The Oroville Mercury Register reported a 30-year-old Willows man suffered a broken leg Thursday afternoon in a car vs. pedestrian accident in Glenn County, and his wife suffered a foot injury. The accident occurred at 5:40 p.m. on Thursday, December 9, 2010, at the intersection of West Sycamore Street and South Villa Avenue. The victim, John Ratliff, 30, had been crossing the street with his wife, Melissa Ratliff, and their infant daughter, when the couple was struck by a 2005 Chrysler 300 driven by Sara Sanchez, 33, of Willows. John Ratliff was taken to ambulance to Enloe Medical Center in Chico with a broken leg. His wife was taken to Glenn Medical Center in Willows with a foot injury. Their infant daughter was not harmed. Sanchez was also not injured.
Cause of the Glenn County Pedestrian Accident
The cause of the accident remains under investigation by the Willows Police Department. Police will surely at traffic signal timing, speed of the vehicle, and the location of the couple and their infant daughter in the roadway when they were struck. Based on the news reports, it appears the driver of the Chrysler may be responsible for this accident if she failed to yield to the right of way of the pedestrians.
Pedestrian Accidents and Personal Injury Liability
Injured pedestrians may be entitled to compensation for medical expenses, lost earnings, and pain and suffering, if they are injured due to the negligence or recklessness of another. In situations such as this one, injured victims or their family members would be well-advised to seek a consultation with a knowledgeable northern California pedestrian injury lawyer about the accident and their legal rights to compensation. An attorney can also evaluate the possibility that the accident could have been caused by a design in the road or intersection, in which case the city, county or other government agency responsible for maintaining the roadway could be liable for the victims' injuries.
Sources: Oroville Mercury Register
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