The death of a loved one can come as a shock, especially if it was the result of a car accident. In the wake of a fatal crash, the victim’s family is forced to deal with a number of other issues that can arise while grieving their loss.
Pennsylvania police are still investigating a fatal crash that occurred earlier this week. A family of four had been on the road when a dump truck crashed into them. The husband had been driving with his wife in the passenger’s seat and their two young children in the back.
According to the report, the state-owned dump truck had been driving on an on-ramp and tried to make a u-turn in the road. However, the car carrying the family of four was traveling past and the dump truck hit the car on one side. The impact of the collision forced the family’s car to spin, ultimately stopping on the side of the road.
Though it is not clear, it appears that the mother died at the accident scene. Her husband was injured and one of their children was transported to a nearby hospital to be treated for serious injuries. Their other child was not hurt in the crash.
With an investigation ongoing, there is no information as to why the dump truck driver did not see the family’s car when making the u-turn. No doubt the family of the woman wants answers as to why their loved one was killed.
Had the dump truck driver been distracted at the time? There had been another individual in the vehicle with him. Had he been on his phone? Was there drugs or alcohol involved that could have caused the accident? Was the driver making an illegal u-turn?
If negligence played a role in the fatal crash, the woman’s family could seek compensation for their loss through a wrongful death claim. An award would help the family with unexpected medical costs, funeral expenses and even lost wages.
Source: The Sentinel: “Woman killed in two-car crash involving PennDOT dump truck in Perry County,” Aug. 3, 2011.