California Injury Blog
A 12-year-old boy has suffered serious personal injuries in a Westminster bicycle accident after he was struck by an 83-year-old driver in a Mercedes sedan the morning of May 30, 2009, The Orange County Register reports. The boy was riding his bike on Westminster Boulevard when he was struck by the driver. Westminster police officials said the boy has suffered major head injuries and was taken to an area hospital. The driver was uninjured. Initial investigations show the boy was crossing Hoover Street on Westminster Boulevard. However, officials are still looking into the circumstances of the California bicycle accident and who had the right-of-way.
My heart goes out to this boy and his family. No matter whose fault this Westminster bicycle accident was, what a horrible time for this 12-year-old boy, his family and friends! I hope and pray that this boy makes it through his serious head injuries and has a speedy and complete recovery. Please keep him in your prayers.
According to California Highway Patrol’s 2007 Statewide Integrated Traffic Reporting System, there was one fatality and 31 injuries reported in Westminster as a result of bicycle accidents. In Orange County as a whole, in 2007, there were 16 fatalities and 1,020 injuries reported as a result of bicycle accidents.
I trust Westminster police traffic investigators will do their due diligence in determining the facts of this case. However, given the circumstances of this serious car- bicycle accident and the critical head injuries suffered by the young victim, it may be in the family’s best interest to retain the services of experienced Orange County bicycle accident attorneys who will carefully examine every detail of this bicycle accident and make sure the rights of the boy and his family are protected.
A skilled Orange County bicycle accident lawyer will also look into the driving record of the senior driver, who was involved in this accident, and determine whether there was any inattention, carelessness or negligence on the part of the driver. It is also important to look into who had the right-of-way at the intersection and if there was a dangerous condition at that intersection, which may have caused or contributed to this accident.
Bisnar Chase Personal Injury Attorneys recently helped secure a $10 million settlement for a brain-injured teenager who suffered severe head trauma, much like this Orange County victim, as he attempted to cross a dangerous intersection on his bicycle. If a dangerous roadway or intersection is involved, the city or governmental agency responsible for maintaining that roadway could be held liable. Please remember, that in California, such a claim against a governmental agency must be filed within six months of the accident/injury.