A pedestrian who was killed in a hit-and-run car accident the morning of September 24, 2010 has been identified as 46-year-old Dennis Allen Bergren. The Monterey Herald reports that the fatal hit-and-run happened on Cattlemen Road near Highway 198 when Bergren was struck by a black Nissan Altima. Officials say the car possibly had three men in it. All the occupants abandoned the vehicle and fled the scene of the crash. No further description of the men is available. More

A South San Francisco man identified as 25-year-old Juan Francisco Navarro Flores was fatally injured in a pedestrian accident on Highway 101 early morning on June 5, 2010. According to a Bay City News report, the fatal collision occurred on the Sierra Point Parkway off-ramp in Brisbane. The driver fled the scene of the accident. But other drivers passing by apparently saw the collision, pulled over and called 911. Flores died at the scene. If you witnessed this incident or have any information about the suspect or vehicle, please call California Highway Patrol at 510-286-6923. So far, no vehicle description has been made available.

I offer my heartfelt sympathies to everyone who knew and loved Flores for their devastating loss. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.

Accident Statistics

There were eight fatalities and 250 injuries involving pedestrian accidents in San Mateo County in 2008, according to CHP's traffic accident statistics. Also, countywide, 36 people died and 2,673 were injured as a result of car accidents during the same year.

Hit-and-Run Laws

Leaving the scene of an accident or hit-and-run is a serious crime under California law. According to California Vehicle Code 20001 (a): "The driver of a vehicle involved in an accident resulting in injury to a person, other than himself or herself, or in the death of a person shall immediately stop the vehicle at the scene of the accident."

The law requires motorists to stop immediately after an accident, remain at the scene of the accident, exchange important information such as insurance, driver's license and other contact details and most importantly, obtain medical aid for the injured victim. Drivers are required to remain at the scene, regardless of whose fault the accident was. In this particular case, the motorist chose to drive away. I trust he or she will be apprehended and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

Claim for Compensation

Families of deceased car accident victims, in such cases, would be well-advised to contact an experienced San Francisco personal injury lawyer who will stay abreast of the official investigation and make sure that the family's legal rights and best interests are protected. A skilled car accident lawyer will also be able to determine whether a dangerous or defective roadway condition caused or contributed to this accident. If that was the case the city or governmental agency responsible for maintaining the roadway could also be held liable. Please remember that any such claim against a public entity in California must be properly filed within 180 days of the accident or injury.

What are some of the most dangerous roadways for pedestrians in your city or neighborhood?

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.

A $75,000 reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest of a hit-and-run driver who struck a 14-year-old girl and her 3-year-old niece as they crossed Main and 43rd streets in Los Angeles on December 28, 2009. The impact of the crash threw both girls about 40 feet from where they were hit. They suffered serious injuries. The only information police have so far is that the driver was a woman in an older, two-door, white sedan with a stop lamp in the middle of the back window. Anyone with information is asked to contact LAPD detectives Jose DeLeon or Josephine Mapson at 213-972-1845. More

TriMet is considering changing its left turn policy after a recent fatal pedestrian accident when a TriMet bus struck a group of pedestrians in Northwest Portland. According to a KGW news report, the driver turned left from NW Glisan onto Broadway when she struck five people. Two pedestrians – Jenee Hammel, 26, and Danielle Sale, 22 – were pronounced dead at the scene of the April 25, 2010 crash. Hammel's 28-year-old brother, Ryan, and his sister-in-law, 23-year-old Jamie Hammel, sustained minor injuries. A fifth person, 22-year-old Erik Gittings, was seriously injured and transported to a local hospital.

I offer my deepest condolences to the families of the deceased victims. I also wish the injured victims the very best for a speedy and complete recovery. Please keep these injured victims and their families in your prayers.

Left Turns Involving Buses are Dangerous

A federal study shows that these types of accidents are more than twice as likely to occur during left turns. In cities such as Cleveland, transit administrators recently installed a vocal alert system to warn pedestrians and prevent such bus accidents. Some transit lines require their bus drivers to honk before turning. A few cities have even banned left hand turns. However, that is not an option for TriMet because of Portland's one-way streets. TriMet officials also have problems with verbal warning systems because there is already a lot of "ambient noise."

