A mother and her toddler sustained critical injuries in a car accident in Los Angeles the afternoon on October 9, 2009 after they were struck by a truck while crossing at a Hawthorne street intersection. According to a news report in the Daily Breeze, the woman and her 2-year-old child were in a crosswalk on Imperial Highway at Hawthorne Boulevard when a truck making a right turn on to Hawthorne hit them. The driver who stopped at the scene of the collision has not been arrested, as an investigation is pending. Traffic investigators are asking anyone who witnessed this accident to call Hawthorne police at 310-349-2700.
My heart goes out to this mother and her child who were seriously injured in this collision. I sincerely hope and pray that their injuries were not catastrophic. I wish both mother and child the very best for a quick and complete recovery. They will certainly be in my prayers.
Los Angeles Pedestrian Accidents
According to California Highway Patrol’s 2007 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), there was one fatality and 40 injuries involving pedestrian accidents in Hawthorne. In Los Angeles County, 210 fatalities and 5,095 injuries were reported in 2007 as a result of pedestrian accidents.
Based on this news report, it appears that the driver of the truck did not see the woman and child in the crosswalk or did not see them in time to avoid the collision. The question is why? Was the driver under the influence? Was he distracted? Was he going too fast? Did he fail to yield right-of-way to the pedestrians?
California Car Accident Laws and Liability Issues
California code requires vehicles to yield right-of-way to pedestrians who are walking in a marked or unmarked crosswalk or 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.”
The victim and their family in this terrible injury accident case, would be well-advised to contact an experienced Los Angeles personal injury lawyer, who will be able to better explain their legal rights and options. In cases where there is negligence or wrongdoing involved, victims and their families may be able to seek compensation to cover medical expenses, loss of earnings and other related damages. If the driver of the truck was on-the-job at the time of the collision and is determined to be at-fault here, then he and his employer can also be held liable for the accident and the injuries caused. If a dangerous condition at the intersection caused or contributed to this car accident, the city or governmental agency responsible for maintaining that roadway could be held liable as well. Please remember that any claim against a governmental agency in California must be properly filed within 180 days of the accident or injury.
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.