A car accident in Ventura involving a water truck and a car killed 22-year-old Alejandro Gonzalez and seriously injured his 55-year-old father, Bernardo Gonzalez Alfaro. The Ventura County Star reports that 43-year-old Arturo Cervantes was driving a water truck north on Pleasant Valley Road between Camarillo and Oxnard the morning of May 18, 2010 when he lost control after failing to notice traffic slowing ahead. The truck went over the double yellow lines of the roadway, into oncoming traffic lanes, and struck Gonzalez's car. Gonzalez died at the scene while Alfaro was transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
My heart goes out to this family, whose members are grieving the loss of a loved one and caring for another seriously injured family member. I offer them my deepest condolences and pray that Alfaro recovers quickly and completely from his injuries.
Ventura Car Accident Statistics
In Ventura County, 63 deaths and 3,785 injuries occurred involving car accidents in 2008, according to California Highway Patrol's Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS). In the unincorporated areas of Ventura county, 21 people died and 632 were injured as a result of car accidents in 2008.
Who Was at Fault?
If the details of this news report are accurate, it appears that Cervantes may have not paid attention to slowing traffic ahead. However, I trust investigators are looking into what cause the inattention. Was Cervantes impaired? Was he distracted by something? Was he speeding or otherwise negligent at the time of the accident?
If the truck driver is determined to have been at fault, both he and his employer could be held liable for Gonzalez's wrongful death and Alfaro's serious injuries. An experienced California personal injury lawyer will be able to analyze all aspects of the incident and make sure that the negligent parties are held accountable. In such cases injured victims could seek damages to cover medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering and other related expenses.
What advice would you offer to other drivers in terms of precautions to take on wet roadways?
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.
