Car Accidents

September 16, 2015

Principal and Student Killed by “Erratic Driver” On the Way to School

by Parr Richey Frandsen Patterson Kruse LLP

Earlier this month in Wayne Township, an elementary school principal and one of his students were killed when their vehicle was struck by an SUV. According to one news source, there were four other students in the car, each of whom was also injured in the morning rush-hour accident.

Evidently, the principal would pick up children on his way to school who needed a ride. Two of the injured children in the vehicle were his own, and three were students to whom he was giving a ride. According to the report, the accident occurred when the principal’s SUV was struck by a car that authorities claim was speeding and “driving erratically.” The driver of the SUV was injured as a result of the accident and was taken to the hospital with serious injuries. It is not clear if charges have yet been filed, but a police investigation is underway.

Aggressive Driving on Indiana Roads

While the exact cause of this accident is still subject to a pending investigation, it seems as though the driver’s speeding and erratic driving were the cause of the fatal accident. This kind of aggressive driving puts everyone on the road at risk, and it is especially negligent during rush hour or other times when roads are heavily populated.

April 30, 2015

CAR ACCIDENTS IN LEASED VEHICLES

by Parr Richey Frandsen Patterson Kruse LLP

Regardless of the type of accident you were in, if you were driving a leased vehicle, you should take steps to protect yourself.

First off, at the scene of the accident you should inquire into the well-being of any other drivers after ensuring you have not sustained any major injuries. Afterwards, you should contact the police to come respond to the accident to speak with any witnesses and file an official report. You should speak with the officer and obtain a copy of any report they make.

You are required to exchange your information with any other drivers at the accident scene such as your contact and insurance information. If you can, take photographs of the accident scene and any damage to your vehicle and any bodily harm.

April 27, 2015

CAR ACCIDENTS CAUSED BY NEGLIGENCE

by Parr Richey Frandsen Patterson Kruse LLP

Most injury suits, especially when it comes to car accidents, are based on negligence. The negligent party is the one which can be held accountable for paying damages after an accident. It can benefit you greatly to understand the legal value of negligence before you are seriously injured.

Negligence is simply careless behavior which was exhibited and was potentially dangerous. Negligence can cause harm to the culprit, leaving only themselves to blame. When negligence harms another party, this is the basis of an injury claim. A driver, for example, who drivers negligently by speeding, being distracted, or being otherwise distracted, can be held legally liable for financial damages in a civil suit.

If you are injured, as the plaintiff, you need to show the other party acted negligently when they caused an accident. You need to establish that there was a duty of reasonable care to be extended to others such as other motorists which was violated or breached by the defendant. You must show that a reasonable person would have acted differently in a similar scenario.

September 22, 2014

TIRED TRUCKERS: A GRAVE DANGER IN INDIANA

by Parr Richey Frandsen Patterson Kruse LLP

Recently, the Indiana Gazette posted a story about the dangers of tired truck drivers in order to raise awareness about this very serious issue. This month, a truck and car accident injured the famous Saturday Night Live actor Tracy Morgan and killed another comedian that was in the same limousine. After the terrible accident that made headlines in major newspapers, the authorities in Washington began to pay more attention to the very real threat of tired truckers out on the road.

Many truck drivers want to reach their destination as fast as possible. In order to make that happen, they will forego sleep. As they get tired, they often refuse to pull over and try to push through. In some cases, the truckers’ bodies become overwhelmed, and they may find that they drift off to sleep while still operating their large vehicle. This can lead to devastating collisions resulting in death or serious injury.

The Tracy Morgan Car Accident

Tracy Morgan and several comedian friends were in a limousine when they were struck by a Wal-Mart semi-truck on the New Jersey Turnpike in Cranbury Township. The truck driver had not slept in the past 24 hours and plowed into the back of the limousine as a result of his fatigue. The truck driver failed to slow despite the brake lights ahead, and swerved at the last minute to avoid a crash. The big rig smashed into the back of the Mercedes limo bus, causing serious injuries and one death.

September 10, 2014

FATAL INJURIES IN CAR ACCIDENTS

by Parr Richey Frandsen Patterson Kruse LLP

Car accidents can be incredibly serious, causing devastating and sometimes life-threatening injuries. According to the Lafayette Journal & Courier, a woman from Kokomo, Indiana died on June 11th, 2014 after she was severely injured in a car collision.

The 59-year-old woman was driving south on the Indiana 29 when she attempted to turn left onto Carroll County Road. A southbound pickup truck crashed into her car during the turn, sending both the vehicles into a yard at the intersection. The driver of the pick-up truck was a 28-year-old male.

The woman was trapped in her car and extricated by firefighters shortly afterwards, according to a press release by the Carroll County Sheriff’s Department. She was airlifted to the Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis but later died during surgery. The other driver was taken to Saint Joseph Hospital for medical treatment.

September 2, 2014

TRUCK ACCIDENTS AND THE DANGERS THE COMMON MOTORIST FACES

by Parr Richey Frandsen Patterson Kruse LLP

Individuals in passenger cars are like the “Davids” on the highways, surrounding by ominous and dangerous “Goliaths.” These Goliaths are the semi-trucks that frequently pass through Indiana. If you are a passenger car driver, you need to be aware of the dangers that are present out on the roads.

