California Injury Blog
Bagum Muktar, 64, was killed in a rollover accident in Diamond Bar early Saturday morning when the car she was a passenger in was rear-ended by a drunk driver on the 22 Freeway in Garden Grove, according to the Orange County Register reported. The driver, who struck the car and fled the scene, was later arrested by California Highway Patrol officials. He has been charged with felony vehicular manslaughter and gross negligence, felony driving under the influence and felony hit-and-run.
Muktar’s daughter was reportedly driving their 2004 Toyota Sequoia when the man driving a 2005 Chevrolet Malibu hit them from behind causing the Toyota to roll over several times. Muktar died but six others inside the Toyota suffered minor injuries.
My deepest condolences to the Muktar family and to Bagum’s friends. Unfortunately, DUI accidents are a common type of auto accident in Orange County. According to the Orange County Chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), alcohol is a factor in about 42 percent of fatal auto accidents in Orange County.
This traffic accident could have taken a much greater toll. That tells me the other passengers must have been securely seat belted in. The question then comes to my mind, who was it that Muktar suffered fatal injuries? Was she not seat belted in? Did her seat belt or seat back fail? There must be something different about Muktar’s situation than the other passengers. The family may want to have this accident looked at by an orange county personal injury lawyer well versed in auto defects such as seat belt failures, seat back collapse and SUV rollovers.
The accident survivors would also be well-advised to consult an attorney well versed in auto accidents insurance coverages, to find out their rights to compensation for their injuries, medical expenses and losses as well as the sources of insurance to cover them. If the driver of the Malibu is at fault and uninsured or did not have enough insurance, the victims may benefit from making an uninsured or underinsured motorist claim on their own policies or the polices of household members. The best car accident attorneys will know the ins and outs of the various insurance coverage options and how to make claims.