Teenager Critically Injured in Mountain View Crash
An 18-year old woman is clinging to life after she was thrown into the windshield in a May 5, 2025 collision.
A 21-year-old man behind the wheel of a 2009 Honda Accord took the offramp from southbound Interstate 805 at 2:35 a.m. and failed to stop at the red traffic light at Imperial Avenue, the San Diego Police Department reported.
The car jumped the center median and struck a traffic signal light cabinet. The 18-year-old woman, who was not wearing a seat belt, was thrown forward and struck the front windshield.
Paramedics rushed the woman, who suffered a brain bleed, to a hospital in critical condition.
Passenger Injuries
Passengers and drivers bear the same risks in car crashes and often sustain the same injuries. These injuries include one, or more, kinds of head injuries.
- sTBI: A Severe Traumatic Brain injury occurs when the brain slams violently against the inside of the skull, usually because of the extreme motion of a car crash. The repeated impacts cause brain bleeding and swelling. These injuries are difficult to diagnose and even more difficult to treat, especially if the victim has a history of head injuries..
- mTBI: A Moderate Traumatic Brain Injury is a concussion. Individually, concussions normally aren’t very serious. However, the cumulative effect of mTBIs causes chronic traumatic encephalopathy. CTE is a degenerative brain disease that’s usually fatal.
- PTSD: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is a specific kind of physical brain injury. Extreme stress, like the stress of a car wreck, changes the brain’s chemical composition. The imbalance causes symptoms like depression, flashbacks, and anger. PTSD is especially severe if the victim self-medicates with drugs or alcohol.
Pre-existing conditions may increase the risk and/or severity of these head injuries. But a Carlsbad personal injury lawyer can still obtain maximum compensation for these victims. This compensation usually includes money for economic losses, such as medical bills, and noneconomic losses, such as pain and suffering.
Most injured drivers eagerly partner with attorneys to obtain the compensation they need and deserve. But, largely for emotional reasons, many passengers hesitate to do so.
Generally, injured passengers don’t want to cause trouble for drivers, with whom they normally have close, personal relationships. But, in most cases, car accident claims are relatively trouble-free for tortfeasors (negligent drivers). Insurance companies hire lawyers, pay settlements, and take care of most other lawsuit-related items.
The Seat Belt Defense in California
In most states, if injury victims don’t buckle up, insurance company lawyers may be able to reduce the amount of compensation they receive. California’s version of the seat belt defense is very complex.
The failure to wear a seat belt is irrelevant to the liability issues in the case, such as whether or not the driver was negligent. However, seat belt non-use could reduce compensation.
First, the insurance company must prove the seat belt was in good, working order. Many seat belts have been recalled and, since they often don’t receive the notices, many owners don’t get them fixed.
Second, the insurance company must prove the victim wasn’t wearing a seat belt. This element is usually straightforward.
Third, the evidence must show that the victim’s failure to wear a seat belt, as opposed to the tortfeasor’s negligence, substantially caused injury. As mentioned above, many head injuries are not trauma related. Therefore, they could occur whether or not the victim is wearing a seat belt.
Connect With a Diligent San Diego County Lawyer
Injury victims are entitled to substantial compensation. For a confidential consultation with an experienced personal injury lawyer in Carlsbad, contact the Pursley Law Firm. Virtual, home, and hospital visits are available.
Source:
nbcsandiego.com/news/local/18-year-old-critically-injured-single-car-crash-after-driver-failed-stop-red-light/3818181/
