A 13-year-old Pittsburgh boy recently stole his mother's car and led police on a chase before getting into an accident.

The events leading up the car accident unfolded like this: the boy stole the car from Pittsburgh's Beltzhoover neighborhood around 1 a.m. Monday. He drove it for about a mile. After attracting police's attention, he struck a parked car and then attempted to escape.

The boy tried to abandon the vehicle and flee police, but he was apprehended a little while later.

The 12-year-old is being charged with unauthorized use of a vehicle, driving without a license, resisting arrest and eluding police.

It is a very fortunate thing that no one was injured in this incident. A driver who is irresponsible enough to get behind the wheel despite being underage and not educated in the rules of the road is putting him or himself in a position to hurt someone.

Many car accident victims suffer serious injuries, which sometimes have consequences that last a lifetime. Because car accidents can be so life-altering, many car accident victims work with personal injury attorneys in an effort to recoup the money they have had to spend getting their lives put back together. The results of any lawsuit are never guaranteed, but a personal injury attorney who has worked with car accident victims will be able to listen to the facts of your circumstance and assess whether you have a good case.

If you are interested in working with an attorney after a car accident, a good place to start might be to contact your local bar association. Many bar associations have directories or referral systems to help people find the attorney who is right for them.

Source: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, "Boy takes mom's car for short ride before chase, crash," Aug. 15, 2011.