There will always be additional challenges in areas of Ohio where automobiles and buggies share the roads. Car accidents involving buggies often result in fatalities or serious injuries. A recent fatal accident in Northern Ohio underscores the tragedy that can occur when buggies and cars collided.
The latest incident reportedly involved a 74–year-old woman who was northbound on state Route 39 when a buggy pulled into her path. The car struck and killed the horse, and the driver of the car suffered serious injuries. Reportedly, the buggy came to a halt at a stop sign but failed to yield to the car. Two of the occupants of the buggy suffered injuries.
The injured car operator was airlifted to a hospital, but she succumbed to her injuries some days later. Reportedly, a 25-year-old man recently lost his life in a similar incident, and two buggy occupants suffered injuries in a crash that involved a car and two buggies. These incidents had occurred within a week before the 74-year-old woman died from her injuries.
When lives are lost in fatal car accidents in Ohio, the surviving family members may seek recovery of damages by filing wrongful death claims against the parties deemed negligent. However, for claims to be successful in a civil court, the plaintiffs must establish negligence. Once the court can determine financial liability, it can adjudicate documented claims for inclusion in a monetary judgment. Documented claims in such lawsuits typically include the costs of end-of-life arrangements and medical care along with pain and suffering.
Source: fox8.com, “74-year-old woman dies days after buggy crash in Holmes County“, Jen Steer, Jan. 24, 2017