Teenagers get a lot of grief for not following the rules. In recent years, scientists have discovered that since the teen brain isn’t fully developed, teenagers are more likely to make riskier decisions. Which is why it’s important to recognize instances where teenagers actually do what is expected of them – and it’s so tragic when they suffer because of it.
Last week, a teenager was critically injured after being hit by a vehicle in the east valley. On Tuesday, December 11 around 5:15pm, a teen girl was walking in a marked crosswalk at the intersection of Sahara Avenue and Winterwood Boulevard (about a half mile east of Nellis Boulevard) in Sunrise Manor when she was struck by a vehicle. The teenager was rushed to Sunrise Medical Center with critical injuries.
There isn’t much additional information about the auto-pedestrian accident, but it appears that the driver of the vehicle will be held responsible for the girl’s injuries. That’s because there are three marked crosswalks at that intersection and no traffic signals, meaning that the pedestrian almost always has the right of way if he or she is in a marked crosswalk.
If the teen’s parents wish to do so, they could file a personal injury lawsuit against the driver of the vehicle involved (since the victim is a minor, the suit would have to be filed by her parents). This could allow the plaintiffs to collect reimbursement for current and future medical costs, which could easily run into the tens of thousands of dollars – or more if the teenager is permanently disabled.