Any loss of life in car crashes is tragic whether they occur here in Pennsylvania or elsewhere. However, when victims of fatal auto accidents are just starting their lives and have nothing but the future ahead of them, the loss may seem even sadder. When a young person is denied a future due to the negligence of another person, it can be downright devastating.
For instance, an 18-year-old volunteer firefighter who had recently graduated from technical school after studying auto repair recently lost is life in a senseless accident. He was the passenger in a vehicle at the time. The driver failed to obey a stop sign and slammed into another vehicle. The fatal accident victim clung to life long enough to be flown to a hospital in the area, but died at the hospital.
The volunteer fire department the man worked for responded to the scene. Having to help extricate one of their own from a vehicle was a shock. At first, it was believed he failed to use his seat belt, but the coroner later debunked that. Regardless, the fact remains that a well-liked member of the community lost his life, and what may have been a bright future, in a senseless accident.
As the Pennsylvania community grieves, his surviving family members may exercise their right to pursue restitution for their loss. In many wrongful death claims arising out of fatal auto accidents, the primary motive is not the money, but instead, is the sense of justice for a life cut short. Even so, if negligence is proved to the court’s satisfaction, an award of damages could help with the financial losses that often accompany such tragedies.
