California Injury Blog
Four people were critically injured in a pedestrian accident in Los Alamitos in the afternoon of October 11, 2017. According to a news report in The Orange County Register, the incident occurred near the intersection of Ball Road and Bloomfield Street. It happened when a sedan crashed into the pedestrians who were standing on the sidewalk, then rammed a sign and came to rest at a Chase Bank drive-through.
All of the pedestrians were transported to area hospitals with critical injuries. The driver, a woman in her 30s, was also transported to a hospital for treatment. No other vehicles were involved in the crash. Traffic investigators are still looking into what caused this major injury pedestrian accident. No arrests or citations have been reported.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the seriously injured victims of this pedestrian accident. We wish them the very best for a speedy and complete recovery.
Pedestrian Accident Statistics
According to California Highway Patrol’s 2014 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), there were no fatalities but four injuries reported as a result of pedestrian accidents. In Orange County as a whole, 47 people died and 764 were injured due to pedestrian accidents during the same year.
What Caused This Crash?
Based on this news report, it appears that the driver lost control of her vehicle, went over the sidewalk and struck the pedestrians who were standing on the sidewalk. There are a number of unanswered questions here. What caused this crash? Was the driver under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs? Was she driving at an excessive rate of speed? Did she suffer a medical condition? Did distracted driving or inattention play a part in this collision? We trust officials are looking into these and other issues in order to determine precisely what occurred here and why.
Protecting Victims’ Rights
In such cases, at-fault or negligent motorists can be held liable for the injuries, damages and losses they cause. Injured victims can seek compensation for damages including medical expenses, lost income, hospitalization, cost of rehabilitative therapy, permanent injuries, disabilities, pain and suffering and emotional distress.
Victims in such cases would also be well advised to contact an experienced Orange County pedestrian accident lawyer who will stay abreast of the official investigation and protect their legal rights. The best personal injury law firms will always offer a free and comprehensive consultation and injured victims and their families.