Two women from Pennsylvania were killed in a two-vehicle accident in Maurice River Township in New Jersey. The June 27 accident happened in the evening on Route 49, near mile-marker 44.8, when one vehicle crossed the center line and collided with the other vehicle.
According to the New Jersey State police, a silver GMC Terrain, driven by a 52-year-old woman from Sinking Springs, was headed east on Route 49 at about 7:45 p.m. when a white Ford van going the opposite direction crossed the center line into oncoming traffic and crashed into it.
The driver of the Terrain and her passenger, a 50-year-old woman from Bethel, ended up trapped inside their vehicle. Various fire departments assisted with their rescue. However, both women were declared dead at the scene of the fatal car accident. The driver of the van and the male passenger were taken to Inspira Medical Center in Vineland for treatment of minor injuries. Police continue to investigate the incident.
In this case, it is not yet known what caused the van to cross the center line. The action could be due to distracted driving from use of a cellphone for texting or talking, driving under the influence or even road and weather conditions. In a similar case, the women’s families might consider filing wrongful death claims to recover damages related to the women’s passing. To do this, they would first need to establish negligence on the part of the driver of the van. Once this is established and if the families file successful claims, the families might be compensated for the funeral and burial costs they incurred as well as other damages such as those for loss of support and services.
Source: NJ.com, “Maurice River Township accident on Route 49 leaves 2 Pa. women dead”, Spencer Kent, June 28, 2014
