On June 11, 2009, a woman suffered critical injuries in a motor vehicle crash that occurred in a construction zone on Route 51 in a Pittsburgh suburb. The now 56-year-old woman was comatose for five weeks following the car accident. She also endures residual effects from her injuries, including requiring a walker and severe lapses in her short-term memory function.
This vehicle accident happened on the night of a wedding rehearsal dinner for the woman’s daughter, but the wedding was subsequently postponed for one year. The woman’s son was driving them to a restaurant, and as he was making a left turn, a vehicle traveling toward them from the opposite direction hit their car.
An Allegheny County court recently awarded the woman $15.8 million for her injuries after she filed a lawsuit alleging that the road construction company was liable for her injuries. It was ruled by a jury that the driver of the other vehicle apparently could not see the car that the woman and her son were in because traffic obstructed the view. The driver and the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation had previously settled claims with the plaintiff concerning this accident, so this award was imposed on the road contractor.
When a car accident such as this one occurs, the police investigation typically determines the cause of the wreck. A personal injury attorney might assist injured parties in obtaining police reports and building a civil lawsuit to seek compensation for damages, which may include medical expenses and lost wages. Car accident victims could also use the help of an attorney who understands the laws to negotiate insurance settlements.
Source: REP-AM, “Cheshire company ordered to pay $15.8 million for Pennsylvania crash “, September 16, 2014
