Parents Win $74 Million in Medical Malpractice Lawsuit

A San Luis Obispo couple won more than $74 million medical malpractice lawsuit against a local doctor that delivered their baby.

Andrew and Jennifer Blunt sued Dr. Kurt Haupt for a botched delivery of their daughter on April 19, 2003 at Siena Vista Regional Medical Center. The mishandled delivery lead their daughter Sofia Blunt to develop cerebral palsy. After two days deliberation, the jury awarded the Blunts a total of $74,225,000 after finding the doctor negligent during the delivery of their baby girl. The jury, composed of eight women and four men, was deeply affected by the case and evidence drove their decision to find the physician to be responsible for the botched delivery.

The awarded money will mostly cover the medical expenses that the family will have during the course of Sofia's lifetime. Some members of the jury hugged the family outside the courtroom after the verdict as the now three-year old Sofia is on a stroller with a harness.

“Damage to this little girl happened, and the evidence showed us that, more likely than not, the doctor was negligent,” said Melody Eltrich, the jury foreperson. “Nobody wants to make someone pay for no reason. This was a life-changing event.”

The Blunt's lawyer presented evidence that shows the baby's heart rate fluctuating wildly, but the doctor did not examine the cord blood properly or made efforts to finish the delivery quicker. Defense lawyers argued that a blockage of mucus on the baby's airway that caused loss of oxygen to the brain was the reason for the development of the cerebral palsy.

It is up to Judge Charles S. Crandall whether the compensation can be lessened or not, but both camps believe a reduction is very likely.

Medical malpractice is a common personal injury case in San Luis Obispo. If you think you are a victim of a malpractice, you should contact a personal injury lawyer in San Luis Obispo right away. Lawyers in San Luis Obispo can help you build your case and seek justice. Find a San Luis Obispo attorney expert in medical malpractice. Attorneys from San Luis Obispo can be consulted for free, so you can consult as many as you want before settling with one.

Source: http://www.sanluisobispo.com/2012/04/20/2037565/blunt-malpractice-lawsuit-haupt.html#storylink=misearch#storylink=cpy

Woman and Dog Hit by Multiple Cars in Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara’s accident prone area claimed another life. The Milpas Street in Santa Barbara is one of the busiest and most congested streets in the city. Last year, it was designated as a major accident zone.


On the night of November 3rd, a 26-year old woman, along with her dog, was struck and killed by multiple cars as she tried to cross the highway 101 near the Milpas Street off-ramp. The woman was identified as Hannah Strombergs, a local transient. Authorities said the woman was walking across the southbound lane of the freeway when she was hit by as many as five cars. The cars involved in the accident include a Honda, a Mercedes, a Cadillac Deville, and a Toyota Scion. Officers are still looking for a Kia that they believe is also involved in the incident.

The unfortunate incident came as the City of Santa Barbara is taking action on making the Milpas Street safer for pedestrians, bicyclists and drivers alike. The city had already repaved and repainted the streets. According to Sebastian Aldana, Jr., Vice President of the Milpas Community Association, “They're going to put a bike lane here in the next few weeks, those flashing beacons will be installed. The City Council has put the east side neighborhood a number one priority for public safety.”

"It's a high traffic area, foot traffic, it's very important, there's been a couple deaths already, we don't need another one," Aldana added.

Recent accidents in Milpas Street include a bicyclist who was hit by a car after she failed to use a crosswalk at Milpas and a teenager who was hit and killed by a truck at corner of Milpas and Ortega Streets.

In Santa Barbara, car crash accidents and other personal injury cases are very common. Safety on the road should always be one of your concerns. Next to it is the awareness of what to do if ever you are involved in an accident.

Call a Santa Barbara personal injury lawyer as soon as you can. Santa Barbara law firms are very experienced in dealing with cases like these and Santa Barbara injury lawyers can assist you as you deal with the intricacies of personal injury law. If you are involved in an accident, no matter whose fault it is, contact a Santa Barbara personal injury attorney immediately.

Santa Barbara County and Sheriff Department to Pay Millions on Personal Injury Compensation

Back in 2009, a Santa Barbara car crash happened when a drunk driver entered Highway 101 and drove the wrong way. It resulted to the death of one teenager and permanently injured two.

The driver named, Richard Rodriquez, entered the freeway and begun driving North on the fast lane of Southbound 101 until he collided with the vehicle driven by Marcos Arredondo, 18. His sisters Yessica and Karina were seated at the back seat. Rodriguez was sentenced to 13 years in prison and was ordered to pay restitution to the victim's families.

But the Arredondos also filed a wrongful death claim against the Santa Barbara Sheriff's Department. According to their Santa Barbara personal injury attorney, the Sheriff's Deputy who responded to the incident acted with negligence causing Arredondo to crash head-on with the wrong way driver. The family claims that the deputies lacked training in responding to wrong way drivers and broke from the protocol. They also said that freeways were under the jurisdiction of the California Highway Patrol, who have their own set of protocol for dealing with wrong way drivers. They claim that the deputy's negligent actions forced Arredondo's car into the path of the wrong way driver.

