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MAN KILLED WHILE INSPECTING STOPPED VEHICLE ON HIGHWAY

On Behalf of | Nov 26, 2013 | Wrongful Death

A fatal accident recently occurred in the Bronx involving an immobilized vehicle and another car. One of the cars had pulled over to the right lane and stopped. Two people from the car went to the front of the vehicle to inspect it when it was struck from behind by another car. The stopped vehicle was propelled into the men, launching one of them over a guardrail and onto the street below.

That man died at the scene of the accident, while the other man sustained significant head trauma and was hospitalized in critical condition. Another person in that vehicle and the driver of the other vehicle were also injured in the collision. Authorities are continuing to investigate the collision and no charges have been filed at this point.

The death of an individual is considered a wrongful death when it is the result of negligence or improper conduct on the part of another person or entity. The required elements of a successful wrongful death action are the death of a person, caused by the negligence of another, surviving family members of the victim that are injured financially and a personal representative being appointed to the victim’s estate.

Examples of negligent behaviors in motor vehicle accidents include speeding, distracted driving and not paying attention to traffic conditions, among many others. If the surviving family members are successful in such an action, they are entitled to compensation roughly equivalent to their financial injury. Factors included in such a determination include medical and funeral expenses, loss of support, loss of income and loss of inheritance.

A wrongful death can be extremely difficult for a family to deal with emotionally. On top of that, they are often subject to significant costs related to the death, sometimes leading to financial difficulties as well. Although a compensation award will not make their loss any easier, it can help offset the associated costs and relieve the financial pressures. The assistance of a personal injury attorney can help a family achieve the full amount of compensation to which they are entitled.

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