California Injury Blog
A 25-year-old woman who was sunbathing on the beach in Venice was run over and injured by a lifeguard SUV.
According to a KTLA news report, the incident occurred the afternoon of September 15, 2014.
Officials say a lifeguard was responding to a call about swimmers getting close to the rocks. The SUV had used lights and sirens when the lifeguard initially arrived at the location.
But the lights and sirens were off as he was leaving and that’s when
the SUV struck the sunbathing woman.
The injured victim was hospitalized at a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Officials said they did not know exactly where on the beach the woman had been lying when she was struck. They say the woman’s husband was swimming in the ocean as she was lying on the sand.
This incident follows a May crash in which a county Department of Beaches and Harbors worker drove over a 49-year-old female sunbather, also at Venice Beach. In February, a man was run over by a maintenance worker’s truck on the beach in Long Beach.
What Caused This Collision?
Based on this news report, the lifeguard SUV did not have lights and sirens on at the time although the lifeguard had turned out lights and sirens when he responded to a call in that part of the beach. There are still several unanswered questions here.
Why did the lifeguard fail to see the woman lying on the sand? What safety protocols do Los Angeles County lifeguards follow when driving on the beach? Do they have alarms in their vehicles that alert them about sunbathers? How fast was the lifeguard traveling at the time?
These are just some of the questions that must be asked and answered in such cases to determine precisely what happened and why.
Liability Issues
If it is determined that this accident was the lifeguard’s fault, then, both he and his employer can be held liable for the injuries and damages caused here.
The injured victim in this case can seek compensation for damages including medical expenses, lost wages, cost of hospitalization, rehabilitation, permanent injuries, pain and suffering and emotional distress.
Injured victims in such cases would also be well advised to contact an experienced Los Angeles personal injury lawyer who will stay abreast of the official investigation and ensure that their legal rights and best interests are protected.