Taking a daily walk or jog is a popular form of exercise. Unfortunately, when a pedestrian’s path is shared by traffic, tragedies sometimes occur. Car accidents, such as a recent one in Hawaii, can turn a family’s life upside down in an instant. Many times, the sudden and unexpected death of a loved one can bring about undue financial stress, in addition to the grief and sorrow already suffered by surviving family members. Aside from setting up memorial funds to assist spouses and children of the deceased, some family members might decide to pursue litigation in civil courts if the drivers of the vehicles who hit their loved ones are believed to have acted negligently or recklessly.
A 49-year-old woman was killed Friday when she was jogging through a crosswalk near Mehe-ula Parkway. The woman, who worked for a federal judge as a courtroom manager, was well known in the community. It was also reported that she and her husband had recently celebrated 20 years of marriage. Also grieving her loss are her two children, both in their teens.
Information provided suggests that the woman was struck by a pickup truck while she was in a crosswalk. A support fund was set up to raise money to assist her family. A $50,000 goal was set, and, as of Tuesday, $44,000 had been donated. Various attorneys, judges and other legal professionals have reportedly given to the cause.
Car accidents often lead to ongoing crises for families. If a person is injured and in need of continued medical care or therapy, he or she has the right to pursue a personal injury claim in court. If, however, someone faces the untimely death of a spouse, parent or child due to the negligence of a motor vehicle driver, Hawaii law protects the right of an eligible family member to file a lawsuit in order to seek compensation for losses caused by the death of a loved one. Contacting a legal professional is often a logical first step in the process.
Source: staradvertiser.com, “Fund set up to help family of jogger struck by truck”, Feb. 10, 2015