California Injury Blog
A 50-year-old bicyclist suffered severe injuries in a Santa Ana car accident after being hit by a vehicle. According to a news report in The Orange County Register, the major injury collision occurred in the 100 block of North Euclid Street, the evening of December 25, 2011. Santa Ana police say the bicyclist was transported to an area trauma center in critical condition and was undergoing surgery. It was not clear if the bicyclist was in traffic lanes or in a crosswalk at the time. No arrests have been made or citations issued pending an official investigation. Officials are looking into what led to this collision.
My thoughts and prayers are with the victim who has apparently suffered life-threatening injuries in this crash. I wish this person the very best for a speedy and complete recovery.
Bicycle Accident Statistics
According to California Highway Patrol’s 2009 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), there were two fatalities and 131 injuries involving bicycle accidents in Santa Ana. In Orange County as a whole, bicycle accidents claimed the lives of 12 people and caused 1,199 injuries, during the same year.
What Caused This Collision
Based on this news report, it is unclear as to how or why this bicycle versus car accident occurred. There are many questions here. Was the bicyclist riding along the side of the road? Was he or she crossing the roadway? Was the bicyclist mid block in traffic lanes, or in a crosswalk? Was the driver of the vehicle speeding, distracted, impaired, inattentive or negligent in any other way? Was there a dangerous roadway condition that may have caused or contributed to this incident?
Fault and Liability
If the driver is determined to have been at fault here, he or she can be held liable for the victim’s injuries. In such cases, the victim or his or her family can seek compensation from an at-fault driver for medical expenses, loss of earnings, cost of hospitalization, rehabilitation, long-term care, and past and future pain and suffering.
An experienced Santa Ana personal injury lawyer will also be able to determine whether a dangerous roadway condition caused or contributed to the collision. If that was the case, the city or governmental agency responsible for maintaining the roadway can be held liable. Under California Government Code Section 911.2, any personal injury claim against a governmental agency must be properly filed within six months of the incident.