The unexpected death of a loved one can sometimes include devastating emotional and economic impacts for family members.
A Massachusetts man was recently killed in a semi-truck accident in another state. The trucking accident occurred when the driver of the 18-wheeler lost control of the semi truck as it left the road and overcorrected, causing the semi truck to overturn. The man that was killed was a passenger who was sleeping in the sleeper compartment of the semi-truck’s cab area. He was ejected from the semi truck and killed in the truck accident.
When someone has been killed in a truck accident, including when that person was a passenger, the family of the lost loved one may be able to recover damages from the loss from any party that was responsible for causing the accident. In the case of truck accidents, an inattentive truck driver or drunk truck driver that causes an accident that results in a fatality may be liable for negligence. Additionally, depending on the relationship between the truck driver and the trucking company, the company may also be liable. In some cases, if the driver was an unqualified truck driver or experiencing truck driver fatigue for example, multiple parties may be liable.
Wrongful injury cases are the same as personal injury cases except that they are brought on behalf of the deceased victim for the benefit of the surviving family members. Damages that may be recoverable in a wrongful death claim can include pecuniary, or economic, damages such as the loss of support, the loss of services, the lost prospect of inheritance, as well as medical and funeral expenses.
A wrongful death claim can be an important consideration for a family facing an unexpected loss. Unexpected costs and financial damages may lead to a family bringing a claim against the party or parties that caused the harm.
Source: KearnyHub.com, “Tuesday accidents leave two men dead,” Author Unknown, May 2, 2013.
