California Injury Blog
Kelly Shimizu, 63, was killed in a Los Angeles car accident after she was struck in a crosswalk the morning of March 30, 2011. According to a CBS News report, the fatal pedestrian accident occurred at the intersection of Santa Monica Boulevard and Cotner Avenue in West Los Angeles. Police say Shimizu was walking in a marked crosswalk at the intersection when a big rig hit her. Officials say the trucker, a Whittier resident, may not have realized that he hit someone. An investigation is ongoing. Anyone who witnessed this fatal truck accident is asked to contact LAPD at 213-473-0222.
I offer my deepest condolences to the family and friends of Kelly Shimizu for their tragic and heartbreaking loss. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.
Pedestrian Accidents in Los Angeles
According to California Highway Patrol’s 2008 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS) 104 people died and 2,716 were injured due to pedestrian accidents in Los Angeles. Also, countywide, pedestrian accidents claimed 214 lives and injured 4,985 people during the same year.
Crosswalk Law
Based on this news report, the driver of the big rig struck the woman who was walking in a marked crosswalk. Motorists are required under the law to yield right-of-way to pedestrians walking in marked or unmarked crosswalks.
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.”
Claim for Compensation
I trust officials are also looking into whether distracted driving, fatigue or inattention played a part in this tragic pedestrian accident. If the truck driver is determined to have been at fault, he and his employer could be held liable for the wrongful death of Kelly Shimizu. In cases where negligence is involved, the family of a deceased accident victim can file a wrongful death claim seeking compensation for medical and funeral costs, lost future income, loss of love and companionship, and other related damages. Victims’ families would also be well-advised to seek the counsel of an experienced Los Angeles personal injury lawyer, who will stay abreast of the official investigation and make sure that their legal rights and best interests are protected.
Lost a family member in a Los Angeles County truck accident? Want to know your rights? Want to know what your case is worth? Want compensation? Want justice? Want to ensure the same thing doesn’t happen to another family?
Call your best friends in the legal industry after a fatal Los Angeles pedestrian accident. Call 800-259-6373. The call is free. The advice may be priceless.
Call a Bisnar Chase Personal Injury Attorneys Los Angeles wrongful death lawyer for a free professional evaluation of your rights by attorneys who have been representing families of deceased accident victims since 1978. You will experience award winning representation and outstanding personal service by a compassionate and understanding law firm in a comfortable environment.