Seaside Man Hires PLG Attorneys For Serious Car Accident Case
Seaside Man Hires PLG Attorneys For Serious Car Accident Case
Our firm was recently hired by a Seaside man who was seriously injured in a car accident. The client is a senior citizen and was over seventy years of age at the time of the crash. The crash occurred in Seaside, California earlier this year.
The client was travelling in Seaside when he proceeded through an intersection. The intersection was controlled by a four-way stop sign. Another driver failed to stop at the intersection and ran a stop sign. As a result, the other driver crashed into our client’s vehicle at a high rate of speed. The client suffered several serious injuries.
The Area Where the Crash Occurred
The crash occurred within the intersection of Broadway Avenue and San Lucas Street. Broadway Avenue is an east-west roadway with two lanes for each direction of travel. Broadway Avenue has a posted speed limit of 30 miles per hour.
San Lucas Street is a one way, one lane, north-southbound, roadway. The posted speed limit for San Lucas Street is 25 miles per hour. The intersection of Broadway Avenue and San Lucas Street is a four-way intersection and controlled by a fixed stop sign in all directions. The intersection is located in a residential/business area in the City of Seaside.
Details About the Seaside Car Accident
The client was travelling on San Lucas Street. He came to a full stop at the stop sign at the intersection of Broadway Avenue. He then proceeded forward and entered the intersection.
A driver travelling on Broadway Avenue failed to stop at the stop sign and collided with the client’s vehicle. The crash was high impact. Both vehicles were severely damaged.
The client was driving a 2013 Toyota Corolla. The at-fault driver was driving a 2013 BMW X5. The front left quarter panel of the client’s vehicle was impacted by the front of the BMW.
The 2013 BMW X5 weighed approximately 5,300 pounds. The client’s 2013 Toyota Corolla weighed approximately 2,700 pounds. As such, the at-fault driver’s vehicle weighed nearly twice as much.
Since the client’s vehicle weighed so much less, the force exerted on it caused it to move with great speed from the impact. Simply put, when a heavier vehicle hits a lighter vehicle, the acceleration on the light vehicle is much greater. This happened to our client. CLICK HERE to read a previous blog post explaining how forces work in a car accident.
The Scene Following the Crash
After the crash, the at-fault driver exited his vehicle and then lost consciousness. He was assisted by a good samaritan to the sidewalk. Upon the arrival of police, he was found laying on the sidewalk, dazed and confused and coming in and out of consciousness. He was later transported by paramedics to the hospital.
The client lost consciousness upon impact. When he came to, the client was unable to exit his vehicle. Due to the damage caused by the crash he was trapped inside his car. The police found him dazed and confused.
The client was eventually extricated from his vehicle with the help of firefighters. He was treated by paramedics at the scene. He was also transported by ambulance to a trauma center in Salinas.
The Investigation by the Seaside Police
The investigating officer concluded that the driver of the BMW X5 was at fault for causing the crash. This conclusion was made after examining the physical evidence and collecting witness statements. A witness stated that he saw the client come to a complete stop and then enter the intersection. The same witness told the officer that he then saw the BMW X5 run the stop sign and cause the crash.
The physical evidence showed tire marks in the intersection. The tire marks indicated that the BMW X5 collided with the Corolla and then pushed it 20 feet into the intersection. The tire marks showed that the collision occurred 5 feet east of the stop sign. The investigating officer concluded that the at fault driver was driving approximately 10 miles per hour over the posted speed limit. This was determined from how far the Corolla was pushed.
The investigating officer concluded that the at-fault driver violated California Vehicle Code 22450(A). This section sets forth “[t]he driver of any vehicle approaching a stop sign at the entrance to, or within, an intersection shall stop at a limit line, if marked, otherwise before entering the crosswalk on the near side of the intersection.” However, the at-fault driver was not cited.
The Injuries Suffered by the Client In The Car Accident
The client sustained multiple serious injuries from the crash. The client fractured ribs on both sides of his body. The client was diagnosed with a fractured sternum and three fractures in his pelvis bone. He also sustained fractures of the spinal process of multiple cervical vertebrae.
The client fractured ribs on both sides of his body. The client was diagnosed with a fractured sternum and three fractures in his pelvis bone. He also sustained fractures of the spinal process of multiple cervical vertebrae.
Two compression fractures were found in his thoracic spine. He sustained a closed head injury. He also experienced a large contusion and severe swelling of his right knee in the hours following the crash.
The client was also diagnosed with a vertebral artery occlusion. This means that the artery running in the spine by his neck was partially blocked. He also had a hematoma on his chest and trauma to his tongue.
The Medical Treatment Required Due to the Car Crash
The client was admitted to the intensive care unit at the trauma center. He was hospitalized there for several nights where he was monitored for his physical and neurological injuries. Eventually, he was discharged.
Following his discharge, the client received in-home therapy. This included physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy. The client had numerous follow up appointments with specialists including orthopedic surgeons and neurosurgeons. The client is continuing to treat for his life-changing injuries.
The Personal Injury Damages the Client is Entitled To
The client hired our car accident attorneys to handle his car accident case. Our car accident attorneys are working on recovering as much compensation as possible for the client. These damages include: pain and suffering, emotional distress, past medical expenses and future medical expenses.
Hire an Experienced Car Accident Attorney Today
If you or a loved one was seriously injured in a car accident, or due to the fault of another, contact the Piccuta Law Group today. Our personal injury attorneys have decades of experience handling serious injury cases. We routinely win cases in court and at trial.
We have achieved significant high value settlements and trial victories. This includes multiple seven and eight figure results on serious injury cases. Do not trust your serious injury case to an attorney who lacks the credentials and track record to handle it. A consultation is free and you pay nothing unless we deliver a result and recover compensation for you.
About the author: The content on this page was written by California personal injury attorney and civil rights lawyer Charles “Tony” Piccuta. Piccuta graduated with honors from Indiana University-Maurer School of Law in Bloomington, Indiana (Previously ranked Top 35 US News & World Report). Piccuta took and passed the State bars of Arizona, California, Illinois and Nevada (all on the first try). He actively practices throughout California and Arizona. He is a winning trial attorney that regularly handles serious personal injury cases and civil rights lawsuits. He has obtained six and seven figure verdicts in both state and federal court. He has been recognized by Super Lawyers for six years straight. He is AV Rated by Martindale Hubble. He is a member of the Consumer Attorneys of California, American Association for Justice, National Police Accountability Project, Arizona Association of Justice, and many local county and City bar associations.
Disclaimer: The information on this web site is attorney advertising and is for informational purposes only. It does not constitute legal advice. Reading and relying upon the content on this page does not create an attorney-client relationship. If you are seeking legal advice, you should contact our law firm for a free consultation and to discuss your specific case and issues.
References:[1] https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=VEH§ionNum=22450
