An 18-year-old man who police say stopped to help a broken-down motorist in the southbound lanes of Interstate 95 in Stamford was killed on Nov. 1. According to police, the man was standing behind one of the cars that had pulled over to help the stalled vehicle after he and two other motorists stopped to help the car’s occupants.
The man was killed when another driver who was reportedly driving in the right lane failed to stop and hit the stalled car from behind. The impact forced one of the cars to strike the 18-year-old man. In addition to the man, four other people were injured in the four-car collision.
The man was pronounced dead of his injuries after he was transported to Stamford Hospital. Three others were also transported to the hospital for treatment of minor injuries. The man who was killed was from Glen Cove, New York. The driver who hit the stalled car is not currently facing charges in the accident.
When people are killed in car accidents, their families are often left to deal with significant expenses in addition to coping with the grief they feel. The families of those killed due to the negligence of another driver may be able to hold them liable for the death of their loved one by filing a wrongful death civil lawsuit. Even if a person is not criminally charged in a fatal accident, he or she may still face civil liability. The burden of proof in a civil lawsuit is lower than that of a criminal case. In order to prevail, plaintiffs have to prove their case by a preponderance of the evidence if they go to trial. Often, however, wrongful death cases will end in settlements. If a reasonable and acceptable settlement offer is extended, families can recover without going to trial.
Source: WTNH, “18 year old killed in four car crash”, Micah Bailey, November 01, 2014
