Bicyclist Injured In Los Angeles Car Accident
A Los Angeles car accident that occurred on October 22, 2009 when a car struck a bicycle at a Castaic street intersection has resulted in injuries to the bicyclist, The Santa Clarita Signal reports. The accident happened as a 28-year-old woman driving on Diamond Lane in a 2000 Honda Accord attempted a left turn on to Lake Hughes Road. She then hit a 25-year-old man headed eastbound on his bicycle. The man suffered moderate injuries.
My sympathies go out to the injured victim in this bicycle-car crash. I sincerely hope he will recover quickly and completely from his injuries.
California Left Turn Law
California Vehicle Code section 21801(a) has specific requirements of drivers making a left turn and states: "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."
If this news account is accurate, the bicycle collided with the Honda causing damage to its right front bumper. Witnesses have apparently told California Highway Patrol officers the Honda driver had made a complete stop and looked both ways before proceeding through the intersection. The question to ask here is – Who had the right-of-way at this intersection? We do not know if this was an intersection has traffic lights or stop signs that required through traffic to stop. It may also be that the woman misjudged the speed of the oncoming bicycle when making that left turn. I trust investigators are looking into all the factors that may have caused this bicycle accident.
It seems to me, based on the news article, that the preliminary report finds the bicycle rider to be at-fault. In such cases, determining who is at fault usually depends on who had the right-of-way at the time. As a car accident lawyer, I have found preliminary reports to be erroneous on a number of occasions. If I were a family member of the injured victim here, I'd definitely want to find out if there was any negligence involved on someone else's part.
How a Personal Injury Lawyer Can Help
It is always in the best interest of injury accident victims and their families to enlist the services of a truly reputed Los Angeles personal injury lawyer to remain on their side and fight for their rights. A skilled lawyer will stay on top of the official investigation, determine who or what should be held responsible for the accident and secure fair compensation for the injured. The best car accident law firms will provide a comprehensive initial consultation at no charge to accident victims.
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.
