On behalf of Weisman, Kennedy & Berris Co., L.P.A. posted in Car Accidents on Wednesday, February 20, 2013.

A car accident in a construction zone can cause serious injuries or death to the occupants of the vehicles involved as well as bystanders at the scene. The story below illustrates the serious consequences of a car accident in a construction zone.

A 50-year-old man was sentenced to a five-day jail term on Feb. 12 for hitting and killing a construction worker with his car on Sept. 12, 2012. On the day of the accident, the man was traveling through a construction area on an interstate highway. He was driving within the posted speed limits, which were between 55 and 65 mph. When the car in front of him, which was driven by a 34-year-old man, slowed down, he failed to reduce his speed and rear-ended the vehicle. Both cars veered left following the collision, but the 50-year-old’s car struck a construction worker as he tried to straighten his vehicle. The 63-year-old construction worker died before being transported to an emergency care center.

The driver pleaded guilty to both failure to maintain an appropriate distance from the vehicle in front and vehicular manslaughter. He was initially sentenced to 90 days in jail, but the judge suspended 85 days of the sentence. The driver also had his driver’s license suspended for a year and was ordered to perform 200 hours of community service.

Fatal car accidents can have serious psychological and emotional impacts on the loved ones of their victims. Depending on the circumstances of the accidents, surviving relatives may be entitled to file claims for compensation through wrongful death claims. These claims are often brought forth to not only compensate for loss of companionship and wages, but also to help pay for expenses that are often incurred due to accidents, such as medical and funeral expenses.

Source: Cleveland.com, “Brecksville man sentenced to 5 days in jail, license suspended for death of construction worker,” Tonya Sams, Feb. 12, 2013