Mom run over twice, saved baby from truck
A mother who pushed her 2-year-old son out of the way of a big rig was injured Thursday morning when she was struck and run over by the truck in downtown Fresno.
Witnesses said the woman — Alicia Dougherty, 30, of Fresno — may have saved her son’s life while suffering injuries, including scrapes and bruises. The child, whose name was not released, also suffered a cut on his right foot, police said.
Stephanie Gonzalez, who witnessed the collision, stopped her car to run to the aid of the victims.
An ambulance rushed the victims to Community Regional Medical Center. Police and witnesses said the woman had the right of way as she crossed southbound E Street at Fresno Street just before 9 a.m. and the truck, which was southbound on E, turned right to Fresno Street and struck the woman in the crosswalk. Fresno police officer Joe Ploharz said it was likely that the truck driver did not see the woman because the height of the truck obscured his vision.
Several people, including Gonzalez, said the truck driver was on a cellular phone as he made the turn, but Ploharz said he had not heard that from the witnesses that he had interviewed.
The driver of the truck, Tejpal Sandhu, 35, of Newark, was cited for failing to yield to pedestrians in a crosswalk, police said.
After the truck struck the woman, the driver backed up, inadvertently rolling a front wheel of the rig back over the woman, who had tire marks on her leg as she and the child lay crying in the street.
Fault and Serious Injury Liability
Accidents involving big-rigs have unique and complex legal issues. If it is determined that the driver of the big-rig was at fault for this collision, the family of the victim would be well-advised to speak to a California truck accident attorney. An experienced and knowledgeable attorney will be able to review the cause of the accident, and if warranted, arrange for an independent investigator to reconstruct the collision to determine exactly what happened and who was responsible. A skilled lawyer can also provide an explanation to the victim’s family on their legal rights in a wrongful death claim against the driver or any other parties at fault. Damages awarded in a personal injury claim may include ambulance, hospital bills, lost earnings, pain and suffering, and other damages.
Demand accountability from the trucking company. We at the Law Offices of Gary A Kessler have handled complex trucking accident cases for twenty years. We have the litigation experience to handle complex trucking liability cases. We are prepared to front all costs required for the necessary investigation and expert witnesses needed to prepare your case for trial. Remember, the trucking industry are a formidable foe and must be fought against aggressively.
The laws regarding personal injury/”trucking accident” cases are complex and include many facets of the law. It is vital to family members to seek the advice of an experienced personal injury/”trucking accident” lawyer such as Gary A Kessler at the Law Offices of Gary A Kessler to protect your legal rights and those of your loved ones.
California trucking accident attorney Gary A Kessler and the Law Offices of Gary A Kessler are compassionate and fully understand that you are attempting to cope with extreme grief and sorrow associated with the injury of a loved one. The Law Offices of Gary A Kessler carefully selects its “trucking accident” cases so that we may give you (the client) the substantial personal attention necessary to obtain a successful result for your “trucking accident” case.
The Law Offices of Gary A Kessler is prepared to front all costs required for a thorough investigation and expert witnesses to prepare for trial of your case. As in all wrongful death and serious personal injury cases, we advance all legal costs to prepare and present our client’s claim, and receive for our services only a percentage of what we recover for our attorney fees on their behalf. Upon settlement our costs shall be reimbursed to us from the gross recovery. If there is no recovery, no attorneys fees or costs are owed to our firm.
If you have been seriously injured or a family member sustained fatal injuries involving a tractor-trailer rig you need to contact the Law Offices of Gary A Kessler or another experienced law firm immediately to protect your rights and preserve the evidence. The laws and time limitations can be complex so protect your legal rights by contacting the Law Offices of Gary A Kessler today.
