by Michael Pines

According to reports at CNN, Burch Farms is recalling all honeydew melons the company grew this year due to concerns over listeria contamination. Cantaloupe – which made headlines earlier this year – joins the recall as well.

As a part of the regular food inspection process, the FDA tests food to make sure it is safe for public consumption. It is during this time that dangerous bacteria or other food concerns are found.

The honeydew melons in this case were sold to 18 states along the East Coast according to reports. Some of the melons may have made it as far west as the Midwest, and the exact reselling of the melons in other neighboring states is currently unknown.

If you are concerned about a possible listeria contamination on your honeydew melons, take the following precautions immediately:

• Inspect the melon for tags that identify it as a Burch Farm honeydew melon. According to reports, many melons do NOT have a sticker. Your best bet is to contact the grocery store where you purchased the melon.
• Another simple option: throw the melon away!

About Listeria contamination

Listeriosis is a deadly bacteria found on food and other products that, when ingested, can cause flu-like symptoms like vomiting, fever, and even an outbreak of rash. The bacteria is of particular concern for the elderly and women who are pregnant as these groups can often have lowered immune systems and therefore can be gravely affected by the contamination. Miscarriages and deaths have been attributed to listeria poisoning.

As scary as it may sound, listeria poising may take weeks to incubate in the body and cause symptoms. That’s why it’s never been more important to stay on top of alerts, especially if you or a loved one is pregnant, elderly, or if you have an infant, as all groups are most affected by listeria contamination.

Stay safe: food recall alerts

Many people want to stay on top of safety alerts such as these in order to reduce the risk of personal injury to themselves and loved ones. Sign up at recalls.gov today and get the most relevant recalls to your lifestyle delivered straight to your inbox. Our personal injury attorneys strongly recommend signing up and staying on top of dangerous and sometimes deadly recalls.

If you’d like an easy way to stay on top of breaking safety news, follow us on Twitter or join us on Facebook. New to Google+, we also welcome you into our circle. Get daily safety recall tips and other safety and accident prevention tips by signing up today.

About Michael Pines

Michael Pines is a former insurance company attorney who specializes in car accident injury. While he was an insurance attorney, he learned from behind the scenes on how insurance companies work and how they decided to pay injured people. Now that he works against insurance companies, Michael's inside knowledge has resulted in significant benefits to his clients injured in car accidents.

By Michael Pines

San Diego is known for its beautiful weather and perpetual sunshine. But as local residents know, we are still prone to overcast, drizzle-filled days and even – on occasion – a downpour. Even despite the intermittent rain showers, we are still, for the most part, fortunate to enjoy sunshine almost year round.

With our good weather, though, also come some drawbacks. For instance, because San Diego drivers become accustomed to good weather, the stakes are high when wet weather arrives. In fact, car accidents in San Diego are most frequent during wet weather. That’s why it’s never been more important to take extra precaution and care when driving on damp roads. A car accident in Poway tragically reminds all residents of how important it is to reduce speeds and increase awareness when traveling in wet weather.

On May 25, a head-on collision in Poway killed four people and injured three others according to reports at Fox 5 San Diego. The accident occurred on the wet roadways of State Route 67 at 10 a.m. – a time of day when visibility can often be compromised due to direct sunlight bolstered by wet, reflective roadways.

According to authorities, a Chevy Silverado truck headed northbound lost control, careening into an oncoming lane at high speed. The vehicle collided with two Toyota sedans in the southbound lane near Rockhouse Road, the California Highway Patrol said.

The Poway car accident resulted in four fatalities and three serious injuries. Those who survived the tragic accident were immediately transported to a nearby hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening personal injury.

Authorities are unclear as to the actual cause of the accident although speeding has been considered the primary cause according to witnesses. That, in combination with wet roads, is dangerous– and all too often, our personal injury attorneys in San Diego find that speeding and wet roads lead to serious injury and even wrongful death.

Wet weather and speeding don’t mix

No matter how safe you think you are or how cautious a driver you may be, it’s never safe to speed. And adding an unsafe element of wet roadways and slippery conditions makes speeding even more dangerous and risky. Often, when drivers speed on wet roadways, an accident usually follows.

