California man drives into outdoor cafe, injures 5

A 90-year-old San Jose man accidentally accelerated into a group of patrons and a person walking down the sidewalk outside a Palo Alto sidewalk cafe while trying to parallel park his 2010 Nissan Versa. The driver and all five accident victims were taken to Stanford Hospital for non-life-threatening injuries. The accident occurred at around 12:30 p.m. on July 31.

Two men, one in his 30s and the other in his 70s, had serious injuries that required surgery. A man in his 20s and a woman in her 60s suffered scrapes, and one man who was in his 30s had a laceration to the head. The driver also suffered an injury that was believed to be related to the airbag in his vehicle.

A section of University Avenue was closed for hours while the Specialized Traffic Accident Team investigated the scene. While it was unclear what caused the crash, police found no immediate signs that alcohol or drugs were involved. At the time of reporting, no charges or citations were levied against the driver.

When a car strikes a pedestrian the potential injuries can be very serious. Spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injury and loss of limbs may occurred when a person is not inside automobile when such accidents occur. Treatment of those injuries can result in huge medical bills and loss of wages.

Fortunately, the law allows individuals who are negatively affected by those incidents seek compensation for damages through a lawsuit that is filed in civil court. A personal injury lawyer could help a plaintiff prepare a claim and, if necessary, represent them in court.

Source: San Jose Mercury News, "Palo Alto: Man in his 90s accidentally drives onto downtown sidewalk and injures five -- two seriously", Jason Green and Bonnie Eslinger, August 01, 2014