Two people were injured in an Orange County car accident involving three vehicles, the morning of June 23, 2011. According to a news report in The Orange County Register, the injury collision occurred at the intersection of Chapman Avenue and Solano Drive in Orange. Witnesses say the 24-year-old female driver of a Honda Civic, who was turning left from Solano Drive onto Chapman Avenue, pulled into the path of an armored truck.
The truck collided with the driver’s side of the Honda. At the same time a woman driving a Lexus ES350 swerved to avoid the crash, but collided with the back of the armored bank truck. The driver of the Civic and the Lexus were transported to local trauma centers. The two occupants of the armored truck were uninjured. The extent of the victims’ injuries is not known. An investigation is ongoing.
My heart goes out to the injured victims of this car accident. I wish them both the very best for a speedy and complete recovery. They will be in my thoughts and prayers.
Car Accident Statistics
According to California Highway Patrol’s 2008 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), there were nine fatalities and 823 injuries involving car accidents in Orange. In Orange County as a whole, 152 people died and 13,414 were injured due to car accidents during the same year.
The Law Relating to Left Turns
Based on this news report, it appears that the driver of the Honda made a left turn in front of the armored truck triggering the chain-reaction crash. It is not clear which driver had right-of-way here. 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.”
Fault and Liability
If the driver of the Honda is determined to have been at fault, she could be held liable for the injuries and damages caused here. If the armored truck driver was at fault, then, the driver and his or her employer could be held liable. If a dangerous condition on the roadway caused this crash, then, the city or governmental agency responsible for maintaining that intersection could also be held liable. Please remember that any personal injury claim against a California governmental entity must be properly filed within 180 days of the incident. An experienced Orange County personal injury lawyer will better advise car accident victims about their legal rights and options.
Seriously injured in an Orange County street intersection accident? Want to know if you have a case? Want to know what your case is worth? Want compensation for your injuries? Want justice? Want to make sure the same thing doesn’t happen to someone else?
Call your best friends in the legal industry after an Orange car accident. Call 800-259-6373. The call is free. The advice may be priceless.
Call a Bisnar Chase Personal Injury Attorneys Orange County personal injury lawyer for a free professional evaluation of your case by attorneys who have represented over 6,000 clients since 1978. You will experience award winning representation and outstanding personal service by a friendly law firm in a comfortable environment.