A 48-year-old man was killed in a Long Beach car accident after he was struck while crossing the street. According to a news report in The Press-Telegram, the fatal pedestrian accident occurred at the intersection of Pacific Coast Highway and Anaheim Street in Long Beach the night of November 27, 2010. Police say the man was in a crosswalk at the time, but are not sure if he had the green light. An investigation is ongoing.
I offer my deepest sympathies to everybody who knew and loved this fatally injured victim. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.
Pedestrian Accidents
According to California Highway Patrol's 2008 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), there were six fatalities and 234 injuries involving pedestrian accidents in Long Beach. In Los Angeles County as a whole, 214 people died and 4,985 were injured as a result of pedestrian accidents during the same year.
Crosswalk Law
Based on this news report, the victim was walking in a marked crosswalk. What officials are questioning is who had the green light at the time. Motorists are required under California law to yield right-of-way to pedestrians who are walking in marked or unmarked crosswalks.
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 particular case, if the driver is determined to have been at fault, then he or she can be held liable for the pedestrian's wrongful death. A skilled Long Beach personal injury lawyer will also be able to determine whether a dangerous or defective condition on the roadway caused or contributed to the accident. If that was the case, the city or governmental agency responsible for maintaining that roadway could also be held liable. Please remember that any personal injury or wrongful death claim against a public entity must be filed within 180 days of the incident, under California Government Code Section 911.2.
Lost a family member in a Los Angeles 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 Long Beach pedestrian accident. Call 800-561-4887. The call is free. The advice may be priceless.
Call a BISNAR | CHASE Los Angeles 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.
What are some of the greatest hazards faced by pedestrians on our roadways?
The BISNAR|CHASE personal injury law firm 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.
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micheal said:
Orange County, California is not the most dangerous county for auto accidents statistically in Southern California, but this is true only because the worst of the worst surrounds it.