Church van carrying 15 children crashes in Louisiana

It goes without saying that car accidents often have devastating results. This was the case in a recent Louisiana car accident involving a church van and a pickup truck. The church van, which was carrying 15 children, overturned after a pickup truck ran a stop sign and collided with the van.

Police say that the eastbound pickup truck failed to stop at the stop sign, crashed into the side of the van and caused it to overturn. The children inside were taken to area hospitals, including one who suffered a broken leg. One 11-year-old boy had to undergo surgery and was released from the hospital a few days later with a pin inserted in his knee. Reports indicate that the other children were not seriously injured, suffering only minor injuries with some said to have escaped unhurt.

Following the crash, the driver of the church van was issued 16 traffic violations, primarily because the children were not wearing seatbelts. The driver of the pickup truck was also cited for not wearing a seat belt as well as for failure to stop at a stop sign. The accident investigation report may help sort out responsibility for the crash.

In addition, it may be that both drivers, as well as the church, could be exposed to personal injury claims as a result of the car accident. Under Louisiana law, those seriously injured through the negligence of one or more parties may seek reimbursement for their medical expenses and other damages sustained, including pain and suffering related to the injuries. While it is too early to know if claims may be made or what their result might be, the collision is sobering reminder that seat belts often save lives and prevent serious injuries.

Source: thenewsstar.com, “11-year-old van crash victim is released from the hospital,” June 18, 2012