Motor vehicle accidents are an unfortunate side effect of the widespread use of cars throughout the nation, including the Pittsburgh area. Their causes vary widely, and may be unable to prevent. In many instances however, collisions with other vehicles or pedestrians are due to the actions of the individuals behind the wheel. Whatever the reason for the incident, all would likely agree that it is important for drivers involved in accidents to stop after it occurs.
A woman is lucky to be alive after being struck by a vehicle in the Oakland section of Pittsburgh last week. The 60-year-old woman was hit shortly before 7:00 am at the intersection of Bates and Atwood Streets as she crossed the street. After hitting the woman a surveillance video that captured the incident shows that the car just drove off.
The woman was seriously hurt as a result of the collision. She was taken to a hospital where it was determined that she suffered the following injuries:
- Head injury
- Tears in her spleen
- Broken bones (hip, tibia, cheekbone)
- Internal bleeding
Injuries such as these can be extremely painful and take a long time to recover from. During that period in which the injured individual usually cannot work, it is not uncommon for medical bills to mount, adding insult to injury.
Authorities are currently seeking the driver of the vehicle responsible for inflicting the injuries. Once located, in addition to almost certainly facing criminal charges, that individual will likely be held responsible in civil court as well via a personal injury lawsuit.
Source: KDKA, "Investigators Reviewing Surveillance Video In Oakland Hit & Run," Marty Griffin, Dec. 18, 2012
Car accidents can result in serious injuries. Our law firm handles case in which someone is hurt or dies in a collision including those involving pedestrians. If you would like to learn more about our practice, please visit our Pittsburgh car accidents page.