|
Mr. Wise was filling his water truck while double-parked
near at a fire hydrant on a construction site in Pleasanton. As he was putting away his filler hose behind
his truck, a second water truck ran into the back of his water truck and
severed his leg between the two truck bumpers.
We investigated and reconstructed this accident. First, we showed that the power steering
failed on the second water truck. Next,
we showed that once the power steering failed, the second truck was unable to
maneuver and there was not enough time for it to stop before impact. We determined that the location of the
incident was in fact city-owned roadway and that the California motor vehicle
code applied. We determined that Mr.
Wise’s employer had instructed him to park illegally in order to fill his water
truck. And we determined that the second
water truck was not being independently operated – instead, it was being
operated under the direction of the general contractor on the job site.
|
