A 50-year-old woman was killed in a Los Angeles car accident after she was struck by a recreational vehicle the night of February 28, 2010. According to a news report in the Daily Breeze, the accident occurred at the intersection of Century Boulevard and Van Ness Avenue in Inglewood. California Highway Patrol officials say the woman died at the scene and that an investigation is ongoing.

I offer my deepest sympathies to the family and friends of this woman who sustained fatal injuries in this pedestrian accident. Her grieving family will certainly be in my prayers.

Pedestrian Accident Fatalities

There were two fatalities and 65 injuries involving pedestrian accidents in Inglewood in 2008, according to CHP's traffic accident statistics. In Los Angeles County as a whole, 214 deaths and 4,985 injuries were reported as a result of pedestrian accidents during that year. Also, countywide, car accidents claimed 667 lives and injured 52,229 people in 2008.

Pedestrian Laws

Based on this news report, it is not clear exactly how or why the RV struck the woman. It appears, from the account, the woman was walking at an intersection. I trust officials are looking into who had the right-of-way at that intersection at the time of the fatal collision. California Vehicle Code Section 21950 states: “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.”

Liability Issues

If the woman was crossing legally at the intersection and the accident is determined to be the driver's fault, then he or she could be held liable for the woman's wrongful death. If there was a dangerous condition at that intersection that caused this fatal pedestrian accident, the city or governmental agency responsible for maintaining that roadway could also be held liable. Any such claim against a California governmental entity must be properly filed within 180 days of the accident or injury. An experienced Los Angeles personal injury lawyerwill be able advise victims and their families in such cases about their legal rights and options.

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.

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