A woman was killed in a four-car accident on the 55 Freeway in Santa Ana on Friday.
The accident happened at 11:40 p.m. on the northbound 55, near Dyer Rd., according to the California Highway Patrol. Cynthia Brock, a 53-year-old Costa Mesa resident, was driving a 1982 Toyota Celica in the fast lane when she hit a dropped mattress. Brock's car then slammed into the center divider, and came to rest facing sideways on the freeway.
19-year-old Ali Sabzerou, an Irvine resident, then struck the driver's side of Brock's Celica, pushing it into the path of an approaching 1999 Toyota sedan that slammed into the rear of the Celica. Brock's car was spun around and ended up facing oncoming traffic in northbound lanes, where it was hit head-on by a 1995 Honda.
Sabzerou drove the van about 500 feet north of the accident site, then abandonned the van and ran from the scene. California Highway Patrol officers later located him at his home and he was arrested for drunk dirving.
Multi-Vehicle Crash – Who Pays?
When injury or death results from a multi-vehicle crash, the immediate issue is: who was at fault and did the at-fault party have enough insurance to cover all of the damage caused? If more than one driver was at fault for the accident, then the insurance policy for all at-fault drivers will pay for the harm caused. If only one driver was 100% at fault for the accident, there is reasonable likelihood that that the at-fault driver will not have enough insurance coverage to pay for all of the harm caused, unless the at-fault driver was in the course and scope of employment at the time of the accident, bringing their employer’s commercial insurance policy into play.
If you or a loved one has suffered injury or death as the result of a multi-vehicle accident, you should seek the advice of a personal injury attorney. A lawyer will aggressively seek out all available insurance to cover your claim. If it turns out that the at-fault party or parties do not have enough insurance coverage, then the underinsured motorist coverage on your own auto insurance policy may apply, if you have the coverage. Read more about underinsured motorist coverage here.
McGee, Lerer & Associates is a Long Beach personal injury law firm which serves accident victims in Long Beach, Orange County, and the South Bay. An attorney at our firm is available 24/7 for a free consultation.