Every traffic death is tragic, and each year there are around 37,000in the United States. In many of these accidents, the passenger who was in the same car as the at-fault driver is killed. In these cases, surviving family and other victims of the crash wonder what impact it will have on the case.
Passenger Fatality and Five Injured in Russell County Crash
A 26-year-old man died when the truck he was riding in crossed the center line and hit another vehicle. The accident happened Tuesday night, May 19, 2020, on US-127 near the Russell-Case County line. According to the Kentucky State Police, the driver of the truck and four occupants of the other vehicle were injured and transported to a local hospital with three of them being airlifted.
Liability and Wrongful Death Accidents
When someone causes another person’s death because of their negligence, they are liable to the surviving members of the family for their losses. If the same driver injured others in the crash, then he or she is liable for their injuries as well.
If one of the victims of the driver’s negligence dies, then it changes things for everyone else. The biggest change is that it potentially adds more people who are owed compensation. In a wrongful death case, the “victims” are the surviving close family members of the deceased.
Their losses are determined by whether they were financially dependent on the deceased and how their death impacted their lives. In most cases, the at-fault driver’s insurance will be the only source of compensation, and this will now have to be split between the survivors of the deceased and the victims in the crash.
Not Enough Money to Go Around
When someone dies, it seems in bad taste to talk about money. That being said, those who lose loved ones have to deal with all of the injuries and financial losses.
In cases where there are more damages than there is money, then the victims can look elsewhere. If the deceased has any assets, they might be able to be used. In most cases, there isn’t any other money to seek for compensation, however, each victim of a physical injury can look to their own auto insurance for some financial compensation.
If any of them has an auto insurance policy with uninsured and underinsured motorist’s coverage, then that might be used to cover any losses not covered by the at-fault driver’s insurance.
Don’t Go it Alone
You’re not expected to know all the ins and outs of insurance coverage. That’s our job. At Kaufman & Associates, PLLC, we understand how the system works, and we can put that knowledge along with our years of experience to use for you if you’ve been injured in an accident.
The insurance company for the at-fault driver may sound helpful and might make you feel like they are going to take care of you, but don’t let that fool you. They have one job to do which is to pay you as little as possible for your injuries—and they’re good at it.
What you need is s professional on your side to level the field and make sure that you get the compensation you deserve.
Contact a Personal Injury Attorney Today
The attorneys at Kaufman & Stigger, PLLC, have that knowledge and a combined 100 years’ experience in helping clients get the results they deserve. To discuss your case, call Kaufman & Stigger, PLLC today, at (800) 937-8443 or click here to contact them online.