Several people were injured in a Pomona car accident the afternoon of July 15, 2009 after a white van with passengers from the Leroy Boys Home in La Verne collided with a pickup truck on a Pomona roadway. According to a news report in the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin, the pickup truck was headed north on Towne and trying to make a left on Foothill when the car collision occurred. The van rolled over to its side and at least six people in the van sustained injuries.

My heart goes out to all the young passengers in the van who suffered injuries. I hope their injuries are not serious and that all the victims of this car crash recover quickly and completely. Please keep them in your prayers.

According to California Highway Patrol's 2007 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), 11 fatalities and 894 injuries were reported as a result of car accidents in Pomona. In Los Angeles County as a whole, 712 deaths and 56,475 injuries were reported as a result of car accidents in 2007.

Based on this news report, one of the vehicles – the pickup truck – seems to have turned left in front of the van. If the van had right-of-way at the time of the incident, then the driver of the pickup truck could be held liable for injuries caused to the van's occupants.

California Vehicle Code section 21801 (a) states the following requirements for drivers making a left turn or a U-turn: "The driver of a vehicle intending to turn to the left or to complete a U-turn upon a highway, or to turn left into public or private property, or an alley, shall yield the right-of-way to all vehicles approaching from the opposite direction which are close enough to constitute a hazard at any time during the turning movement, and shall continue to yield the right-of-way to the approaching vehicles until the left turn or U-turn can be made with reasonable safety."

In such cases, the injured victims would be well-advised to consult an experienced Los Angeles car accident attorney who will examine all aspects of this case, identify the negligent party and hold them accountable. If the driver of the pickup truck is determined to be at fault, the injured victims may be able to seek compensation to cover medical expenses and other related costs. A skilled Los Angeles personal injury lawyer will also be able to determine whether a dangerous roadway condition may have caused or contributed to this accident. If that was the case, the city or governmental agency responsible for maintaining the roadway could be held liable. Please remember that any claim against a governmental agency in California must be properly filed within six months of the accident or injury.

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