Two Injured in Passenger Car and Semi-Truck Collision

Recently, a 27-year-old man from Waterloo was severely injured when his pickup truck crossed the median on Interstate 69 near Ashely and collided with two semi-trucks on the other side. The crash closed the northbound lanes on the interstate for more than five hours on Monday, June 9 ^th. This story was reported in the Journal Gazette and the original report can be read
here.

The Indiana State Police reported that the pickup truck crossed the median and struck one semi, then spun off and hit another in another lane. One of the semis flipped onto its side after the accident, and the 53-year-old trucker operating the vehicle was injured. The other vehicle remained upright and the driver was not harmed.

The man in the pickup suffered a hip injury and was trapped in his vehicle. He was transported to a local hospital and treated. All three drivers were wearing seat belts which reduced the severity of their injuries.

June 5, 2014

Two Fort Wayne Men Dead After Early Morning Accident

by Parr Richey Frandsen Patterson Kruse LLP

Late last month in Fort Wayne, Indiana, two men were pronounced dead after they were involved in a fatal car accident on Butler Road. According to a report by Indiana News Center, the men were believed to be heading northeast when their vehicle left the road and crashed into a nearby tree.

When investigators arrived at the scene of the accident, the car was engulfed in flames. One of the victims was lying outside the vehicle and the other was trapped inside. Both accident victims were pronounced dead at the scene.

Officers are still conducting their investigation into what caused the accident. However, a preliminary assessment suggests that speed was a factor in the fatal single-vehicle accident.
Continue reading

May 12, 2014

Two Construction Workers Killed in Accident on I-69 Last Week

by Parr Richey Frandsen Patterson Kruse LLP

Two road construction workers were killed early in the morning last Friday when they were struck by a pickup truck on I-69 in Indianapolis. The accident increased traffic congestion on the interstate for most of Friday morning, and caused the first road construction worker fatality in Indiana since 2012. The Accident
According to an article by NBC affiliate WTHR, the two employees of Reith Riley Construction were helping reopen access to Binford Boulevard by removing barrels and attempting to load an arrow board onto a truck when a green pickup truck, driven by a 22-year-old man from Fortville, Indiana struck the arrow board and the men working behind it. The two men were pronounced dead at the scene, and the driver of the truck was hospitalized with minor injuries. Authorities are investigating the accident, and have not determined why the driver of the truck did not merge out of the way of the workers.

The Dangers of Construction Zones
Construction zones represent a serious danger to both drivers and construction workers. Although speed limits are reduced for construction traffic, drivers often fail to slow down and use proper caution. Indiana car accidents that occur in construction zones have caused dozens of fatalities in the last few years, and the Indiana governor’s office released a statement reminding drivers of the increased danger: “This tragedy reminds us that we must slow down and pay close attention to highway work zones. Hoosiers must work together to reduce the number of accidents in highway work zones[.]”
Continue reading

April 18, 2014

Report Comes Back: Off-Duty Officer Found to Have Prescription Drugs in His System at Time of Fatal Accident

by Parr Richey Frandsen Patterson Kruse LLP

Earlier this year in Madison County, and officer was involved in a fatal car accident that took the life of one man and seriously injured a pregnant woman. After the accident, police took the blood of the off duty officer to determine if there was any alcohol or drugs in his system. According to a recent report, those reports recently came back and indicated that the off duty officer may have had hydrocodone in his system at the time of the accident.

It is unclear if the off duty officer was prescribed the drug, or if he was taking it illegally. However, a prosecutor on the case explained that it doesn’t matter whether the drugs were prescribed or not because “If you’re under the influence, you know you’re not supposed to be driving and doing things that impair your ability to drive.”

The driver of the other car was pronounced dead shortly after the accident. A pregnant passenger was taken to the hospital and was required to have an emergency delivery. Police and prosecutors are currently investigating the case while they decide whether to press charges against the off duty police officer.
Continue reading

April 11, 2014

Off Duty Indiana Police Officer Likely Faces Criminal Charges in DUI Death

by Parr Richey Frandsen Patterson Kruse LLP

In an accident that can only be described as tragically ironic, an off duty central Indiana police officer rear ended another vehicle, killing one passenger and seriously injuring another and her unborn child. According to a report on Tristatehomepage.com, the Edgewood Indiana police officer was off duty on the evening of April 6, 2014 when he slammed into another vehicle and pushed it into a utility pole. The other vehicle was sandwiched between the officer’s car and the pole, which caused the injuries and death. After the accident, the officer was arrested for suspicion of driving under the influence and booked into the local jail.The Dangers of Drunk Driving

When someone is intoxicated and gets behind the wheel of a vehicle, the risk of an accident increases dramatically. This danger only increases at night, which is when most drunk driving incidents and arrests occur. Alcohol and drugs can reduce a driver’s reaction time, impair vision and hearing, and lead to poor judgment. Drunk drivers are also more likely to speed and ignore traffic laws, further increasing the chances of an accident. Because of all of these factors, punishments for a drunk driving accident in Indiana are very harsh.

Criminal Penalties are Just One Form of Punishment for Drunk Driving

As noted in the article, the off duty officer was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence and causing severe injury and death. If the prosecution can prove their case beyond a reasonable doubt, the officer could face severe criminal penalties, including large fines and possibly spending the rest of his life in prison. As part of the criminal case, the officer may be required to pay restitution to the surviving victims of the crash. Restitution is financial compensation to help cover the family’s loss and expenses related to the crash. Restitution can help make up for the victims’ loss, but it is not guaranteed, and if the prosecution cannot prove their case, the victims will not receive restitution.
Continue reading