Personal injury lawsuits allow injured individuals to recover compensation from the person or entity responsible for their accident. What happens, though, when a preventable accident results in a tragic death?
When a person is killed because of another’s negligence, the victim’s family members can pursue damages through a wrongful death lawsuit. While no amount of money can replace a loved one, a wrongful death claim can provide vital financial support during a difficult time.
In June 2019, a man was fatally hit by a train while working on a farm near Fults, Illinois. His father brought a wrongful death lawsuit against his employers and a railroad company. The lawsuit, filed in St. Clair County Circuit Court in February this year, is seeking more than $50,000 in damages for each of the five counts.
Jonah Matthews, 23, died in a train accident while working for Glendell H. Farms in Waterloo. On the day of the accident, Matthews approached a double-track railroad crossing on his tractor.
Although Matthews stopped for the first northbound train, he did not see the second southbound train and was struck by it while crossing the tracks in his tractor. The farmworker died from his injuries at the scene of the train accident.
The lawsuit alleged multiple safety issues related to the railroad crossing and farm practices. It accused Union Pacific Railroad of negligence in clearing the overgrown vegetation that allegedly obstructed the view of approaching trains. Additionally, the farm’s owners failed to inform Matthews about how to cross the uncontrolled track properly.
When a personal injury is fatal, the victim’s surviving family members can bring a wrongful death lawsuit against the negligent parties responsible for the accident. Contact the wrongful death and personal injury lawyers at Briskman Briskman & Greenberg to learn more about how we can help you recover compensation after a devastating accident.