A San Diego truck accident that occurred the morning of December 18, 2009, has left a 24-year-old bicyclist seriously injured, the San Diego Union-Tribune reports. The major injury accident occurred at the intersection of Orange and Fairmount avenues in the City Heights area of San Diego. A semi-trailer apparently made a right turn from Orange on to Fairmount Avenue. The bicyclist, who was riding on the right side of the semi, got pinned under the right front tire of the big rig. He sustained major injuries to his lower body. The injuries are thankfully not life-threatening.
I sympathize with this bicycle accident victim who has clearly sustained serious injuries. I hope that his injuries are not catastrophic and that he recovers from them quickly and completely. This injured victim and his family will be in my prayers.
San Diego Bicycle Accidents
According to the California Highway Patrol's 2007 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), there were four deaths and 392 injuries involving bicycle accidents in the city of San Diego. Countywide, 11 fatalities and 797 injuries were reported during the same year due to bicycle accidents.
Right-of-Way Issues
If the details of this news report are accurate, it is clear that the driver of the big rig did not see the bicyclist at the intersection. This is something that happens quite commonly at intersections. For example, drivers of large trucks or even pickup trucks or SUVs fail to see oncoming motorcycles, bicycles or pedestrians at intersections. Sometimes, the driver of a larger vehicle waiting to make a turn is just not looking out for a smaller vehicle or a pedestrian. In this particular case, I'd question whether the truck was even legally allowed to be on that city roadway.
Who is Liable?
If there was a dangerous condition at this intersection, the city of San Diego or the governmental agency in charge of maintaining this roadway could also be held liable for the bicyclist's serious injuries. Any such claim, against a California governmental agency, must be properly filed within 180 days of the accident or injury. In this particular case, if the driver of the semi-truck is found to be at fault then, he and his employer, the trucking company, could be held liable for the bicyclist's personal injuries. An experienced San Diego personal injury lawyer will be able to better explain, to victims, about their legal rights and options.
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.
In this type of accident,only injury lawyer can help to handle this kind of situation.