A 59-year-old man was severely injured on his bicycle last July 27, 2009 in a California car accident outside Ojai, California.

The Ventura County Star reported that the victim, Joseph Ortiz, was riding his bike through a crosswalk at the intersection of Highway 33 and Villanova Road at around 7:00 p.m. when he was struck by a pickup truck.

Authorities said that the driver of the truck, 37-year-old Paula Lydick, was turning left onto the highway at about 5 mph when she hit Ortiz. Ortiz, who was not wearing a helmet, was thrown off his bicycle and suffered major head injury. He was taken to the Ventura County Medical Center for treatment.

First of all, I'm thankful that the car accident did not result in any more serious injuries and I join Mr. Ortiz's family and friends in praying for his speedy recovery.

According to the California Highway Patrol Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), there were at least 261 injuries in Ventura County which involved bicycle accidents in 2007.

While Mr. Ortiz's injuries could have been minimized had he been wearing a helmet, other factors need to be considered in the above case. From the report, it appears that Ms. Lydick was travelling at a cautionary speed and Mr. Ortiz was crossing at the appropriate place. Were there misleading signs that led to the collision then? Was there inadequate lighting in the area that contributed to the car accident and which might lead to more accidents in the future?

An experienced California personal injury lawyer can help determine what exactly happened, help injured parties get the compensation they deserve and make sure that those at fault are punished. Pursuing such cases meantime can also help ensure that similar accidents are avoided in the future.