A 11-year-old boy suffered critical injuries in an Orange County car accident after he was struck by a car while crossing the street with another 8-year-old boy the evening of August 18, 2009, in Costa Mesa, California. According to a news report in The Orange County Register, the two boys were crossing Wilson Street near Fordham Drive when they were hit by a blue Toyota Matrix. The 11-year-old was rushed to an area hospital with critical head injuries. The other boy complained of pain, but was not seriously injured, Costa Mesa police said. Newport Beach resident Ariel Claudio Mendoza, 35, the driver of the Toyota, was reported not to be under the influence of any drugs or alcohol in this car accident.
My heart goes out to the young boy and his family. I hope and pray this child pulls through his serious injuries and wish him the very best for a speedy and complete recovery. He will certainly be in my prayers.
Orange County Pedestrian Accident Statistics
According to California Highway Patrol’s 2007 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), there were two deaths and 40 injuries involving pedestrian accidents in Costa Mesa. In Orange County as a whole, 41 deaths and 726 injuries were reported in 2007 as a result of pedestrian accidents.
Based on the report of this Costa Mesa car accident, there are more questions than answers, at the moment. Did Mendoza have enough time to stop the car and avoid hitting the children? Was he traveling at an unsafe speed given the traffic conditions on the street? Were the children crossing outside of a crosswalk? It seems to me from this news account, the children ran ahead of their accompanying group and out in front of the car at the street intersection. If I were a family member of the injured boys I’d want to know if there was any negligence involved here, whether on the part of the driver or the adults in the group responsible for the children, that led to the pedestrian-car collision.
Orange County Car Accident Liability Issues
In such car accidents, the fault may lie with the pedestrian or with the motorist. If the accident has resulted in a serious injury, it would be in the victim’s best interest to contact an experienced Orange County personal injury lawyer, who will stay abreast of the official investigation, conduct witness interviews and additional investigation and make sure the facts come out. If the motorist is determined to be at fault then he or she could be held liable for the victim’s injuries.
A skilled California car accident lawyer will also be able to determine whether there was a dangerous condition on that roadway, which caused or contributed to this pedestrian-car accident. If that was the case, the city or governmental agency responsible for maintaining that roadway could also be held liable. Any such claim against a governmental agency must be properly filed within six months of the accident or injury