When Minnesota residents get into the passenger seat of someone else’s vehicle, they are entrusting their lives to the person behind the wheel. Some of them take for granted that they will reach their destinations safely. Unfortunately, drivers’ mistakes often result in crashes, and some passengers pay for them with their lives.
When first responders arrived at the scene of a crash on Highway 89 in northwest Minnesota, they discovered that a driver’s mistake led to the crash and the death of an 81-year-old man. Preliminary reports indicate that the pickup truck in which the victim was a passenger stopped at an intersection and then proceeded through it, but did so too soon.
At the same time, a semi was northbound on the highway. Despite his efforts to stop his truck, he was unable to do so and the two vehicles collided. The driver of the truck escaped injury, but the driver of the pickup truck suffered life-threatening injuries while his elderly passenger died. While officials continue to investigate the accident, the family of the deceased passenger is undoubtedly mourning his loss.
The results of the investigation may provide the family of the victim with some closure, but it does not bring him back. As is the case in other Minnesota fatal accidents, knowing what happened may not be enough to feel as though justice was served. Families in this position may file a wrongful death claim against the party or parties deemed responsible for the death of their loved ones. In these cases, the drivers’ mistakes could hold the key to a successful claim.