Two Young Girls Injured in ATV Crash in Georgia
Recently, an ATV accident sent two young girls to the hospital, according to WRDW TV. The Columbia County Sheriff's Office reports that a nine year old girl was riding on a 4-wheeler, driven by her 14 year-old sister. The ATV was traveling too fast around a curve and lost control, slamming into a fence. Both riders were thrown from the vehicle when it hit several rocks and the fence post. A neighbor found the girls on the ground when she walked outside to pick her son up at the school bus stop.
According to WRDW TV, the injured girls were airlifted to Georgia Regents University in critical condition. The hospital is currently reporting that the elder child is no longer in their system, which hopefully means she has been released. Her sister is unfortunately still in the hospital and information as to her condition is not yet available. Reportedly, neither child was wearing a helmet and it is not clear whether or not they had permission to be operating the ATV alone.
ATV Accidents Can Result in Serious Injury or Even Death
According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, over 13,000 ATV related fatalities occurred between the years 1982 and 2013. In 2013, 426 fatalities occurred due to ATVs, a decline from the 652 that happened in 2010. However, reporting is ongoing for the years 2010 to 2013 and numbers are expected to increase.
Sadly, as the above story demonstrates, children are among the most frequent victims of ATV accidents. Also between the years of 1982 to 2013, over 3,000 ATV fatal accident victims were children under the age of 16. Almost half of the child victims were in fact, under the age of 12.
ATV injuries and deaths most often occur when the driver or passenger is thrown from the vehicle after a crash with another vehicle or an object. Some common ATV injuries include, but are not limited to:
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Head injuries
- Facial injuries
- Broken bones
- Neck injuries
- Paralysis
- Back injuries
- Spinal cord damage
- Amputation
- Death
If you or a loved one has been injured in an ATV accident caused by another person or party, there are many potential reasons why you may be able to recover for damages stemming from the accident. In some circumstances, the driver is at-fault. Other times, the accident is caused by dangerous conditions on the surface of the ATV trail, which may lead to liability on the part of the trail owner. In some situations a product defect within the ATV can lead to an accident. Whatever the circumstances present, an experienced personal injury attorney who examines the crash can discuss various theories of liability, as well as any rights that you may have to pursue compensation for your injuries.
Put Our Law Firm's Over 39 Years of Legal Experience to Work For Your Case!
If you have been injured in an accident, you might be entitled to financial compensation. Montlick and Associates has been representing those who suffer serious injuries throughout all of Georgia and in the Southeast for over thirty years, including but not limited to all smaller cities and rural areas in the state.
No matter where you are located our attorneys are just a phone call away, and we will even come to you. Call us 24 hours a day/7 days a week for your Free Consultation at 1-800-LAW-NEED (1-800-529-6333). You can also visit us online at www.montlick.com and use our Free Case Evaluation Form or 24-hour Live Online Chat.
Source:
http://www.wrdw.com/home/headlines/ATV-accident-sends-2-young-girls-to-hospital-303188301.html