3 Children Injured in Los Angeles Hit and Run Accident

Tuesday, November 8th, 2011

On October 29^th three young children were struck by a car which then left the scene.  The boys were only 4 and 6 years old.  Their sister was the oldest at 11 years old.  The three children were all taken to a local hospital.  None of the children sustained life threatening injuries.

It is unbelievable that any driver could be so cold-hearted as to leave the scene after injuring three children.  They driver may have fled in terror of the consequences, but has just increase their problems dramatically.  The driver can now be tried his actions under the California Vehicle Code.  They may discover their days of driving freely about the community have been replaced with walking around a courtyard in an orange jumpsuit.

The Continuing Pain for the Family

The second part of this tragedy is on the financial side.  In an accident of involving pedestrians the driver’s auto insurance is often responsible for paying for the medical costs.  At this time the family of the children is facing a major financial challenge through no fault of their own.  Even with a fast recovery the cost will be thousands of dollars.

Usually we think about talking to an attorney about a car accident if we were the driver.  In this case the family could consult with the attorney in preparation for the day the local authorities find the criminal responsible.  The attorney can help in determining fault and what legal course of action can best help the family avoid the financial hardship facing them.

We must all hope and pray the children recover rapidly and with no permanent problems.   At the same time we can add a prayer for justice to find the driver.  His actions should be paid for.

The Hunt Continues

The Los Angeles law enforcement community is continuing the search for the driver and has called upon citizens to try and help them.  Anyone who suspects they know who the driver might be should contact either the main Los Angeles Police Department or talk to a local officer.

Sadly, this type of accident occurs far too frequently throughout California and the nation.  Just two years ago the state reported 179 deaths from pedestrian accidents in Los Angeles County.  4918 additional people were injured in car accidents involving pedestrians.

These statistics are staggering.   Remember to always stay alert when you are out driving.  You never know when a child or adult may step out from behind a parked car or come running into the street. Make sure you do not exceed the speed limit in residential areas and pay special attention around schools and playgrounds.  Remember on rainy or snowy days to slow down even more.  Your ability to stop quickly will be greatly reduced.

If you are ever in an accident involving a pedestrian stop immediately and give aid.  You can deal with all other consequences later with the aid of an personal injury attorney.  Driving away is not only illegal, but will leave you emotionally scarred for life.

Posted in accident attorneys | No Comments »

Navy Man Dies in Multiple Car Accident

Tuesday, November 8th, 2011

Last week Thursday four cars were involved in a major accident on State Route 15 near Ocean Boulevard.  A man enlisted in the Navy was driving his Jeep Cherokee SUV at high speed down the highway.  In an unusual driving maneuver, the driver turned right suddenly and lost control of the Jeep.  The Jeep rammed into the side of a Honda Civic and then smashed into the rear of Cadillac De Ville.  The impact caused the Cadillac to collide with a Toyota Corolla.

Due to the high-speed impact the Jeep flipped landing on top of the Cadillac.  The drives in all 4 cars were men with 3 of them being in the military.

The unnamed driver of the Jeep was pronounced dead on the scene.  Two of the other drivers sustained injuries.  The only uninjured driver was in the Honda Civic, the first car hit.  The driver of the Toyota was complaining about both neck and head pain before being transported to a local hospital.  The driver of the Cadillac was also being evaluated and treated for possible neck and head injuries.

This deadly crash is certain to have started an avalanche of investigative work and legal wrangling.  The insurance companies for all four drivers will be trying to determine responsibility for paying for damages and medical costs.  It just makes sense.  They do not want to spend money they do not need to spend.

Now here is an important question for us to consider when we think about this accident.  Was the single navy man in the Jeep the only one responsible?  Should his insurance company be the only one to pay for all of the damages?  His Jeep never hit the Toyota Corolla.

Those are questions most of us have no answer for and hope we never need to know.  What would you do if you were the driver of one of those other cars and an insurance company called you and started asking questions?   Would you answer them?

When an insurance adjuster from one of the other companies shows up at your door and hands you papers to sign what should you do?  You want the money.  You desperately want to get your car fixed and to pay for your medical bills.  Have you ever stopped to think about what happens when you sign those papers?

Often in the midst of all the confusion someone signs a paper which gets them a check.  When they signed those papers they may have just guaranteed they will not get another cent of money even if there are more damages discovered on their car or they have physical problems which show up later for the accident.

Making decision on the spur of the moment without consulting an wrongful death attorney can leave you financially vulnerable.  Take a few extra hours or days to get everything done right and make sure you really get the settlement you deserve.  If you are not 100% sure of what is put in front of you do not take a risk.  It is painful enough to overcome an auto accident.  You do not want to overcome a lapse in judgment, too.

Tags: Wrongful death
Posted in Personal Injury, Wrongful death | No Comments »