A man who died nearly two weeks after he was involved in a bicycle accident in Newport Beach has been identified as 65-year-old Dan Crain. The Orange County Register reports that the Irvine man was riding his bike the night of August 3, 2010, southbound on Newport Coast Drive, when a car merged on to the roadway from the 73 Toll Road and struck him. The car’s driver was unable to stop in time to avoid hitting the bicyclist. Crain went through several spinal surgeries, but died August 15, 2010.
My heart goes out to everyone who knew and loved Dan Crain. By all accounts, Crain was a much-loved personality in his community and an experienced, avid bicyclist. His loved ones will be in my thoughts and prayers.
Car Accidents
There were six fatalities and 439 injuries involving Newport Beach car accidents according to California Highway Patrol’s 2008 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS). In Orange County, 152 people died and 13,414 sustained personal injuries as a result of car accidents during the same year.
Causes and Compensation Issues
Based on this news report, it is not clear exactly what caused Crain to pull ahead of the vehicle. By all accounts, he seems to have been an experienced bicycle rider. There are still several unanswered questions here. Whose fault was this accident? Was there a right-of-way issue involved in this fatal injury accident? Should the driver have noticed Crain sooner and been able to stop in time? Was the driver of the car distracted or negligent in some way? Was there a dangerous condition on the roadway which may have caused or contributed to this fatal crash? Were there any witnesses to this collision? I trust officials are looking into these and other factors in order to determine how or why this tragic collision occurred.
Claim for Compensation
It is not clear from this news report who was at fault for this fatal crash. There also seems to be some questions about whether Crain’s injuries from the accident caused his death. Where there are several unanswered questions stemming from the incident, the families of deceased accident victims would be well-advised to contact an experienced Newport Beach personal injury lawyer, who will stay abreast of the official investigation and ensure that the rights of the families are protected.
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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.