MORENO VALLEY - A patient in an ambulance died Wednesday following a horrendous Riverside County car vs. ambulance crash that left five people injured, including two American Medical Response paramedics and two Cal Fire firefighters. The accident was reported shortly before 10:45 p.m., at the intersection of Ironwood Avenue and Pigeon Pass Road in Moreno Valley. The victim, a 47-year-old Moreno Valley woman, died at the scene of the crash. Along with the four responders, the driver of the car was also injured. The Riverside County Sheriff-Coroner identified the ambulance patient victim as Ann B. Layton.
This accident raises a number of questions, as the news reports in the Press-Enterprise provide only limited details of what happened. It is not clear if the ambulance had sirens activated, or how fast the vehicles were going when they collided. The cause of the incident remains under investigation.
Medical Transport Provider Wrongful Death Liability
Medical transport companies are considered "common carriers" - because they advertise their services to the general public and accept payment for their transportation services. Under the California Civil Code, "a carrier of persons for reward must use the utmost care and diligence for their safe carriage, must provide everything necessary for that purpose, and must exercise to that end a reasonable degree of skill."
Regardless of whether this accident was the fault of the ambulance driver, or the driver of the other vehicle, the family members of the victim may have legal rights to compensation for the loss of their loved one in this horrific crash.
After an accident such as this one, the family members of the victims may benefit from speaking to a lawyer who has represented victims of medical transport accidents and their families. Common carrier accidents have very unique legal issues, and it is important to understand the victim's family's legal rights and options. It is always advisable to talk to a Riverside personal injury lawyer before providing a statement to an insurance adjustor or accepting any insurance settlement offer. The family may be entitled to financial compensation for funeral and burial expenses, lost earnings and benefits, and loss of love, care, and companionship.
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