to continue playing after a potential concussion or other brain injury. But some believe that the NFL should do more to protect them from themselves and their willingness to play with a head injury. Of the 44 players surveyed, more than two-thirds said that they would like to see independent neurologists - doctors not associated with or paid by the NFL - on the sidelines during games.
]]> Some medical professionals believe that would unnecessary. Team doctors are concerned with concussions and with players' overall health, so they should, in theory, be a sufficient protection against the lasting head injury caused by concussions. There have been allegations that coaches are instructing doctors to look the other way when potential head injuries happen, but that has not been confirmed.In sum, it appears that the NFL has been making improvements in how it handles head injuries. The majority of the players surveyed stated that they are more aware of the lasting dangers of concussions than they were two years ago, and more players are missing games and seasons than they did in previous years. For example, an average of just 3.1 players went on injured reserve because of concussions from 2000 to 2009. That increased to 18 players last season, and so far this season 17 players have been placed on injured reserve because of concussions.
However, it appears that both players and the league have accepted concussions as a way of life in the NFL. "You're never going to be totally safe from concussions in this game," said one player. "This is the only place where you can actually legally assault people."
Source: Atlanta Journal Constitution, "Some NFL players still willing to hide concussions," Howard Fendrich, Dec. 25, 2011
]]>Now, the plaintiffs and other football players who have complained about the league's lax approach toward brain injury prevention are facing some backlash. The reason for the negative attention is a recent Associated Press report in which players admit that they would try to conceal or ignore a potential concussion or similar injury rather than take themselves out of a game.
]]> The AP report is the product of interviews with 44 NFL players about brain injuries. The players interviewed came from each of the 32 teams in the league and play a variety of positions. Although the players appeared to be more aware of the possible long-term effects of on-field head traumas, more than half stated that they would conceal an injury rather than remove themselves from a game. Some admitted that they have already done so.The reasons that players want to stay in games are many. For some, it is a career consideration: no team is going to want a player that is constantly on the injured reserve list. Others don't want to let their teams down, especially during playoff games. And some just love playing football, and don't want to miss a minute.
Whatever the reason, this insistence on staying in the game could be doing long-term damage to players' brains. We will explore this topic in a second blog post tomorrow.
Source: Atlanta Journal Constitution, "Some NFL players still willing to hide concussions," Howard Fendrich, Dec. 25, 2011
]]>While it is doubtful that Levitt was promoting or expressing his approval of drunk driving, his statement illustrated some interesting statistics about what he calls "drunk walking." In comparison with auto accidents caused by drunk drivers, there is a much higher risk of pedestrian accidents caused in some part by drunk walkers. Despite this fact, however, there is little to no attention paid to the dangers of drunk walking, either in California or at a national level.
]]> Specifically, about 34,000 people were killed in traffic accidents in the U.S. in 2009, the most recent year for which data was available to Levitt. About half of the people killed were drivers, and 41 percent of the drivers were drunk. In the same year, approximately 4,000 pedestrians were killed in accidents, and 35 percent of the people killed were drunk.This means that for every mile walked while drunk, the risk of dying is eight times higher than every mile driven while drunk. Therefore, if you need to travel one mile, you are eight times more likely to die if you walk that mile than if you drive it.
It is important to note that New Year's Day (which technically begins right after midnight on New Year's Eve) is one of the deadliest days of the year for pedestrians, and nearly 60 percent of those who die on the holiday are intoxicated.
Source: Freakonomics, "Friends don't let friends walk drunk," Stephen Dubner, Dec. 27, 2011
]]>The study, which was conducted by researchers in Sweden and Great Britain, was one of the largest of its kind ever to be carried out. It examined nearly 23,000 traumatic brain injury victims and compared them with the general population to determine the comparative likelihood that members of each group would commit a homicide, assault, robbery, sex crime, or a similar violent crime.
]]> Specifically, the researchers noted every case of traumatic brain injury recorded in Sweden between 1973 and 2009, and matched each with 10 people who had not suffered a similar injury. After following all of the participants for several years, the researchers concluded that nearly 9 percent of the brain injury victims had been convicted of a violent crime after their diagnosis. In comparison, just 3 percent of the general population had committed such a crime.The study found that certain types of brain injuries made victims more likely to commit violent crimes, but the media report on the research did not elaborate further.
With this information, the researchers hope that medical professionals who treat brain injury victims in California and throughout the U.S. incorporate some sort of risk assessment and ongoing treatment in order to reduce the risk of violent crimes among this group.
Source: UKPA, "Head injury 'link' to violent crime," Dec. 27, 2011
]]>The fatal accident occurred on August 30 on Camino Del Sur near Paseo Del Sur in San Diego. The 56-year-old grandmother and her husband had just finished hiking in the Black Mountain area, and were crossing the street. However, a car that was traveling more than 30 miles over the posted speed limit crashed into the woman. She died at a nearby hospital about an hour after the crash.
]]> The 25-year-old man who struck the woman was believed to be traveling more than 80 miles per hour in a 50-mph zone. He said he was rushing to get to work. Police do not believe that alcohol or drugs were involved in the crash. Earlier this week, the man pleaded not guilty to vehicular manslaughter, for which he was arrested following the accident. His trial is scheduled to begin next month.In the wake of the fatal accident, the woman's family has been working to preserve her memory in a meaningful way. Last month, they gathered near the spot where the woman was struck, along with a San Diego city councilwoman, and asked for change. Specifically, they asked that the speed limit be lowered to 45 mph, that the city install marked crosswalks where hiking trails intersect roads, and that hiker/pedestrian crossing signs be established. Hopefully, their requests come to fruition.
Source: 10 News, "Driver Pleads Not Guilty in Pedestrian's Death," Dec. 20, 2011
]]>She suffered severe injuries in the motorcycle accident, including a traumatic brain injury and a fractured skull, face, ribs, and scapula. She now has a prosthetic skull and permanent softening of the brain, and will likely suffer from pain and memory loss for the rest of her life.
]]> When police officers arrived on the scene of the motorcycle crash, the first thing the husband told police was that his antilock braking system (ABS) had malfunctioned, causing his rear wheel to lock and his wife to be thrown from the bike. However, the motorcycle was never equipped with ABS, despite the fact that the Harley-Davidson's tachometer had an icon indicating that it had antilock brakes.The woman filed a lawsuit against Harley-Davidson, alleging that the salesman who sold them the motorcycle specifically told them that it had ABS. Harley denies that allegation. When asked why the bike had an ABS logo, a Harley engineer testified that the icons are placed on all of the company's motorcycles. If the bike actually had ABS, the engineer said, the icon would have lit up when the engine was started. The couple should have known that, Harley's attorneys claimed.
But since they were told otherwise, there was no reason that they should have known the bike did not have ABS, the woman's attorneys said in court. The case is now in the hands of the jury, who will decide whether Harley-Davidson is liable for the woman's injuries.
Source: Sacramento Bee, "Contentious motorcycle crash case heads to Sacramento jury," Andy Furillo, Dec. 16, 2011
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