San Francisco, Ca ( November 11th 2017) – Teresa Gonzales, a South San Francisco resident was killed late Saturday night while crossing the street near the 200 block of El Camino Real. According to police reports, Ms. Gonzales was found lying unconscious in the street. Paramedics transported her to San Francisco General hospital, unfortunately she was pronounced dead upon arrival.
I wish to pause from answering reader questions this week to highlight that the California Legislature has proclaimed September as both “Rail Safety Month” and “Pedestrian Safety Month.”
Let’s start with the topic of rail safety. Unfortunately, California leads the nation in annual rail fatalities. Part of the reason why there are so many fatalities is the known fact that it is extremely difficult to judge the speed of an approaching train. A Caltrain commuter train can reach a top speed of 79 miles per hour. A locomotive with five passenger cars can take a quarter-mile or more for the train to make a full stop. The average freight train takes a mile or more to stop.
Milpitas, CA (September 19, 2016) – A pedestrian that was standing on a sidewalk was hit and killed on Sunday, September 18, 2016 at 9:45 am by a Subaru. The incident took place on the corner of the northbound I-880 off-ramp and the eastbound state highway 237. The Subaru also hit a utility box at the location and caused a traffic light to malfunction.
Woodside, CA (September 16, 2016) – A woman suffered critical injuries when she was struck by a silver Honda Fit in Woodside at about 3:30 p.m. on Thursday, September 15, 2016. The crash, reported by The Almanac, was just outside Woodside High School on Churchill Avenue. The Honda Fit was traveling east on Highway 84 when it struck another vehicle, proceeded onto the shoulder of the road and hit a woman in her mid-50s.
This week’s question comes from Angela T., who asks, “A Yellow Cab crashed into a group of pedestrians in front of my office the other day at Sansome and Sutter streets in the Financial District. It was terrible. The cab jumped the curb and smashed into pedestrians and a newsstand causing massive injuries. Who is responsible: Is it the driver, taxi company, owner of the newsstand or The City?”
Three people have been hospitalized with life-threatening injuries after aYellow Cab Cooperative taxi cab crashed into a newsstand on a sidewalk in San Francisco’s Financial District at 3:15 p.m. today, according to local news reports. For an unknown reason, the taxi cab left the roadway at Sansome and Sutter Streets, sped across the sidewalk, plowed through a newsstand and a shoe-shine stand, and struck two pedestrians. The taxi driver also suffered critical injuries.
When you’re a pedestrian, you should be aware that walking near roads and across intersections puts you at risk of being in an accident. If you’re hit, there’s a risk you could suffer serious injuries or be killed. While you can always seek compensation when a negligent driver hits you, it’s important to know the risks you face when you’re around local traffic. What’s the likelihood you’ll be injured in a crash?
When you lose a loved one in an accident, one of the things you can do is file a wrongful death lawsuit. The lawsuit is designed to help you recover costs associated with your loved one’s death as well as for the suffering he or she may have gone through. Whether it’s medical bills, funeral costs, or lost wages, the claim can be made to recover most reasonable expenses.
Matt G from Mill Valley asked the following question: “I am a bicyclist. It was wet on the roadway the other day and as I was coming down Market, near 11th Street, there are a series of railroad tracks in the road which my wheel got caught in causing me to fall and get serious road rash and significant bruising in my shoulder. This is really dangerous. Isn’t the City responsible to keep the roadway safe from these types of hazards? Can I sue Muni to try and get this changed?”
