Bicycle accident victim Na'Keisha White in happier times.
Thirteen-year-old Na'Keisha White continues to improve after suffering a serious brain injury in a bicycle accident this past April.
Na'Keisha and her twelve-year-old brother Marzell were riding their bicycles across the intersection of Briggsmore Avenue and Carver Road when she was struck by a pickup truck. Marzell, who witnessed the accident, rode his bicycle home to get help. When he and his father returned to the scene, a medical student was performing CPR on Na'Keisha, who at that point lacked a pulse. Emergency personnel arrived shortly thereafter and transported the Modesto teen to Children's Hospital and Research Center in Oakland. She suffered massive facial and head trauma and was kept in a medically-induced coma for weeks following the accident.
In August, Na'Keisha was finally able to return home after showing some signs of improvement. Her progress remains slow and her parents say she is still only functioning at the level of a six-month-old. She requires round-the-clock care and a side effect of the brain trauma causes her arm and leg muscles to flex uncontrollably. Her left hand has regained some mobility and she is slowly learning to communicate again. Both her doctors and her parents are hopeful that she will continue to show signs of improvement.
Police initially said that Na'Keisha was crossing against the red light and that the driver of the pickup, 25-year-old Daniel Covarrubias of Turlock, was not at fault. Drugs and alcohol did not appear to have been involved and there was no evidence that Covarrubias was speeding at the time. As of yet, no one has been charged in connection with the accident.
This tragic incident should serve as a reminder that a bicycle accident can irrevocably change your life or the life of a loved one in an instant. While Na'Keisha is fortunate to have survived, she will likely be severely limited by her brain injury for the rest of her life. As her family continues to provide care for her, they may face a financial struggle in the form of mounting medical bills and lost wages.
Had Na'Keisha's injuries been caused by a negligent driver, her family would likely have had grounds for a personal injury claim. Under California law, they may have been entitled to receive compensation for their daughter's pain and suffering, lost income and health care expenses.
If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in a bicycle accident through no fault of your own, you need to speak with an experienced bicycle accident attorney right away. The law firm of Nadrich & Cohen LLP specializes in assisting bicycle accident victims in the Modesto area and throughout California in proving their injury claims.
Call our Injury Hotline today at 1-800-718-4658 to speak with a member of our bicycle accident injury team. Your initial case evaluation is free and there is never a fee unless we recover a judgment on your behalf. Don't hesitate to contact us today to get the experienced legal representation you need to win your California bicycle accident injury claim.
