Crash on Indiana highway may open door to wrongful death suit

When a group of college kids got a flat tire on their vehicle, they pulled over to attend to their disabled vehicle. When they did so, a car accident occurred that left three of them dead. The situation and resulting criminal charges may open the door to a wrongful death claim if the families of the victims in the Indiana crash are inclined to pursue such a legal option.

The accident happened early on a Sunday as the international students were traveling back to their college. The students were outside of the vehicle changing the tire at the time they were hit. Three of the students died and one was injured. The injured student was in critical condition.

The van driver, a 26-year-old man, was injured and treated for minor injuries. He was charged with reckless homicide. He was also charged with OWI resulting in serious bodily injury. He was being held on $300,000 bond.

The criminal charges against the driver may play out in an Indiana criminal court. However, the families of the young students who died may have cause to file a wrongful death claim against that driver and the injured student may be able to pursue a personal injury claim. This kind of legal action may be necessary as the losses can leave families with more than an emotional void, they can also leave a financial void as those families deal with unexpected expenses, such as funeral costs, medical bills and other financial burdens related to losing a loved one in such a tragic manner.

Source: dailyherald.com, “3 international students fatally struck on Indiana highway“, Feb. 21, 2016