Tag

Two people were injured when an ambulance crashed into a VW Jetta in San Francisco. (Photos: San Francisco Chronicle)

Injury accident: A paramedic intern and a motorist were hospitalized Friday after an ambulance crashed into a Volkswagen Cabriolet and rolled over in a busy intersection in San Francisco.

•   An ambulance was responding to an emergency call when it crashed into a car in an intersection. 

•   At least two people were injured, including the driver of the car.

•   Details of the accident were still under investigation, but police said the car did not run a red light.

The car accident occurred at 12:15 p.m. at the intersection of 16th Street and South Van Ness Avenue at 12:15 p.m., according to a report in the San Francisco Chronicle.

San Francisco Police Department Captain Robert Moser said the American Medical Response ambulance was traveling eastbound on 16th Street at the time of the crash. It was responding to an emergency call with flashing lights and sirens.

The white Cabriolet was traveling south on South Van Ness Avenue when it reached the intersection with 16th Street. Moser said the Jetta had a green light.

The ambulance crashed into the Cabriolet, demolishing the front of the small convertible, and then flipped over onto its side.

Witness Jorge Luna, who works at a nearby gas station, told the Mission Local news site that the ambulance rolled over “two or three times.” Luna went over to the ambulance and  helped the two paramedics seated in the front to get out of the vehicle while emergency crew members helped the medic intern who was seated in back.  There were no patients in the ambulance.

The only occupant of the Cabriolet was the driver. He was taken to the hospital with what were later described as minor injuries.

What is a minor injury?

Police and firefighter classifications of “minor injuries” can be misleading. Even a so-called “minor” injury may be far more serious than it initially appears and can have a major impact on the victim’s life. Some injuries aren’t even evident until days or weeks after an accident.

Injuries that are designated as “minor” may include whiplash, strains, sprains, lacerations, and bone fractures. All of these types of injuries may vary in severity.

* Whiplash, for example, is neck injury caused by sudden jerking or “whipping” of the head, as often occurs in car accidents, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH). It may not be noticed for several days, yet it can cause stiffness and numbness in the head, neck, back, shoulders, and arms. The initial symptoms may appear to go away and then return for months or even years, according to the NIH report.

* Strains and sprains are soft tissue injuries. Strains can cause pain, muscle spasms, swelling, and trouble moving the muscle, according to the NIH. Sprains involve pain, swelling, bruising, and being unable to move the joint. Initial treatment often requires taking time off work to rest the injury, sometimes followed by longer-term physical therapy.

* Lacerations include cuts, tears, and puncture wounds. A variety of factors determine how quickly a laceration may heal. Infection is always a risk with a laceration, and this risk can be particularly dangerous for diabetics. Even minor lacerations may cause permanent scars.

* Bone fractures are very common in car accidents. They can be extremely painful, and may involve swelling, bruising, or bleeding as well as numbness, tingling, and the inability to move a limb. Some fractures require surgery to implant plates, pins, or screws to keep the bone in place. The impact of a fracture on daily activities is immediate and often disabling. Follow-up surgery and physical therapy may stretch the recovery period to months.

San Francisco Car Accident Lawyers

The trial attorneys at Blackman Legal Group, a California-based law firm founded by renowned trial attorney Clifford Blackman, have successfully represented car accident victims for 35 years. The nationwide toll-free number to call for a free consultation is 1-866-692-8126.

titled_box title=”Why call us?” variation=”teal”]• Value: We offer discounted fees to callers who read our blog.

• Experience: Our attorneys are top-ranked.

• Consideration: We advance all expenses on cases. And we never charge a fee unless your case is successfully settled.[/titled_box]