A 32-year-old Modesto, California, woman suffered major injuries last July 27, 2009 when her car was struck by an airborne truck. The Merced Sun-Star reported that Donna Thomas was driving a 1995 Honda Civic on the northbound lane of Highway 99 when the bizarre California car accident occurred at around 10:30 a.m. near Atwater, California, reported Merced Sun-Star.

The report said that 67-year-old James Hudson was driving a 2000 Ford F-150 on the southbound lane when his truck drifted onto the right shoulder. Hudson lost control and the Ford F-150 flew across the highway, hitting Thomas's car.

California Highway Patrol spokesman Shane Ferriera said that car collision completely tore the roof off Thomas's Honda as the truck's rear tires and undercarriage slammed into the smaller car. The Honda then struck a guardrail while the Ford F-150 cleared the right shoulder and guardrail before overturning on its left side.

Thomas was airlifted to Memorial Medical Center in Modesto while Hudson, who also suffered minor injuries in the car accident, was taken by ambulance to Mercy Medical Center Merced. While Ferriera said that drugs or alcohol did not appear to contribute to the crash, it was also still unclear how fast Hudson was travelling at the time.

Firstly, I am relieved that the car accident did not result in any fatal injuries. I pray for both Donna Thomas's and James Hudson's quick recoveries.

According to the California Highway Patrol's Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), there were 86 deaths and 1891 injuries involving car accidents in Merced County in 2007.

Based on this newspaper report, it is unclear why Hudson's truck veered onto the right shoulder. Was it a driver error or an auto defect? If the accident was caused by a car malfunction which caused the driver to lose control of the vehicle, the auto manufacturer or dealer may be held liable for the car accident. In such cases, it is always in everyone's best interest to consult with an experienced California personal injury attorney to determine what occurred and ensure that the injured parties are properly compensated.