Los Angeles Injury Lawyer Blog

The L.A. Times reports that a 2-month-old boy has died after a car veered onto a sidewalk in downtown Los Angeles, running into the infant and his mother. The Los Angeles pedestrian accident occurred Thursday night on Spring Street, shortly after an Art Walk let out.

If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in a pedestrian accident, it is crucial to contact a Los Angeles pedestrian accident attorney as soon as possible to protect your rights and determine your next steps.

Here, initial reports indicate that a man accidentally hit the gas rather than the brake while trying to parallel park. The car then jumped onto the sidewalk, hitting the mother and child. The mother sustained serious injuries while the boy died after being placed on life support. Police indicate that the driver of the vehicle was not wearing shoes while he was trying to park and note that drugs and alcohol do not appear to be a factor in the accident.

Unfortunately even when pedestrians take precautions and do exactly what they should be doing - walk on sidewalks rather than streets, crossing within crosswalks and following general safety rules - accidents can and do happen. In fact, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Association (NHTSA) nearly 100,000 pedestrians are seriously injured or killed each year as the result of car/pedestrian collisions. Statistically, children and the elderly are the most likely to sustain serious injuries.

Continue reading "Los Angeles Pedestrian Accident Causes Kills Infant And Seriously Injures Mother " »

KTLA News reports that a jogger was stuck and killed this past weekend as she stopped to grab a dog that was darting into traffic.

Mara Steves was jogging late Sunday morning when the tragic accident occurred. She was kneeling beside the dog when two cars crashed nearby, one of them careening onto the sidewalk and hitting Steves. Steves is being remembered as a tireless community volunteer, always with a smile on her face.

If you or a loved one has been involved in a car accident or pedestrian accident, contact an experienced Los Angeles personal injury lawyer at once to evaluate your options. A knowledgeable attorney can begin investigating the accident and determine whether you may be able to recover for your injuries or damages. Where an accident involves a Los Angeles wrongful death, families may be able to seek compensation for their loss.

Continue reading "Laguna Niguel Women Killed In Pedestrian Accident While Helping Dog" »

A chain car accident claimed the life of a pedestrian and critically injured a motorist in a West Los Angeles intersection this past weekend. According to the L.A. Times, the crash occurred when a car headed southbound on Federal ran into a car headed eastbound on Santa Monica. The eastbound driver lost control of his vehicle, hitting and killing a pedestrian standing on the corner.

The car then continued in its path, striking a car stopped at a nearby gas station. Fortunately, the two people inside the stopped car were uninjured. The out of control vehicle came to a stop, and the driver was taken to the hospital was taken to the hospital in critical condition.

Continue reading "West Los Angeles Car Accident Kills Pedestrian" »

L.A. Now reports a 66-year-old man was killed in a pedestrian accident this past Thursday after being struck by a car as he was crossing Wilshire Boulevard in Santa Monica. The driver, a 19-year-old man, was traveling westbound when he struck the man in the crosswalk.

Cross-walks and other rights-of-way are often the most dangerous spots for pedestrians due to distracted drivers who may not notice walkers in the roadway. Unfortunately, in car/pedestrian collisions, the results are often fatal for the walker.

Santa Monica has earned the dubious distinction as leading the state in pedestrian fatalities and injuries.

Continue reading "Santa Monica Pedestrian Accident Ends Tragically" »

L.A. Now reports that a woman was charged Tuesday in a fatal car accident that killed an 80-year-old pedestrian. The woman was texting at the time she drove through a stop sign, killing the man as he was crossing in a crosswalk.

The Mayor noted that the charges reflect an "epidemic" of distracted motorists and accidents involving pedestrians in Glendale.

Sadly, distracted driving continues to plague communities in the L.A. area and throughout California and the nation. Despite laws banning cell phone usage unless "hands-free" and prohibiting texting, the practice continues, especially among younger drivers.

Continue reading "Glendale Pedestrian Accident Caused By Distracted Driving" »

NBC Los Angeles reports that the LAPD will now be ticketing jaywalkers in an effort to reduce pedestrian accidents. Officers will be issuing $190 tickets if you cross against the light.

The tickets come as the result of three car accidents and a pedestrian accident that occurred between November 25 and December 31st last year as the result of individuals jaywalking. LAPD notes that the ticketing measure is both to enforce and educate people about pedestrian accident dangers.

