When Pennsylvania drivers fail to keep a proper lookout and safe following distances, they cause the ideal circumstances for horrific car accidents. Many lives have been lost on Pennsylvania roads in situations in which a driver is caught off-guard when another vehicle slows down unexpectedly. Rear-end car accidents can lead to personal injury that may have long-term consequences, and in some cases there may even be fatalities.
Such an accident recently occurred in Montgomery County when the driver of a northbound van on Harleysville Pike reduced speed. A police report indicated that a truck following the van failed to slow down in time and smashed into the back of the van. The impact of the collision reportedly sent the van careening into the southbound lane.
Police said the van was then struck by a southbound passenger vehicle. The drivers of both the van and the sedan suffered serious injuries, and they were airlifted by helicopters to two different medical facilities. Sadly, the passenger in the sedan suffered fatal injuries, and she was pronounced dead at the accident scene. Although the severity of the injuries that was suffered by the truck driver is unknown, he was transported by ambulance to a hospital. The accident investigation is reportedly ongoing.
Several Pennsylvania families will be affected by this three-vehicle accident. Medical expenses and end-of-life costs are hardly ever part of anyone’s budget, but the fact that financial relief may be pursued may provide some comfort. When a personal injury or wrongful death claim is filed in a civil court, negligence will have to be established before any monetary judgment will be entered. Documented claims for damages will be considered and may include all financial and emotional losses.
Source: 6abc.com, “1 dead, 3 injured in Franconia Township, Montgomery County crash“, Nov. 25, 2015