Officials are also concerned that pedestrians may get desensitized to hearing the warning. TriMet officials have said that they are reviewing their left turn policy and are considering requiring their drivers to honk as they make left turns. A grand jury will also hear testimony from safety experts and witnesses as the investigation into the fatal pedestrian accident continues.

Liability Issues

If I were a member of these victims' families, I would certainly want to know whether the bus driver's negligence or inattention caused or contributed to this tragedy. Was she impaired? Was she distracted by something? Was she driving recklessly? I trust the investigation is focused on all these issues and much more.

If the bus driver is determined to have been at fault, then the transit authority can be held liable for the wrongful deaths as well as injuries caused in this case. Injured victims can seek compensation to cover medical expenses, loss of earnings, hospitalization and therapy costs. Family members of deceased victims can file wrongful death claims and seek compensation for medical/funeral expenses, lost future earnings, loss of love and companionship, and other related damages. Also, in Oregon, any claim against a governmental entity must be filed within 180 days of the incident. An experienced Oregon personal injury lawyer will be able to advise victims and their families, in such cases, about their legal rights and options.

What suggestions do you have to make streets safer for pedestrians, especially on roadways where bus traffic is high?

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.

Police investigators in Culver City are asking for the public's help in locating a "person of interest" in connection with a hit-and-run Los Angeles car accident that killed 58-year-old Michaelene Clemons the night of Feb. 28, 2010. According to a CBS News report, the accident involving a recreational vehicle and the pedestrian occurred at the intersection of Century and Van Ness boulevards. Clemons was struck and killed while crossing the street in an unincorporated area of Los Angeles. More

A woman was critically injured in a Long Beach pedestrian accident the morning of March 3, 2010 after she was struck by a Metro Blue Line train. According to a news report in The Press Telegram, the woman, who was in her 40s, was hit by a southbound train on Long Beach Boulevard as it was approaching First Street. The woman sustained head injuries and was taken to a local hospital for treatment. Long Beach fire officials said the woman was unconscious and was pinned under the train when paramedics arrived at the scene. It took rescue workers about 10 minutes to free her. The cause of the accident is under investigation. More

A 12-year-old boy was hospitalized with serious injuries in a Los Angeles car accident after he was struck by a vehicle while riding his skateboard in a marked crosswalk in West Covina. According to a news report in the San Gabriel Valley Tribune, the injury pedestrian accident occurred the evening of February 4, 2010 at Sunset and Merced avenues. West Covina police said a preliminary investigation shows that the boy was riding his skateboard and texting on his cell phone just before the collision occurred. He was in a crosswalk, but officials say the boy may have crossed against a red light. The driver of the pickup that struck the boy was not cited or arrested. The child sustained injuries to his leg and head, but they are not believed to be life-threatening. More

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.
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A woman sustained serious injuries in an Orange County car accident after she was hit by a vehicle while walking across the road in Irvine, The Orange County Register reports. The female pedestrian, who has not yet been identified, was crossing at the intersection of Irvine Center Drive and Harvard Avenue on November 3, 2009 when she was struck by a Lexus ES350 sedan going west on Irvine Center Drive. Police are still investigating the incident. If you witnessed the Irvine personal injury accident, please call Irvine police at 949-724-7024.
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A 38-year-old woman who was struck and killed in a car accident in Riverside has been identified as Shengying Chen, the North County Times reports. The accident happened the night of October 30, 2009, as Chen was traveling on the southbound 215 Freeway in Menifee, California and her 1996 Toyota Corolla hit the center divider. Chen then got out of her car. Traffic on the southbound lanes slowed following Chen's crash. A Hyundai Tiburon driven by a 17-year-old driver had swerved his vehicle to avoid the cars ahead and ended up hitting the center divider and the pedestrian, Chen. Two other vehicles also crashed into the victim. The victim died from her injuries shortly after the pedestrian-car accident.
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