Crosswalks exist to give pedestrians a safe, visible place to cross the street. But a crosswalk is only as safe as the sightlines around it, and when a public entity places a bus stop where it blocks a driver's view of pedestrians, the result can be catastrophic.
That's exactly what happened to our client, who was struck by a car while lawfully crossing in a marked crosswalk on Willow Pass Road at its intersection with Bella Vista Avenue in Contra Costa County.
A Crosswalk Hidden From View
As our client crossed, a parked bus sat at a bus stop on the near side of the crosswalk. That bus stop — installed and operated by Contra Costa County and the Eastern Contra Costa Transit Authority (ECCTA) — blocked the driver's line of sight to the crosswalk. By the time the driver could see our client, it was too late to avoid the crash.
The collision left our client with catastrophic brain injuries. She was rendered quadriplegic, facing a lifetime of medical care, lost independence, and a future entirely different from the one she had before that day.
Holding Every Responsible Party Accountable
A crash like this rarely has just one cause. Our attorneys investigated not only the driver's conduct, but also the design and placement of the bus stop itself, and found that the government entities responsible for that bus stop bore real responsibility for the dangerous condition it created.
We pursued claims against three parties:
The driver, who struck our client in the crosswalk.
Contra Costa County, which had a role in the bus stop's placement and operation.
ECCTA, the transit authority responsible for the stop.
Public entities have a duty to design and maintain roadways and transit infrastructure so they don't create hidden dangers for pedestrians. When a bus stop is positioned in a way that blocks visibility into a marked crosswalk, that duty is at the heart of the case.
The Result
Our attorneys recovered $13,100,000 from the driver, Contra Costa County, and ECCTA on our client's behalf — compensation to help support a lifetime of care made necessary by injuries she never should have suffered.
Case results depend on the unique facts and circumstances of each case. Past results do not guarantee or predict a similar outcome in any future matter.
When a Public Entity Shares the Blame
Pedestrian accident cases aren't always just about the driver. Poorly designed intersections, obstructed sightlines, and dangerous placement of public infrastructure like bus stops, signage, or utility boxes can all contribute to a crash — and can create liability for the government agencies responsible for them.
If you or a loved one has been seriously injured while crossing the street, it's worth having an experienced pedestrian accident attorney examine not just the driver's actions, but the roadway itself. Contact Rouda Feder Tietjen & McGuinn today for a free consultation at (415) 940-7176.
