Call today for a free Consultation
858.909.9090

Apr

6

Race Leaves San Diego Woman Dead; Search for Other Vehicle

By admin

Alexandria Drake, 25 of Chula Vista San Diego was killed when she was caught inbetween two vehicles racing.  Drake was struck by a Jaguar and crashed into a tree. Police are searching for Melvin Pearless, 47, who was driving a white BMW.  The police have indicated that they were engaged in a “speed contest.” 

The crash took place on Route 67 near Ramona.  Drake’s 1-month-old son was also in the car during the crash and was uninjured.

If you have lost a loved one in a car accident, call today and speak with a lawyer for a free legal consultation.

Apr

6

Clairmont Car Accident Leaves 2 Dead; Paul Albert Alferos, Jr. and Mario De La Rosa

By admin

Paul Albert Alferos, Jr., 19 and Mario De La Rosa, 21 were killed when Rosa lost control of his car and crashed into a telephone pole in Clairemont over the weekend.  His passenger, Alferos died immediately on the scene while Rosa died later at a nearby hospital. 

It is still unclear as to why they lost control of their Toyota Camry, but the San Diego Police Department is still investigating the crash.  If you have lost a loved one as a result of a wrongful death accident, call today and talk to a  lawyer about your legal rights.  Let our law firm fight for you.

Apr

6

Deadly Car Crash on 94 Leaves 2 dead and 3 Seriously Injured

By admin

Yesterday, a Ford Mustang was involvedin a rollover crash on highway 94 near College Grove Way.  Julio Ruelas, 22 and Ramon Garcia Jr., 19 died at the scene.  Three other passengers who were in the car were also seriously injured.  The cause of the rollover is unknown and the CHP are continuing their investigation.

If you or a loved one have been seriously injured in a car accident, call today and talk to a lawyer for a free evaulation of your case.  Don’t risk losing your legal rights.  Act Now. 858.909.9090

Apr

2

Broken Jaw in Car Accident San Diego

By admin

A fairly common injury resulting from an automobile accident, a fall, or a blow to the face is a broken (fractured) jaw. There are two bones that may be broken. One is the “mandible,” the lower jawbone. The other is the bone that makes up the upper jaw, the “maxilla.” The term jaw fracture generally refers to a break in the mandible, while a break of the maxilla is considered a facial injury. (When the maxilla is broken, there are usually other bones of the face that are broken as well. Breaks to the maxilla may cause double vision, numbness in the skin below the eye, or an irregularity of the cheekbone.)

A broken jawbone is a common facial injury; only the nose is broken more frequently. The most common cause of a broken jaw is injury to the face. This may be due to a motor vehicle accident, a physical assault, an industrial accident, or a recreational or sports injury. An impact with a dashboard during an automobile accident can fracture any part of the jaw. The force of the impact can dislodge teeth and cause fragments of the broken jaw to pierce the gum or damage nearby blood vessels and nerves. A broken or dislocated jaw requires immediate medical attention. Emergency situations include difficulty breathing or heavy bleeding.

The jawbone (mandible) is a long bone that includes the chin and angles up toward the ears on both sides of the face. On each side, the end of the jawbone is rounded like a ball. This ball (a “condyle”) is the part of the jaw joint right in front of your ear that lets you open and close your mouth. The jaw joint is called the temporomandibular joint, or TMJ.

Symptoms and complications of a broken jaw can include:

 Pain in the face or jaw, located in front of the ear on the affected side, and gets worse with movement

  • Bruising, swelling, and tenderness along your jaw or below your ear

  • Bleeding from the mouth

  • Airway blockage

  • Breathing blood or food into the lungs

  • Jaw joint (TMJ) pain and other problems

  • Your jaw is deformed, crooked, or shifted out of its normal midline position

  • You have a painful lump in your jaw or below your ear

  • Jaw tenderness or pain, especially when chewing or biting

  • The feeling that your teeth don’t fit together properly or that your bite is “off” (“malocclusion”)

