Covina Accident Leaves Girl With Fatal Injuries

A tragic automobile accident in Covina early Monday morning has left a teenage girl dead from the injuries she sustained.  According to a news report by KTLA, one of two young girls hospitalized after they were hit by a car near Gladstone High School succumbed to her injuries while at County USC Medical Center.  The accident happened at 6:44 a.m. at Lark Ellen Avenue and Tudor Street, an intersection some residents say needs a traffic light.  The girls, about 14 years old, were apparently struck while in a crosswalk on Lark Ellen by a 2007 Honda Civic traveling at about 30 miles per hour southbound on the street.  The other young girl is still in critical condition.


See the KTLA news story HERE.


From a Google maps view of the intersection, it appears the roadway is relatively flat and the view of drivers unobstructed on Lark Ellen.  However, there is no traffic light on any of the four corners, and it looks as though vehicles could reach a relatively high rate of speed while traveling through that intersection.  In addition to the lack of a traffic control signal, there is most likely an element of driver inattention in this case.  Depending on the precise area of impact, it is hard to imagine the girls could not be seen in the crosswalk for some distance prior to the point of impact.  Assuming the Honda was traveling 30 miles per hour, there should have been ample time to see two pedestrians and avoid a collision, particularly when those pedestrians would have been visible from more than one hundred feet away, given the roadway is straight and flat.  At just one hundred feet, a driver traveling at 30 miles per hour has more than 2 full seconds to perceive the potential collision and react to avoid it.


Compensation for the victims of automobile accidents caused by careless drivers and/or dangerous roadways should be an important concern for all Californians. When a driver operates their vehicle in such a manner to cause or contribute to the happening of a serious or fatal accident, they should be held accountable.  Likewise, when a dangerous roadway contributes to the occurrence of a motor vehicle accident, the public entity should be held accountable.  An Orange County auto accident attorney with experience at handling such cases can make a fair assessment of these claims. Mr. Ralph has more than 20 years of experience handling Orange County automobile accident cases, including those involving wrongful death. He can be reached at 714-919-4415 for a FREE CONSULTATION.


Have you or a loved one been injured or killed in a motor vehicle accident caused by a negligent driver and/or a dangerous roadway?


Nothing in this post is intended to suggest the Law Offices of Paul W. Ralph currently represents anyone involved in the news story above. This posting should not be construed as legal advice or an opinion on the merit of any particular matter. A consultation is the best way to obtain an assessment of your potential case.

Gardena Hit-And-Run Accident Proves Fatal

A driver traveling westbound on Rosecrans Avenue in Gardena struck a pedestrian crossing the street on Sunday night.  According to KTLA news, the pedestrian, a woman who has yet to be identified, was hit by a grey, 4-door  Honda Civic that did not stop.  The victim was taken to a local hospital following the accident, but she later succumbed to her injuries.  The accident happened around 9 p.m. Saturday night on Rosecrans, between Budlong and Normandie avenues.

The vehicle may have front end damage and the driver's door is missing.  The Civic is believed to have been occupied by two passengers at the time of the accident.  The police have asked that anyone with information call them at (310) 217-6183 or (310) 217-6135.

See the KTLA news story and video HERE.

This type of accident is both tragic and frustrating.  The driver of the Civic had an obligation, regardless of fault, to stop at the scene of the accident and render assistance to the pedestrian.  It is entirely possible that if the driver had complied with their legal obligation, the pedestrian might have survived.  Under California law, the driver of a car involved in a collision must render to any person injured in the accident reasonable assistance, including transporting, or making arrangements for transporting, any injured person to a physician, surgeon, or hospital for medical or surgical treatment if it is apparent that treatment is necessary or if that transportation is requested by any injured person.

Compensation for the victims of hit and run accidents should be an important concern for all Californians.  When a driver negligently or recklessly causes an injury or fatal accident and then flees the scene, they should be held criminally and civilly accountable.  An Orange County personal injury lawyer with experience at handling such cases can make a fair assessment of these claims.  The first step in recovering compensation for the victim is to seek appropriate legal representation.  Mr. Ralph has more than 20 years of experience handling personal injury and wrongful death cases, including just this type.  He can be reached at 714-919-4415 for a FREE CONSULTATION.

Have you or a loved one been injured in a hit-and-run automobile accident?

• Nothing in this post is intended to suggest the Law Offices of Paul W. Ralph currently represents anyone involved in the news story above. This posting should not be construed as legal advice or an opinion on the merit of any particular matter. A consultation is the best way to obtain an assessment of your potential case.

Pedestrian Critically Injured Near Long Beach Courthouse

At about 1: 30 p.m. yesterday, a 66-year-old Long Beach man was struck by an SUV while crossing a street in Long Beach near the courthouse.  According to a story in the Long Beach Press Telegram, the man was trying to cross Magnolia Avenue, between Ocean Boulevard and Broadway, when the accident occurred.

Citing official police sources, the Press Telegram reported that the preliminary investigation found the woman driving the SUV had stopped for pedestrians walking in the crosswalk   It has not yet been determined whether the victim was also in the crosswalk at the time of the accident.. The injured man was rushed from the scene to a local hospital, where he remains in critical condition.

Anyone with information is urged to call Accident Investigation's Detective Richard Birdsall, at 562-570-7355.

See the Press Telegram news story HERE.

Assessing responsibility for an accident like the one above almost always requires a careful analysis of vehicle speed and a sight-distance analysis.  In other words, a key issue is whether the pedestrian was visible in the roadway for such a length of time that the driver could have taken action to avoid the accident.  Such an analysis demands careful consideration of the precise point of impact in the roadway as well as whether the driver was subjected to any type of visual obstruction or impairment.  For example, if the pedestrian was only visible to the SUV driver for one second prior to the impact, then responsiblity for the collision may not rest with the driver.  Generally, perception to reaction time is approximately 1.5 to 2 seconds and, depending on the speed of the vehicle and the distance at which the driver could have first seen the pedestrian, the driver may not have had sufficient opportunity to observe the pedestrian.  In addition to that analysis, the driver's speed and whether it was reasonable under the prevailing conditions may impact the ultimate determination of fault.

Compensation for pedestrian victims of automobile accidents, caused by a driver’s negligence, should be an important concern for all Californians.  When a driver’s inattention causes him to strike a pedestrian, they should be held accountable.  An Orange County injury attorney with experience at handling such cases can make a fair assessment of these claims.  Mr. Ralph has more than 20 years years of experience handling auto versus pedestrian accident cases, including just this type.  He can be reached at 714-919-4415 for a FREE CONSULTATION.

Have you or a loved one been injured in a pedestrian versus motor vehicle accident?

• Nothing in this post is intended to suggest the Law Offices of Paul W. Ralph currently represents anyone involved in the news story above.  This posting should not be construed as legal advice or an opinion on the merit of any particular matter.  A consultation is the best way to obtain an assessment of your potential case.