Teenager Killed in Wrong-Way Wreck Near Overland Avenue

Police took a 51-year-old woman into custody after she crashed head-on into a car full of people, killing one person and seriously injuring two others.

The crash happened near Overland Avenue, according to the California Highway Patrol. The 52-year-old motorist was driving eastbound on the westbound lanes when she crashed head-on into another vehicle with three people inside. The 19-year-old driver of that car died at the scene. She has not been identified. The 13-year-old and 15-year-old passengers in that car were seriously injured.

No other details were available.

Understanding Wrong-Way Wrecks and Liability Issues

Insurance investigators usually fault wrong-way drivers before they do much investigating. Later events sometimes alter this initial determination, like the Lakers’ possible comeback in the second half against the Clippers.

The last clear chance doctrine sometimes comes into play in head-on crash matters. In layman’s terms, there’s a subtle, yet significant, difference between a head-on wreck and a wrong-way wreck.

Head-on wrecks are common on surface streets and rural, undivided highways. A driver loses control of a vehicle and jerks across the center line. In most cases, these wrecks are unavoidable. Everything happens so fast. Furthermore, if one driver swerves to avoid the other one, that evasive maneuver might cause an even worse wreck.

The driver who crossed the centerline is the only driver who breached the duty of reasonable care. Therefore, that driver is legally responsible for damages.

Wrong-way wrecks are common on divided highways, like the 10. Outside of action movies, people rarely break through barriers and wind up on the other side of the road. However, they might mistake an on-ramp for an off-ramp or make a similar error. Thereafter, they drive safely. They’re just going the wrong way.

In that scenario, both drivers breached their duty of reasonable care. Driver A was on the wrong side of the road, and Driver B did nothing to avoid a wreck.So, even if an insurance investigator said you were at fault in a wrong way or any other wreck, always ask a California Personal Injury Attorney to evaluate your claim. You don’t know how much compensation you may be entitled to until you ask.

Passenger Injuries

The two injured passengers need and deserve compensation for their injuries. If liability is different from fault in this case, as outlined above, this change shouldn’t deter these families from exercising their legal rights.

Many passengers in these situations understandably sit on the sidelines. They don’t want to “blame” the driver with whom they usually have a personal relationship, for the crash.

Significantly, civil cases don’t blame anyone for anything. Civil cases compel tortfeasors (negligent drivers) to accept the consequences of their mistakes. If they voluntarily do so, a victim doesn’t need a Los Angeles personal injury lawyer. Sadly, that’s usually not the way these things go.

Consult With Our Personal Injury Lawyers Today!

Injury cases involve complex issues. Contact the Law Offices of Eslamboly Hakim for a free consultation with an experienced car accident lawyer in Los Angeles. The sooner you contact us, the sooner we can fight for you.