JUNE 1, 2010

Memorial Day Weekend means the CHP cracks down on drunk driving and as of Monday evening, the CHP says arrests for this year are up.

During that period, the CHP made 1,406 DUI arrests statewide, including 68 in San Diego County. While the state number was up by about 100 compared to last year, DUI arrests in the county had dropped by 22 compared to 2009.

The CHP was also strongly enforcing the seat belt law this weekend.

Curtis Grant of San Jose was stopped for allegedly not having a seat belt on a child in a back seat.

Grant was angry with the “Click It or Ticket” enforcement.

“I don’t think they should be looking for it, because everyone’s responsible for themselves. They know how dangerous it is out here..so everyone should be responsible for themselves, ” says Grant.

The CHP says the driver of a vehicle can have his seat belt on, but if any passenger is not restrained, the driver gets a ticket along with the passenger.

San Diego DUI lawyer

NEWS: May 20, 2010
SAN DIEGO, CA

A few current examples of accidents and errors in our local hospitals.

Recently a news story broke on 4 local San Diego hospitals that have been fined for accidents and errors that could have been prevented.

Pomerado Hospital in Poway was fined $50,000 for the accidental death of a patient who
who became injured when his chair fell backward on June 20, 2009.

Scripps Green Hospital in La Jolla received a $125,000 fine in two accidents.
The first incident, a physician left a portion of a lumbar catheter of the device in the spinal column during surgery on a patient. In the second Scripps Green incident, the hospital’s staff failed to properly sterilize a particular surgical instrument. Eleven patients were exposed to blood-borne pathogens between Aug. 1, 2008 and July 31.

Tri-City Medical Center in Oceanside was assessed $50,000 because during a surgery on Sept. 8, a doctor, respiratory therapist and other operating-room staff allowed oxygen leaking from a ventilation mask to interact with a device called the electrocautery. This sparked a flash fire that caused first- and second-degree burns on the patient’s face.

Rady Children’s Hospital in Serra Mesa also was fined $50,000.

Investigators said a pharmacist mistakenly gave a 3-year-old patient an 89.5 percent phenol solution — nearly 18 times stronger than what a physician had prescribed. The overdose caused swelling and fluid buildup in the child’s thigh muscles.

San Diego Medical Malpractice Lawyers

San Diego, CA

Convicted child murderer John Albert Gardner has been transferred to a new jail, 2 life time sentences worth of time, will be spent in North Kern State Prison located in Delano California.

Gardner was transferred from the San Diego downtown jail Tuesday afternoon.
North Kern State Prison is a medium-security prison and is one of 11 reception centers in the state prison system.

This will be a 45 day interim period where prison officials will determine which prison he will be permanently placed based on his needs.

Because of the nature of the crimes and the media attention he may be placed in a “sensitive needs” yard, a form of protective custody.

Gardner was sentenced last Friday to live in prison with no chance of parole in the rapes and murders of Amber Dubois, 14, of Escondido and Chelsea King, 17, of Poway.

San Diego Criminal Defense Lawyers

NEWS: May 11, 2010

Prominent local attorney Kerry Steigerwalt has been named one of San Diego’s Top 25 lawyers by San Diego Metropolitan Magazine

Steigerwalt, 52, the owner of Kerry Steigerwalt’s Pacific Law Center was among a distinguished group of civil and criminal lawyers honored in the magazine’s selection process.

According to the magazine:

“Chosen by a select panel of attorneys, judges and other professionals in the field of law who have keen insights into the legal world in San Diego, our ‘stars’ represent many disciplines of legal representation.”

Steigerwalt has built his practice through a commitment to providing access to justice for those in need of legal services regardless of budget or type of case. He is a familiar face to San Diegans through his successful criminal defense practice involving a string of high-profile cases.

He was awarded an AV Peer Review rating from the Martindale Hubbell International Law Directory, placing him at the height of professional excellence as a lawyer.

Steigerwalt has been practicing law since 1984 and his achievements and expertise make him one of the most respected trial attorneys in San Diego.

Steigerwalt has become a familiar figure on national radio and television, providing much sought-after insight on the law as well as major cases in the media. His television appearances include shows such as “48 Hours,” “Court TV,” “The O’Reilly Factor,” and “Fox News.” He also has been quoted as a legal expert in newspaper and magazine articles in publications including The Wall Street Journal, Newsweek and People Magazine.

His professional commentary has been a mainstay of many San Diego news media outlets on stories and issues dealing with the justice system. The media frequently has featured Steigerwalt as their legal analyst to provide guidance on notable cases such as the O.J. Simpson murder case and the Michael Jackson molestation trial.

Steigerwalt also was a key in-studio analyst during coverage of one of San Diego’s most notorious murders: David Westerfield’s kidnapping and slaying of Sabre Springs neighbor Danielle van Dam. He is currently a commentator on the John Gardner double murder case. Steigerwalt also was profiled in the February, 2010 cover story of San Diego Metropolitan Magazine.

Steigerwalt has been recognized and active in numerous organizations and associations dedicated to fighting for the rights of injured victims as well as the criminally accused. His recognition as an authority in both civil and criminal law matters has been earned by his experience in over 100 jury trials.

He has successfully defended hundreds of clients in cases ranging from drunken driving to death penalty cases and has won numerous acquittals in murder cases. Steigerwalt has also been honorably distinguished by receiving a “not guilty” verdict in every courthouse in the county of San Diego.

He also was designated by the San Diego Superior Court to form the Independent Contract Office, which provides legal representation for indigent minors, parents and/or guardians in Juvenile Court dependency hearings. As Administrating Attorney, he oversees about a dozen attorneys working on those cases.

Steigerwalt is a graduate of Millersville University in Pennsylvania and earned his law degree at the Thomas Jefferson School of Law in San Diego. He was a trial attorney in the San Diego Public Defender’s Office for several years before forming his own private practice.

In 2008 he merged his firm with Pacific Law Center to become managing partner of Kerry Steigerwalt’s Pacific Law Center. He has since taken over as sole owner, heading a firm of approximately 100 employees, including lawyers, paralegals and support staff.

A La Jolla resident, Steigerwalt is married and has three children attending middle school, high school and college. An avid baseball fan, he has served as a volunteer coach and manager at the Tecolote Youth Baseball League.

Steigerwalt is a member of the State Bar of California, American Bar Association, Civil Justice Foundation, California Public Defenders Association, California Attorneys for Criminal Justice, San Diego Bar Association, Criminal Defense Bar Association and the Criminal Defense Lawyers Club. He is a former president of the San Diego Criminal Defense Bar Association.

His San Diego Law firm’s primary focus areas are criminal defense, bankruptcy, home loan modification and personal injury cases. The firm is the largest filer of bankruptcy cases in Southern California.

San Diego Criminal Defense Attorney

May 10, 2010 San Diego

Danielle Wolf grew up in Carlsbad and attended La Costa Canyon High School. She went to college at Cal State Northridge where she was planning to receive her degree later this month. She would never get the chance to receive her degree. Danielle died on May 6 in Los Angeles in a car crash along with three other people.

Police say the group was riding in a yellow Corvette when the driver was reportedly speeding and hit a guard rail then a light pole before flipping over. Police investigators are still trying to figure out weather alcohol was involved in the crash.

San Diego Car Accident Attorneys