  • Improperly aligned teeth

  • Missing or loose teeth

  • Difficulty opening your mouth widely

  • Numbness in your lower lip or chin resulting from nerve damage

  • Very limited movement of the jaw (with a severe fracture)

  • Drooling because of the inability to close the mouth

If you have been injured in an automobile accident or other accident, or suffered a blow to the jaw the results in severe pain, it is important that you seek immediate medical treatment. To diagnose a jaw fracture, the doctor will conduct a physical examination of the area and take standard X-rays of your jaw. Sometimes the doctor will order a special dental panoramic X-ray (Panorex), and in some cases, especially for fractures near the TMJ, a CT scan may be ordered. A potential but very serious consequence of jaw fractures is a problem breathing due to loss of support to the tongue. If you have any signs of breathing problems, you should get immediate medical attention by dialing 911 to summon the paramedics.

In more than half the cases of jaw fracture, the jaw breaks in two places: a “direct” fracture where the jaw was hit, and an “indirect” fracture somewhere else along the opposite side of the jaw. This second fracture is usually near one of the ends of the jawbone, close to the jaw joint (TMJ). The second fracture occurs when the force of impact travels upward along the jaw and snaps the relatively thin part of the jawbone just below the ear.

If you have been subject to that degree of trauma that was forceful enough to break your jaw, you must also be evaluated by the medical doctors to determine whether you have suffered any injuries to your spine in the neck area (your “cervical vertebrae”) or whether you suffered a concussion or have bleeding within the skull. X-rays should be taken of your upper spine to diagnose whether or not you have suffered a fracture of a cervical vertebra. Sometimes a fracture goes through a tooth or its socket (an “open fracture”) creating an opening into the mouth, which requires immediate treatment with antibiotics to prevent it from becoming infected with oral bacterial.

The specific treatment for a broken jaw depends on how badly broken the bone is. If you have only a minor fracture, you may only need pain medications and to follow a soft or liquid diet for a while. Surgery is often needed for moderate to severe fractures. To stabilize the broken lower jaw, it may be wired to the upper jaw. This may last six to eight weeks, depending on the rate the person heals. During this time, the broken-jaw victim is only able to drink liquids through a straw. Small rubber bands are used to hold the teeth together for a few weeks, at which time they are removed to allow some motion and reduce joint stiffness.

Alternatively, depending on the nature and extent of the fracture, the doctor may surgically repair the broken jaw with a metal plate that is screwed into the bone on each side of the fracture. If a metal plate is used, the jaw is immobilized for only a few days, after which the victim should eat only soft food for several weeks. If fragments of bone have pierced the skin or if teeth were lost or loosened, the doctor will probably prescribe an antibiotic to reduce the risk of infection.

A person whose jaw has been wired shut should have metal cutters readily available to cut the wire in the event of vomiting or choking. If the wires must be cut, you should consult your doctor promptly so they can be replaced. You should call your doctor if you develop a high temperature, experience a severe headache, lose feeling in your face, have severe pain that will not go away despite the use of painkillers, or if the wires or splints become loose. You should seek immediate emergency health care if you have difficulty breathing.

If you have suffered a broken jaw, with proper and prompt medical care the jaw should heal in about two months. However, where there are several fractures or the person heals poorly, long-term complications can include facial deformity, long-lasting facial pain, or pain or limitation of the movement at the jaw joint and a bad bite.

A dislocated jaw means the lower jawbone (the mandible) has moved out of its normal position at one or both joints where the jawbone connects to the skull (the TMJ). When a person presents with a dislocated jaw, the doctor may be able to place it back to the correct position using the thumbs. Numbing medications (anesthetics) may be required to relax the strong jaw muscles. The jaw may need to be stabilized. This usually involves bandaging the jaw to keep the mouth from opening widely. In some cases, surgery may be needed to repair a dislocated jaw, particularly where the person suffers from repeated jaw dislocations occur.

