California Injury Blog
Brett Caddell, 39, died of injuries he suffered in an Aug. 30 Fontana pedestrian accident, according to a news blog in the Riverside Press Enterprise. Caddell reportedly suffered severe head injuries when he was hit by a Mitsubishi Gallant driven by Fontana resident Darrel Eugene Stebbins. Stebbins was arrested on suspicion of felony drunk driving and hit-and-run charges.
California Highway Patrol officials say Caddell was walking on Ceres Avenue, partially on the roadway when the collision occurred. Stebbins was reportedly reaching over to pick up his cell phone when his vehicle drifted to the right and struck Caddel.
My heart goes out to the family of Brett Caddell who died in this tragic pedestrian accident. Stebbins should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law for his negligence. He should also be held financially responsible to Caddell’s family for the irreparable loss they have suffered. Not only was Stebbins trying to reach for his cell phone, but according to the police, he may have been driving under the influence of alcohol. I hope he does some serious jail time for his utter disregard of traffic safety laws.
Because Caddell died several days after the incident, his family will be left not only with his funeral expenses, but also his medical bills. The family of Brett Caddell would be well-advised to retain the services of a reputed Southern California personal injury lawyer experienced in pedestrian versus auto accidents. If Stebbins has inadequate insurance coverage then a skilled auto accident attorney will be able to advise the Caddell family if any compensation is available to them under the “uninsured” or “underinsured” coverage in Caddell’s own auto insurance policy or the policy of someone else in his household. If I were representing the family I’d also look into whether the accident was caused by a dangerous condition on the roadway such as lack of a sidewalk, which may have forced the pedestrian to use the roadway.