A Massachusetts woman was recently arraigned on several vehicle violations. The charges are the result of a fatal accident that ended in the death of the passenger riding in the vehicle the woman hit. The woman was driving her pickup truck when she collided with the front passenger side of a car, killing that car’s passenger. The driver of that car was a police officer who was not on duty at the time of the accident. Authorities say that the likelihood of additional charges is possible. Also, the off-duty police officer’s urine and blood were tested with a negative result.
Those who lost a loved one in a fatal car crash may wish to seek a wrongful death action to recover damages for their loss. A wrongful death action can be brought by surviving family members when a loved one died as a result of another person’s negligence. Most commonly, these family members include the children, a surviving spouse and at times parents. A personal representative of the loved one’s estate will bring the lawsuit and any compensation will pass to family members according to the decedent’s will.
Wrongful death actions can result in a variety of circumstances, including automobile or plane accidents, medical malpractice situations or deaths that result from criminal behavior. Some other circumstances can lead to a wrongful death action as well. Economic damages will likely be available to surviving family members for loss of support, medical costs, funeral expenses and other losses. There are many factors that will be considered when quantifying the loss.
When facing the loss of a loved one, the impact can be overwhelming. The legal system is in place to help compensate victims and relieve some of the economic strain of the loss.
Source: WickedLocal.com, “Gloucester woman arraigned following fatal crash that killed Ipswich resident,” Dec. 17, 2012
