Learning that a loved one has been killed in a motor vehicle collision is a devastating experience. When car accidents in Hawaii involve children, the grief and sorrow associated with the accident seems magnified. Families who have suffered the untimely death of a child because of a motorist’s negligence may wonder where to turn to find help in order to seek justice in the aftermath of the tragedy.
In neighborhoods where residences have sidewalks and driveways nearby, children can often be found in the vicinity. Whether playing in yards, taking walks with a parent or for some other reason, children are often present as vehicles are coming and going in their neighborhoods. It is especially tragic when one of these young pedestrians is hit by a car, resulting in injury, or, in worst cases, death.
At approximately 3:30 p.m. on a recent Friday, a tragedy such as this occurred. A 47-year-old woman was behind the wheel of a vehicle that was reportedly backing out of a driveway. A toddler who was in the area at the time was apparently struck by the truck. Rescue workers who responded to the scene provided what immediate treatment they could, then transported the child to a nearby hospital for further care.
Sadly, she later succumbed to her injuries. Though it is difficult to imagine that parents in similar situations following car accidents in Hawaii would be able to think beyond their grief, it is sometimes of comfort to know that there is recourse through the law for those who suffer such severe losses. When a death is believed to have been caused by driver negligence, a parent or legal guardian is able to seek monetary judgment for damages on behalf of their deceased loved one by filing a wrongful death claim in a civil court.
Source: kitv.com, “Infant dies from injuries after being hit by a truck”, Dec. 19, 2015