Separate Watercraft Accidents Injures Two

In San Diego, about 300,000 people go to the beaches everyday during summer. People swim, sun bath or engage in water activities such as water crafting.

In a separate water crafting accidents, two individuals were injured in the surf off Point Loma

The first accident involved a 20 year old man who jumped about 25 feet off a wave, fell and struck by the watercraft. The other injured was a 50 year old man who slumped over a watercraft.

Nicola Lesourd, a Coast Guard spokesman said that the two victims were taken to a San Diego hospital.

The heat of the sun calls for a relaxing time at the beach. Oftentimes, beaches get too crowded that accidents could just happen anytime.

If the victims were responsible for their own injuries, they would bear the loss.

However, if the accidents were caused by the negligent act of another, the victims can file a case against the party at fault. A personal injury lawyer could be employed to facilitate their claim for compensation.

Driving while “Intexticated”

Driving while texting is as dangerous as driving while intoxicated. This finding was according to the study conducted by American neuroscientist Marcel Adam Just of Carnegie Mellon University. In fact, Just found out that drunk drivers and “text drivers” tend to commit the same mistakes.

As shown in the brain imaging, phone use reduces 37% of the brain activity while engaged in driving. Moreover, in an experiment, drivers using a simulator while texting found to zigzag out of their lines.

Driving is a skill that requires coordination of the brain and body. Studies show that when the brain is engaged in various tasks at the same time, it could not function efficiently. Hence, when a driver is texting, his ability to drive is diminished. Consequently, he would be prone to accidents.

Distracted driving is one of the leading causes of road accidents. In fact, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration revealed that it is responsible for about 80% of all car collisions.

As texting is a form of distraction, it should be avoided. Some states realized this danger that they prohibited the use of cell phones while driving.

In California, effective July 1, 2008, drivers age 18 and above could use hands-free devices while driving while drivers under the age of 18 are prohibited to use any type of hand-held or hands-free wireless phone while driving.

To prevent accidents, it is important to pay attention to ones driving habits. This includes refraining from using your phone while driving. Should an accident occur due to a distracted driver, a personal injury case could be filed against such driver. With a help of a car accident lawyer, due compensation could be recovered.

Too Little, Too Late: San Diego’s Pedicabs

Following the death of a retired teacher who fell from a pedicab, the city is up in arms over the need to regulate the city’s popular mode of transportation among tourists.

After years of existence in San Diego, while pedicab operators are required to register with the city and have seat belts, there is now law imposing it’s use and there are no other regulations imposed on pedicabs.

How sad that it would have to take the loss of one woman’s life to spur the city to action. Councilwoman Marti Emerald, chairwoman of the council's public safety panel admitted that indeed the industry has been regulated to casually.

Residents claim that there is already oversaturation of the pedicabs in downtown San Diego and authorities peg that there are about 400 pedicabs that are operated in the city during summer. Emerald, along with council members Kevin Faulconer, Todd Gloria and Tony Young are now pushing for the swift approval of regulations among which would:

• Ban the three-wheeled taxis from sidewalks and from streets with speed limits greater than 25 miles per hour.



• Require pedicab operators to carry proof of insurance and clearly display fare rates on each vehicle.



• Cap the number of pedicabs allowed to operate in San Diego at 250



• Limit the number of pedicabs allowed to operate in high-traffic areas of Petco Park, Balboa Park, downtown, Ocean Beach, La Jolla, Pacific Beach and Mission Beach.

According to the city’s police, the pedicab involved in the road accident did not have seat belts and that the driver was driving erratically and swerving through Martin Luther King Promenade which caused Sharon Miller to fall from the vehicle. Bicycles and pedicabs are banned from the promenade.

The driver, Sukru Safa Cinar, 23, of Turkey was arrested and charged with involuntary manslaughter. Cinar recently arrived in the United States on a four-month visa and he leased the vehicle from Shakespeare Pedicab of San Diego.

