Los Angeles Injury Attorney Blog

RANCHO CUCAMONGA - A 55-year-old woman was tragically killed in an accident in a Stater Bros. parking lot Wednesday afternoon, the Press Enterprise and Contra Costa Times reported. According to news accounts, the victim, identified by the San Bernardino County Sheriff-Coroner as Claudia Jaunzemis, was walking out of the shopping center at 19th Street and Archibald Avenue when the driver of an Astro Van parked in a handicapped spot was backing up. The driver of the van then accelerated forward and struck the parking stop and then onto a parked Oldsmobile. The force caused the van to tip over, onto Jaunzemis. Jaunzemis was rushed to San Antonio Community Hospital where she died at 3:05 p.m.. The driver of the Astro Van, Mary Mellard, 76, told investigators she does not remember anything. She was taken to a hospital with minor injuries after being extricated from her van.

Cause of the April 27th Accident

Based on the news reports, it appears that Jaunzemis could have done nothing to avoid being struck. Hopefully, the investigation by the Sheriff's Department will reveal exactly what happened, and why. It is possible that this accident simply occurred because the driver was no longer capable of driving. As many accidents have demonstrated, medical conditions like dementia, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's Disease, poor vision, loss of sensation, and even prescription medications can contribute to serious accidents resulting in catastrophic injury or death caused by aging drivers.

Parking Lot Accident Liability

Pedestrians are occasionally victims of very serious accidents in parking lots. Last year, a 40-year-old man was run over by a 86-year-old driver in the parking lot of a Costco Warehouse store in San Diego, and suffered major injuries. (Estey Bomberger is representing the victim in that case). Store parking lot pedestrian accidents have unique legal issues, and more than one party may be responsible. Following an accident such as this one, the family members of the victim would be well-advised to speak with a California wrongful death attorney about the family's rights in a wrongful death claim. The victim's family may be entitled to damages from whoever is responsible for their loss, including final medical care costs, funeral and burial expenses, lost earnings, and loss of love, care, affection and companionship.