An Irvine car accident left a 21-year-old woman seriously injured the morning of February 16, 2010. The Orange County Register reports that the pedestrian accident happened at the intersection of Yale Avenue and Southwood. The woman was taken to an local hospital with serious injuries. It is not clear how or why this accident occurred.
I sympathize with this young pedestrian accident victim. I wish her the very best for a speedy and complete recovery and hope her injuries were not catastrophic. Please keep her in your prayers.
Pedestrian Accidents
There was one fatality and 24 injuries involving pedestrian accidents in Irvine, according to California Highway Patrol's 2008 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS). Countywide, 31 deaths and 785 injuries were reported as a result of pedestrian accidents during the same year.
Car Accident Causes and Liability Issues
California law requires drivers to yield right-of-way to pedestrians walking in 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.”
In this case, it is not clear why the driver did not yield to the pedestrian. There are still questions about where the pedestrian was crossing on the roadway at the time. The most important question to ask here, is who had right-of-way at the time of the collision. If the driver was at fault, he could be held liable. If there was a dangerous condition on the roadway, which caused or contributed to this accident, the city or governmental agency responsible for maintaining that roadway could also be held liable. Any such claim against a California governmental agency must be properly filed within 180 days of the accident or injury.
An experienced Irvine personal injury lawyer, will be able to guide accident victims on such matters and make sure their legal rights and best interests are protected.
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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