California Injury Lawyer Blog

A Fresno man was taken to Community Regional Medical Center with life-threatening head injuries after he was struck by a vehicle in central Fresno on Tuesday night. The hit and run pedestrian accident occurred at about 6:45 p.m. Tuesday, on E. Belmont Avenue and North First Street. Fresno Action News reported the 30-year-old man was thrown about fifty feet following the impact. The driver of the vehicle that struck him did not stay at the scene. Fresno Police said they found the suspect's vehicle several blocks away, but did not find the driver.

Please keep the victim in your prayers as he has suffered very serious injuries. We hope that he makes a full and speedy recovery, and that the driver is located quickly or turns himself or herself in.

Leaving the scene of an accident is against the law. Under the California vehicle code, any accident that involves injury or death mandates that the driver must stop. When a driver leaves the scene of an accident causing property damage, injury or death, the incident is called a hit and run. Often, the party leaving the scene is the at-fault party, but not always. A hit and run can be either a criminal misdemeanor or felony, depending on the seriousness of accident and extent of injuries. The family of the man injured in this accident would be well-advised to consult with a Fresno pedestrian accident attorney for more information about the man's legal rights to compensation. If the driver is not located, the injured man may be able to obtain monetary damages for his injuries from his own insurance policy, if he has one.

Continue reading "Fresno Man Critically Injured in Hit and Run Pedestrian Accident " »

One person was killed and three people were injured in an unsafe passing accident on Highway 395 near Barstow. At about 8:15 p.m. Friday, Maureen Fisher, 50, of San Diego was driving northbound on Highway 395 near mile post marker 61 in Rural Helendale. An SUV passed her 2005 Honda Odyssey on the left.

Meanwhile, Justin Chang, 23, of Hacienda Heights was driving southbound. He swerved off the highway to avoid the oncoming SUV and then into the northbound lane of Highway 395. His 2007 Toyota Scion was then broadsided by Fisher's Honda Odyssey. The SUV that caused the collision was not struck, and did not stop at the scene. Justin Chang died at the scene of the crash. Fisher, and her two passengers, an 18-year-old and a 14-year-old, were all injured and taken to nearby hospitals. The California Highway Patrol is investigating this multi-vehicle accident.

Not stopping at the scene of an accident that you were a party to is against the law. Under the California Vehicle Code § 20001, "The driver of a vehicle involved in an accident resulting in injury to a person, other than himself or herself, or in the death of a person shall immediately stop the vehicle at the scene of the accident." It does not matter that the driver of the SUV did not physically collide with either of the two vehicles. He or she had a responsibility to stop at the scene. This driver could be facing hit and run and even possibly vehicular manslaughter charges. He or she is urged to contact law enforcement officials as soon as possible.

Continue reading "One Killed, Three Injured in Hwy 395 Crash January 15 Near Barstow " »

The California Highway Patrol is investigating the death of a man who was killed while walking on the side of Highway 1 last week near California State University Monterey Bay. The pedestrian, identified as David Armstrong, 50, of Seaside, was walking on the northbound side of Highway 1, north of Light Fighter Drive just before 8:30 p.m., when he was struck by a passing vehicle. Armstrong was then struck again by several other vehicles and died at the scene of the crash.

The CHP is attempting to identify all vehicles involved in the fatal hit-and-run accident. Several motorists contacted the CHP on Friday and said they had struck something but could not identify what it was. The cause of the accident remains under investigation. We hope that law enforcement will be able to identify the vehicle that struck David Armstrong, and understand the facts surrounding this tragic accident. Leaving the scene of an accident that results in injury or death is against the law, and there are no exceptions. According to Section 20002 of the California Vehicle code, [a] driver must stop and locate owner or person in charge and exchange driver documentation. If owner of damaged property cannot be located, the driver is not permitted to leave the scene of the accident until the following actions have been completed:a) Leave a note with facts surrounding the case and driver documentation information; or b) Report the accident to the California Highway Patrol (CHP) or local police." In this case, the driver should have stopped at the scene.

Continue reading "Seaside Man Struck and Killed on Highway 1 in Monterey County" »