Was accident that killed Massachusetts student a wrongful death?

According to the Massachusetts officials who are conducting an investigation into a pedestrian accident, the final report may not be completed for several months. While no one reason was cited, it could partially be due to the meticulous work of the reconstruction team that has been called in to aid in the investigation. In the meantime, her family may be left to wonder if she was a victim of a wrongful death within the legal meaning of the term.

The accident occurred late one recent Thursday evening. The 20-year-old woman was walking with a companion alongside a local road headed north. A vehicle being driven by a 63-year-old woman was also headed north when she purportedly struck the college students. The driver did stop her vehicle and summoned police.

Massachusetts officers have claimed that the driver has extended her full cooperation thus far. The other woman who was with the victim was transported to a local hospital for observation and treatment of minor injuries. There are a reported three separate agencies involved in the accident investigation, and all inquires are being directed to the Massachusetts Attorney General’s office.

There has been no further information released other than it may be three to four months before there is any announcement concerning the cause of the wreck or whether the driver will face any criminal charges. In the meantime, the family will mourn the loss of their beloved daughter and surely follow the progress of the official investigation in order to gain a better understanding of how this tragedy stole their child from them. If there sufficient evidence exists to suggest that the driver was negligent, then they may pursue a civil wrongful death suit in order to seek financial for the burdens this tragedy may have created.

Source: masslive.com, “Cause of fatal accident that killed UMass senior in Amherst still under investigation“, Diane Lederman, Aug. 4, 2014