Dustin Hammons, 23, of Oregon, is being hailed as a hero for rescuing an elderly woman from the passenger seat of a burning vehicle after a car accident. According to a news report in The Daily Triplicate, a motor home crashed down an embankment on U.S. Highway 199 near Siskiyou Fork Road. The motor home occupied by an elderly couple had veered off the roadway, rolled down the embankment and struck a tree. The male driver, 78, was killed in the crash, but the woman, 77-year-old Pauline Taylor was still alive.

A Tough Rescue

Hammons was apparently on his way to visit Del Norte County's redwoods with his girlfriend when he noticed smoke coming out of a ditch. When he saw the crashed motor home, he heard the woman screaming from inside the vehicle. He borrowed a fire extinguisher from a truck driver who had stopped on the roadway.

When that didn't help extinguish the flames, Hammons broke through the back of the motor home and crawled inside. But the clutter from the crash prevented him from getting to the trapped victim. Then Hammons went over to the front window and saw Taylor whose hair and clothes were on fire. Hammons pulled Taylor out through the broken windshield as he used his bare hands to put out the flames. Taylor was transported to a hospital with third-degree burns and in serious condition.

Fatal Crash Also Caused Serious Injuries

My heart goes out to the elderly couple especially Pauline Taylor who has apparently sustained catastrophic injuries and has also lost her husband in the crash. The man of the moment, however, was Hammons, who showed remarkable courage, calm and presence of mind as he conducted the rescue as if he were trained to do it. The news report states California Highway Patrol officials plan on giving Hammons an award of commendation. I'm glad to hear that his heroism is being recognized.

Accident Causes and Liability Issues

In this particular case, an investigation is still ongoing as to how this crash occurred in the first place. Was there a vehicle defect in the motor home, which may have caused the driver to lose control of the vehicle? Did the driver suffer a medical condition? Were there other vehicles involved? Was the motor home run off the roadway by another vehicle? I trust officials are examining these and other issues in order to determine exactly what happened here.

If this crash was caused by a vehicle defect, then Taylor will have a claim against the manufacturer of the motor home for her husband's wrongful death as well as for the serious personal injuries she has suffered. In such cases, injured victims can seek compensation to cover medical expenses, hospitalization, surgery, treatment and long-term care costs.

Have you witnessed such heroic acts in your community? We would love to hear your stories.

None of the parties mentioned in this article are represented by us at the time this article was posted. The source of our information is cited in the article. If you were involved in this incident and have questions as to your rights and options, call a reputable law firm for a consultation. Do not act solely upon the information provided herein. The BISNAR | CHASE personal injury law firm will provide free, confidential consultation to "not at fault" persons and their family members if you mention your source was the “Personal Injury Law Journal." They can be reached at 866-456-5235 during California