Pedestrian Accident in Southern California Injures Young Girl
Recently in Southern California, an 11-year old girl was injured in a pedestrian accident as she was walking through a crosswalk with her grandmother. Other vehicles were stopped at the crosswalk, waiting for the young girl and her grandmother to cross, when another vehicle sped between them and hit the young girl. She was thrown twenty feet into the air and landed back on to the hood of the vehicle that struck her. She has incurred severe injuries and remains in critical condition in the hospital.
The young girl was rushed to the hospital immediately after the accident occurred, but the outcome of the accident remains uncertain. For such a young girl to sustain such serious injuries and walk away without continued future problems may be unlikely. She is currently hooked up to an EEG machine which is monitoring her brain activity on a continuous basis. Her family has set up a website to provide updates on her condition for those who are concerned. The young girl was an aspiring actress and had starred in a number of plays in the town in which she lives. She undoubtedly has a number of fans and friends that are keeping tabs on how she will continue to progress.
It is uncertain still what will become of the driver who hit this young girl. It is likely that the driver was distracted while driving, which would explain why he did not stop at the crosswalk as all the other drivers on the road had. Because of driver distraction, hundreds of pedestrian accidents occur in Southern California every year. There are other reasons for pedestrian accidents, however. One of these reasons is another that was evident in this case. The driver sped up before hitting the little girl and was likely exceeding the speed limit. Speeding can drastically hinder a driver’s ability to avoid pedestrians. Although most vehicles manufactured today come equipped with excellent brake systems, not every accident can be avoided. It was likely too late for this driver to stop by the time he saw the little girl ahead of him in the crosswalk, if he saw her at all before hitting her.
Drunk driving accidents are another frequent cause for pedestrian accidents. Drugs and alcohol greatly impair one’s judgment. When one is under the influence of either of these substances while driving, it can and does lead to thousands of injuries and deaths every year across the country.
In certain cases, it may be the neglect or fault of the pedestrian that the accident occurred. Whatever may be the case, those who have been injured in pedestrian accidents would be wise to contact a personal injury attorney for help in financial settlement and retribution. Pedestrian accidents are usually just that—accidents—and do not require or call for criminal charges. Yet compensation must be made available to victims to help pay for their medical bills and other financial losses incurred by the accident. This is where San Diego personal injury attorneys step in and help their clients get the compensation they deserve from the accident.