Few Missouri or Illinois parents expect that something as simple as a Saturday morning drive will result in not only injury to three of their children, but death to one as well. Unfortunately, this recently proved the case for a family in Kansas City after a collision between a Chrysler and a much larger Mack tractor-trailer. The Mack truck was a U.S. Post Office vehicle and witnesses claim that the fatal tractor-trailer accident happened because it ran a stop sign.
The Chrysler was traveling south at the intersection of Benton and 18th at approximately 8:30 a.m. when it was struck by the U.S. postal truck heading east. Stop signs control traffic at that four-way intersection; however, at least one of the witnesses claimed that the Mack truck failed to observe its stop sign. As a result, the truck smashed into the Chrysler as it was in the process of turning left.
The smaller vehicle’s 30-year-old driver was injured in the collision, but expected to survive. Three children aged six to 10 were also injured, with another 13-year-old boy suffering fatal injuries. One witness who dialed 911 after seeing the crash said he believed all four boys were brothers heading to a basketball game at the time. All four boys and the car’s driver were taken to a nearby hospital for medical treatment. Reports indicate the truck driver was not injured in the collision, although he apparently appeared distraught at the scene.
Sadly, a family is now left with three injured children and one whose life has been tragically cut short. In addition to emotional grief, this will also lead to both unexpected funeral costs and medical expenses for the surviving children and driver. Innocent families should not be left to cover financial damages caused through no fault of their own. This is one of the reasons that personal injury and wrongful death laws allow accident victims and surviving relatives of slain victims the chance to seek restitution in a civil court of law.
Filing a civil lawsuit may not bring a lost loved one back, but it can certainly help ease the financial burden as grieving relatives struggle to move on in the wake of a fatal crash. It can also provide a method for obtaining another layer of justice as a result of another party’s negligence. In cases where criminal charges are not brought, a civil lawsuit can sometimes serve as the best way to hold a party believed to have acted negligently responsible.
Please contact my St. Louis truck accident law firm toll-free at 1-888-586-7041 right away if you or a loved one has been injured in a tractor-trailer accident like the one in Kansas City, Missouri. We have represented many such families in Missouri, Illinois, and other states in their quest for civil restitution. It is tragic enough for a family to lose a child, none should also have to bear the unjust burden of financial damages caused by another party’s apparent negligence.
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Source Article: http://fox4kc.com/2014/10/04/13-year-old-boy-dies-in-accident-with-u-s-postal-vehicle/