Two men, identified as Billy Chou, 27, and Michael Miccio, 41, were injured in a tractor-trailer accident the night of August 15, 2012. According to a news report in The Walnut Patch, the injury crash occurred when Miccio, who was driving on the connector road from the eastbound 60 Freeway to the southbound 57 Freeway lost control on the curve and braked hard. Miccio’s truck overturned landing on Chou’s Honda, which was traveling in the same direction. Both men suffered non-life-threatening injuries. California Highway Patrol officials say Miccio was traveling too fast as he took the curve and lost control of the rig.
My thoughts and prayers are with Chou, who is lucky to have escaped serious injuries in this crash. I wish him the very best for a speedy and complete recovery.
Car Accident Statistics
According to CHP’s Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), there were three fatalities and 311 injuries involving car accidents in Diamond Bar. During the same year, 554 people died and 50,817 were injured due to Los Angeles County car accidents.
Speed Was a Factor
Based on this news report, it appears that the driver of the big-rig, Miccio, was traveling at a high rate of speed given the roadway conditions. California Vehicle Code Section 22350 (Basic Speed Law) states: “No person shall drive a vehicle upon a highway at a speed greater than is reasonable or prudent having due regard for weather, visibility, the traffic and on surface and width of, the highway, and in no event at a speed which endangers the safety of persons or property.” I trust officials are also looking into whether the truck driver was distracted, inattentive or fatigued at the time of this collision.
Fault and Liability
In this particular case, if the truck driver is determined to have been at fault, then, he and his employer can be held liable for Chou’s injuries. Injured victims in such cases can seek compensation to cover medical expenses, lost wages, cost of hospitalization, rehabilitation and other related damages. Injured victims in such cases would also be well advised to contact an experienced Los Angeles personal injury attorney who has successfully handles cases against trucking companies. The best personal injury law firms will always offer a free consultation and comprehensive case evaluation to injured victims and their families.
SLS Consulting