San Gabriel police officials have identified an elderly woman who was killed in a Los Angeles car accident as 81-year-old Violet Fan. The fatal pedestrian accident, according to a news report in the Pasadena Star News, occurred on November 17, 2009 after a car struck her when she was crossing at the intersection of San Gabriel Boulevard and Live Oak Street. Fan sustained critical injuries and was transported to a local hospital. She succumbed to her injuries the morning of November 20, 2009. The driver, who stopped at the scene of the crash, has not been arrested or cited pending an investigation.

I offer my deepest condolences to the family and friends of Violet Fan, who have suffered a tragic and irreparable loss. My heart goes out to everyone who knew and loved this family. Fan and her loved ones will certainly be in my prayers.

Los Angeles Pedestrian Accident Statistics

There were two fatalities and 16 injuries involving pedestrian accidents in San Gabriel in 2007, according to California Highway Patrol's traffic accident statistics. In Los Angeles County, 210 people died and 5,095 were injured as a result of pedestrian accidents. Also, in Los Angeles County as a whole, there were 712 deaths and 56,475 injuries involving car accidents in 2007.

There are more questions than answers in this case. Was Fan walking in a crosswalk or at the intersection at the time of the crash? Did the driver of the vehicle fail to yield right-of-way to Fan? Was there a dangerous condition on the roadway or intersection, which may have caused or contributed to Fan's fatal injuries? Was the driver of the vehicle operating under the influence, driving too fast or driving or acting negligently at the time of the collision?

California Car Accident Laws

California law requires motorists to yield right-of-way to pedestrians who are legally walking in crosswalks. California Vehicle Code Section 21950 states: "The driver of a vehicle shall yield the right-of-way to a pedestrian crossing the roadway within any marked crosswalk or within any unmarked crosswalk at an intersection." The same section also states that the driver of a vehicle approaching a pedestrian within any marked or unmarked crosswalk "shall exercise all due care and shall reduce the speed of a vehicle or take any other action relating to the operating of the vehicle as necessary to safeguard the safety of the pedestrian."

If the car accident was caused as a result of the driver's failure to yield right-of-way, he could be held liable for the accident and injuries. If a dangerous or defective roadway caused or contributed to this fatal accident, the city or governmental agency responsible for maintaining that roadway could also be held liable. Any claim against a California governmental agency must be properly filed within six months of the accident or injury. A skilled Los Angeles personal injury lawyer will be able to thoroughly analyze the facts of this case and hold the negligent parties accountable.

We are not representing any of the parties mentioned in this article at the time the article was posted. Our information source is cited in the article. If you were involved in this incident or a similar incident and have questions as to your rights and options, call a reputable law firm. Do not act solely upon the information provided herein. Get a consultation. The best law firms will provide a free confidential consultation to "not a fault" persons named in this article and their family members.