Drivers that fail to abide by the rules of the road or apply an appropriate level of care in their actions make the road more dangerous for themselves and others. Additionally, they make themselves vulnerable to being financially liable for any damages that may be incurred by others injured as a result.
A fatal accident recently occurred in New Jersey involving two cars, one being driven by a teenage male. The vehicles hit each other head-on in the early morning hours. The teenager and the passenger in the other car were both killed at the scene of the accident. The other driver was taken to a nearby hospital, but died from his injuries there. The teenage driver was fifteen years old at the time of the accident, but the legal age to drive is sixteen years old in New Jersey. Authorities are currently investigating the accident, but feel that the teenage driver was at fault. They are unsure who owns the car he was driving, but do not believe that it was stolen.
When someone dies as a result of the negligence or misconduct of another, it is considered a wrongful death. As a result, the surviving family members of a wrongful death victim may face significant costs related to the accident in addition to their emotional struggles. To help alleviate these potential financial difficulties, the surviving family members may bring an action against any possible defendants to compensate them for any damages incurred. To be successful in such an action they must prove that there was the death of a person, caused by the negligence of another person or entity, that surviving family members were damaged financially as a result and that a personal representative has been assigned to the estate of the victim.
The damages to which the surviving family members may be entitled are meant to be equivalent to the monetary value of the victim’s life. This value includes costs related to treatment of their injuries, loss of potential income and loss of inheritance, among many others. Anyone that has lost a family member due to the possible negligence of another may seek the guidance of a skilled personal injury attorney to assess the merits of possible action.
