California Injury Blog
A 77-year-old woman sustained serious injuries in a San Francisco pedestrian accident after she was struck by a city bus while walking in a marked crosswalk. The San Francisco Examiner reports that the accident occurred the afternoon of February 9, 2010 at the intersection of San Bruno Avenue and Burrows Street when a 9-San Bruno bus hit the woman. Police officials say she has suffered critical, life-threatening injuries. Police say at least five independent witnesses have said that the pedestrian was in the crosswalk when she was hit.
My heart goes out to this critically injured woman who is apparently fighting for her life. I sincerely hope she makes it through her injuries and has a complete recovery. This injured victim and her family will certainly be in my thoughts and prayers.
Accident Statistics
According to California Highway Patrol’s 2007 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), there were 29 fatalities and 775 injuries involving pedestrian accidents in San Francisco. Also, all San Francisco traffic accidents including, car accidents claimed 51 lives and injured 3,632 people during the same time.
Circumstances of the Accident
If the details of this news report are accurate, it appears that this woman was walking in a marked crosswalk at the busy intersection, but for some reason the bus driver did not see her. It seems to me, based on this report that the bus driver may have failed to yield right-of-way to this elderly pedestrian. One rider in the bus apparently told police he felt the bus swerve just before the collision. The bus driver has been placed on “non-driving status” and will undergo testing from drugs and alcohol use, which is standard procedure in such accidents. Apparently, the intersection where this bus accident happened has no stop lights or stop signs, but has crosswalks to help pedestrians get across.
Liability Issues
If the bus driver is determined to have been at-fault here, the city could be held liable for the woman’s injuries as the city bus was in service at the time. If there was a dangerous condition on the roadway that caused or contributed to the accident, the city or governmental agency responsible for maintaining that roadway could be held liable as well. According to California Governmental Code section 911.2, any claim against a governmental agency must be filed within 180 days of the accident or injury.
The victim in this case (or her family) would be well-advised to get in touch with an experienced San Francisco personal injury lawyer, who will keep abreast of the official investigation and ensure that their rights are protected. In such cases, victims can seek compensation to cover medical expenses, loss of wages (if applicable), cost of hospitalization, surgeries and long term care, if that becomes necessary.
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.