Fatal Pedestrian Accident in Berkeley
Pedestrians are the least protected of all individuals on the street and can sustain serious injury when involved in a collision with a moving vehicle. On April 21, 2017, a 69-year-old activist named Seon O’Neill died from traumatic injuries sustained when she was struck while using a crosswalk.
My heart and prayers go out to all family and friends who are affected by this tragic loss of life.
O’Neill was hit close to her home near North Berkeley in this fatal pedestrian accident. O’Neill was returning home and was less than four minutes away when a driver failed to stop as she crossed the street. She was rushed to a hospital for treatment and later died as a result of her traumatic injuries. The driver does not seem to have been impaired by drugs or alcohol at the time of the accident.
Seon O’Neill was a longtime member of the Berkeley community and an activist who had worked with Cezar Chavez. She was deeply involved at the church and social justice center run by the Berkeley Fellowship of Unitarian Universalists. Loved ones describe O’Neill as a wonderful person active in her community.
Pedestrian Accidents
Both a non-fatal and fatal pedestrian accident can cause traumatic injuries to anyone involved. The pedestrian and the driver must exercise a duty of care when on the road. This does not necessarily mean a pedestrian is at fault if he or she is hit outside a marked crosswalk. If the pedestrian exercises necessary precautions and the offending driver acts recklessly and illegally, the jury may find the driver at fault. However, the driver has the right to assume that a pedestrian will be obedient to traffic laws, exercise their own duty of care, and act accordingly.
Berkeley Personal Injury Lawyer
I’m Ed Smith, a Berkeley car accident lawyer. If you, or anyone close to you, have experienced a traumatic injury or wrongful death due to the negligence of someone else, please contact me immediately at (510) 631-0200 or (800) 404-5400 for free, friendly advice.
I have helped many individuals and families in Berkeley recover compensation for matters involving traumatic injuries or wrongful death.
To see reviews from my past clients, please visit the websites below:
I am a member of the Million Dollar Forum, California section. Only the top trial lawyers with $1 million or more settlements or verdicts on a case receive entrance.
Please take some time to review my Past Verdicts and Settlements.
Image Source: CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=63110
:ab bw