According to the complaint, Sheriff's Deputy Jeremy Rogers entered the southbound of Highway 101 and was driving at a very slow speed. He did not activate his left turn signal, overhead lights, or siren. He unexpectedly merged in Lane 2 where Arredondo was driving, forcing the young driver to go into Lane 1 in order to avoid the deputy which led to his collision with Rodriguez.

Though they initially denied any negligence on the deputy's response, the Santa Barbara County and Sheriff Department agreed to pay $4.8 millions in settlement to the victim's family. The Santa Barbara personal injury lawyer of the Arredondo's estimated the damages of the fatal car crash to total more than $12 million, but the family is grateful for the amount settled. Most of their compensation will go to their medical expenses.

If you are a victim of personal injury in Santa Barbara, consult injury lawyers immediately. Most Santa Barbara law firms are experts in dealing with personal injury cases.

Ventura Freeway Crash Injured 10 People

The Ventura Freeway is one of the busiest roads in California. It is one of the most congested roads in Southern California and it is also a site of numerous accidents.

Just last week, on November 17, two SUVs collided on the Ventura Freeway leaving 10 people, including children, injured. The freeway was wet because of the rain during the collision. Two of the young victims, a five-year old and a baby under 12-month of age, were ejected from the vehicle and the California Highway Patrol online incident site reported that the children were lying on the side of the road. The fire department reported that possibly six of the 10 victims were children, but a CHP Officer later said that the total number of the victims and the extent of their injuries were still unknown.

Another CHP Officer said that the accident might be caused by the rain. One of the drivers involved in the collision also blamed the rain. "A car to the right of me swerved right in front of me and I couldn't stop in time," the driver said. "I would say it was the rain. The car swerved and it had to have been the water on the ground."

Another vehicle, a sedan, was seriously damaged on its front end.

Four lanes were closed because of the accident.

There are several reasons why accidents happen including human error. Sometimes, human error is not readily apparent. If you are a victim of an accident and you think it is a fault of a third party, consult an accident attorney in Ventura. A personal injury attorney in Ventura can help you determine if another party is responsible for the accident, even if it does not reflect on the official report. There are instances when the driver is not at fault, but there was a defect in the vehicle manufacturing. If you are a victim of a car accident in Ventura, a personal injury lawyer can help you gather evidence and testimonies from witnesses and expert in order to build your case.

If you need an injury attorney in Ventura, rest assured that you can find many competent attorney in Ventura, CA expert in personal injury cases.






News source: http://www.nbclosangeles.com

Drunk Driver Gets Four Years for San Luis Obispo Crash

 

How much do you need a San Luis Obispo attorney?

On June 22, 2011, after a night of heavy drinking, four friends got in a car to head home. Tragedy struck when Evan Green, 22, lost control of the wheel and the car flipped several times. Two of the passengers, Marcus Nelson of Castro Valley and Aaron Beaver of Eureka were killed. Both of them were 21 years old. The other passenger suffered serious injuries.

Evan Green, a Chico State student, faced four years in prison. He said that the tragedy mentally tortured him. “I will suffer for the rest of my life,” he said, addressing a packed courtroom, “I’m sorry.”

Initial testing showed that Green's alcohol blood level was way beyond California's legal limit of 0.08%, it was between 0.245 and 0.232 percent. During the September hearing, Green pleaded no contest to the multiple charges that include two counts of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated. It was a dramatic hearing, some of the relatives of the victims were present. Even Superior Court Judge Jacquelyn Duffy struggled to hold back the tears. She said that Green clearly loved his friends. However, the victims' families also loved them and what Green did put the community at risk, and two young people lost their lives.

In California, 2010 statistics shows that 1,768 people died from traffic accidents involving alcohol. Drivers aged 21 to 24 are the most likely age group to go beyond the alcohol blood level limit. In San Luis Obispo, 2285 DUI arrest were recorded in 2005 and they were 19 drunk driving fatalities.

In the case of Evan Green, he did not fight the charges and the victims were accorded justice. But for others, justice may be harder to attain.

Drunk driving is a common case of personal injury in San Luis Obispo. Lawyers in San Luis Obispo can be your guide in navigating the procedure in filing a personal injury case. If you or your kin is a victim of drunk driving, get a personal injury lawyer in San Luis Obispo to help you. Attorneys in San Luis Obispo can help you get justice as you deal with this emotional situation.

 

Source:  

Google Images

http://www.sanluisobispo.com
http://www.drinkinganddriving.org
http://www.adp.ca.gov

Drunk Driver Could Face 10 Years in Prison

Even in a small and quiet city like Arroyo Grande, vehicular accidents are still very common. The number of fatal motor accidents that occur in Arroyo Grande are at par with the California average. In fact, in the years 2005 and 2007, Arroyo Grande posted more fatal accidents than the California average.

Two of the prominent reasons for car accidents are dangerous roads and drunk driving. In an accident that occurred in 2011, these two factors combined and it led to the death of medical student David Williams and imprisonment of the now 21-year old Aaron Richard Ceja.

