California Injury Blog
Jose Dominguez, 19, was killed in a San Bernardino car accident the night of November 21, 2009 after he was struck by a vehicle while walking in Loma Linda, California. According to a news report in the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin, San Bernardino County Sheriff’s deputies found Dominguez at the intersection of Redlands Boulevard and Mountain View Avenue where he was struck by a 2004 Honda Civic. Dominguez was taken to a local hospital where he died shortly after the accident.
I offer my deepest condolences to the family and friends of Jose Dominguez for their tragic loss. Please keep them in your prayers.
Pedestrian Accidents in San Bernardino
According to California Highway Patrol’s 2007 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), there were four pedestrian accidents involving injuries in Loma Linda, California. In San Bernardino County as a whole, 50 deaths and 732 injuries were reported as a result of pedestrian accidents in 2007. Also countywide, car accidents claimed 308 lives and injured 9,920 people during the same period.
This news report does not offer much information about how or why this fatal pedestrian accident occurred. However, it does mention that Dominguez was crossing the street at an intersection. The question then, is why didn’t the driver of the Honda Civic yield right-of-way to the pedestrian. Was the driver of the Civic intoxicated, distracted or speeding at the time? Did the motorist run a red light? Who had the green light at the time of the accident?
California Car Accident Laws
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.”
Dominguez’s family would be well-advised to consult an experienced California personal injury attorney, who will analyze all aspects of this accident and make sure they receive fair compensation from the negligent parties. If this accident was the result of a dangerous condition on the roadway or the intersection, the city or governmental agency responsible for maintaining that roadway could also be held liable. Please remember that any claim against a governmental agency in California must be filed within six months of an accident or injury.
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.