Avoid a car accident and follow these guidelines in rainy weather:

Drive as conditions permit. Just because the speed limit is a certain number doesn’t mean you should be driving it. In other words, if conditions are too dangerous to drive the speed limit, reduce your speed to accommodate the weather. If it’s rainy, it’s generally a good idea to reduce your speed.

Don’t tailgate and leave plenty of room ahead. Rear-end car accidents in San Diego happen often and our personal injury attorneys recommend that you use at least 3 seconds between you and the vehicle ahead. In fact, depending on the conditions, you may want to increase the distance between you and the vehicle ahead by five or more seconds.

Keep your vehicle in sound condition. Always make sure your vehicle is equipped for rainy or inclement weather. Check your tires for bald spots, replace your windshield wipers regularly, and make sure your headlights are in proper operational order.

About the Law Offices of Michael Pines, APC

Michael Pines, founder, is a personal injury attorney in San Diego who specializes in car accident injury and automobile accident insurance claims. If you have been injured in a car accident, call the law firm now at 1-800-655-6585 for a no-cost legal consultation. You can also submit the details of your case online.

About Michael Pines

Michael Pines is a former insurance company attorney who specializes in car accident injury. While he was an insurance attorney, he learned from behind the scenes on how insurance companies work and how they decided to pay injured people. Now that he works against insurance companies, Michael's inside knowledge has resulted in significant benefits to his clients injured in car accidents.

The San Diego personal injury attorneys at our firm often see accidents that occur as a result of drowsiness, but a high-profile case reminds all of us that sleep-related accidents can happen to anyone.  Massachusetts Lieutenant Governor Murray of drove off Interstate 190 last week in what was reported to have occurred as a result of sleepiness despite arising speculation.

The accident occurred in the pre-dawn hours, a common time of day when sleep-related accidents can often occur. Lt. Gov. Murray said in a statement that he had been obeying traffic laws by driving 65 miles-per-hour but the details of his accident were unclear, although he stated he had slid off black ice.

“Listen, this was an accident. It happened very quickly and I’ve taken responsibility for that. I don’t know what more I can say other than that I’m anxious to get back to work,” Murray replied.

The Boston Globe reported that Murray cited poor sleep the night before since his 5-year-old daughter had been up the night before. Despite speculation, Murray assures the public the accident had occurred due to falling asleep.

“Around quarter of five I gave up trying to sleep and decided to take a drive, get a coffee and a paper and prepare for the day,’’ he said in a statement to the paper. “I did so to get a sense of the storm and power damage in the aftermath of the surprise snow storm that had just hit much of the state.’’

Keeping alert behind the wheel

It’s never been more important to drive while you’re well-rested and alert. Sleepy driving is one of our top causes of car accidents in San Diego. Although it’s often easier said than done, you can do your part to reduce the risk of accident by considering these tips for safe driving.

Try to drive during daylight hours

If you have a flexible schedule, arrange your meetings in the afternoon to avoid dusk and dawn, some of the most common times for sleep-related car accidents.

Do not drive when fatigued

It goes without saying, but consider driving when you’re alert, well-rested, and able to do so without the risk of falling asleep behind the wheel.

Know the warning signs of fatigue

If you feel any of the following symptoms, avoid driving. Keep it safe, and either pull to a safe rest area, ask another driver to take over, or simply sleep until you are ready to safety drive.

• Heavy eyes
• Stiffness and cramps
• Humming in ears
• Delayed reaction times
• Fumbling with ordinary car functions
• Crossing lanes unintentionally

If you’ve been injured in a car accident

Sometimes, car accidents can happen even with prevention in place. If you have been involved in an accident and suspect it was someone else’s fault, we may be able to help. Every San Diego personal injury lawyer at our firm works hard to get injured people maximum compensation. The consultation is free so call us now at 1-800-655-6585.

