8-Year-Old Killed, 2 Others Injured After Being Struck By Car

A horrible accident has affected the entire community in Oxnard, California. At approximately 7:40 a.m. on Monday September 30, 2019, an eight-year-old boy, a nine-year-old girl, and the girl’s mother were struck by a car in front of Ramona Elementary School located on Cooper Road. The victims were walking to Cesar Chavez Elementary School, which is just down the street from where the accident occurred. The pedestrians were struck in a crosswalk. There was no stop sign or signal at the crosswalk; the crosswalk was not patrolled by a crossing guard. The pedestrians were struck by a van traveling eastbound on Cooper Road; the van was driven by a 17-year-old who had just dropped off her passengers at Ramona Elementary School. The driver stayed at the scene of the accident – authorities have no reason to believe that either drugs or alcohol were a factor in the incident. When first-responders arrived at the scene of the accident, the young boy was in cardiac arrest. Staff from Ramona Elementary School made attempts to provide aid to the victims. The young boy was transported to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The other two victims were also taken to a local hospital where they remain in stable condition. According to report, the young boy normally walked to school with the young girl and her mother.

Understanding the Cause of Pedestrian Accidents

Pedestrian accidents happen for a number of reasons. Unfortunately, pedestrian accidents are usually severe – and cause devastation. There is still no clear cause to the incident that resulted in the death of the young boy. However, there are many different things that could lead to these accidents. Consider the following points:

• Driver negligence: the most common cause of pedestrian accidents is driver negligence and recklessness. More specifically, drivers fail to take the appropriate care to ensure that they drive safely to avoid accidents. For example, drivers might speed, ignore traffic signals, weave in and out of traffic, and do other things that could increase the risk of causing an accident. In instances in which driver negligence causes the accident, drivers will likely be held liable.
• Defective autos: pedestrian accidents could also be caused by defective vehicles. For instance, a driver might have seen the pedestrians crossing and attempted to come to a stop, but the brakes could have failed. In instances in which a defective auto causes an accident, the auto manufacturer could be held liable.
• Unsafe crossing: some crosswalks, although marked, do not have the appropriate safety signals to ensure that drivers see pedestrians (some crossings are equipped with many lights that flash when pedestrians are crossing). Some crossings are simply in dangerous areas; crossings might be poorly lit, partially or fully obstructed (by trees, for instance), or unperceivable (if it is right after a curve or bend in the road). The unsafe crossing could be associated with the city’s negligence.
• Unsafe road conditions: unsafe road conditions, such as slippery roads and potholes, can easily make drivers lose control of their vehicles. Losing control of their vehicles could directly lead to a pedestrian accident. Because road conditions must be maintained by the city, the city could be liable for any pedestrian accidents caused by poor road conditions.
• Lack of crossing guards: crossing guards are essential for the safety of students. Schools generally submit a request to the city for crossing guards. The city then assigns a crossing guard to an intersection. If the school fails to request a crossing guard, the school could be liable. However, if the city ignores requests for a crossing guard, the city could be liable. Either of these parties could be fully or partially liable.
• Pedestrian negligence: in some cases, the victims of pedestrian accidents actually contribute to the harm that they suffer. Some pedestrians cross the street without looking both ways or sometimes even just run into busy roads. When pedestrians contribute to the accidents that they suffer, they could be found comparatively neglgigent.

Do You Have The Right To Sue?

If you were involved in a pedestrian accident that occurred as a direct result of the negligent actions of a party that should have exercised care or caution to keep you safe, you might have grounds to pursue a claim. Depending on the specific details of your claim, you might also be eligible to recover at least some sort of monetary compensation, which could include some of the following: medical bills, lost income, pain and suffering, funeral and burial costs, loss of consortium, and punitive damages, for example. If you would like to learn more about your right to sue and your right to receive compensation after a devastating pedestrian accident, do not hesitate to seek legal assistance with our experts as soon as possible. Our lawyers are ready to provide you with the guidance that you need to understand your right to sue.

Find out more about how we can help you. Call (855) 339-8879 to speak with a representative now.

Contact Us Today

At Downtown L.A. Law Group, we are dedicated to ensuring that all victims of personal injury accidents have access to the legal assistance that they need to pursue claims if they are harmed in any way due to the negligent actions of other parties. At Downtown L.A. Law Group, we are dedicated to ensuring that all parties have access to the appropriate legal representation; therefore, we offer free legal services – which include free consultations and free second opinions. During these free legal services, our lawyers will be available to answer all your questions, address all your concerns, and ensure that you have all the information that you need to pursue your claim and fight for your right to recover monetary compensation. If you are ready to benefit from our free legal services, contact our firm today. We offer a Zero-Fee guarantee that ensures that our clients never have to worry about paying any upfront legal fees for our legal services. Our firm is also based on a strict contingency structure – you will not have to pay anything until you win. If you are ready to speak with our pedestrian accident attorneys in Los Angeles, contact us today – we are ready to represent you.