California Injury Blog
Manuel Alba, an 85-year-old Ramona man, was killed in a San Diego car accident after he was struck by a pickup truck while crossing the street. According to the San Diego County Medical Examiner’s report, the fatal car accident occurred the morning of February 11, 2011 at the intersection of Main Street and 7th Street in Ramona. Alba was crossing the street at the intersection when a truck pulling a wood chipper hit him. The critically injured pedestrian was transported to a local hospital where he died. An investigation is ongoing.
My deepest condolences go out to the family and friends of Manuel Alba for their tragic and heartbreaking loss. My thoughts and prayers are with them during this difficult time.
Pedestrian Accident Statistics
According to California Highway Patrol’s 2008 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), 13 people were killed and 80 were injured due to pedestrian accidents in the unincorporated areas of San Diego County. During that same year, there were 63 fatalities and 998 injuries reported as a result of pedestrian accidents in San Diego County.
What Caused This Fatal pedestrian Accident?
Based on this news report, it appears that Alba was crossing the street at the intersection. California law requires motorists to yield right-of-way to pedestrians in marked or unmarked crosswalks. California Vehicle Code Section 21950 states: “The driver of a vehicle shall yield the right-of-way to a pedestrian crossing the roadway within any marked crosswalk or within any unmarked crosswalk at an intersection.” The same section also states that the driver of a vehicle approaching a pedestrian within any marked or unmarked crosswalk “shall exercise all due care and shall reduce the speed of a vehicle or take any other action relating to the operating of the vehicle as necessary to safeguard the safety of the pedestrian.”
Fault and Liability
I trust officials are looking into why the driver of the pickup truck crashed into the pedestrian who was walking at the intersection. If the driver of the pickup is determined to have been at fault, he or she could be held liable for Alba’s wrongful death. If the driver of the pickup truck was on the job at the time, his or her employer could also be held liable. Families of deceased victims in such cases would be well-advised to seek the counsel of an experienced San Diego personal injury lawyer, who will stay abreast of the official investigation and make sure that their legal rights and best interests are protected.
Lost a family member in a San Diego County car accident? Want to know your rights? Want to know what your case is worth? Want compensation? Want justice? Want to ensure the same thing doesn’t happen to another family?
Call your best friends in the legal industry after a fatal Ramona pedestrian accident. Call 800-259-6373. The call is free. The advice may be priceless.
Call a Bisnar Chase Personal Injury Attorneys San Diego wrongful death lawyer for a free professional evaluation of your rights by attorneys who have been representing families of deceased accident victims since 1978. You will experience award winning representation and outstanding personal service by a compassionate and understanding law firm in a comfortable environment.