California Injury Blog

Published on: March 17, 2009

San Diego County Nursing Home Negligence

By Brian Chase

Escondido Nursing Home’s Negligence Leads to Man’s Death

An Escondido nursing home has been fined $90,000 after a resident apparently choked to death at lunch. According to a news report on San Diego’s Channel 6, Escondido Care Center was also cited on March 12, 2009 for poor treatment and supervision of its patients. The California Department of Health states in its report that the man was supposed to be on a strict diet because he had trouble chewing and swallowing. But he was eating a lunch of beef with barbecue sauce, mashed potatoes, steamed cabbage and carrots last November when he coughed several times and slumped over in his wheelchair. Nursing home staff members were not able to revive him. Escondido Care Center has apparently appealed this citation.

My heart goes out to the family of this nursing home negligence victim. It is no doubt a tragic, heartbreaking event for this man’s loved ones who believed that they had entrusted him to the care of professionals. They probably never doubted for a second that he would receive anything but the best level of care and attention at this San Diego County facility.

Unfortunately, nursing home negligence and abuse occurs far more commonly and frequently across the country. A lot of cases involving California nursing home negligence and abuse are due to understaffing and the lack of qualified, trained caregivers in these facilities. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, in a 2000 report, found out that about 54 percent of the nation’s nursing homes were understaffed. The report also found that, at the time of the study, residents in 31 percent of the nation’s nursing homes were receiving care for only about 12 minutes a day from registered nurses.
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Published on: March 16, 2009

Orange County Pedestrian Accident

By Brian Chase

Huntington Beach Pedestrian versus Auto Accident

A 67-year-old Garden Grove man was killed in a Huntington Beach pedestrian accident after he was struck by a vehicle on Warner Avenue near Bolsa Chica Street, The Orange County Register reports. Jorge Salazarleon was driving a 2008 Land Rover the morning of March 13, 2009 when he struck the pedestrian, Orange County Coroner’s officials said. Salazarleon was uninjured, but the pedestrian suffered major head injuries from the collision. He was transported to a local hospital where he died.

The victim remains unidentified pending notification of his family. Huntington Beach police say drugs or alcohol don’t seem to be a factor in this fatal Orange County auto accident. No charges have been filed against Salazarleon pending an investigation. Anyone who saw this fatal Huntington Beach pedestrian accident is asked to call Huntington Beach Police Traffic Division at 714-536-5666.

My heart goes out to the family of this pedestrian accident victim. I offer my deepest sympathies to everyone who knew and loved this man. Please keep them in your prayers.

According to the California Highway Patrol’s 2006 traffic accident statistics, there were four pedestrian accident fatalities and 55 injuries involving pedestrian accidents in Huntington Beach. In Orange County as a whole, 45 deaths and 802 injuries were reported as a result of pedestrian accidents.
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Published on: March 13, 2009

Riverside County Pedestrian Accident

By Brian Chase

Child Killed By Ice Cream Truck

Diana Morales, a 1-year-old girl, died in a pedestrian accident in Muscoy on March 11, 2009, after she was struck by an ice cream truck on her first birthday. According to this news article in the Riverside Press-Enterprise, Diana apparently crawled out of her family’s Muscoy home and in front of a parked ice cream truck whose driver, 47-year-old Cleo Tilde, hit the child and drove away, California Highway Patrol officials said. The baby’s siblings located her on the street unresponsive. Diana died soon after her mother took her to the hospital.

Apparently Tilde had been selling ice cream to the children in the 2500 block of West Second Avenue, right in front of Diana’s home. Officials said Tilde did not see Diana crawl up in front of her truck. None of the child’s family members noticed the baby go out of the house either. After running over the baby, Tilde continued driving the 1998 Ford E-350 truck unaware that she had hit little Diana until CHP investigators caught up with her. Tilde was not cited or arrested after investigators determined that this was a tragic and unfortunate accident.