About Michael Pines

Michael Pines is a former insurance company attorney who specializes in car accident injury. While he was an insurance attorney, he learned from behind the scenes on how insurance companies work and how they decided to pay injured people. Now that he works against insurance companies, Michael's inside knowledge has resulted in significant benefits to his clients injured in car accidents.

As a personal injury attorney in San Diego, I often see tragic cases of injury that could have possibly been avoided. And even though injuries can happen from car accidents, safety oversights, workplace errors, home accidents, and more, it’s preventative injuries that remind us to take the extra step to keep our homes, families, and neighbors safe.

Unfortunately, after a tragic accident, a family mourns the death of a loved one this holiday season resulting from a pit bull attack in San Diego.

A 76 year-old-woman was attacked earlier this year by her neighbors’ pit bulls, resulting in catastrophic injury that she initially survived. Her left arm and left leg were amputated after the mauling caused enough serious injury to permanently damage both her limbs. But while the woman was recuperating from the initial attack, a family member told San Diego 10 News that she passed away on Christmas Eve. No word on whether or not her wrongful death arose from the initial San Diego dog attack.

Emako Mendoza was attacked early Saturday morning, June 18, after her neighbor’s dogs had reportedly escaped their enclosure.

“What woke me up [were] the girls next door,” said James Mendoza, the late woman’s husband. “They come knocking on the door, they said that their dogs had gotten loose and they thought they were in my backyard.”

The dogs were reported to have entered the Mendoza’s yard through a hole in a fence according to Frank Cali of the San Diego Police Department.

“My wife was lying [in the back yard],” he said. “She was still screaming… I took her and I covered her up the best I could and I ran in there and called 911.” The injured woman was immediately transported to Scripps Mercy Hospital in critical condition.

Neighbors Alba Medina Cornelio, 39, and Carla Ramirez Cornelio, 19, owners of the pit bulls, pleaded not guilty to felony counts of having a mischievous animal causing serious bodily injury, and six other misdemeanors arising from the incident.

Preventing dog bite accidents in San Diego

Many dogs can turn vicious if trained to be ferocious, or if allowed to become aggressive. It’s never been more important for dog owners to practice diligence and responsibility in keeping their dogs trained and docile. And as proactive citizens, understanding dog safety and knowing what to do in an attack is an important part of keeping our families safe.

Dog owners: do your part

It goes without saying, but dog owners must be responsible in keeping their dogs trained and people-friendly. Pit bulls have garnered a bad rap for being vicious dogs, but many other breeds are capable of causing personal injury if left untrained. Consider the following tips for your safety, and the safety of others.

• Train and socialize your dog properly. Please take the time to be a responsible dog owner and get your dog the proper training it deserves. A professional training regimen can ensure your dog responds to commands in the event of a scare or potential attack.
• Patch any holes in your fence. A tense or scared dog may attack unnecessarily if they encounter a surprise. To avoid any potential attacks, be sure to keep your yard properly enclosed including patching holes or loose boards. Do not allow your dogs to roam your property unleashed, especially when you own a dog that tends to be naturally defensive.
• Spay or neuter. Hormones can intensify your dog’s reaction to bite or attack. Do the right thing and spay or neuter your animal.
• Do not tie up your dog for long periods of time. Keeping your dog chained up is a perfect disaster in stressing the animal. When an animal is not socialized properly, or allowed to roam free in a fully-enclosed area or dog run, the dog can become more prone to attack. Keep your dog in a safe, protected area with enough room to roam.

Keeping yourself safe in a dog attack

If you are put in a precarious situation and are facing an unstable or angry dog, use the following tips to keep yourself as safe as possible. Remember, dog attacks happen most often to children, and it’s important to teach your young ones on dog safety as well.

