Twelve people were injured, three seriously, in a Baldwin Park car accident after a cement truck and van collided. According to a CBS Los Angeles news report, the injury crash occurred on the 605 Freeway at Arrow Highway in Baldwin Park the morning of June 25, 2013. Officials said a cement truck was entering the freeway when it went down an embankment, crossed all four lanes of traffic and collided with a van before slamming into the center divider. Three people were taken to an area hospital in critical condition while nine others were transported with unknown injuries. The investigation is ongoing.

Crash Statistics

According to California Highway Patrol’s 2010 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), there were four fatalities and 217 injuries reported as a result of traffic accidents in Baldwin Park. In Los Angeles County as a whole, 530 people died and 50,513 were injured due to car crashes during the same year.

What Caused This Crash?

Based on this news report, it is unclear as to how or why this crash occurred. Officials say that the cement truck went out of control, crossed four lanes of traffic and crashed into a van. It is not clear why the truck went out of control. There are several unanswered questions here. Was the driver of the truck under the influence? Was the truck overloaded or improperly loaded? Was the driver traveling at an excessive rate of speed? Was there some type of mechanical malfunction in the truck? Was the truck properly maintained? I trust officials are looking into these and other issues in order to determine precisely what occurred here and why.

Liability Issues

If the driver of the truck is determined to have been at fault, the driver and his or her employer can be held liable for the injuries and damages caused. If a mechanical malfunction resulting from poor vehicle maintenance caused the crash, then, the trucking company can be held liable. If a defective product caused the collision, then the manufacturer of that faulty part can be held liable.

In such cases, injured victims can seek compensation to cover medical expenses, lost wages, hospitalization, rehabilitation, permanent injuries, disabilities, pain and suffering and emotional distress. Injured victims would be well advised to contact an experienced Los Angeles personal injury lawyer who will stay abreast of the official investigation and ensure that the negligent parties are held liable.