A 74-year-old man suffered critical injuries in a pedestrian accident in Anaheim. According to a news report in The Orange County Register, the incident occurred the afternoon of November 4, 2017. A 27-year-old man driving a Jeep Wrangler was turning north onto South Lemon Street from East Orangefair Mall when he struck the pedestrian. The older man was taken to a hospital with life-threatening injuries that were not specified. The driver remained at the scene and was cooperating with investigators. Drugs and alcohol do not appear to have played a part in the collision, officials said. The investigation is still ongoing.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the injured victim of this pedestrian accident. We wish him the very best for a speedy and complete recovery.
Pedestrian Accident Statistics
According to California Highway Patrol’s 2014 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), there were five fatalities and 94 injuries were reported as a result of pedestrian accidents in the city of Anaheim. In Orange County as a whole, 47 fatalities and 764 injuries were reported as a result of pedestrian accidents during the same year.
Laws and Liability Issues
Based on this news report, it appears that the pedestrian might have been walking in a marked crosswalk at an intersection when the driver who was making a turn struck him. 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.”
In such cases injured victims can seek compensation for their injuries and losses from the at-fault or negligent driver. Injured pedestrians can seek compensation for damages including medical expenses, lost income, hospitalization, rehabilitation, permanent injuries, disabilities, pain and suffering and emotional distress.
A knowledgeable Anaheim car accident lawyer will be able to determine whether a dangerous intersection caused or contributed to the incident. If that was the case the city or governmental agency responsible for maintaining the roadway can also be held liable. Under California Government Code Section 911.2, any personal injury claim against a governmental entity must be filed within six months of the injury.
Source: http://www.ocregister.com/2017/11/04/74-year-old-man-struck-by-jeep-in-anaheim-suffers-life-threatening-injuries/