A 68-year-old Orange County man was critically injured in a Fullerton bicycle accident on November 6, 2008, after he was hit by a van, The Orange County Register reports. The cyclist, whose name has not yet been released, was hit and thrown from his bicycle on Kimberly Avenue at State College Boulevard. The man was taken to an area hospital with major internal and head injuries, Fullerton police officials said.
This is obviously a serious and tragic accident. My heart goes out to this man who was severely injured. I sincerely hope he has a quick and complete recovery.
According to California Highway Patrol’s Statewide Integrated Traffic Reporting System (SWITRS), there were no bicycle accident related deaths in Fullerton in 2006, but there were 48 injuries. In all of Orange County there were 22 deaths and 1,005 injuries relating to bicycle accidents during the same period.
The newspaper report does not provide too many details about how this 11/6/08 accident occurred. I’d be curious to read this traffic accident report to see who caused the accident. A number of things could have happened here and the accident may have been the bicyclist’s fault. There is a good chance that the van driver just did not see him.
This injured victim and his family would be well-advised to consult an experienced Orange County bicycle accident attorney who will look into the details of this collision and help determine who caused the accident and who should be held responsible for the crash and resulting injuries. A skilled personal injury lawyer will also look into other factors that may have caused this accident such as a dangerous roadway or intersection. If a hazardous roadway was a factor in this Fullerton bicycle accident, then the city could be held liable. Please remember that any claim against a government agency must be filed within six months of the accident.