Police Officers Injured in Los Angeles Car Accident
Two LAPD police officers sustained injuries in a Los Angeles car accident as they were responding to a report of a possible gang-related shooting in Hollywood. According to an Associated Press news report, the officers were crossing an intersection the afternoon of June 29, 2010, when they were hit by another vehicle. Both sustained injuries, but are expected to survive. It is not clear if anyone in the other car that was hit by the police cruiser was injured.
My heart goes out to these injured police officers who were obviously caught between getting to the scene of a shooting and dealing with traffic. Our police officers put their lives on the line every day. It is indeed fortunate that these two officers did not sustain major injuries and no other bystanders were seriously injured. This is yet another incident, which reminds us about how dangerous the job of a police officer can be. We recently wrote a post about how the California Highway Patrol is reeling from the death of five officers who all died in the line of duty in just the last one month. Tragic!
Los Angeles Car Accident Statistics
According to California Highway Patrol's 2008 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), there were 268 fatalities and 25,588 personal injuries involving car accidents in Los Angeles. In Los Angeles County as a whole, 667 people died and 52,229 were injured as a result of car accidents during the same year.
Circumstances of the Accident
Based on this news report, it is not clear how or why the street intersection collision between the cruiser and the other vehicle occurred. Who had the light at the intersection? Obviously the police car was responding to a shooting -- an emergency situation? Did the patrol car have its light and sirens on? Or did the other vehicle fail to yield to an emergency vehicle which had its lights and sirens on? I trust officials are looking into these and other issues in order determine exactly what occurred here and why.
Compensation Issues
Since the officers were on the job, they can receive workers compensation benefits from their employer to cover medical expenses and loss of wages. However, if this accident was the officers' fault, then the other injured party (if any) could file a personal injury claim against the LAPD seeking compensation. Under California Government Code section 911.2, any personal injury or wrongful death claim against a governmental agency must be filed within 180 days of the accident or injury. Experienced Los Angeles personal injury lawyers will be able to advise injured victims in such cases about their legal rights and options.
Have you had any close calls with emergency vehicles? Please share your experiences with us.
None of the parties mentioned in this article are represented by us at the time this article was posted. The source of our information is cited in the article. If you were involved in this incident and have questions as to your rights and options, call a reputable law firm for a consultation. Do not act solely upon the information provided herein. The BISNAR | CHASE personal injury law firm will provide free, confidential consultation to "not at fault" persons and their family members if you mention your source was the “Personal Injury Law Journal." They can be reached at 866-456-5235 during California business hours.
