Just as pedestrians require protections on the roadways, victims of auto accidents receive protections through the legal system.
A 17-year old boy was recently identified as the driver who struck a pedestrian and then fled from the scene of the auto accident in Worcester. The hit-and-run driver is now facing charges for negligent operation of a motor vehicle to endanger, failure to slow for a pedestrian in a roadway, leaving the scene of a personal injury accident and violating junior operator restrictions for the number of passengers in the vehicle. A 23-year college student, who was out walking her dog when she was struck, remains at the hospital in serious condition. The victim suffered multiple injuries, including a broken leg, a broken arm, cracked vertebrae, broken facial bones and a concussion with swelling in her brain. The victim’s father noted that her recovery is expected to take months.
Auto-versus-pedestrian accidents can result in serious injuries to the victim, including brain injury. Traumatic brain injuries can require extensive treatments and can be an on-going injury, which is difficult to treat. As such, injuries suffered in an auto accident also can be costly to treat. Because of this, victims may be able to recover medical expenses, in addition to pain and suffering and other types of damages.
A negligent driver, such as a distracted driver or a driver who is texting and driving, may be liable to an injured victim for the damages the victim has suffered. Oftentimes, insurance companies are involved in the process of providing compensation to the injured victim and in hit-and-run circumstances when a driver is never found or identified, certain options through an uninsured or underinsured motorist insurance policy may still be available.
Liability for damages suffered by an injured victim in an auto accident likely rests with the responsible party, such as a negligent driver. A trained personal injury attorney can help ensure, to the extent possible, that victims receive necessary compensation for injuries and damages.
Source: Telegram & Gazette, “Teen boy charged in Worcester hit-and-run,” Mar. 3, 2014
