Boston Car Accident Lawyer Blog
According to recent news feature from the Boston Globe, a volunteer working on Ben Carson’s presidential campaign was just killed in a fatal car accident. Three other campaign workers were also injured in the same fatal car accident.
Authorities say the workers were all in a van at the time of the accident. Three of the workers were volunteers, including decedent, and the remaining worker was a paid member of the campaign staff. The van was driving on an icy road when it rolled over into its side. At this point, while the van was lying on its side, another vehicle crashed into it, resulting in serious personal injuries and one fatality.
First responders were called to the scene and attempted to provide immediate medical assistance to the victims before transporting them to a local level-one trauma center. The campaign volunteer who died was still alive when EMTs transported him to the hospital. He was 25 years old at the time of this deadly car accident. Doctors did what they could to help for most of the day, but he died at some point in the afternoon, as his injuries from the car accident were too severe.
Carson was in South Carolina at the time of this fatal car accident. He decided to immediately suspend his campaign activities in light of this tragic death of one of his volunteers. He also tweeted a photograph of himself with the worker who was killed and expressed his condolences to the victim’s family. Other presidential hopefuls from the GOP, as well as some Democratic candidates, also expressed their sympathies to the victim’s family. Senator Bernie Sanders said he has the greatest respect for young people who decide to get involved in politics, and the hearts of those on his team go to the family of the victim who was killed in the car accident. It should be noted that nobody has publicly blamed anyone for this tragic car accident as of the time of this article.
Following a fatal car accident, Boston car accident lawyers will typically file a wrongful death action under a theory of negligence. Essentially, wrongful death is a type of tort, and negligence is a theory by which the tortfeasor (defendant) caused damage to the plaintiff and his or her family. Since the decedent is obviously unable to personally bring a lawsuit, the next surviving family member, normally a spouse, sibling, or parent, can open a probate estate and file a lawsuit in the name of that estate.
However, this can be somewhat complicated, so you want to make sure you speak with a car accident attorney who is familiar with wrongful death cases. One aspect of the case that can be complicated is how a personal representative (executor) is selected to file the case. If decedent had a will at the time of his or her death, the person in the will chosen as personal representative will normally be given that responsibility. However, as many young people do not have a last will and testament, the court can appoint an administrator from the family members based upon their relationship to decedent.
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:
Carson campaign volunteer dies in Iowa car crash, January 20, 2016, Boston Globe, By AP Wire
More Blog Entries:
Pedestrian Dragged Hundreds of Feet in Car Crash – Western Massachusetts, June 13, 2015, Boston Car Accident Attorney Blog