Earlier this month an early-morning accident on the 805 freeway near North Park sprayed crash debris all over the highway, causing multiple accidents and leading to the serious injury of at least three people.
The initial car accident occurred at roughly 3:30 in the morning when a car hit a sign truck, littering the road with debris. Several other motorists were unable to avoid the wreckage, causing numerous additional accidents in the process.
The most serious accident victim may have been a man in a Camry who had pulled over on the shoulder to inspect for damages to his car after driving into some of the debris. He had exited his vehicle to look for exterior damage when a tractor trailer slammed into him, throwing him sideways before hitting his car.
The resulting rescue and cleanup effort took California Highway Patrol and rescue responders hours and many other vehicles were left stranded in the middle of the highway as they cleared the scene of debris and conducted their investigation. In total, three people were sent to the hospital, including one person in critical condition.
The man who was hit by the 18-wheeler could file a civil suit against a number of people, any of which may have caused or contributed to the accident. If the victim can prove that the driver of the tractor-trailer was negligent, either the driver or his employer would be required to compensate him. Even the person who caused the initial accident which scattered the debris could be found liable for the result of the accident, which led to the victim having to pull his car over, which in turn led to him being crushed by a truck.
The victim should be able to recover damages for his losses, including pain and suffering and what could be extraordinary medical expenses.
Source: SanDiego6.com, “NB 805 Closed After Multi-Vehicle Crash,” by Lindsay Hood, March 15, 2013
