PITTSBURGH, PA — An unnamed child was taken to the hospital after she was hit by a school van in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on Thursday, April 16th, 2015. News reports out of Pittsburgh said that the accident took place at about 4:00 Thursday afternoon.
A 7-year-old girl was hurt when she was hit by a school van while she was walking along or trying to cross the street near the intersection of Rinne Street and Arlington Avenue. The news did not specify where the girl was standing when she was struck.
The child was rushed to UPMC Children’s Hospital where she was last listed in critical condition by hospital staff.
Local authorities are trying to clear up the details of what happened in the accident.
Scene of the Accident
View of the Road
Commentary:
The news hasn’t been exactly clear as to how this accident happened, or where the girl was standing, but photos from the scene may lend us a few clues. I see from pictures that the school van, and several other vehicles are parked with two tires in the road, and two tires on the sidewalk, with a “soft” curb dividing the street and the sidewalk. Is it possible that the school van simply pulled in to this parking spot without keeping out a watchful eye out for anybody on the sidewalk? Was it legal to park in this manner, or did the driver of the school van do it because there were already several other cars on the block that did it as well? If the school van does turn out to be at fault for the accident, then victims need to understand that filing a claim against a government vehicle is a little more complex than a normal vehicle or commercial truck. The government has set up a few roadblocks to protect itself from as many claims as possible, so having somebody experienced help you navigate these roadblocks is probably going to yield better results than going it alone. Acting fast is important, as time limits may be cut in some areas with government claims by up to 75%.
— Grossman Law Offices
