[12-01-2023] San Luis Obispo County, CA – 33-Year-Old Man Seriously Injured After Hit-and-Run Crash Involving Truck on Highway 46 Near Shandon

A 33-year-old man, identified as George P., was seriously injured after a hit-and-run collision involving a truck near Shandon, San Luis Obispo County, early Friday morning, December 1, 2023.

According to the California Highway Patrol, the collision happened around 5:10 a.m. on eastbound Highway 46 near Shandon Rest Area.

The man in a 2018 Nissan NV2500 van traveled at an unknown speed in the highway’s left lane with light traffic and heavy fog when a tractor-trailer combination pulled out of the rest area into the traffic lane.

In an attempt to avoid the entering vehicle, the van collided with the left rear of the trailer, causing it to spin 270 degrees before coming to rest at the intersection with serious damage.

The victim was trapped in his vehicle and was later airlifted to Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center with a broken femur and severe head injuries. The truck driver fled westbound with most of its damage on the left side, especially the left rear.

Anyone who witnessed the accident or may have seen the trailer is asked to contact the authorities.

Top San Luis Obispo County Hit-And-Run Accident Attorneys Specializing in Truck Cases

If you are suffering from injuries as a result of another driver’s recklessness, you may be entitled to compensation. It is best to seek legal representation from an experienced personal injury lawyer.

Contact one of our hit-and-run accident lawyers or truck accident lawyers for an initial consultation. The free case evaluation will provide you with an overview of your case, a discussion of the settlement, and a guide to filing an insurance claim to prepare you for the legal process in the future.

Seek legal advice from our top San Luis Obispo County hit-and-run accident attorneys at Arash Law, under the direction of Arash Khorsandi, Esq., who are prepared to help you submit your insurance claim or effectively represent you in court. We have recovered more than $500 Million for California clients and have earned a reputation as one of the best law firms in the state.

If you want to speak with one of our lawyers, please call (888) 488-1391 or fill out the “Do I Have a Case?” form.

Top 5 Things To Do After a Hit-and-Run Crash

If you are involved in a crash with a driver who flees the scene, you can take particular steps to protect your ability to recover a settlement. The steps you choose can help authorities catch the driver, and they can help establish your claim for damages. Those actions consist of:

1. Collect as much information as possible while at the scene of the accident. Depending on your condition, you must get the car’s license plate number and the vehicle’s make, model, and color. If you cannot, you need to at least attempt to snap a few photos of the car using your cell phone.
2. Call the police as soon as possible. The quicker you report the accident to authorities, the faster they can act to arrest the driver. Also, when you call the police, you develop a record of the accident. Within a few days, you can order a collision report from the police station that took it or through the California DMV. This record will assist you later when you submit a claim.
3. Get the names and contact information of any witnesses. You need to remember that individuals who witness an accident may stay to check on your condition, but after the cops and ambulance show up, they may quickly leave. You should get their names and phone numbers as soon as possible. Witnesses could play a crucial role. For example, a witness might verify that another vehicle collided with your car.
4. Get immediate medical attention. You need to see a doctor as soon as possible for your well-being and get examined for injuries. Furthermore, if you see a doctor, it produces a record of your injuries. You must stick to your medical professional’s treatment plan as you improve.
5. Report the crash to your own insurance company. While you ought to do this as fast as possible, you must stick with the facts. You do not have to admit or designate any fault. You should not give a recorded statement or accept a settlement agreement until you have talked to a California hit-and-run attorney or truck accident attorney about your case.

I HAD AN ACCIDENT

Hit-and-Run Accident Statistics

The United States has a specific law that prohibits leaving the scene of an accident without providing first aid and contacting the authorities immediately after the accident if any injuries have been sustained.

Between 2010 and 2019, 3,056 fatal hit-and-run accidents in California resulted in 2,948 deaths. As a result of the high number of automobile accidents in California, the state is known to have a high death rate.

According to the 2022 record from the California Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), San Luis Obispo County had 165 fatalities and serious injuries in collisions. The number of injuries recorded in 2020 was 139, while that number rose to 165 in 2021.