California Injury Blog
A donut shop employee and a customer were injured in a Santa Ana car accident when a car crashed into the store, the evening of February 19, 2012. According to a news report in The Orange County Register, the car crash occurred at the Donut Star on South Harbor Boulevard in Santa Ana. Officials say a man in his 60s lost control of his car, which entered the store. The two victims suffered non-life-threatening injuries and were treated at the scene. The driver claims that the car had a mechanical failure, but investigators say that it appears that he hit the accelerator instead of the brake. It is not clear if he will be cited for the crash.
My thoughts and prayers are with the injured victims of this Orange County car accident. I’m relieved to hear they did not suffer more serious of injuries and I wish them the very best for a complete and speedy recovery.
Orange County Car Accident Statistics
According to California Highway Patrol’s 2009 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), 11 people were killed and 1,359 were injured in Santa Ana car accidents. During that same year, there were 141 fatalities and 13,373 injuries reported as a result of Orange County car accidents.
What Caused This Injury Accident?
Based on this news report, alcohol was not a factor in the collision. The driver claims that his vehicle was not working properly and that a mechanical failure led to the crash. Investigators have already stated that the skid marks indicate that the driver actually hit the accelerator instead of the brakes. There are still several questions here. Was the driver distracted or suffering from a medical condition? Was he simply inattentive at the time? Was there some type of auto defect in the vehicle, which may have caused or contributed to the incident?
Liability Issues
If the driver is determined to have been at fault here, then, he can be held liable for the victims’ injuries. In such cases, injured victims can seek compensation to cover medical expenses, lost wages and benefits, cost of hospitalization, rehabilitation, and other related damages. Accident victims would be well advised to contact an experienced Santa Ana car accident, who will analyze all facets of the incident and ensure that the negligent parties are held liable.