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

Photo Credit: The Humane Society

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.

In an effort to avoid pedestrian accidents, every parent teaches his or her child to look both ways before crossing the street; but what if simply looking for approaching traffic isn’t enough to keep some kids safe on the road? According to new research conducted at the University of Alabama Youth Safety Laboratory, children under the age of 10 who have ADHD may have trouble crossing the street safely by themselves – not because they don’t look both ways, but because their ability to assess the time needed to cross is more likely to be inaccurate.

Despina Stavrinos, the study’s leader, told U.S. News and World Report that her team’s results suggest that children with ADHD leave little time to spare when crossing the street — a finding that yielded several virtual “close calls” during the study, and prompted Stavrinos and other medical professionals to urge added caution on parents of children with the common attention deficit disorder.

“Look before you cross” — only half the battle?

In order to assess what she suspected might be an increased pedestrian injury risk in children with ADHD, Stavrinos and her team selected 78 children between the ages of 7 and 10 – half of whom had ADHD – to participate in a simulation exercise. The researchers found that, without aid from medications or supervisors, children in the ADHD group still looked both ways.

However, they then stepped off a virtual “curb” later than children in the control group – giving themselves less time to cross and reinforcing what Dr. Andrew Adesman of the Steven and Alexandra Cohen Children’s Medical Center in New York describes as “the notion that kids with ADHD are more at risk in certain situations” than kids unaffected by the disorder.

Beyond the basics: teaching kids safe crossing habits to prevent personal injury

As Stavrinos points out, many children with ADHD take medication that helps alleviate the symptoms that affect pedestrian safety habits. However, by the end of the school day, those medications are most likely beginning to wear off – making safe street-crossing habits even more essential. Her findings emphasize the need to make pedestrian safety education a more detailed activity – not just for kids with ADHD, but for any child who is likely to be crossing the street without adult supervision.

When teaching your child about safe pedestrian habits, always explain the importance of looking both ways: then, consider the following tips to help reinforce that message in your child:

• Stand with your child and ask them when they think it’s safe to cross the street, as opposed to telling them when to do so. By taking note of your child’s reaction time, you can assess how well he or she understands the logistics of pedestrian safety.

• Remind your child to allow plenty of time to cross, and to never make a game out of crossing dangerously close to traffic.

• Teach your child that, when in doubt, it is always safer to wait until the coast is clear. Also, remind them to look for safe crosswalks or four-way stops whenever possible as an alternative to self-monitored crossing.

Safe pedestrian habits are just as important for adults as they are for children; and by setting a good example, you’re that much more likely to succeed in teaching your children the safest and best way to navigate traffic for years to come.

About the Law Offices of Michael Pines, APC

Every personal injury attorney at the Law Offices of Michael Pines is an expert at handling complex cases of pedestrian injury and car accidents involving children. For a free consultation and claims advice, call our professional team of personal injury attorneys 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.

The fair can be an exciting time for carnival-goers: the head-spinning rides, cotton candy, and San Diego’s gorgeous weather all make for a thrilling, memorable time. But when injury accidents happen, the mood can suddenly change from fun to dangerous in a mere heartbeat.

In a most recent accident occurring just yesterday, two Del Mar Fairground patrons were injured as one of the rides, The Techno Power, went suddenly awry. According to a statement issued by the Del Mar Fairground spokesperson, the operator attempted to stop the ride to help a small child off when the ride suddenly started to move again. Other details remain unclear as of now, but both patrons were instantaneously injured.

The child sustained various cuts and other unknown injuries, later airlifted to Rady Children’s Hospital. The operator was unconscious, bleeding from the head, and immediately taken to the hospital.

“We don’t know the extent of injuries at this time we’re waiting to hear some information… We have very strict standards we have inspectors that are on premise everyday these rides go through a rigorous inspections,” said Linda Zweig, fair spokesperson.

Fortunately, reports suggest the child and operator may fully recover from their injuries.

How safe are rides? What can you do to be safe?

We may have wondered how safe carnival rides really are. Investigative reports on TV have often brought to light the danger of rides due to outdated equipment, poor maintenance, and unfit operators. These less-thrilling factors can dampen the fun a carnival is supposed to bring to a community.

“I do a lot praying when I’m here honestly,” said Abby Abtou, Del Mar Fairgrounds patron.  “…A lot of praying because I don’t feel like they’re safe.”

Consider these safety tips as you peruse rides at the fair this year:

Choose which ride your child is allowed to board

Sage advice for parents: choose which ride your child is allowed to board ahead of time. We suggest you walk the amusement park, and approve the rides before your child boards them. Use common sense, like following weight and height restrictions and consider the appropriateness of the ride for your child. Just because a ride operator says it’s “ok” for the child to ride, does not mean the child will be safe on the ride.

Stay with your child as he boards the ride

Consider reading the warning sign out loud. Make sure your child understands that rides can often start and stop, depending on who is getting on the ride. Remind your child that s/he may never exit the ride until the operator signals for him or her to exit. Remind your child that s/he should never goof off, or show off, while on the ride. Your presence alone will discourage your child from goofing off. While this may serve as unpopular advice among teens, we risk our popularity for the sake of safety and strongly encourage parents to do the same.

Watch your child’s extremities

It’s natural for a child to be excited about the ride, and kick his or her legs, feet, and hands as the ride progresses. But, unfortunately, many rides have clipped fingers, hands, feet, and toes, including arms and legs. For the sake of safety, load your children to the inside of the ride if possible, and away from open doorways of the ride. Remind your child that he or she should never exit the ride until told by you or the operator.

For more tips on amusement ride safety, go to SaferRides.org

About the Law Offices of Michael Pines, APC

The Law Offices of Michael Pines are specialists in personal injury and have helped many injured San Diegans seek recovery after an accident occurs. Michael Pines, founder, has aimed to educate the public on accident prevention and can be found as a safety columnist on La Jolla Light, Del Mar Times, and the Rancho Santa Fe Review. If you have been injured and wish to speak to Mike free of charge, call 1-800-655-6585 or submit 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.