My heart goes out to the family of little Diana Morales for their heartbreaking loss. I offer my deepest sympathies to them. Please keep them in your prayers.
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Published on: March 12, 2009

Ventura County Pedestrian Accident Injures Woman

By Brian Chase

Argelia Rojas, 49, was critically injured in a March 10, 2009 Thousand Oaks pedestrian accident after she was struck by a car while crossing at the intersection of Westlake Boulevard and Devonshire Avenue. According to this news report in the Ventura County Star, Rojas who was crossing the street in a crosswalk with a 2-year-old child managed to get the toddler out of the path of a Toyota Corolla driven by 60-year-old Linda Ellsworth an instant before the car versus pedestrian collision occurred. The child, Mitchell Ito, was uninjured.

Traffic investigators apparently measured the skid marks that went across the pedestrian walkway and down to Ellsworth’s Toyota Corolla, which was parked on Westlake Boulevard with its windshield smashed. Officials also say there were no obvious signs of anything that would have obstructed the Ellsworth’s vision as the car approached the intersection.

My heart goes out to Argelia Rojas, who suffered critical injuries in this Thousand Oaks pedestrian accident. I hope she has a quick and complete recovery. I’m relieved that the young child, Mitchell, was uninjured. Rojas and her family will be in my prayers.

According to California Highway Patrol’s 2006 statistics, there was one pedestrian accident fatality in Thousand Oaks and 24 injuries related to pedestrian accidents. In Ventura County as a whole, there were 11 deaths and 189 injuries reported as a result of pedestrian accidents.
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Published on: March 12, 2009

Northridge Pedestrian Accident Fatal Crash Concerns Lawyer

By Brian Chase

Victoria Santos, 60, who died in a pedestrian versus truck accident near the Cal State Northridge campus, is one of many victims who have been killed in similar accidents on the dangerous roadways and intersection around the university’s campus. According to a news article in the Los Angeles Daily News, Victoria Santos was trying to cross Zelzah Avenue at Lassen Street early morning on March 9, 2009 when she was struck by a pickup truck driver who was traveling east on Lassen and had turned right on Zelzah.

My heart goes out to the family of Victoria Santos for their tragic loss. I offer my deepest condolences to everyone who knew and loved Santos. Please keep them in your prayers.

In the last six months, seven pedestrians have been hit by vehicles on streets near the Cal State Northridge Campus, killing two, leaving two others with life-threatening injuries and three others with serious injuries. According to the Daily News, in 2007, the area had 88 pedestrian accidents – a 21 percent jump from 2005. Local residents and neighborhood councils have apparently made attempts to educate pedestrians and motorists in the area about pedestrian safety. Residents are looking at how feasible it would be for the city to install crosswalks with flashing lights. In addition to Victoria Santos, the following pedestrians were stuck by vehicles near Cal State Northridge:

Olivia Almalel, 33, suffered severe spinal cord injuries in a December 25, 2008 accident at Reseda Boulevard and Devonshire Street
Three men in their 20s suffered serious injuries on December 12, 2008 at the intersection of Louise Avenue and Roscoe Boulevard
Yao Lu, a 22-year-old CSUN student from China was in a coma for eight days and suffered internal bleeding after being struck by a hit-and-run driver on November 3, 2008 at the intersection of Reseda and Superior Street
Johoney Lobos, a 19-year-old student died in a September 23, 2008 hit and run accident as she crossed Lindley Avenue near Devonshire Street.

Northridge apparently falls under the City of Los Angeles’ jurisdiction. The question here is: Why is the City of Los Angeles not doing anything about these dangerous roadways and intersections around Cal State Northridge despite an overwhelming number of catastrophic injuries and deaths relating to pedestrian versus vehicle collisions.
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Published on: March 10, 2009

San Bernardino County Motorcycle Accident Kills Man

By Brian Chase

Patrick Ellis, 54, was killed in a March 8, 2009 motorcycle accident in Apple Valley after he crashed into a horse trailer on Central Road. According to the Inland Empire & Inland Valley Breaking News report, Ellis was riding north on Central at Nisqually Road when he struck the trailer, which was being towed by a truck. Ellis was thrown from the motorcycle on impact. He was flown to an area hospital where he died a few hours after the motorcycle accident.

I offer my deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Patrick Ellis for their tragic and heartbreaking loss. Please keep them in your prayers.