• If faced with an angry dog, don’t scream and run away. Even though our instinct tells us to run away from danger, The Humane Society of the United States warns not to, and to instead remain motionless when you sense a dog may attack. If you run away, you are likely to trigger the dog’s natural response to catch you.
• Do not approach an unfamiliar dog. While the family dog may prove to be safe and approachable, a stranger’s dog is not likely to welcome you in the same gregarious fashion.
• Avoid surprising a dog. If a dog is eating, sleeping, caring for their young, or in some other way occupied (even with a toy), don’t surprise the dog or disturb it. If you sense your own dog displays erratic behaviors when disturbed, get professional dog training.
• If attacked, do not react. If you are attacked by a dog, The Human Society says to curl up into a ball and “feed” the dog the object it wants (purse, jacket, coat, even bicycle) in order to put something between you and the dog and possibly avoid further injury.

San Diego dog bite injury

If you or a loved one has been injured by a dog, do not hesitate to give us a call at 1-800-655-6585 for a free and confidential legal review of your case. A San Diego personal injury lawyer at the Law Offices of Michael Pines will answer your questions free of charge. Call us today.

About Michael Pines

Michael Pines is a former insurance company attorney who specializes in car accident injury. While he was an insurance attorney, he learned from behind the scenes on how insurance companies work and how they decided to pay injured people. Now that he works against insurance companies, Michael's inside knowledge has resulted in significant benefits to his clients injured in car accidents.

With cooler weather around the corner, many parents are eager to bundle their little joys into warm coats and thick sweaters. And while it seems like common sense to leave children bundled up in their winter clothes while seated in a car seat, experts now say this can be a leading cause of coat compression, a dangerous phenomenon that occurs when bundled children slide out of their clothing upon impact due to the extra fabric.

“The biggest concern would be the big, thick coats,” says Bobbi Paper, injury prevention coordinator with Sanford Children’s and Safe Kids. “People want to keep their babies warm.”

Many parents have mistakenly believed that extra fabric may actually hold the child tighter within the seat, thereby increasing his or her safety in the event of a car accident. But, as experts have confirmed, the opposite is true: the more clothing a child is strapped in with, the higher the risk for the harness to become loose and the child to become endangered.

“They’re not as tight as you think they are,” Paper says.

Coat compression is common with babies and toddlers as opposed to kids in booster seats who can depend on a seat belt to instantly tighten upon impact. But if a child’s seat harness is loose, the baby’s risk for a head injury or neck or spine compression is high in the event of an accident.

Avoid coat compression: buckle kids safety

Parents can avoid the possibility of injury this winter by considering some easy alternatives that can still ensure your child stays warm – and most importantly, safe. And fortunately, San Diego weather is generally so mild that accommodating these ideas are easy and comfortable for any parent and child.

• Keep fleece blankets in your vehicle. Fleece is not a chilly fabric, and instantly feels warm to the touch. Remove jackets and sweaters, and immediately strap in your child. Cover them in blankets to make sure they stay cozy.
• Start your car a few minutes prior to departure. Lucky for us, we don’t have to deal with snow. Starting your car several minutes prior to use is common in snowy areas and practically a requirement – but for rare chilly mornings or frosty evenings in San Diego, consider warming up your car for just few minutes so the whole family can stay comfortable and little ones stay safe without bulky bundling.

Other reminders for car seat safety

Experts also remind parents to follow the latest recommendation by the American Academy of Pediatrics: children under the age of 2 must be seated-rear facing. As we covered in a previous blog post, many parents voiced exasperation over the new requirements since growing children are often too bulky to sit rear-facing.

“What I found scared me,” said one parent. “The phrase ‘internal decapitation’ will never leave my mind.”

To find out more about the LATCH system, and how to properly restrain your child’s car seat, read our blog on car seat safety.

About the Law Offices of Michael Pines, APC

Michael Pines, founder, has worked with families across San Diego County to seek maximum recovery in wake of a tragic child accident. If your child has been injured and you suspect it was someone else’s fault, we can help. A personal injury attorney can answer your legal questions free of charge. Call us now at 1-800-655-6585.

About Michael Pines

Michael Pines is a former insurance company attorney who specializes in car accident injury. While he was an insurance attorney, he learned from behind the scenes on how insurance companies work and how they decided to pay injured people. Now that he works against insurance companies, Michael's inside knowledge has resulted in significant benefits to his clients injured in car accidents.