Washington DC Injury Lawyer Blog
Earlier this month in Hyattsville, Maryland, not far from Washington, D.C., an accident between a church van and a pick-up truck resulted in four people losing their lives and another 14 being seriously injured. According to one local news source, the accident took place on a Sunday afternoon on Hyattsville Street.
Evidently, police believe that the driver of the pick-up truck rear-ended another passenger vehicle and then lost control of the truck. After traveling several hundred feet past the site of the initial collision, the truck crossed over a double yellow line into the line of oncoming traffic. A church van with 16 people inside traveling in the opposite direction was unable to avoid the collision, and it struck the truck on the passenger side.
After that collision, the pick-up truck ignited in flames. The flames burned intensely until emergency workers were able to get the fire under control. However, ultimately the driver of the truck was pronounced dead at the scene. Thankfully, the flames from the truck did not spread to the van. However, three people in the van – two adults and one child – were killed as a result of the collision. Fourteen others in the van were injured and were taken to various hospitals in the area.
Police are still in the midst of an official investigation into what could have caused the fatal accident. One responding fire fighter told reporters that this was one of the worst accidents he has seen in his 40 years on the job. No charges have been issued as of the time of the article’s publication.
Recovering after a Serious D.C. Accident
While the exact cause of the accident has yet to be determined, it does seem that police believe the truck driver was at fault by causing the initial collision that led to his losing control and crossing into oncoming traffic. Although the driver of the truck died as a result of injuries he sustained in the accident, that will not prevent those injured (or the families of those killed in the accident) from seeking financial compensation from the at-fault driver’s insurance company.
In most cases, it is the insurance company that ends up paying out any verdict or settlement amount, so the fact that the at-fault driver did not survive the accident will not prevent an accident victim from recovering what they are entitled to receive through a negligence or wrongful death lawsuit.
Have You Been Injured in a Washington, D.C. Accident?
If you or a loved one has recently been injured in a serious Washington, D.C. or Maryland accident, you may be entitled to monetary compensation. Depending on whether you were the injured party, or whether you are the family of someone who was killed by a negligent driver, you will either be able to file a negligence lawsuit or a wrongful death lawsuit. Each of these lawsuits is similar for the most part, but they do have their differences, and each has several elements that must be met before financial recovery is a possibility. To learn more about Maryland and Washington, D.C. accident law, call 410-654-3600 today to set up your free consultation.
More Blog Posts:
Manufacturer Settles Lawsuit over Defective Tire that Paralyzed One Man, Washington DC Injury Lawyer Blog, November 3, 2015
State Supreme Court Finds in Favor of Slip-and-Fall Victim on Sovereign Immunity Issue, Washington DC Injury Lawyer Blog, October 7, 2015