Catherine Quigley, 94, of Irvine died after the Premier Medical Transport ambulance she was in, crashed into a tree the afternoon of April 25, 2009, according to a CBS News report. The fatal Orange County car accident was reported on the Van Buren Boulevard onramp to the westbound Highway 60. Quigley was taken to Riverside Community Hospital where she was pronounced dead. Traffic investigators are still looking into why the Premier Medical Transport driver lost control of the ambulance.
I offer my deepest condolences to Catherine Quigley’s family for their tragic loss. Here was an elderly woman who was being transported to the hospital and her ambulance crashes on the way to the hospital! This is tragic! Please keep Quigley’s family and friends in your prayers.
According to California Highway Patrol’s 2007 traffic accident statistics, there were 279 fatalities and 9,925 personal injuries relating to traffic accidents in Riverside County.
The news report does not provide much information about what went wrong here. It is best in such situations to rely on skilled California personal injury attorneys, who will be able to analyze this fatal ambulance accident from every angle. The driver of the ambulance could have lost control of the emergency vehicle because he was driving under the influence. If that is the case he could be criminally charged and his employer, Premier Medical Transport, could be held liable.
If the ambulance crashed because of a mechanical problem triggered by lack of proper vehicle maintenance, Premier Medical Transport could be held liable. If the crash was triggered by a car product defect, then the auto manufacturer could be held responsible for the accident and fatal personal injuries caused. If the accident was caused by a dangerous condition on the roadway, the city or the governmental agency responsible for maintaining that roadway could be held liable.
Catherine Quigley’s family would be well-advised to contact experienced California car accident attorneys, who will carefully examine the details of this fatal car crash, identify the negligent parties and hold them accountable for their actions. In this case, the ambulance company was responsible for the safe transport of the patient. Please remember that the best California personal injury attorneys do not charge any fees for an initial consultation and thorough case evaluation.