Esteban Bahena, a 24-year-old emergency medical technician was killed in a San Diego car accident after he was hit by a vehicle on Route 163 as he was placing flares around an accident scene. According to a news report in The San Diego Union-Tribune, the accident occurred the morning of April 1, 2010 when he and another EMT, 20-year-old Paul Santos pulled over to help two drivers who had been involved in an accident.

Tragic Collision

As Bahena began to set up flares around a Mustang, which was involved in the accident, a Sebring driven by a 55-year-old woman struck Bahena. The Sebring then hit the Mustang. Bahena was transported to a hospital in his own ambulance, but succumbed to his injuries. Police say drugs or alcohol were not factors in this crash. The rainy weather may have played a part, officials say. Anyone who witnessed the accident is asked to call CHP officials at 619-220-5492.

A Risky Profession

My heart goes out to everyone who knew and loved Esteban Bahena. Apparently, he was a beloved employee and lived with his two sisters in the San Diego area. Just hours before his fatal accident, Bahena wrote a Facebook entry stating he loves his job. Tragic! Please keep Bahena's grieving family members, friends and co-workers in your thoughts and prayers.

The job requirements of a emergency medical technician are demanding and extremely risky, and this fatalcar accident is evidence of that fact. According to a study in the Annals of American Medicine, between 1992 and 1997, 114 EMTs and paramedics were killed on the job. More than half of these fatality incidents involved ambulance crashes. That's an estimated 12.7 fatalities per 100,000 workers making it pretty close to death rates for police and firefighters during the same study period.

Claim for Compensation

In this particular case, it is not clear what caused the driver of the Sebring to strike the EMT who was obviously on the job. Bahena's family would be entitled to workers compensation benefits from his employer -- the ambulance company. However, they may also be able to file a wrongful death claim against the Sebring’s driver, if it is determined that she was at fault for this tragic collision. In such cases, families of deceased victims would be well-advised to contact an experienced San Diego personal injury attorney, who will stay on top of the official investigation and make sure that 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.

Bookmark and Share