Towards the end of January, a 69-year-old man suffering a broken arm when he was struck by the mirror of a truck. The man was crossing Linda Vista Road when a Ford F-150 traveling southbound clipped him.
“The pedestrian sustained a fractured left arm and head injuries as a result of the collision,” said SDPD police Sgt. Michael Tansey. The driver initially pulled into a parking lot and stopped, but then left the scene. He was located later by police and an investigation continues as to what happened in this accident.
At Hiden, Rott & Oertle, LLP, we think this story highlights some important things for pedestrians in San Diego. First, crosswalks and intersections always need to be used to prevent any unnecessary confusion for drivers. In this case, the man struck was outside of the crosswalk. Second, drivers need to be vigilant at all times. If you need a San Diego pedestrian accident attorney, you can count on us to be by your side.
WHAT CAN HAPPEN
So many people do not think about pedestrian accidents as being a problem across the state. That is why they are so shocked when they are shown the numbers from California’s Office of Traffic Safety. When we look at the latest reporting year in California, we see that there were over 14,000 pedestrian accident injuries. The problems are more prevalent in and around major metropolitan areas like San Diego.
Most pedestrian accidents happen due to the negligence of other drivers. Many cases, a person is using a designated crosswalk or intersection when they are struck. Sometimes, a vehicle even strikes a person on the sidewalk or in a parking lot. These incidents are often unpredictable for the pedestrian and cause serious injuries.
When the human body is struck by a vehicle that weighs thousands of pounds, it usually suffers from two impacts – one with the vehicle and the other with the ground. Due to this, along with having no protection, we commonly see pedestrians suffer from the following in the aftermath of a crash:
- Spinal cord injuries
- Traumatic brain damages
- Broken or dislocated bones
- Severe lacerations or amputations
- Crush injuries
All of these injuries are severe and can lead to massive medical bills. If a person needs long-term rehabilitation or is permanently disabled, the costs will grow exponentially.
Will you and your family be able to afford something like this without insurance covering the costs? What if the victim is unable to work and earn an income?
IF YOU ARE INJURED
If you or a loved one have been injured in a pedestrian crash that was caused by another person’s negligence, Hiden, Rott & Oertle, LLP is here to help. We will work tirelessly to secure the compensation you deserve for all of your incident-related expenses.
While you focus on healing, we will be handling insurance companies and other parties involved to get your medical expenses covered. Not only that, but we want to secure compensation for other hidden accident costs like lost income and benefits, pain and suffering damages, and possibly punitive damages. When you need a San Diego pedestrian accident attorney, you can contact us for a free consultation by calling at at our office.