Not much can ease a family’s pain and suffering after they lose a loved one in an unexpected car accident. When that car accident is caused by someone else’s negligence, the sense of grief is compounded by anger and disbelief over someone else’s irresponsibility.
These may be the thoughts going through the minds of an Ohio family who recently lost their son in a tragic car accident. The Ashland University junior was a passenger in the car that was struck while traveling north by a truck traveling west. There were four people in the car, one of whom has died as a result of his injuries and the other three are in the hospital with critical or serious injuries.
The truck was driven by a 56-year-old man, who, along with his 55-year-old passenger, also sustained injuries and was taken to the hospital. The adults’ conditions were not as serious as the passengers in the other car. This may have to do with the size of their vehicle, as a truck may offer more protection than a smaller vehicle in the case of a collision.
Even if a criminal case is not filed in situations such as these, family members may still be able to hold the negligent driver accountable through a civil action, in the form of a personal injury or wrongful death suit. Though it is not possible to quantify the loss that a grieving family suffers, compensation received through a civil suit may assist with medical expenses, funeral expenses and allow the family to concentrate on the healing process without worrying about finances to cover expenses that arise as a result of the accident.
Source: The Plain Dealer, “1 Ashland University student dead, 3 others seriously hurt in accident,” Tom Feran, May 3, 2014
