California Injury Lawyer Blog

LA HABRA - A 20-year-old La Habra man was very tragically killed in a motorcycle accident Monday night, the San Gabriel Valley Tribune and Orange County Register reported. The motorcyclist, Bryan Hodges, died at the scene of the 5:22 p.m. crash on Euclid Street and Country Hills Drive, according to the Orange County Sheriff's Department press release. The initial investigation by law enforcement indicated that Hodges, along with another motorcyclist, was riding southbound on Euclid Street when a vehicle making a left turn from northbound Street Avenue onto Country Hills Drive pulled into the path of his motorcycle.

Cause of the La Habra Motorcycle Accident

The cause of this accident remains under investigation. However, if news reports of this July 11th incident are accurate, it appears that the teen driver making a left turn may be responsible for this accident. Under California Vehicle Code Section 21801: "The driver of a vehicle intending to turn to the left or to complete a U-turn upon a highway, or to turn left into public or private property, or an alley, shall yield the right-of-way to all vehicles approaching from the opposite direction which are close enough to constitute a hazard at any time during the turning movement, and shall continue to yield the right-of-way to the approaching vehicles until the left turn or U-turn can be made with reasonable safety."

Motorcycle Accident Wrongful Death Liability

If the investigation confirms that this fatal motorcycle accident was caused by the driver of the vehicle making a left turn, the family members of the victim may consider filing a wrongful death claim for the loss of the loved one. Following any fatal motorcycle accident, where negligence of another driver may have been a cause or factor, the family members of the victim would be well-advised to consider speaking with a California motorcycle accident attorney. A lawyer who understands the legal issues of left-turn accidents such as this one can advise the family of their legal rights told hold the responsible parties accountable, and their best course of action should they wish to pursue a wrongful death claim for damages, including funeral and burial expenses, future anticipated earnings the decedent would have earned over a lifetime, and loss of love, care, affection and companionship.