A man was killed in a Los Angeles car accident after he was struck by a privately owned street sweeper on a city street in the Tarzana area. The fatal pedestrian accident occurred at Ventura and Reseda boulevards the night of July 29, 2009, according to a news report in the Los Angeles Daily News. The pedestrian accident victim, who officials said was about 70 years old, was reportedly crossing the street outside the crosswalk when he was hit by a street sweeper being used to clean small parking lots in the neighborhood. The man was pronounced dead at the scene. Police are saying that a preliminary investigation indicates that the collision was accidental. The driver of the street sweeper remained at the scene of the collision and was not cited.
My heart goes out to the family and friends of this deceased victim. I offer my deepest condolences to everyone who knew and loved this man. Please keep them in your prayers.
Los Angeles Car Accident Statistics
According to California Highway Patrol's 2007 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), there were 90 fatalities and 2,690 injuries reported in the city of Los Angeles that involved pedestrian accidents. In Los Angeles County as a whole, 210 deaths and 5,095 injuries were reported in 2007 as a result of pedestrian accidents.
In this fatal pedestrian accident, based on the newspaper report, the man was not crossing in a marked crosswalk. Officials have ruled this as an accident based on a preliminary investigation. However, if I were a member of this man's family, I would want to know more. Was the truck driver aware of his surroundings? Was he taking precautions to make sure he did not strike pedestrians on his cleaning route? In other words, was there any negligence on his part? If there was, then the family of the deceased victim may be able to collect compensation from the driver's employer – the private street sweeping company for whom the driver was on-the-job at the time of the accident. I'd also be interested in finding out the accuracy of this investigation report. Preliminary findings by police officials, who lack sufficient resources, have been known to be erroneous.
Contacting a Personal Injury Lawyer
A skilled Los Angeles personal injury lawyer will also look into whether there was a dangerous condition on the roadway that may have caused or contributed to this fatal pedestrian accident. If that was the case, the city of Los Angeles or the governmental agency responsible for maintaining that roadway could also be held liable. Please remember that any such claim against a governmental entity must be properly filed within six months of the accident or injury.
SLS Consulting