If you have been injured in an accident and suffered a broken jaw, you should contact an experienced personal injury law firm as soon as possible. It is also important to contact an experienced personal injury law firm promptly, as the law firm may want to send its own investigators to the scene of the accident to inspect and take pictures of the vehicles, the accident site, and any dangerous condition that caused or contributed to the accident, especially before there is a change in the condition of the area or vehicle. The attorney or his or her investigator will also want to talk to any witnesses to the accident as soon as possible while the facts are still fresh in their minds.

An experienced personal injury law firm can also help with seeing to it that you obtain appropriate and thorough medical care for your physical, emotional, and psychological injuries suffered as a result of the accident. The attorneys in the firm can also do everything possible to ensure that you obtain full compensation for your medical expenses, pain and suffering, mental anguish, property damage, lost wages, and all of your other injuries and damages.

Our Law Firm has experience in diligently representing clients who have been in accidents resulting in a broken jaw. We understand the physical, financial, and emotional toll a broken jaw can take on the injured victim and his or her family. We will work our hardest on your behalf to get you the maximum recovery possible.

 Call now for a free consultation of your case:  858.909.9090

 

Feb

10

Milton Willis Charged with Gross Vehicular Manslaugther

By admin

Milton Willis, a well-known surfer has been charged with gross vehicular manslaughter and two counts of felony DUI.  Last June, Willis was driving his vehicle, along with a passenger, Bradley Dillahunty, on-board.  Willis, who was believed to be under the influence of alcohol, lost control of his car and crashed resulting in the death of 24 year-old Dillahunty.

Willis was also critically injured in the crash, but has recovered since.

Feb

3

Deadly Rollover Crash in San Diego

By admin

In a tragic end to a single-car accident, investigators are searching for answers involving a car crash which caused a fire and left one dead.  The deceased man, who’s identity has not yet been released was on Honey Springs Road when is vehicle unexplainably left the road and rolling several times.  His car then smashed into a tree and caused a fire.  The fire burned nearly half an acre.

Jan

23

Mountain View Man in Serious Accident

By admin

Yesterday, an 18 year-old Mountain View man, not yet identified, was struck by a car while he was obtaining items from his trunk.  The crash took place on California street at around 2:40pm.

The Mountain View Police have indicated that a 53 year-old man lost control of his truck.  The truck, then jumped the curb, smashed into parked cars, then drove through a fence finally ending up pinning the victim against his own car.

The 18 year-old man is in intensive care and has suffered from very serious injuries.  For more information on pedestrian accidents and legal rights, visit our pedestrian accident practice area.

Jan

22

Fatal Escondido Car Accident

By admin

In a tragic auto accident this week in Escondido, San Diego, a rollover car accident on Interstate 15 left the driver dead.  Michael William Quinn, 50, of San Diego crashed on Sunday when he struck the center median causing his car to overturn.

Quinn was wearing he seatbelt, but was still ejected from the car.  He was rushed to Palomar Medical Center where he was pronounced dead.  Quinn was the only person in the car.

Dec

22

Fatal Car Accident on Highway 8

By admin

Early this morning here in San Diego, poor weather conditions caused a series of car accidents on Highway 8 in both directions.  In one of the several car accidents in San Diego, a pick-up truck lost control and rolled down and embankment killing the driver instantly.  The crash occurred near the Peutz Valley.  It is unclear whether the wind and rainy conditions were the cause of the crash and the CHP is investigating.

Dec

21

Suspected Drunk Driver Arrested in Orange County Crash

By admin

The LA Times reports that a suspected driver who fled the scene of a fatal crash was arrested.  The crash occured on the 55 Freeway in Orange near Anaheim. 

Oscar Omar Guereca fled the scene of the crash after his SUV rear-ended a Toyota Avalon at an estimated speed of 85mph.  After a short chase, the CHP arrested Guereca.  As reported on this blog, alcohol related accidents remain the cause of some of the most tragic fatal car accidents in California.