Being a pedestrian in L.A. can be dangerous - even when pedestrians have the right of way, cross-walks can be very dangerous. When you mix in people crossing mid-street, against traffic lights and distracted drivers, serious accidents can happen in an instant. It is not always clear who is at fault in such instances.

Raising awareness about the dangers of jaywalking is a positive step. Whether ticketing jay-walkers will reduce the number of accidents remains to be seen.

Continue reading "Measure Aimed At Reducing L.A. Pedestrian Accidents" »

According to theLos Angeles Times, an 89 year-old woman and her daughter were killed over the weekend in the Leimert Park neighborhood of Los Angeles.

A near-by car accident sent a Volkswagen Beetle onto the corner where they were standing, hitting the two woman. Both pedestrians died shortly thereafter. The traffic accident is still under investigation, but initial reports indicate that the driver of the Beetle ran into a pick-up truck that failed to yield.

Unfortunately, when pedestrian/car accidents occur, the results often include serious injuries and fatalities. National Highway Traffic Association (NHTSA) statistics indicate that nearly 100,000 pedestrians are seriously killed or injured each year as the result of car/pedestrian injuries - with children and the elderly most likely to sustain serious injuries.

Although often car/pedestrian accidents occur because of driver negligence, many factors may be at play - including poorly designed roadways, blind curves and street obstructions.

Continue reading "Leimart Park Car Accident Kills Mother And Daughter" »

An unfortunate result of Halloween is the dramatic increase in pedestrian/car accidents. At least one accident was reported in South Los Angeles, where a three-year-old and her mother were injured while out trick-or-treating.

According to L.A. Now the girl was critically injured and her bucket of candy spread across the street after the accident. Her mother suffered minor injuries. The driver of the car fled the scene and appeared to be speeding.

Some local insurance companies estimate that the number of accidents increases by nearly 25% on Halloween. When a car hits a pedestrian, the injuries are often serious, if not fatal. Common injuries include head and brain injuries, back injuries and broken bones.

Continue reading "South Los Angeles Girl And Mother Injured In Trick-or-Treat Car Accident " »

A 16-year-old junior from Notre Dame High School in Sherman Oaks was killed Tuesday by a hit and run driver who was later detained. The boy was part of the cross-country team and was jogging through a nearby neighborhood.

Jogging through Los Angeles can be dangerous in many neighborhoods due to the lack of sidewalks or paths to train on. In fact, most cross-country training takes place on streets, and joggers must be cautious about cars. Likewise, drivers must use adequate caution - crosswalks and other rights-of-way are often the most dangerous spots for pedestrians due to distracted drivers who fail to notice joggers, walkers, skateboarders or even bicyclists in the roadway.

The Sherman Oaks hit and run is not the first runner/driver accident. Last October, a runner from North Hill Monroe was seriously injured when a driver ran a red like and struck him. The Sherman Oaks coach was also inured when he was hit be by a car as a runner for Cal State Northridge. He was thrown 50 feet and injured his back.

Whenever pedestrians and joggers share roadways with cars, the risk of serious injury exists - even when the pedestrian has the right of way.

Continue reading "Sherman Oaks Hit And Run Accident Kills Area Runner" »

Despite Santa Monica's bike friendly attitude - or perhaps as a direct result of the number of bicyclists - ridng in Santa Monica can be dangerous. In fact, Santa Monica ranks third highest for number of collisions involving bicyclists in the state.

Worse yet, it took the number one spot for pedestrian accidents, with more occurring in Santa Monica than 102 other comparable California cities.

In 2008, 110 serious bike accidents were reported and 105 serious pedestrian accidents. These accidents resulted in traumatic brain and spinal cord injuries, broken bones, as well as back, neck and head injuries.

As stated by a Parks and Recreation Commission member, "That Santa Monica should rank so highly in accidents is so disappointing...They're just horrifying numbers. " He added, "We have to do more to make our streets safe for bicyclists."

As a Southern California personal injury attorney, I agree. Far too many accidents occur in Santa Monica and other cities and towns throughout California as a result of driver distraction, DUIs, or simply failing to obey traffic rules.

Hopefully this study will serve as a wake up call to make Santa Monica streets safer for bicyclists, pedestrians, and drivers alike.

Continue reading "Santa Monica Top In Bicycle and Pedestrian Accidents" »