The injuries that victims suffer in any type of motor vehicle accident can be quite serious. Broken bones, spinal cord injuries and brain trauma can be very real consequences of getting hit by a car. With prompt medical attention, it is possible for victims to recover from an accident by limiting the damage suffered. However, not all victims get this type of care immediately after a crash because the only person who can help them and call for help has fled the scene of an accident.
Leaving an accident scene is not only unlawful, but it can also be a life-or-death decision. People who cause or are involved in an accident are supposed to stay put until help can arrive. Unfortunately, too many drivers fail to take this responsibility seriously and leave an accident scene and any victims that may have been injured. That is what Los Angeles police believe happened recently when a person was killed in a devastating motorcycle accident.
The accident occurred one evening in North Hollywood. Few details are available at this point, but what has been reported is that police are speaking to a driver who they believe was involved in an accident with a motorcyclist. The biker was hit by a car and died from injuries suffered in the crash, and the driver of the car reportedly left the accident scene without rendering aid to the victim. It is unknown if a delay in reporting the crash could have contributed to a delay in getting the victim potentially life-saving medical treatment, but it is certainly possible.
Getting into an accident as a motorcyclist is already frightening enough for riders. They have relatively few safeguards in place to protect them in a collision and are at a high risk of being thrown from a bike, which can result in catastrophic injuries. But when the driver of another vehicle involved in a crash leaves the accident scene without securing help for a victim, it is very possible that the injuries suffered by a motorcyclist will be fatal.
In these difficult situations, it can be important for a victim’s family to remember that there are ways to hold a negligent driver accountable for causing, and then fleeing from, an accident. Speaking with an attorney can help people explore their options and take appropriate action.
Source: NBC Los Angeles, “Motorcyclist Killed in NoHo Crash,” Beverly White, Dec. 27, 2013