Betty Dietz, 65, of Westminster, was killed in a pedestrian accident after she was struck by a trash truck in a residential neighborhood, the afternoon of December 29, 2011. According to a news report in The Orange County Register, the fatal pedestrian accident occurred in the 9000 block of Madison Avenue near Magnolia Street in Westminster. Police say the woman had forgotten to put some trash out and was trying to flag down the driver when she was hit. The driver of the Midway City Sanitary District did not see her and ran over her. Dietz was transported to an area hospital where she died from her injuries.

I offer my deepest condolences to the family and friends of Betty Dietz for their tragic and heartbreaking loss. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.

Accident Statistics

According to California Highway Patrol's 2009 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), one person died and 24 were injured as a result of pedestrian accidents in Westminster. During the same year, four fatalities and 465 injuries were reported due to Westminster car accidents. In Orange County as a whole, 141 people died and 13,373 were injured as a result of car accidents in 2009.

Causes and Compensation Issues

Based on this news report, it is unclear as to why this accident occurred. There are several questions here. Did the woman run in front of the trash truck? Was the trash truck driver distracted or negligent at the time? Was the truck driver traveling at an unsafe rate of speed? I trust officials are looking into these and other factors in order to determine precisely why this accident occurred.

If the trash truck driver is determined to have been at fault, he and his employer can be held liable for Dietz's wrongful death. In cases where negligence or wrongdoing is involved, families of deceased accident victims can file a wrongful death claim seeking compensation for damages including medical expenses, funeral costs, lost future income, loss of love and companionship, and other related damages.

Families of deceased victims in such cases would be well advised to contact an experienced Orange County personal injury lawyer, who will stay abreast of the official investigation and make sure that their legal rights and best interests are protected. The best personal injury law firms will always offer a free consultation and comprehensive case evaluation to truck accident victims or their families.

One woman died and another was injured in a Westminster car accident after they were struck by a vehicle the evening of May 20, 2010. According to a news report in The Orange County Register, the women were crossing on Newland Street outside of a crosswalk, near 15th Street, when an 18-year- old woman driving a Nissan 200 SX hit them. Westminster police say one of the pedestrians died, while the other was transported to a local hospital and is in stable condition.

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I offer my deepest condolences to the family and friends of this woman for their profound loss. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.

Pedestrian Accident Statistics

According to California Highway Patrol's 2008 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), there was one death and 29 injuries reported in Westminster involving pedestrian accidents. In Orange County, during the same year, 31 people died and 785 were injured as a result of pedestrian accidents.

Laws Relating to Pedestrians

This news report indicates that the pedestrians were crossing the street outside of a crosswalk. California law states that motorists should yield right-of-way to pedestrians walking in marked or unmarked crosswalks or at intersections.

Under California Vehicle Code Section 21950: "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." But the same law also states that pedestrians have a responsibility to walk only in designated areas such as sidewalks and crosswalks.

Liability Issues

In this particular case, if the driver was at fault, she could be held liable for the serious injuries caused here. If there was a dangerous condition on the roadway, which may have caused or contributed to the collision, the city or governmental agency responsible for maintaining this roadway could also be held liable. Under California Government Code section 911.2, any claim against a governmental agency must be properly filed within 180 days of the accident or injury. The best Orange County personal injury lawyers will always offer a free and comprehensive consultation to injured victims and their families.

What precautions do you take as a pedestrian while crossing the street? Please share your thoughts with us.

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.

A man died in an Orange County motorcycle accident the morning of September 30, 2009 on the 405 Freeway near the Goldenwest Street exit in Westminster, The Orange County Register reports. California Highway Patrol officials said the motorcyclist, who has not been identified, was riding a white Suzuki sport bike and hit the center divider. It is not known whether he swerved to avoid debris on the freeway or another vehicle before striking the divider. A white Volvo was also apparently involved in the crash. The motorcyclist was pronounced dead at the scene.

My heart goes out to this motorcycle accident victim's family and friends for their very sudden and tragic loss. I offer my deepest condolences to everyone who knew and loved this man. Please keep them in your prayers.

Motorcycle Accidents in Orange County

According to California Highway Patrol's 2007 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), there were two fatalities and 37 injuries reported in Westminster as a result of motorcycle accidents. In Orange County as a whole, 24 deaths and 752 injuries occurred in 2007 involving motorcycle accidents.

Based on this newspaper report, it's not quite clear how or why the motorcyclist ended up hitting the freeway divider. There are more questions than answers at this point. How did he lose control? Was there a vehicle defect or mechanical malfunction that caused the crash? Was there a roadway defect such as a pothole or uneven pavement? Was there debris on the freeway that he was trying to avoid? Did he get cut off by another vehicle? The answers to these questions should help determine whether there was any negligence involved here.

Motorcycle Accident Liability Issues

If another vehicle was involved and its driver is determined to be at fault, then that driver could be held liable. If there was debris on the roadway that was spilled by a negligent driver, he or she could be held responsible for this accident and resulting fatality. If a dangerous condition on the roadway caused the accident, the governmental agency responsible for maintaining that roadway could be held liable as well. Any claim against a California governmental agency must be filed within 180 days of the accident or injury. If an auto product defect caused the crash, the manufacturer of the defective product could be held liable.

This accident victim's family would be well-advised to retain the services of a reputed Orange County personal injury lawyer, who is experienced dealing with motorcycle accident cases. A skilled car accident attorney will look into all aspects of the case including product liability issues, dangerous roadway and involvement of other vehicles. The best personal injury lawyers will always offer a free initial consultation to the families of deceased accident victims.

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.