Driver Kills Pedestrian on the I-5

Few details were available after a negligent driver hit and killed a pedestrian on Interstate 5 near the San Diego Airport in December 2024.

California Highway Patrol (CHP) issued a Sig Alert at 8:25 p.m. Saturday due to a pedestrian accident on I-5 southbound near the intersection of Sassafras Street and Kettner Blvd by the San Diego International Airport. There is not much information at this time. However, CHP is reporting a pedestrian was hit while crossing the highway and that it was a fatal accident.

511CA was showing heavy, stopped traffic on I-5 southbound starting at Sassafras Street. All lanes reopened as of 10:30 p.m. Saturday.

Initial Evidence in Pedestrian Accident Claims

To obtain compensation for pedestrian injuries, a Carlsbad pedestrian accident lawyer must prove negligence, or a lack of care, by a preponderance of the evidence, or more likely than not.

Usually, initial evidence in a pedestrian accident claim includes the police accident report, medical bills, and witness statements. These sources are often sufficient to prove a bare bones case. However, especially in a fatal pedestrian accident claim, they may be insufficient to obtain maximum compensation.

Frequently, the police accident report is incomplete or inaccurate in these situations. If the victim died at the scene or the victim was unconscious at the scene, the official report only reflects one side of the story. Very few tortfeasors (negligent drivers) deliberately lie to emergency responders. However, our eyes aren’t video cameras. We see things selectively.

Medical bills are another example. Usually, these documents are the backbone of an economic damages claim. Typically, medical bills are the largest single category of economic losses in a personal injury case.

Fatal accidents are different. Usually, the largest component of pecuniary losses, the compensation available in wrongful death cases, is lost future financial support. These losses are nearly impossible to calculate based on medical bills alone.

Supplemental Evidence in Pedestrian Accident Claims

Because of these deficiencies, a San Marcos personal injury lawyer often supplements the aforementioned evidence with electronic evidence and expert witness testimony.

A vehicle’s Event Data Recorder may be the most important bit of electronic evidence in any car crash case. Usually, the EDR, which is an onboard computer, measures and records information like:

• Steering angle,
• Engine RPM,
• Vehicle speed, and
• Brake application.

This vital information is often unavailable unless a lawyer acts quickly to preserve it. Normally, insurance companies destroy wrecked vehicles within hours of a crash. If that happens, the EDR, along with any other physical evidence the vehicle contained, is gone forever.

Surveillance camera footage is another important bit of electronic evidence. A picture is worth a thousand words, especially in court.

Expert evidence includes testimony from accident reconstructionists and accountants. Accident reconstruction professionals substitute their complete professional opinions for an emergency responder’s limited amateur opinions. Accountants use current earnings to predict potential earnings and determine a fair amount of compensation for future lost financial support.

Count on a Diligent San Diego County Lawyer

Injury victims are entitled to substantial compensation. For a confidential consultation with an experienced personal injury lawyer in San Marcos, contact the Pursley Law Firm. The sooner you reach out to us, the sooner we start working for you.

Source:

yahoo.com/news/fatal-pedestrian-accident-shuts-down-061006190.h