All it takes is a moment for a person’s life to be permanently altered by a car accident. But some may forget that those injured or killed in car accidents are not the only ones suffering — their families often suffer as well. An Ohio father was seriously injured in a collision less than a year after his son was fatally injured in a wreck. Although it is not known if he or his family took any legal action following the death of his son, it is possible that they will now consider a personal injury claim.
At the time of the wreck, the man was driving his pickup truck along State Route 522. It may have been an otherwise typical day for him, until another vehicle veered out of its lane and into oncoming traffic. The pickup truck driver was unable to avoid a collision but said that he saw the oncoming car momentarily veer out of control before straightening out.
It’s unclear whether other vehicles were involved or if there were any passengers in the pickup. Three people were killed, and another three were injured. Two of those fatalities were passengers who were tossed from the vehicle whose driver apparently caused the collision, although the driver survived. Additionally, police report that vehicle contained materials used to make meth, which may be taken into consideration during the ongoing investigation.
While no criminal charges have been filed yet, it’s not too soon for the victims to consider filing a personal injury claim. Damages from serious car accidents can pile on quickly and include anything from lost wages and medical bills to car repairs and long-term pain and suffering. When some victims in Ohio are better able to focus on their recovery rather than how they will meet their medical bills or daily needs, recovery may be a somewhat easier road to trek. If criminal charges are filed while a personal injury claim is still ongoing, it may be possible to include evidence used for those charges in the victim’s civil claim.
Source: wsaz.com, “Scioto Co. Crash Victim: ‘I’m Lucky to Be Alive’”, Rebekah Pewitt and Dan Griffin, Dec. 2, 2014
