Charlotte Goldman, 84, was killed in a San Diego car accident the evening of October 29, 2009 while crossing the street in the Mission Valley area. According to a news report in Channel 6, Goldman was struck by a vehicle in the 6700 block of Friars Road. She died shortly after the accident at a local hospital. San Diego police are still conducting an investigation and the driver who hit Goldman has not yet been cited or charged.
I offer my deepest condolences to everyone who knew and loved this woman, especially her family members. The report states Goldman lived with her husband in Mission Valley. Please keep this family in your prayers.
San Diego Pedestrian Accident Statistics
According to California Highway Patrol’s 2007 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), there were 25 deaths and 575 injuries involving pedestrian accidents in San Diego. Countywide, 51 fatalities and 1,068 injuries were reported as a result of pedestrian accidents in 2007. Also in San Diego County, 268 people died and 14,641 suffered injuries as a result of car accidents during the same period.
Based on this news report, it is not quite clear where Charlotte Goldman was walking at the time of this collision. Was she in a crosswalk as she walked across the street? Was she crossing in traffic lanes? How fast was the driver going at the time? Was the driver impaired, distracted or otherwise negligent? Was there a dangerous roadway condition, which caused or contributed to this tragic pedestrian accident? These are all important questions to ask in any pedestrian accident.
California Car Accident Laws
Motorists are required to stop and yield right-of-way to pedestrians who are walking in crosswalks (marked or unmarked) or at intersections. California Vehicle Code Section 21950 states: “The driver of a vehicle shall yield the right-of-way to a pedestrian crossing the roadway within any marked crosswalk or within any unmarked crosswalk at an intersection.” The same section also states that the driver of a vehicle approaching a pedestrian within any marked or unmarked crosswalk “shall exercise all due care and shall reduce the speed of a vehicle or take any other action relating to the operating of the vehicle as necessary to safeguard the safety of the pedestrian.”
Goldman’s family should seek the counsel of an experienced San Diego personal injury lawyer, who will not only advise them about their legal rights and options, but will also look at this case from all angles to determine whether there was any negligence. If the motorist was at fault, then he or she could be held liable for Goldman’s fatal injuries. If a dangerous roadway condition caused the accident and injuries, the city or governmental agency responsible for maintaining that roadway could be held liable. California Government Code states that any claim against a governmental agency must be filed within six months of an accident or injury.
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.