On Halycon Road in Arroyo Grande, Aaron Richard Ceja was speeding and driving under the influence when he lost control of his Chevy Blazer. The car went into the opposite lane and collided with the bicyclist David Williams.

Williams, 26, was from Fulham, England. He was on his second day of his ride across America for the benefit of the poverty-relief charity Find-Your-Feet.

California Highway Patrol breath test showed that Ceja's blood alcohol level is more than twice the legal limit. Ceja said that he had drunk four cans of beers prior to the incident.

Residents near the Halycon Road also said that the road is very unsafe. It is very narrow, there are no bike lanes and downhill traffic can go up to 60 miles per hour.

Ceja had initially pleaded not guilty to charges of vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and driving under the influence. But in his January 2012 court appearance, he accepted the plea deal and he will possibly face 10 years in state prison.


Since car accidents can happen to anyone and anywhere, it is important to know what to do if it happens to you. Seek the help of an injury lawyer in Arroyo Grande as soon as possible. Attorneys in Arroyo Grande that specialize in car and motorcycle accident can help attain the justice you deserve. Find a personal injury attorney in or around Arroyo Grande to assist you on your claim. Arroyo Grande injury lawyers are great allies that can help you navigate California's personal injury law.





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Sources:
http://www.city-data.com/accidents/acc-Arroyo-Grande-California.html
http://www.kcoy.com/Global/story.asp?S=14977975
http://www.thisissurreytoday.co.uk/Driver-jailed-killing-Fetcham-medical-student/story-15519161-detail/story.html
http://www.sanluisobispo.com/2011/07/08/1675902/drivers-blood-alcohol-level-way.html
http://santamariatimes.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/nipomo-man-takes-plea-deal/article_f2617a38-47ec-11e1-b897-0019bb2963f4.html

Find a Personal Injury Lawyer in Paso Robles

Paso Robles is a charming town to live in, especially with its rolling hills, wine vineyards and hot springs. But Paso Robles is also one of the fastest growing cities in San Luis Obispo County, as the city gets busier there is also a chance that accident statistics may rise. Do not forget that Paso Robles is at a major ground transportation crossroads such as the U.S. Highway 101 and State Highway 46 East. A lot of traffic pass through the city since it is located between Los Angeles and San Francisco Bay Area. Road traffic accidents and car crashes are not foreign to Paso Robles and no matter how peaceful the town seems, accidents like slip and fall and animal attacks can also happen.

When you are a victim of an accident, your main priority is to get your life back to normal as much as possible. Seeking medical help should be on top of your list. If another party is responsible for your accident or if the actions or inaction of another party caused your injuries, you should highly consider filing a personal injury case. If you win a personal injury claim, you can get a compensation that you can use to pay for the medical bills and loss of income you got from the accident.

When you file a personal injury claim in Paso Robles, it is to your best interest to get a personal injury lawyer to assist you. Personal injury cases are complicated and attorneys can take the responsibility off your shoulders so you can focus on getting better.

Finding a personal injury lawyer in Paso Robles is easy, but it will be trickier to find the one that suits you the best. Take a look at their track record and see what kind of personal injury cases they specialize on. A personal injury claim are usually sensitive and emotional, so it is important that you are comfortable with your lawyer. In Paso Robles, you can consult an injury lawyer for free and take the opportunity to feel if you can comfortable with your lawyer or not and meet as many attorneys as you can until you find the right one.

How Do I Know if a Personal Injury Lawyer is Legitimate?

Accidents are very common. Particularly in California where statistics on accidents are very high. The state is also the second leading state for dog bite injuries all over the United States. Over 50 boating accidents happen yearly, along with car accidents, medical malpractice, and slip and fall incidents.

The physical pain is not the only downside of accidents, but it can also cause financial burden. Medical bills have to be paid and the victim can also suffer from loss of wages. If the victim is seriously and permanently injured, he cannot perform his current job and it will lead to a great financial loss.

Accident victims can resort to a personal injury claim to gain compensation from the pain and losses they have suffered. Anyone who had been hurt by the actions or lack of action from a third party is entitled to a personal injury compensation. You can file a claim on your own, but having a personal injury lawyer to assist you is a big advantage.

In California, a personal injury attorney works on a contingency basis. It means that you do not have to pay the lawyer unless you win your case or obtain a favorable settlement. A legitimate personal injury lawyer will not expect you to pay for a consultation. Your lawyer can help you gather your evidence to support your personal injury claim. You need to have sufficient evidence to prove that the other party is at fault and your lawyer should help you build your case.

It is very hard to predict how much personal injury compensation you will receive if you win your case. There are many factors that jury considers in determining how much a victim gets. In California, the courts use comparative fault law where the judge or jury not only decides who is at fault, but whether or not the guilty party was 100% to blame for the accident. If the victim is also partially at fault, you can lose some compensation. A legitimate personal injury lawyer must build a case strong enough so you can receive a personal injury compensation you justly deserve.