A 16-year-old has suffered critical injuries in an Orange County car accident after she was struck by a minivan while walking in a crosswalk in Santa Ana, California. According to a news report in The Orange County Register, the pedestrian accident occurred the afternoon of December 7, 2009 when the girl was walking in a crosswalk in the 500 block of South Newhope Street near Camille Street. Santa Ana police said that a 78-year-old man driving south on Newhope struck the girl. The teen was dragged by the Dodge minivan for a short distance. Her injuries are said to be life-threatening. The driver has not been charged or cited pending an investigation by police. Anyone who witnessed the accident is asked to call Santa Ana police at 714-245-8201.
Tragic Pedestrian Accident Injures Teen
I sympathize deeply with this young girl and her family for what they must be going through right now. It is indeed tragic that she sustained critical injuries. I hope and pray that she makes it through these serious injuries and has a complete recovery. This injured victim and her family will be in my prayers.
According to California Highway Patrol's 2007 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), nine fatalities and 127 injuries happened due to pedestrian auto accidents in Santa Ana, California. Countywide, pedestrian accidents claimed 41 lives and injured 726 people during the same year. Also in Orange County, 178 deaths and 14,185 injuries were reported in 2007 as a result of car accidents.
California Car Accident Laws
If the details of this news report are accurate, it seems to me that the teenager was legally crossing the street in a marked crosswalk. The driver, apparently, did not yield right-of-way to the pedestrian. California Vehicle Code Section 21950 states: "The driver of a vehicle shall yield the right-of-way to a pedestrian crossing the roadway within any marked crosswalk or within any unmarked crosswalk at an intersection." The same section also states that the driver of a vehicle approaching a pedestrian within any marked or unmarked crosswalk "shall exercise all due care and shall reduce the speed of a vehicle or take any other action relating to the operating of the vehicle as necessary to safeguard the safety of the pedestrian."
In this case, the family of the young girl would be well-advised to retain the services of a reputed Orange County catastrophic injury lawyer, who has successfully held negligent drivers responsible for their actions. Victims in such cases may seek compensation to cover medical expenses, cost of hospitalization, rehabilitation and even cost of long-term care if the injuries are catastrophic and if the victim needs 24/7 care. The best personal injury law firms will always offer free consultations to injured victims and their families.
The BISNAR|CHASE personal injury law firm is not representing any of the parties mentioned in this article at the time the article was posted. Our information source is cited in the article. If you were involved in this incident or a similar incident and have questions as to your rights and options, call us or another reputable law firm. Do not act solely upon the information provided herein. Get a consultation. The best law firms will provide a free consultation. We provide a free, confidential consultation to not at fault persons named in this article. The free consultation offer extends to family members as well.
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