What to Do If You’ve Been Hurt In A Car Accident involving a Senior Citizen
There is a stereotype out there that elderly people may struggle to operate a car. However, sometimes this can play out into reality when someone who should not have a license or be operating a vehicle does so and ends up in a serious accident. Senior’s in car accidents can leave the victim suffering catastrophic injuries. There have, unfortunately, been far too many incidences in California and across the country when elderly people have caused critical accidents.
If an elderly person causes a serious traffic accident, they could be held responsible for any resulting injuries.
The data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration shows that there are more than 30 million licensed drivers across the country over the age of 65, representing 15% of all licensed drivers. However, there are risks associated with continuing to drive above the age of 70. As people age, health issues, including the ability to see, ability to react and ability to concentrate and hear are all impacted. Research also shows that drivers over the age of 70 are more likely to cause catastrophic accidents than younger drivers. Catastrophic injuries tied to these old age accidents can include damage to the spinal cord, back pain, crushed or broken bones, brain injuries, and lacerations from broken glass.
This can mean the victim is unable to go to work for an extended period of time and can have major consequences for the victim and his or her family members for many years to come. Because of this, California personal injury law entitles those victims or the surviving family members of someone who was killed to come forward with a personal injury claim with the help of an experienced and knowledgeable lawyer.