According to the California Highway Patrol’s 2006 Statewide Integrated Traffic Reporting System, there was one fatality and six injuries involving motorcycle accidents in Apple Valley. In San Bernardino County as a whole, in 2006, 39 deaths and 507 injuries were reported as a result of motorcycle accidents.
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Published on: March 10, 2009

Comments for Cans Campaign Courtesy of Bisnar Chase

By Brian Chase

We have all read recent news reports that talk about the devastating effects of the economic downturn and the housing market crash in Orange County and the rest of California. A recent article in The Orange County Register, reports that the Orange County Food Bank has been forced to cut several of its food distribution programs because it is lacking in funds and donations.

As a personal injury law firm that has been based in Newport Beach, Orange County, for the last three decades, we believe that it is our duty to step up to the plate and contribute to the Food Bank. We may not be able to bring back their lost programs, but we can at least help add to their food reserves that are helping out tens of thousands of Orange County residents who are struggling through the current economic crisis.

Our office has done food drives for the last five years. So this is nothing new to me or my staff. We did our most recent food drive for the Orange County Second Harvest Food Bank last month during which we collected several 55-gallon drums of food. We participate in the food bank’s food drive annually because we strongly believe that we need to give back to the community.
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Published on: March 10, 2009

San Bernardino County DUI Auto Accident

By Brian Chase

Police in Rancho Cucamonga have identified a woman injured in a March 4, 2009 drunken driving rear-end auto accident as Carol Lee Santa Cruz. According to the Inland Empire & Inland Valley Breaking News, Santa Cruz, who was driving a blue Hyundai SUV, was stopped at a red light at Haven Avenue near 19th Street when she was rear-ended by a red Chevrolet sedan driven by Deanna Anderson. San Bernardino Sheriff’s Department deputies arrested Deanna Anderson on suspicion of felony DUI. Santa Cruz was taken to a local hospital for treatment of her injuries.

I’m relieved that Carol Lee Santa Cruz did not suffer major injuries in this Rancho Cucamonga DUI auto accident. I wish her the very best for a quick and complete recovery from her injuries.

If this report is accurate and Anderson, the driver of the Chevy sedan, was intoxicated at the time of the collision then, she must be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. According to California Highway Patrol’s 2006 statistics there were 23 auto accident fatalities in Rancho Cucamonga out of which six were alcohol-related crashes. In San Bernardino County as whole there were 133 fatalities and 1,202 injuries involving alcohol-related traffic collisions.
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Published on: March 6, 2009

Man Killed in Riverside Pedestrian versus Big Rig Accident

By Brian Chase

Gregory Willis, 46, of Hemet was killed in a Bloomington pedestrian versus big rig accident on March 5, 2009, according to the Inland Empire & Inland Valley Breaking News Web site. Willis was apparently using a crosswalk in the 18000 block of Slover Avenue to the trucking company that he worked for when a big rig driver started the truck, made a right turn and hit Willis. He was pronounced dead at an area hospital where he was taken after the accident. The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (CAL/OSHA) is investigating the incident.

My heart goes out to the family and friends of Gregory Willis for their tragic loss. I offer my deepest condolences to everybody who knew and loved Willis. Please keep them in your prayers.

According to California Highway Patrol’s 2006 Statewide Integrated Traffic Reporting System, there were a total of 316 traffic accident fatalities and 10,514 injuries related to auto accidents in Riverside County. There were 48 deaths and 436 injuries reported in 2006 in Riverside County involving pedestrian accidents.
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Published on: March 6, 2009

San Diego On-the-Job Accident Kills Postal Service Mechanic

By Brian Chase

Leonard Harders, a 56-year-old postal service mechanic in San Diego, was killed on-the-job after he was run over by a mail truck he was trying to fix. According to the 10 News report for San Diego, Harders was working on the Isuzu delivery vehicle in the 13500 block of Evening Creek Drive North on March 4, 2009 when the truck began to roll way. Harders tried to jump inside the truck to stop it, but slipped and fell. He ended up underneath the vehicle, which ran over him, San Diego Police Department officials said. Harders was pronounced dead at the scene.

What a tragic accident! I offer my deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Leonard Harders. Here was a man who was just trying to do his job. Please keep the Harders family in your prayers.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor Web site, there were 754,958 employees who worked for the U.S. Postal Service in 2007. During that year USPS reported 50,271 on-the-job injuries out of which nine were fatalities. About 16,800 cases involved injuries where workers had to take time off work.
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