Oregon Car Accident Critically Injures Two Children

Three children – age 14, 13 and 10 – are recovering after they were seriously injured in an Oregon car accident the evening of December 20, 2009. According to a KATU news report, the three youngsters were walking in a marked crosswalk on a Tualatin Valley Highway when they were struck by a driver who says he did not see them in the darkened highway. Three cars had stopped for the children, but a fourth, driven by Cecilio Venegas drove right through. He was cited for passing a stopped vehicle at a crosswalk. Police say the two teenagers sustained critical injuries while the 10-year-old girl suffered minor injuries including road rash. The two older children reportedly hit the car hard enough to fly over it.

My heart goes out to the families of these children who must be going through an extremely tough time right now. The 14-year-old boy and 10-year-old girl are siblings. Their mother says the oldest will face months of physical therapy because of his serious head injuries. I hope the two seriously injured children have a quick and complete recovery. Please keep them in your prayers.

Accident Statistics

According to the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT), there were five fatalities and 45 injuries involving pedestrian accidents in Washington County, Oregon, in 2007. Also during the same year, 26 people died and 2,308 were injured as a result of car accidents in Washington County.

Dangerous Intersection

Based on this news report, the intersection where this pedestrian accident occurred – Southwest 178th Avenue and Tualatin Valley Highway -- is a dangerous one where prior accidents have occurred. In May, a man was hit by a car at this intersection with such an impact that a witness reported he was catapulted and "did a cartwheel in the air." On July 4, a 15-year-old boy was hit in the crosswalk and thrown to the median. This intersection also does not have blinking lights to warn motorists as some others do on that highway. Officials say this particular crosswalk is scheduled for signal construction in 2012, but that it could be built sooner if the state can fund it.

In my opinion, the governmental agency should take care of this problem as soon as possible. The families of these children and the other catastrophic injury victims, who have suffered as a result of the unsafe crosswalk, could have a claim for compensation against the governmental agency that is in charge of maintaining that highway. It seems to me that the governmental agencies were well aware of the dangerous condition that exists at this intersection.

Contacting an Oregon Personal Injury Lawyer

The families of these young children injured in this accident, would be well-advised to retain the services of a reputed Oregon personal injury lawyer, who has a stellar track record of holding governmental agencies accountable for their negligence. In such cases, victims can claim compensation to cover medical expenses, cost of hospitalization, rehabilitation, therapy and even long-term care where victims have sustained catastrophic injuries.

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.