3 Cement Workers Killed On I-287 — Wrongful Death Claims Next?
Three workers of a cement company died tragically in a multiple vehicle accident at the end of June. The New Jersey accident happened after the cement truck broke down and stopped on the side of the highway. A semi-trailer hit the cement truck and another vehicle simultaneously. Depending on the outcome of the ongoing investigation, the families of the deceased may decide to file wrongful death claims.
A car operated by a 58-year-old New Jersey woman was passing the stationary cement truck slowly when it was struck from behind by the semi-trailer. The semi-trailer also hit the cement truck on the left-hand side. The three cement company employees were attempting to repair the truck and were hit and killed by the semi-trailer.
Both the motor vehicle and the semi-trailer burst into flames. Fortunately, the 58-year-old driver of the motor vehicle, her 59-year-old husband and the 58-year-old truck driver managed to escape the burning vehicles. They all only suffered minor injuries. All three employees of the cement company — a father, his son and colleague — were declared dead at the accident scene.
The families of the deceased victims in this fatal accident are entitled to file wrongful death claims in a New Jersey civil court against the operator of the semi and his employer. Financial damages can be awarded in these types of civil cases when there is a sufficient amount of evidence documenting that the victims’ deaths were caused by the negligence of another party. Any awarded compensation could help the deceased men’s families as they struggle through an understandably difficult time while having to cope with the loss of income as a result of the accident. The families may also have the separate right to claim workers’ compensation death benefits as a result of the tragedy.
Source: thealternativepress.com, “Two Fanwood Residents Escape Fiery Blaze in Fatal Car Accident“, Sean Conklin, June 26, 2014