It is hard to imagine anything much worse a parent can experience than having to bury their child. While there are so many things parents must worry about these days, driving safety is not always discussed, and it is one the more common ways that teens and young adults will be seriously injured or killed.
Authorities have said the driver, age 19, and one passenger, 14, were both rushed to an adult and pediatric level-one trauma center, respectively, after being assessed by paramedics at the scene of the accident. The 14-year-old was rushed to Boston Children’s Hospital and the 19-year-old was taken to Samaritan Hospital in Brockton. The other passenger in the vehicle, age 15, was pronounced dead at the scene of this tragic Brockton car accident.
Massachusetts State Police (MSP) and their accident investigation and reconstructive unit took the lead following the crash, as they do following any fatal car accident in the Commonwealth, with the assistance of local police. They have not released any details of why the crash occurred and are continuing to investigate the incident and speak to witnesses. It should be noted that there have not been any allegations of negligence in connection with this fatal Brockton car accident as of the time of this article.
As our Brockton car accident attorneys can explain, in the clear majority of cases, a passenger will not be held liable for any damages caused by a car accident. What this means is that if you are riding in a car and an accident occurs, it is not going to be your fault. It may be the fault of the driver of the vehicle in which you were riding, or it may the fault of the driver of another vehicle.
What matters in terms of your car accident case is that you should have grounds to file a claim with someone’s insurance company, whether it is on your friend’s policy, the other driver, or both. In some cases, you simply file a claim against both insurance companies and let them fight it out. While it might not seem like a pleasant idea to “sue” your friend, it is important to keep two things in mind. First, you are not likely going to have to file any lawsuit against your friend. Most cases will be settled before a lawsuit is filed. The second thing to keep in mind is that, if you are hurt in a car accident, you likely have experienced a great deal of pain and suffering, may have missed work, and have medical bills that must get paid.
If you are injured in an accident in Massachusetts, call Jeffrey Glassman Injury Lawyers for a free and confidential appointment — (617) 777-7777.
Additional Resources:
Brockton High School student is killed in crash, April 18, 2017, By Travis Anderson and Jacob Geanous, Boston Globe
More Blog Entries:
School in Falmouth Holds Memorial for Student Athletes Killed in Crash, Feb. 12, 2017, Boston Car Accident Lawyer Blog