No one is perfect and everyone makes mistakes from time to time. The problem is when those mistakes happen when operating a vehicle that weighs anywhere from one to 40 tons. The sad reality is that innocent people could suffer serious or fatal injuries in car accidents caused by the negligence or recklessness of someone else.
For instance, the Ohio State Highway Patrol responded to a crash on a recent Saturday morning involving two vehicles. Somewhere around 8:40 a.m., a vehicle headed south on State Route 534 crossed over into the northbound lane of travel. The 68-year-old driver of the northbound vehicle did not have the time to avoid the resulting head-on collision.
The driver and his 34-year-old passenger both perished in the crash. No information regarding the occupants of the southbound vehicle was available at the time of the accident. The road was closed while officers investigated, and at last report, that inquiry was ongoing. It could be some time before the cause of the accident is determined and the decision regarding whether to file criminal charges is made.
In the meantime, two families are more than likely grieving the loss of its members. Dealing with a sudden loss such as is the case in fatal car accidents, many families also suffer significant financial losses. Few families are prepared for the expenses associated with a death, the loss of income and other damages that arise. Ohio law allows for the pursuit of restitution for those losses and damages through the filing of a wrongful death claim.
