California Injury Blog
Scott Campbell, 53, of Yorba Linda, was killed in a Fullerton pedestrian accident after a vehicle struck him near a street intersection.
According to a news report in The Orange County Register, the fatal accident occurred at the intersection of Euclid Street and Orangethorpe Avenue.
Campbell was transported to an area trauma center where he succumbed to his injuries a day later.
The investigation
is ongoing. No arrests or citations were reported.
We offer our condolences to the family members and friends of Scott Campbell for their tragic loss.
Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.
Pedestrian Accident Statistics
According to California Highway Patrol’s 2013 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), one person was killed and 62 were injured as a result of pedestrian accidents in the city of Fullerton.
In Orange County as a whole, 52 fatalities and 784 injuries were reported due to pedestrian accidents during the same year.
Laws Relating to Pedestrians
Based on this news report, it appears that the pedestrian was struck at or near a busy intersection in Fullerton. However, it is not clear if the pedestrian was in a crosswalk at the time or if the driver failed to yield the right-of-way to the pedestrian.
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.”
Liability Issues
In this case, if the driver is determined to have been negligent, he or she can be held liable for the victim’s wrongful death. A knowledgeable Fullerton personal injury lawyer can also help determine if a dangerous roadway condition caused or contributed to the incident.
If that was the case, the city or governmental agency responsible for maintaining the roadway can also be held liable.
Please remember that any personal injury or wrongful death claim against the governmental agency must be filed within six months of the incident.