Death of man along road may be wrongful death situation

Fire department personnel were shocked and dismayed to respond to a recent car accident because the victim was one of their own. An intern with the Indiana fire department was the victim, and he was helping with a tow truck alongside the roadway when the accident occurred. The 20-year-old died of his injuries, which may possibly open the door to a wrongful death case if some percentage of liability can be placed upon the driver who hit the young man.

The young man was outside of a house on a Thursday night where he was trying to help his brother. They were getting a pickup truck off of a tow truck and were on the edge of the driveway. A car came along and hit the man. His brother, who was volunteer firefighter, attempted to save the man, but those attempts proved to be futile.

The man who hit the fire department intern was transported to a hospital for injuries he received in the crash. Investigators have said there is no reason at this point to believe impairment was a cause of the accident. A fire chief speaking about the accident pointed to the narrow roads and high speeds when discussing how this unfortunate turn of events affected one of their own.

As an investigation unfolds, factors such as speed or any other causes discovered may play a role in what legal options the family of the young man may have as they try to move forward from such a tragedy. In cases where a wrongful death claim in an Indiana civil court are appropriate, those claims can be challenging for families dealing with such an untimely or emotional loss. However, a successful claim can help families overcome the financial strain often caused by an accident that takes the life of a loved one so suddenly.

Source: wishtv.com, “Fire department in mourning after intern is fatally hit by a car“, Jeff Wagner, March 4, 2016