Six Injured in Fountain Valley Car Accident

Six people, including an elderly driver, were injured in a Fountain Valley car accident after the vehicle driven by the senior driver plowed into a tutoring center. According to a news report on CBS Los Angeles, the crash occurred the afternoon of August 19, 2013 in the 9900 block of Ellis Avenue. Police say a 2011 Buick sedan driven by a 76-year-old driver crashed into the Tutoring Club. The car had gone through the back of the entire storefront. Emergency personnel extricated two of the victims who were trapped underneath the vehicle.

A 32-year-old tutor suffered traumatic life-threatening injuries while a 20-year-old tutor who was trapped under the car also suffered serious injuries. A 67-year-old woman and two 15-year-old boys suffered minor injuries. All injured victims were transported to a local hospital for treatment. The driver, Peter Hauk of Huntington Beach, told police he was sitting in the car and that it was an accident. The crash is still under investigation.

Traffic Accident Statistics

According to California Highway Patrol’s 2010 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), there were two fatalities and 429 injuries reported as a result of traffic accidents in Fountain Valley. In Orange County as a whole, 100 people died and 13,368 were injured due to traffic accidents during the same year.

What Caused This Crash?

Based on this news report, it appears that an elderly driver plowed his vehicle into the storefront of the Tutoring Club. However, there are still several unanswered questions here. Why did the elderly driver lose control of the vehicle? Did his age or health condition cause or contribute to the incident? Did he accelerate by mistake instead of applying the brakes? Was he impaired or disoriented at the time? Was he distracted or inattentive at the time? I trust officials are looking into these and other issues in order to determine precisely what occurred here and why.

Liability Issues

In such cases, injured victims can seek compensation from the at-fault party for damages including medical expenses, lost wages, cost of hospitalization, rehabilitation, pain and suffering and emotional distress. Injured victims would also be well advised to contact an experienced Orange County personal injury lawyer who will analyze all aspects of an incident and ensure that the negligent parties are held liable. The best personal injury law firms will always offer a free consultation and comprehensive case evaluation to injured victims and their families.