Los Angeles Injury Attorney Blog

An 89-year-old woman and her daughter, believed to be in her 60's, tragically died Saturday after they were struck by a vehicle at a Leimert Park intersection, the Los Angeles Times reported. The accident occurred at the intersection of Crenshaw Boulevard and Coliseum Street at about 3:30 p.m. According to news reports, a Volkswagen Beetle travelling north on Crenshaw Boulevard collided with a southbound 1998 Chevrolet pickup truck attempting a left turn onto Coliseum Street. The impact of the collision hurled the Volkswagen Beetle onto the corner of the intersection where the two women were standing. The mother died at a nearby hospital shortly after the accident, and her daughter died later that night. Neither driver had any visible injuries, according to police. None of the parties were immediately identified.

Cause of the Leimert Park Pedestrian Accident

The LA Times reported that the driver of truck received a traffic citation for failing to yield to the right of way of the Volkswagen Beetle. If news reports are accurate, it sounds as though the driver of the pickup truck may be responsible for causing this accident that caused the deaths of two innocent pedestrians. The law pertaining to left turns is stated in California Vehicle Code Section 21801: "The driver of a vehicle intending to turn to the left or to complete a U-turn upon a highway, or to turn left into public or private property, or an alley, shall yield the right-of-way to all vehicles approaching from the opposite direction which are close enough to constitute a hazard at any time during the turning movement, and shall continue to yield the right-of-way to the approaching vehicles until the left turn or U-turn can be made with reasonable safety."

Pedestrian Accident Wrongful Death Liability

While the cause of this accident remains under investigation, the family members of the two victims of this crash may benefit from consulting a knowledgeable and experienced Los Angeles wrongful death attorney who understands the unique legal issues of pedestrian bystander accidents. A lawyer who has represented numerous families of victims of fatal pedestrian accidents can help the victims' families understand and protect their legal rights to hold the at-fault driver and any other responsible parties accountable for causing this devastating incident. In the event the driver did not have insurance, a lawyer may be able to help the families obtain wrongful death compensation from the victims' own insurance policy, if they had one.