$32 million verdict in Alleghany County wrongful death suit

When a life is lost in a motor vehicle accident, families are left emotionally devastated and unsure of what the future holds. When a child is lost, that grief can be overwhelming. A 2012 accident left one family in shambles after a six-year-old boy was killed. The family was having car trouble when a truck rear-ended the back of their vehicle. The boy’s mother, father and younger brother were also injured in the accident. As a result of the accident, the truck driver pled guilty to various charges including speeding, reckless endangerment and homicide via vehicle. He faces six to 23 months in jail and probation.

The family filed a wrongful death suit against those responsible. The family’s attorney found that the truck driver had plenty of time to change lanes or stop the vehicle to avoid hitting the family’s car. The truck driver also had a previous DUI and did not have a valid license in the state of Pennsylvania when he was hired by Golon Masonry, the company that owned the truck.

Earlier this month, an Allegheny County jury sided with the family in their suit, ordering the truck driver and the company to pay the family $32 million. This is one of the largest wrongful death verdicts in the county involving the death of a child.

In tragedies like this, money is usually not the first thing on the family’s mind. However, damages received in a wrongful death lawsuit can be beneficial when handling funeral costs, medical expenses and other costs. Families will have less to worry about financially and will be able to focus more on grieving the loss of their loved one.

Source: CBS Pittsburgh, “Man, Company Ordered To Pay $32 Million To Family Of Boy Killed In 2012 Crash,” Lisa Washington, Dec. 16, 2015