A 38-year-old Huntington Beach man was critically injured in an Orange County car accident after his pickup truck was hit by another vehicle that was making a left turn at an intersection. The Orange County Register reports that the major injury collision occurred the evening of September 28, 2010 at the intersection of Goldenwest Street and Palm Avenue in Huntington Beach. A BMW was making a left turn from Palm onto Goldenwest when it struck the Ford pickup. The truck then rolled due to the impact and its driver was ejected from the vehicle. The driver of the pickup was transported to a local hospital in critical condition. The other driver complained of pain. An investigation is ongoing.
My thoughts and prayers are with the critically injured man following this tragic collision. I wish him a complete and speedy recovery from his injuries.
Car Accident Statistics
According to California Highway Patrol’s 2008 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), 12 people were killed and 943 people were injured in Huntington Beach car accidents. In Orange County as a whole, there were 152 fatalities and 13,414 injuries reported as a result of car accidents during the same year.
Left Turn Law
Based on this news report, it appears that the driver of the BMW may have made an unsafe left turn and failed to yield right-of-way to the driver of the pickup truck. California Vehicle Code Section 21801 (a) states: “The driver of a vehicle intending to turn to the left or to complete a U-turn upon a highway, or to turn left into public or private property, or an alley, shall yield the right-of-way to all vehicles approaching from the opposite direction which are close enough to constitute a hazard at any time during the turning movement, and shall continue to yield the right-of-way to the approaching vehicles until the left turn or U-turn can be made with reasonable safety.”
Liability Issues
If it is determined that the driver of the BMW was at fault, then he or she could be held liable for the victim’s major injuries here. In such cases, injured victims could seek compensation for medical expenses, loss of wages, cost of hospitalization, surgery, rehabilitation and other related damages. Car accident victims would be well-advised to contact an experienced Orange County personal injury lawyer, who will better inform them about their legal rights and options.
What precautions do you take as a motorist at street intersections?
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.