Connecticut State Police say that a woman riding a motorcycle died in a three-vehicle accident on Interstate 84 on Aug. 14. The crash happened shortly after 3:30 p.m. in the eastbound lanes around exit 44 as the motorcycle traveled through West Hartford. Traffic in the area was congested for about three hours as a result of the fatal accident.
Troopers report that traffic had come to a sudden halt when a Harley Davidson that was occupied by two people slammed into the rear of a Toyota Corolla. The motorcycle fell to the ground, landing on its right side, and the Toyota Corolla that was following behind ran into a 43-year-old woman from New Hampshire. The woman and 46-year-old man who was driving the motorcycle were hospitalized at St. Francis in Hartford. The woman died about one hour after the crash. However, police expect the driver to survive.
The rear-ended Corolla’s driver was a 21-year-old woman, and the other Corolla driver was a 27-year-old man. Neither of them was harmed in the crash.
Traffic accidents have a higher risk of fatality when motorcyclists are involved because those vehicles have less protection from impact. When motorcyclists die on the road, the surviving family members might be eligible for wrongful death benefits. The economic damages that may be covered include reasonable medical and funeral costs and the value of the victims’ loss of earning capacity.
The survivors of fatal crash victims could also be entitled to noneconomic damages. This might include compensation for the victims’ pain and suffering between the time of injury and death. Compensation may also be awarded for loss of consortium and for the victims’ loss of capacity to enjoy life.
Source: State of Connecticut Judicial Branch, ‘Civil Jury Instructions Part 3. Section 4. Subsection 7. Damages – Wrongful Death”
Source: CBS Connecticut, “One Killed In 84 Crash”, August 15, 2014
