A female driver suffered major injuries in a Los Angeles car accident after the car she was driving collided with a Los Angeles Police Department patrol vehicle at an intersection in Venice, California. According to a CBS news report, the injury car collision occurred at the intersection of Venice Boulevard and Glyndon Avenue early morning October 16, 2009.
LAPD officials are apparently investigating the collision. There are already conflicting reports about how and why this collision occurred. One report states that the car accident was not the result of a police pursuit and that the patrol car was not responding to a call for service at the time. The report states that the patrol car was traveling on Venice Boulevard when a woman tried to enter onto Venice from Glyndon Avenue where there is a stop sign. Another news report states that the investigators were in fact responding to a call when the driver of the BMW ran a red light and plowed into the police cruiser. The driver of the BMW was rushed into surgery in serious condition. One officer was treated at the scene for an arm injury and another sustained bumps and bruises.
I wish all the injured victims the very best for a quick and complete recovery. I hope none of the victims suffered catastrophic injuries. Please keep them in your prayers.
According to California Highway Patrol’s 2007 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), there were 260 deaths and 27,110 injuries involving car accidents in Los Angeles. In Los Angeles County as a whole, 712 fatalities and 56,475 injuries were reported in 2007 as a result of car accidents.
Based on these news reports it is not at all clear what happened here. The main question here is: Whose fault was this accident – the police officer driving the squad car or the female driver of the BMW? Did the police car have light and sirens on at the time? Were the officers responding to a call or not? One news report says they were and another says they weren’t? Which one is true?
Eyewitness accounts are crucial in such cases in order to determine who was at fault, especially when there is a dispute in that regard. If you saw this car accident or have any information about this incident, please contact the California Highway Patrol or please call my office at 1-800-561-4887 so we can pass on this important information to the appropriate agency. Eyewitness accounts can help ensure that the person who was truly at fault for this accident is held accountable. It worries me that this incident is being investigated by the LAPD’s West Traffic Division instead of a neutral agency such as the CHP. I always worry about how fair and objective a police agency can be while investigating its own officers.
The injured victim in this case would be well-advised to consult with an experienced
Los Angeles personal injury lawyer, especially if she or her family believes that the police were at fault here. A resourceful law firm can get their investigator on this matter right away. Time is of the essence in any case involving governmental agencies. That’s because California Government Code states that any claim against a governmental entity in California must be filed within 180 days of the accident or injury. This injured victim needs a skilled Los Angeles personal injury attorney on her side fighting for her legal rights and making sure here interests are protected.
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.