California Injury Blog
A 6-year-old boy required surgery and remains hospitalized after being seriously injured in a Santa Ana car accident. According to a news report in The Orange County Register, the pedestrian accident occurred on West Highland Street near Shelton Street, the night of June 17, 2012. Officials say the child crossed in front of the car as the vehicle was pulling into a driveway. The driver, a man in his 30s, hit the gas instead of the brakes. The boy was pinned between the vehicle and a block wall. The child suffered severe trauma to his abdomen. It is not clear if the driver will be cited for the crash.
My thoughts and prayers are with the young victim of this pedestrian accident. I wish him the very best for a complete and speedy recovery.
Orange County Pedestrian Accidents
According to California Highway Patrol’s 2009 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), seven people were killed and 145 were injured in Santa Ana pedestrian accidents. During that same year, there were 41 fatalities and 864 injuries reported as a result of Orange County pedestrian accidents.
What Caused This Injury Accident?
There are many questions raised by this news article. Did the young pedestrian run in front of the car? Did the driver look for pedestrians and exercise due care before attempting to turn into the driveway? Why wasn’t the driver able to stop in time? Why did he fail to hit the brakes? Was his vehicle in proper working order? Was the motorist distracted or inattentive? I trust officials are looking into these and other issues in order to determine precisely what occurred here and why.
Liability Issues
In this particular case, if the motorist’s negligence played a part, then, he could be held liable for the child’s injuries. Injured victims or their families can seek compensation to cover damages including medical expenses, cost of hospitalization, surgeries, rehabilitation, pain and suffering, and emotional distress.
If a dangerous condition on the roadway such as poor lighting caused or contributed to the incident, the city or governmental agency responsible for maintaining the roadway can also be held liable. Under California Government Code Section 911.2, any personal injury claim against a public entity must be filed within 180 days of the incident. Victims or their families would be well advised to contact an experienced Santa Ana personal injury lawyer, who will stay on top of the official investigation and ensure that their legal rights and best interests are protected.