Every year, thousands of pedestrians are hurt by automobiles across the United States, including Louisiana. Many of these are essentially car accidents because the drivers involved exhibited some level of negligence. Unfortunately, pedestrian accidents happen suddenly, making it difficult for an individual to avoid being impacted by the vehicle.
In an early afternoon accident in front of University Health Medical Center, a grandmother and grandson were both struck and injured by a car as they attempted to cross Kings Highway along a section of street without a marked crosswalk. The 55-year-old grandmother may have been running after her 5-year-old grandson when they were hit by a Cadillac driven by a 67-year-old Shreveport woman. Witnesses said the car entered the street from a private driveway just before the accident.
After being struck by the car, the grandmother was pinned underneath the Cadillac for some time until she could be removed safely. Paramedics said she was unresponsive when she was transported to the hospital for treatment and was listed in critical condition. The grandson’s injuries were only described as non-life threatening.
The driver was not injured but was taken to the same hospital for toxicology testing as required by state law. No further details have been released about the results of the tests or whether charges will follow.
Anyone injured in such an accident will typically face enormous medical bills and possibly long-term rehabilitation depending on the extent of injures. If a traffic investigation finds that a driver was at fault through some act of negligence, especially if criminal charges are filed, then a victim can try to recover compensation from the responsible driver or his or her insurer.
For this reason, the victim or other family members should consult qualified legal advisors about how best to obtain the appropriate compensation as soon as possible. Their advice and guidance can also provide them with various options so they can determine their best legal route.
Source: www.ktbs.com, “Pedestrian hit in front of local hospital,” Kelly Colvin, April 24, 2014.