A lawyer for the Encinitas woman whose leg was crushed by a taxi that veered off a Gaslamp Quarter street and pinned her against a bar said Wednesday he was investigating who else might be at fault in the accident.
Dominque Gambale, 45, was standing outside Stingaree at Sixth and Israel Avenues at about 2 a.m. Saturday when the cab crashed into a crowd leaving the club, injuring several people.
Attorney Vincent Bartolotta Jr., who is representing Gambale, said no lawsuits would be filed until his investigation was finished. He said Gambale's medical costs could run into the millions of dollars.
“She was in the prime of her life, and to be cut down like this, it's like being in a war zone,” he said.
The taxi driver, Sam Hassan Daly, 52, told authorities he blacked out moments before the accident, San Diego police Lt. Rick O'Hanlon said.
Gambale is set to undergo exploratory surgery Thursday to determine the extent of the damage to her leg and whether she is up for additional procedures aimed at saving the limb, Bartolotta said.
She is expected to have at least two reconstructive procedures to replace soft tissue lost in the accident, orthopedic surgeon Dr. Paul Joseph Girard said. While Girard gave a for Gambale at a press conference on Tuesday, he was cautiously optimistic and said recovery could take up to two years.
Gambale's husband was among those hurt in the accident, Bartolotta said.
City News Service contributed to this report.
