A woman was injured in a San Francisco pedestrian accident after she was hit by a city trash truck, CBS News reports. The injury accident happened the morning of March 9, 2010 when the woman was walking in a marked crosswalk on Presidio Avenue at Pine Street. The city garbage truck was turning on to Presidio Avenue from Pine Street when it struck the woman. The injured pedestrian was taken to an area hospital for treatment of her injuries. However, officials say the victim's injuries were not life-threatening. An investigation into the incident is ongoing.

My heart goes out to this injured victim. I wish her the very best for a quick and complete recovery. Please keep her in your prayers.

Accident Statistics

According to California Highway Patrol's Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), there were 16 fatalities and 790 injuries involving pedestrian accidents in San Francisco in 2008. Also, 35 deaths and 3,577 injuries were reported as a result of all car accidents in the city of San Francisco during the same year.

How Did this Accident Occur?

If the details of this news report are accurate, the woman was in a marked crosswalk and the driver of the garbage truck should have yielded right-of-way to the pedestrian in the crosswalk. California Vehicle Code Section 21950 states: "The driver of a vehicle shall yield the right-of-way to a pedestrian crossing the roadway within any marked crosswalk or within any unmarked crosswalk at an intersection." The same section also states that the driver of a vehicle approaching a pedestrian within any marked or unmarked crosswalk "shall exercise all due care and shall reduce the speed of a vehicle or take any other action relating to the operating of the vehicle as necessary to safeguard the safety of the pedestrian."

If I were the victim or a member of her family, I would also question why the garbage truck driver did not see the pedestrian. Was he impaired, distracted, speeding or otherwise negligent at the time? I trust authorities are looking into these and other issues in order to determine exactly what happened here.

Claim for Compensation

If the garbage truck driver is determined to have been at fault for this accident, he and his employer, the city of San Francisco, could be held liable for the injuries caused to this woman. In California, any personal injury or wrongful death claim against a governmental agency must be filed within 180 days of the accident or injury. An experienced San Francisco personal injury lawyer will stay on top of the investigation and help victims protect their rights during what can be a complex legal process.

We are not representing any of the parties mentioned in this article at the time the article was posted. Our information source is cited in the article. If you were involved in this incident or a similar incident and have questions as to your rights and options, call a reputable law firm. Do not act solely upon the information provided herein. Get a consultation. The best law firms will provide a free confidential consultation to "not at fault" persons named in this article and their family members.