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Photo of Edward P. Shaughnessy
Photo of Edward P. Shaughnessy

Pennsylvania DUI car accidents may lead to wrongful death claims

On Behalf of | May 26, 2014 | Uncategorized |

The son of a 54-year-old father, along with other family members, is likely still traumatized and shocked after learning of his recent death. This was just one more of those senseless, avoidable Pennsylvania car accidents caused by an alleged drunk driver. Every occurrence of such an accident is one too many.

The deceased was at his place of employment at the time of the accident. His employer related that, although the man had only been working there for some months, he was an indispensable member of the staff. The victim was positioned on the side of the road behind a delivery truck, helping the driver who was backing up the truck, when he was struck by a vehicle.

The victim died at the scene of the accident, and the driver of the car was arrested for involuntary manslaughter and DUI. The 64-year-old man’s bail was set at $350,000 as he is awaiting a preliminary hearing scheduled for June 4. Because the accident resulted in the death of the victim, the alleged drunk driver will likely face penalties and jail time.

Residents of Pennsylvania who have lost loved ones in car accidents that were caused by the negligence of another party may want to see the at-fault individuals held responsible. The victims’ families, such as in this case, retain the right to pursue wrongful death claims in a civil court. Successful presentations of such claims may result in monetary damages awarded by a court to compensate the families for funeral and burial expenses, along with loss of income and any additional damages as allowed by state laws.

Source: philly.com, “Man charged in DUI wreck of man outside beer store”, , May 20, 2014