Orange County Accident Lawyer Blog

Difficult Trip-and-Fall Case Resolved. Client On Her Way To Recovery

In Southern California, trip-and-fall cases have become increasingly difficult to litigate. These days, most law firms refuse to take such cases. When our client came to us three years ago, seriously injured, we knew that we had to help her, as well as the numerous others at risk of suffering similar accident. A California injury lawyer tells her story.

Poisoning Salmonella: Additional Safety Violations Found At Iowa Farms

After an additional investigation of the two Iowa farms responsible for the poisoning of over 1,500 people from salmonella contaminated eggs, FDA officials have found numerous safety violations, explains Orange County accident attorney, James Ballidis.

Trunk Riding Results In 14-Year-Old Boy’s Accidental Death

Trunk Riding Results In 14-Year-Old Boy’s Accidental Death. According to authorities, the cause of death was thought to be unknown, but later discovered to be caused by trunk riding, a dangerous practice causing many deaths per year according to a California injury lawyer.

California hospitals fined for medical errors. Are you at risk?

Last month, California state officials fined nine California hospitals for medical errors. Three of these hospitals are in Orange County and the surrounding area. The Orange County law firm of Allen, Flatt, Ballidis and Leslie provides legal services to victims of medical errors and medical malpractice in Orange County and throughout Southern California. We do our best to get full and fair compensation for all your injuries and losses. To learn more, contact our office at 866-981-5596.

Assault at California Bar causes lawsuit.

Assault by a patron at a bar causes filing of a lawsuit against the owner. When in California is a bar owner responsible for the conduct of it's patrons?

Children Dangers, Playground Danger, Playground Safety We Cannot Overlook

Children Dangers and Playground Dangers are a result of failed playground Safety and standards. A review of playgrounds that cause injury to children and how to prevent disastrous injury

Skateboard park rules being eased by California assembly bill

Should skate boarders be allowed to use the park wthout helmets and pads. Doesn't that cost us money to send emergency personnell? This bill proposes easing current regluations.

Personal injury case: the number one question always asked

The first and almost universal question clients ask about a personal injury case is how long is it going to take. Here is an answer and explanation.

Holiday season safety tips.

Be safe this holiday season with these simple tips.

Blinds cause massive recall due to small child strangulation potential

Small children are at risk with these blind manufacturers calling for a massive recall.

Are California depositions really conducted as you see in the movies?

California depositions: Are you worried that someone may yell at you, like you saw on TV?

Massive recall of cribs due to suffocation of children! Why so late?

The US Consumer Product Safety Commission recalled 1.2 million cribs because 4 deaths and 21 falls occurred by plastic part failure. Why take this long and allow such suffering?

Pitbulls to be euthanized following dog bite attack

Three pitbulls that mauled a man in a Bakersfield back yard will be euthanized at the end of their 10-day quarantine period. Dog bites are a real danger and cause real injuries. If you or a loved one have sustained serious injuries from an attack by a dog, you may be eligible for compensation. We can help. Call Allen, Flatt, Ballidis and Leslie at 866-981-5596.

This umbrella stroller is linked to fingertip amputation of children.

This umbrella stroller has the potential to amputate your toddlers fingers. Here is the information you need right away.

Robes are catching fire and causing severe injuries, recall is now in effect.

Nine women died when cooking with their robes on when it suddenly caught fire.  The fire spread so quickly that the victims never had a chance to remove the garments.  Finally Blair LLC has voluntarily recalled their full-length chenille robes and other chenille products due to their flammability problems. 

All nine deaths occurred before the April 2009 recall but since then other injuries have taken place. Burn injuries are among some of the most painful injuries to endure. In addition to the deaths there have been many moderate to severe burn injuries.

Effective immediately, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is advising women to discontinue wearing these dangerously flammable garments.  Blair products are mainly sold online and in catalogs, but they have a few stores as well. The recalled items include the chenille jacket, robe, lounge jacket and several tops. If you have purchased any of these products, return them to Blair to receive a $50 gift card for store credit. For further information you can visit the CPSC’s website at www.cpsc.gov.

We hope and pray for the families, and all victims should seek the assistance of a pwersonal injury or wrongful death attorney immediately. They have product liability claims.  If you know someone who nmeeds to find a quaalified attorney for these types of cases, we wrote an article on how to find a qualified wrongful death attorney.

Cedar Sinai in California exposed patients to excessive radiation and then kept silent.

In a damning article in the Los Angeles Times on October 14, 2009, Cedar Sinai has been accused of giving a number of patients huge and excessive radiation doses which have caused serious consequences over the last 18 months.  To the 209 patients that have been exposed, there is now an investigation into why the technicians, trained to monitor the dose levels, simply allowed the exposure to continue.

This careless act will have grave implications for the 209 people, from hair loss and skin defects up through the more sad and devastating complexities of excessive radiation exposure like cancer, cell destruction and blood diseases. 

In medical malpractice, there are limitations on the amount of damages that can be assessed in a case such as this.  Medical malpractice provides these limitations as an effort at “tort reform.”  I have long pointed out that tort reform doesn’t work, because corporations need to feel the sting and bite of improper procedures.  The fact that this radiation dosage level was not checked for 18 months was indication of a lackadaisical attitude toward the care of patients, without any regard to the consequences of their future medical and personal history.  For these patients to endure a lifetime of trouble because of a simple mistake like this, repeated hundred of times, is just simply intolerable. 

