Alta Marie Chriss, 51, was fatally injured in an Ontario car accident after she lost control of her car and crashed. According to a news report in The Press-Enterprise, the fatal rollover accident occurred when Chriss' 2000 Chevy Malibu ran off the connector road between the southbound Interstate 15 and westbound Highway 60 and overturned. California Highway Patrol officials say the accident was discovered the morning of April 11, 2011, and that the Chevy had veered to the right, before going through the guardrail and rolling over. Officials say Chriss was not wearing a seatbelt at the time. An investigation is ongoing.
I offer my deepest condolences to everybody who knew and loved Alta Marie Chriss for their tragic and heartbreaking loss. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.
Car Accident Statistics
According to California Highway Patrol's 2008 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), there were 17 fatalities and 1,012 injuries involving car accidents in Ontario. During the same year, 263 people and 8,503 were injured as a result of San Bernardino County car accidents.
Possible Accident Causes
Based on this news report, it is not quite clear why Chriss lost control of her car. Was there an auto defect or mechanical malfunction in the vehicle, which caused the Chevy to veer to the right? Was this the result of driver error? Was there a dangerous condition on the roadway, which may have caused or contributed to this fatal rollover accident? Was there another driver involved? For example, was Chriss run off the roadway by another driver? Was Chriss in fact not wearing her seatbelt or was she ejected due to a defective seatbelt? I trust officials are looking into these and other issues in order to determine how or why this incident occurred.
Contact an Experienced Injury Lawyer
If this accident was the result of a vehicle defect, the auto maker or the manufacturer of the defective product can be held liable. In such cases, it would be a good idea to preserve the vehicle in its current crashed state, unaltered, so it can be examined thoroughly by an expert for defective design, vehicle defects, malfunctions and other evidence.
An experienced San Bernardino personal injury lawyer, who has successfully handled auto product liability cases will be able to better advise families of victims about their legal rights and options. If a dangerous roadway caused the accident, the governmental entity responsible for maintaining the roadway can also be held liable. Under California Government Code Section 911.2, any personal injury or wrongful death claim against a public entity must be filed within 180 days of the incident.
Lost a family member in a San Bernardino County car accident? Want to know your rights? Want to know what your case is worth? Want compensation? Want justice? Want to ensure the same thing doesn’t happen to another family?
Call your best friends in the legal industry after a fatal Ontario car accident. Call 800-561-4887. The call is free. The advice may be priceless.
Call a BISNAR | CHASE San Bernardino wrongful death lawyer for a free professional evaluation of your rights by attorneys who have been representing families of deceased accident victims since 1978. You will experience award winning representation and outstanding personal service by a compassionate and understanding law firm in a comfortable environment.
SLS Consulting
Highland New York Personal Injury Lawyer said:
Thank you for your sharing these statistics. This is valuable information daily commuters should be made aware of. Good read.