A pedestrian accident in Baldwin Park caused major injuries to 9-year-old Robert Garcia Umanzor the afternoon of June 21, 2010. The San Gabriel Valley Tribune reports that the boy was riding his scooter across Maine Avenue near Rexwood Avenue when a Toyota Corolla hit him. Robert was taken with major leg and head injuries to a local hospital. Officials say the female driver of the Toyota was not licensed. An investigation is ongoing.

My heart goes out to this boy and his family for what they are going through now. According to family members, Robert's knee is "in two pieces" and he has also sustained head injuries. I wish this little boy the very best for a speedy and complete recovery. Robert and his family will be in my prayers.

There were four fatalities and 289 injuries involving car accidents in Baldwin Park, according to California Highway Patrol's 2008 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS). In Los Angeles County as a whole, 667 people died and 52,229 were injured as a result of car accidents in 2008.

Dangerous Condition on the Roadway?

Based on this news report, not only do Robert's family members, but also other neighbors say that they have repeatedly talked to the police department and the city about the dangers on that roadway, primarily speeding cars. But it has not resulted in any changes. Residents say they have asked for speed bumps and stop signs to slow down cars in that residential neighborhood, but officials have not been receptive.
Injured victims may be able to file a claim against the city or governmental agency responsible for maintaining the dangerous roadway. Under the provisions of California’s Government Code Section 835, a public entity or government agency is liable for personal injury or death because of a condition of public property when the affected party proves that: There was a dangerous condition on the public property at the time of the injury or death; the injury was proximately caused by the dangerous condition; and the dangerous condition created a reasonably foreseeable risk of injury of the kind that occurred and
Government Code Section 835.4 also states that a public entity may absolve itself from liability for creating or failing to remedy a dangerous roadway condition by showing that it would have been too expensive, impractical or unreasonable for the agency to have done anything else but what it did or did not do. In addition, Governmental Code Section 830.4 states that a dangerous condition cannot be the absence of traffic control or warning signs alone.

Liability Issues

In such cases, victims' families would be well-advised to contact an experienced Los Angeles personal injury lawyer who will advise them about how to pursue their legal rights. Under California Government Code section 911.2, any personal injury claim against a California governmental agency must be filed within six months of the accident or injury.

Do you have a problem with speeding vehicles racing through your neighborhood? Please share your concerns with us.

None of the parties mentioned in this article are represented by us at the time this article was posted. The source of our information is cited in the article. If you were involved in this incident and have questions as to your rights and options, call a reputable law firm for a consultation. Do not act solely upon the information provided herein. The BISNAR | CHASE personal injury law firm will provide free, confidential consultation to "not at fault" persons and their family members if you mention your source was the “Personal Injury Law Journal." They can be reached at 866-456-5235 during California business hours.

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