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Car accidents are particularly traumatic for young children

On Behalf of | May 26, 2016 | Car Accidents |

Injuries to young children in California and elsewhere are among the most heartbreaking that parents and teachers have to confront. When a vehicle goes wildly astray and hits children while they are entering their school, the injuries can disrupt the families involved and can paralyze a school’s operations for days to come. Car accidents involving serious injuries to children must be aggressively investigated, and the claims for personal injury reparations should be processed without undue delay.

This was the traumatic impact facing the Del Mar Heights Elementary School on May 13 when a car raced out of control, jumped onto the sidewalk and mowed down nine children and an adult right in front of the schoolhouse entrance. It does not appear that anyone was killed by the runaway vehicle, but at least six children had to be taken to hospitals for immediate care. The extent and nature of the injuries were not reported.

The driver was a 70-year-old woman who apparently lost control of her vehicle and was unable to stop it prior to inflicting the injuries. She was not immediately arrested by the San Diego Police Department, but officials said that they are investigating to determine whether she should be cited. They did not initially suspect that the event had anything to do with drugs or alcohol.

The accident may have been caused by a medical event or by an accelerator pedal that was stuck and inoperable. These possibilities are mere speculation, as the accident may have been caused by a variety of other reasons. These will not be finally established until a thorough forensics investigation is completed.

In the meantime, it is appropriate for parents of children injured in car accidents to process their claims against the driver and begin to accumulate all of the necessary documentation. It is likely that the driver was negligent in her operation of the vehicle pursuant to California legal principles, based on the facts currently known. The specialized claims procedure can be best handled with the assistance of an experienced personal injury attorney who will organize and process the claim in the most effective manner possible under the circumstances.

Source: Del Mar-Carmel Valley Ca. Patch, “9 Children Hit By Car in Front of Del Mar Heights School“, May 13, 2016

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