What is worst, is that even after initial reports of hair loss by some patients, Cedar Sinai did not immediately investigate the matter, and further did not contact all of the patients until recently.  Now, because of adverse publicity and administrative oversight, they are conducting the “investigation.”  I’ll be curious to know how many patients continued to be improperly exposed after Cedar Sinai was first notified of the problem but before they conducted their “investigation.”

Whether it is a medical corporation or a business, they do not care about you and I, they care about profits.  Just like a driver text messaging and distracted that causes injury, these entities should pay for more than the medical bills and for the lifetime of damage that they have inflicted for their negligence.  Of course tort reformists will argue that the cost of insurance will rise if we remove these artificial barriers.  But the reality is that these people will either be compensated by the corporation that harmed them, or the public when they turn to socialized medicine for their care.  In either case, we are going to pay for it, it just seems it would be more appropriate to have the entity that was responsible pay more.

Lead paint toys retailer agrees to pay fine for failing to abide by Federal safeguards!

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announced this week that Target Corporation has agreed to pay a $600,000 civil penalty for allegedly violating the federal lead paint ban on toys. Even though the lead ban has been in place since 1978, the agency has stepped up its commitment to protecting the safety of children due to the massive recalls in the last few years.
The CPSC alleges that Target knowingly imported and sold various toys with paint or other surface coatings that contained lead levels above the legal limits. Target failed to take adequate action to ensure that the toy products sold in their stores were safe for children.
Lead paint on toys, even in very small amount has been known to expose children to adverse health effects.
The commission and Target announced voluntary recalls of toys such as “Kool Toyz Products”, “Bamboo Collection Games”, and others. In agreeing to the settlement, Target denies any allegations that it violated the law.
Target stores are nationwide, including many here in Orange County. The CPSC’s website, www.cpsc.gov has a full listed of all recalled toys and products that may be harmful to you and your family.

Faulty medicine pumps allow excessive medication by patients. Hospital is being investigated in California.

The California Nurses Association has filed charges with state regulators alleging use of faulty narcotic pain pumps. At least 5 patients have received accidental overdoses at the University of California, Irvine Medical Center in Orange County. To date, no patients have had lasting injuries or have died, but this unjustified at a facility such as this one.
The pump in question is a Curlin infusion model. It allows patients to regulate how much painkiller is intravenously administered by the push of a button. Typically this type of treatment is common after an accident or surgery.

The medical center admits there was a problem but says they have replaced or are phasing out all of the faulty pumps. The chief nursing officer wrote to her staff, “Our current pumps do not have software that is now available to protect patients from an error that would expose them to high levels of narcotics and potentially compromise their respiratory status. We know this and are rapidly moving forward with smart pump technology to provide you and our patients another level of protection. In the meantime, you are the last level of protection”.

Should a patient depend upon a busy nurse for their “last level of protection”? I believe a world class hospital facility should provide medical equipment that functions normally.

In May the state Department of Health fined the medical center $50,000 for two violations; in one of those cases the negligence resulted in death. Regulators are currently investigating these new claims.

A claim that paramedics did not properly care for heart attack victim is denied as California statute requires a claim be filed within 6 months.

An Orange County woman, Christine Palmer has filed a claim against the city of Huntington Beach for negligence of the paramedics during an emergency.

The incident happened last year when Mrs. Palmer called 9-1-1 when her husband was experiencing extreme chest pain, labored breathing and numbness in his arm. Even though these were typical heart attack symptoms, the paramedics did not suspect a heart attack.  Her husband was transported to the local hospital in an ambulance and without a paramedic.  Should they have suspected heart failure or other similar maladies?
During the drive Mr. Palmer went into a grand mal seizure and had no pulse when he arrived at the hospital.  The hospital ER team tried to revive him but could not.

Huntington Beach officials are currently investigating this case but Mrs. Palmer‘s attorney filed the claim two months past the 6 month city deadline. It is unclear whether the claim will proceed forward, because you must file a claim against a public entity, even if medical negligence cases, within 6 months, except in certain circumstances.
If you have been injured in an accident and  feel some governmental agency is at fault, please contact a qualified and experienced California personal injury attorney immediately.  You may be precluded from pursuing your claim if you wait.

Call us, we would be happy to speak to you for free.  Call 1 866 981-5596 or contact us via email.  We can help.

In Orange County California, a young student shoots himself after years of being subjected to bullying behavior. Is the school negligent?

Last month the parents of Daniel Mendez filed a wrongful death suit in Orange County Superior Court against the Capistrano Unified School District.  The suit alleges “blatant and ongoing bullying which led to his suicide."
According to the Mendez’ attorney, the bullying started in middle school and continued through the second year of high school.

Even though the Orange County school district’s has a zero tolerance policy with respect to bullying, the behavior continued for several years.  The suit claims that Mendez was both physically and verbally abused. For some unknown reason, the bullying escalated in spring 2009 and on May 1st, he came home from school and broke into his father’s gun cabinet, stole a gun and then shot himself in the head.

The school district has declined any comment about the case. It is clear that in a large school district, not all bullying can be stopped,  However, when ongoing bullying behavior escalates to the degree shown here, an investigation is in order to determine if the zero tolerance rule is being enforced.  It is a shame that the parents and the school district could not have come to an alternative early solution to this issue. It ultimately may have saved this young man’s life.  If you need help with a wrongful death caused by another's negligence, call us at 1 866-981-5596.