This weekend is La Mesa’s 16th annual Multicultural Festival.  The event will simultaneously be celebrating Marin Luther King Day and the city’s centennial.

The La Mesa Multicultural Festival is being held on Sunday from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the La Mesa Community Center, which is located at 4975 Memorial Drive, and is free to attend.

The festival features performances by dancers from Ballet Folklorico, Chinese martial artists, and the Helix Charter High School bagpipe band.

In addition, San Diego State University’s Department of Africana Studies chair Dr. Shirley Weber will speak at the event.

The San Diego personal injury lawyers of Ritter & Associates are happy to announce events in the community.  U-T San Diego has more information on the festival.

Last Friday, a cruise ship crashed off of the coast of Italy when it hit some rocks that the boat’s captain says were not on his map.  The ship was operated by Costa Cruises.

According to the cruise ship company, the captain caused the maritime accident by veering off of course, too close to the rocky coastline.  Officials believe that 6 people died in the accident, and 10 passengers and 6 crew members are missing.

The cruise began just hours before the ship crashed, and the boat’s 4,200 passengers and staff had not yet gone over what to do in the case of an emergency.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims’ families and friends after this devastating accident.

A San Diego man will be receiving $7.5 million as a result of a slip and fall lawsuit he brought against the national company, Starbucks.

The reason for the lawsuit stems from a slip and fall accident that occurred at a San Diego Starbucks. The man had placed his order and was walking towards the area where he was to receive that order when he slipped on the wet floor. He hit his head, ultimately causing head trauma and numerous complications.

These complications resulted in the man being unable to return to work as a chiropractor and financially support his family. The jury in the case determined that the Starbucks manager had acted negligently when deciding to mop the floors at a time when there were customers present. The jury ruled in favor of the slip and fall victim and awarded him and his family $7.5 million.

Please contact the San Diego slip and fall lawyers of Ritter & Associates at 619-296-0123 if you have sustained an injury due to a slip and fall accident on someone else’s property.

Monday evening, a 20-year old skateboarder was struck by a vehicle in San Marcos.  The accident occurred near Oleander Avenue and Alamitos Way at around 6 p.m., according to the San Diego County police.

The driver involved in the accident fled the scene, but later called police to admit that he hit the skateboarder.  Officers arrested the man on charges unrelated to the accident.

Witnesses to the accident said the 20-year old was lying in the road, bleeding after being hit.  Emergency crews transported the skateboarder to the hospital, where he is being treated for serious head injuries.

On Sunday, 3 people, including 2 children, were sent to the hospital after a 3-car accident in Mission Bay.

The cars collided on the Ingraham St. bridge near Dana Landing Road.  According to the San Diego police, the accident happened at around 3 p.m.  Officers suspect that the crash occurred when one car attempted to avoid hitting another vehicle, and instead collided with a different vehicle, which then rear-ended the vehicle in front of it.

One of the vehicles’ drivers reportedly suffered serious injuries, but managed to flee the scene of the accident on foot.  Police are currently searching for the driver.

A total of 5 people were in the 3 cars, and 3 were sent to area hospitals for treatment.  One of the victims was reported to be a child and another an infant.  Both were taken to Children’s Hospital.

To speak with an experienced personal injury attorney about what to do if you or a loved one has been injured in an automobile accident,  contact the San Diego auto accident lawyers of Ritter & Associates by calling 619-296-0123 today.

Four female employees at a Chula Vista Chik-Fil-A restaurant are suing the chain, the location’s owner, and their supervisor for sexual harassment that they say has continued for over two years.

The women range in age from 18 to 40 years-old. They claim their male supervisor sexually harassed them and that their complaints to upper management were ignored. One states that the supervisor threatened to have them deported if they continued to complain.

Along with claims of sexual harassment, the women list assault, retaliation, emotional distress, battery, intentional infliction, negligent supervision, and hiring and retention among the abuses of the the company.

If you or someone you love has been a victim of sexual harassment, contact the San Diego sexual harassment attorneys of Ritter & Associates today at 619-296-0123.

Nearly 300,000 teddy bears made by Build-A-Bear Workshop have been recalled for a potential choking hazard, the company announced last week.

The “Colorful Hearts Teddy Bears” were sold online and in stores throughout the United States and Canada from April to December. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the beaded eyes on the bear could loosen and fall out, creating a choking hazard for young children. No injuries related to the recall have been reported.

The bear is white with multicolored hearts and stands about 16 inches tall.

Consumers who have purchased the “Colorful Hearts Teddy Bear” can return it to any Build-A-Bear store and exchange it for a free coupon on any stuffed animal.

If your child has been injured by a dangerous toy, contact the San Diego faulty children’s product lawyers of Ritter & Associates by calling 619-296-0123.

For the second year in a row, San Diego has been ranked the number one city in the country with the highest percentage of drunk driving citations. Three California cities are in the top five: San Diego (1), Los Angeles (2), and San Francisco (5).

The data was collected by Insurance.com between November 1, 2010 and October 31, 2011. Researchers say that some cities top the list not because there are more heavy drinkers, but for numerous reasons such as a lack of public transportation and law enforcement patrolling more frequently.

In 2009, a third of all car accident fatalities, about 11,000, were caused by drivers with blood alcohol levels at or above 0.08.

If you or someone you love has been injured by a drunk driver, contact the San Diego drunk driving accident lawyers of Ritter & Associates by calling 619-296-0123.

Members of an extended family have filed a wrongful death lawsuit over the death of 4 family members in the 2008 Marine Corps jet crash in San Diego.

The plaintiffs include the husband and father of a 36-year old wife and mother killed in the accident.  Also lost in the accident were the woman’s 15-month old daughter, 2-month old daughter, and 59-year old mother.

According to the plaintiffs, their decision to take legal action came after the U.S. Department of Justice proposed “insulting” amounts of compensation for their family members’ deaths in private negotiations.

After the accident, Marine Corps officials admitted that the accident was caused by various errors on their part.  The plane was found to have experienced a mechanical failure and investigators also believe the pilot made some bad decisions as the jet was going down.

Yesterday, the 4th Annual Gaslamp Holiday Pet Parade was held in San Diego.  The parade started at the corner of 4th and Hilton at 3 p.m. and lasted until 5 p.m.

The parade follows a mile-long route through the Gaslamp Quarter.  At the end of the parade, awards are given to pets for best costume and best duo.  In addition, a talent competition featured the animals’ many talents.

About 300 pets participated in the holiday parade dressed up in costume.  The parade is not limited to dogs and cats and has featured bearded dragons and potbellied pigs in the past.

A poodle named Chewbacca who was dressed as a reindeer won the Best of Show award.  The Best Costume award was given to a pair of dogs dressed as gift boxes.

The San Diego personal injury lawyers of Ritter & Associates hope all enjoy the holiday season.

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