Oregon Injury Lawyer Blog
A recent article in The Oregonian recounts the story of a 13-year-old Gresham girl severely injured late last month while she and a friend were crossing the street on their way home from school. According to the newspaper the seventh grader and a friend were using a marked crosswalk when a 44-year-old Gresham woman “ran a red light and hit the girls” with her delivery van.
One of the girls “suffered a significant brain injury and several fractures.” The eventual extent of her recovery remains uncertain. The other child was less seriously injured and has been released from the hospital.
The newspaper reports that friends of the severely injured girl’s family have set up a crowdfunding page to help them cope with what are likely to be years of significant expenses in the wake of this Oregon reckless driving crash involving injuries to two children (The Oregonian’s story below includes a link to the GoFundMe page).
In addition to the issue of the family’s needs, however, the question of whether the driver of the van will be held accountable for what appears, based on media reports, to be a case of reckless driving also still needs to be addressed. According to The Oregonian “investigators are still waiting for some information about the crash, including additional witness statements… (but) police said in the aftermath of the crash that they didn’t think alcohol, drugs or high speeds were contributing factors.”
As an Oregon and Washington attorney with a practice focusing on injuries to children, especially cases involving auto accidents, I can only look at this case and hope that justice will eventually be served. It is a reminder that a single thoughtless moment behind the wheel can alter the lives of many, many people.
The Oregonian: Gresham student in serious condition 3 weeks after being hit by van in crosswalk
