California Injury Blog
Reality TV star Nicole Richie was injured in a Los Angeles car accident on October 5, 2009 after a photographer rear-ended her Land Rover on Wilshire Boulevard in Beverly Hills. According to an Associated Press news report, Richie was driving the Land Rover when the accident occurred. Richie complained of pain, but told officials she would seek her own treatment. The photographer, 29-year-old Edwardo Arrivebene, was arrested on suspicion of driving without a license. No one else was injured in the car crash.
It’s a relief that there were no major injuries in this car accident. Crashes involving paparazzi and celebrities have unfortunately become quite a common occurrence in Los Angeles. I’m glad that Nicole Richie’s injuries appear to be minor and I’m thankful that no other innocent bystanders were injured.
Los Angeles Car Accident Statistics
According to California Highway Patrol’s 2007 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), there was one fatality and 423 injuries involving car accidents in Beverly Hills, California. In Los Angeles County, 712 deaths and 56,475 injuries were reported as a result of car accidents in 2007.
California Vehicle Code Section 12500 makes it illegal and a misdemeanor to drive without a valid driver’s license. If a person has a valid driver’s license issued by another state or foreign country, this allows that individual to drive in California for a specific period of time. But if the person becomes a California resident, the vehicle code requires him or her to obtain a Department of Motor Vehicles-issued California driver’s license in order to drive legally.
Liability Issues in Car Accidents
The circumstances of this car accident are not very clear. However, it appears that the photographer may have been following Nicole Richie too closely and rear-ended her. It would be interesting to find out whether the photographer was distracted at the time of the accident? Was he driving as he was trying to take pictures? Was he traveling at a high rate of speed or going too fast given the traffic conditions? If the photographer was negligent and was on the job at the time of the accident, Richie would be able to seek compensation for injuries and damages from the photographer and his employer.
In any such car accident, injured victims may seek compensation to cover medical expenses, lost wages and other related damages. An experienced Los Angeles personal injury lawyer will better inform you about your legal rights and options. A knowledgeable injury lawyer should also give you information about how your own car insurance can help cover your losses if you have been hit by an uninsured or underinsured motorist.
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.