A woman sustained critical injuries in an Orange County car accident after she was crushed by her own van, which rolled back and ran over her. The Orange County Register reports that the incident occurred at the woman's home on Katella Avenue the afternoon of December 24, 2009, when the woman's Chrysler Town & Country van rolled and pinned her against a fence post. The accident occurred when the elderly woman was unloading the van in the driveway of her home. It was then that the van rolled back and ran over her. Emergency personnel used hydraulic equipment to lift the vehicle off of the woman and she was transported to an area hospital in critical condition.

My heart goes out to this woman for the serious injuries she has suffered in this accident. I wish her the very best for a quick and complete recovery from her critical injuries. Please keep this injured victim in your prayers.

What Caused this Unfortunate Accident?

It's not clear based on this news report whether the woman failed to set the parking brake in her Chrysler van or if she did not set it properly. Did that cause the van to roll back and strike her? Or was this a case of a defective parking brake, which caused the van to roll back and pin the woman? As Orange County product liability attorneys, we know that parking brake defects can result in catastrophic injuries or even fatalities. We have seen many cases where an ineffective parking brake system can cause a vehicle to roll back without warning and run over unsuspecting victims.

Auto Product Defect Issues

It would be in the best interest of this critically injured victim and her family to preserve the Chrysler van in its current condition so it can be carefully examined by an expert for any evidence of auto product defects or mechanical malfunctions. If this accident was caused by a defective parking brake, the auto maker could be held liable for her injuries. In such cases, victims could seek compensation for medical expenses, loss of wages and other related damages.

We are not representing any of the parties mentioned in this article at the time the article was posted. Our information source is cited in the article. If you were involved in this incident or a similar incident and have questions as to your rights and options, call a reputable law firm. Do not act solely upon the information provided herein. Get a consultation. The best law firms will provide a free confidential consultation to "not a fault" persons named in this article and their family members.