Every year, many thousands of people in New York and throughout the country die in car accidents. Many people, such as a 19-year-old who was recently involved in a single-vehicle crash, survive their initial injuries but die later while being treated at a hospital. The teenager was a passenger in the backseat when the vehicle careened off the road and struck a tree.
There were several other juveniles in the car at the time, all of whom suffered injuries and were transported to an area hospital for medical support. The driver, a 36-year-old man, suffered injuries that were not life-threatening and was also taken to a hospital. The vehicle was headed westbound before it veered off the south side of the road.
Grief and anger common after a single-car crash
It is always sad when a fatality occurs due to a motor vehicle collision. When the victim was someone who had not even reached his or her 21st birthday, sorrow is intensified. Grieving family members and friends often experience other emotions as well, such as anger, especially in situations where a collision was determined to have been preventable were it not for driver negligence.
Possible wrongful death claim
In New York and all other states, an immediate family member of a person who was killed in a motor vehicle collision may be entitled to seek restitution in court. To do so, the family member must file a wrongful death claim. As a plaintiff, he or she must prove that the defendant had a duty of care to the victim who died and that the driver’s negligence was the proximate cause of the victim’s death.