Faulconer said that pedicabs are part of what makes San Diego special but that the city must do more to make sure these vehicles are safe.

Is this another case of too little, too late? Yes, it appears to be that way. This time however, the axe of liability will most likely just fall on the pedicab company and the driver.

Five stranded on rocky shore rescued

Boating, whether for leisure or travel, is exciting and fun. However, rough waters and rocky portion of the shore would surely give you a chill.

Five Long Beach residents embarked on their boating journey to have fun. But a near tragedy came up which caused them to be stranded for two hours in the rocky shore of Dana Point.

The five men were heading home from Catalina Island when their boat stuck along the rock shore. The tide was high but they were unable to get ashore. They got out of their boat and tried to go afar but the rocks, high surf and tall cliff walls prevented them.

The Orange County Sheriff's Department was notified of the incident but failed to reach them by ground. To reach them, lifeguards were called in to help them swam out of the ocean and towards a sheriff’s boat that took them out of the rough waters and into the nearby harbor.

Luckily, none of the five men needed hospitalization.

In 2007, the U.S. Coast Guard compiled that there were 5, 191 accidents on water with a total of $53,106,495.78 in property damages. Accidents on water including boating accidents commonly happen due to recklessness, operator inattention, inexperience and speeding.

As no other reports of an odd behavior, the five men above might have lacked the necessary experience to man and operate the boat. Moreover, the fact that it happened at night may even contribute in making their trip difficult.

If anyone of them had been negligent, a case may be filed against him for putting the lives of others in danger. A boating accident lawyer may be helpful in pursuing the case.

Drunk driver crashes into a Chula Vista office

“Once a drunk driver always a drunk driver” - this seemed to be the motto of a driver accosted at Chula Vista.

The unidentified driver led the police into a chase that started on state Route 54 and ended at Rep. Bob Filner’s office at F Street near Third Avenue.

The man had no plans of stopping where if not for the spike strips the police officers threw in front of his truck. Authorities said that the driver had previous drunken driving arrests.

The man sustained only non-life threatening injuries. The police officers ensured that this time he would be facing numerous charges such as evading an officer, driving on a suspended license and driving under the influence of alcohol.

Although no one else was harmed, the accident made a considerable damage to property. A significant damage was done to Filner’s office which the driver could not certainly run away from.

In every drunk driving chase, the end is predictable: personal or property damages. The end is clear for this man. If he would not change his ways, he would certainly end up in a fatal vehicle crash which may even harm other innocent motorists.

MJ’s Former Bodyguards Support Drug Abuse Claim

Weeks after his tragic death, the cause of Michael Jackson’s death is still unknown. But the mystery of his death seemed to direct authorities to prescription drugs. Police officers were astounded with the trail of drugs that are slowly uncovering.

Investigators found prescriptions written in several different names. Names used were purportedly belonged to the members of his entourage. As investigation unfolds, it was claimed that Jackson was spending £30,000 a month on prescription drugs including Xanax and Vicodin.

Cherilyn Lee, a registered nurse and Jackson’s nutritionist, already came forward. She believed that Jackson died due to prescription drugs. In her interview, she narrated the day Jackson called her and complained about his body temperature. She believed that someone gave Jackson powerful drugs which she previously declined giving him.

Lee’s statements were supported by Jackson’s former confidante, Uri Geller and former bodyguard, Matt Fiddes. Both claimed to have found and hid needles and prescription drugs from Jackson’s room in one of his London travels.

Although they did not witness Jackson actually taking drugs, they knew Jackson had them. They have done everything to keep drugs from him but his doctors give him even more.

People may step out and say that prescription drugs caused Jackson’s life. In the first place, Jackson should never have been given such dangerous drugs as he liked it and whenever he liked it. These drugs should be taken under strict supervision and for specific purpose only.

One question remained: who gave him these dangerous drugs?

Certainly, somebody had been remised in the performance of his duty. A wrongful death case may be filed against all parties at fault with the assistance of a personal injury attorney.