A woman was fatally injured in a Long Beach pedestrian accident after she was struck by a big rig the morning of February 8, 2010. According to a news report in The Press Telegram, the woman was crossing Wardlow Road at Santa Fe Avenue in a marked crosswalk, when a large truck hit her as it made a turn. The driver stopped and was questioned by police, but has not been cited or arrested pending a police investigation. The deceased victim’s name has not yet been released.
I offer my deepest condolences to the family and friends of this deceased victim for their tragic and devastating loss. Please keep this family in your thoughts and prayers.
Pedestrian Accident Statistics
According to California Highway Patrol’s 2007 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), there were 15 fatalities and 274 injuries involving pedestrian accidents in Long Beach. In Los Angeles County as a whole, 210 people died and 5,095 were injured as a result of pedestrian accidents in 2007. Also, countywide, 712 fatalities and 56,475 injuries were reported due to car accidents during the same year.
Crosswalk Laws
Based on this news report, it appears that the driver of the big rig made the turn without noticing that there was a pedestrian in the crosswalk. In such cases, it is important to determine if the driver failed to yield right-of-way to the pedestrian. California law states that motorists should yield right-of-way to pedestrians who are crossing a street in a marked or unmarked crosswalk or at an intersection.
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.”
Claim for Compensation
The victim’s family in this case would be well-advised to consult an experienced Long Beach personal injury attorney, who will stay on top of the official investigation and make sure that their legal rights and best interests are protected. In this case, if the driver of the big rig is determined to have been at fault, then he and his employer could be held liable for the pedestrian’s wrongful death. A wrongful death claim, which is filed by a deceased victim’s immediate family, seeks compensation to cover medical/funeral expenses, lost future earnings, loss of love and companionship, and other related damages.
The Bisnar Chase Personal Injury Attorneys is not representing any of the parties mentioned in this article at the time the article was posted. Our information source is cited in the article. If you were involved in this incident or a similar incident and have questions as to your rights and options, call us or another reputable law firm. Do not act solely upon the information provided herein. Get a consultation. The best law firms will provide a free consultation. We provide a free, confidential consultation to not at fault persons named in this article. The free consultation offer extends to family members as well.