Under any circumstances, suffering a serious injury is traumatic and often life changing. Being involved in a car accident that was the fault of another party adds to the trauma, resulting in shock and even feelings of anger. While no amount of financial compensation can heal the wounds, a successfully litigated personal injury suit may ease some of the financial issues that inevitably accompany these types of tragedies.
Four people were killed in Nebraska motor vehicle accidents over a span of just three days in mid-July. This brought the total number of fatal accidents to 107, six more fatalities than in the same period in 2012. Law enforcement officers were also called to several non fatal accidents in the region, one of which involved a car accident collision between a bicycle and a car.
The bicyclist, said to be a 24-year-old foreign exchange student, suffered life-threatening injuries when he was struck by the vehicle near a local intersection in Lincoln. Both vehicles were headed east, with the bicycle in the curb lane when the accident occurred. A passenger travelling in the car suffered minor injuries that apparently did not require medical treatment, but the 23-year-old driver was unhurt. The cyclist reportedly has no family here in the United States.
The family who has lost a loved one in a fatal car accident, or in this case the cyclist in Nebraska who suffered life-threatening injuries, will no doubt follow the progress of any official investigation. Should the evidence suggest that the car driver negligently caused or contributed to the collision with the bicycle and the injuries that resulted, a personal injury claim in appropriate under our laws. Once negligence is established in a civil court, claims for monetary damages sustained will be adjudicated.
Source: omaha.com, “Nebraska road fatalities outpace 2012,” Jay Withrow, July 16, 2013