A Maryland woman has been struggling in the hospital to overcome injuries she suffered in a Dec. 24 crash. The 69-year-old woman was hurt in southeast Washington while riding as a passenger in a vehicle being driven by a 75-year-old man. The driver had been taking the woman to a doctors’ appointment at the time.
The accident happened when the 75-year-old driver suffered a health event and lost consciousness behind the wheel. The vehicle lurched off the road and crashed into a house as a result. They were just on the other side of the D.C.-Maryland line when the accident happened.
Even though there was one person inside the home, this person did not suffer injuries as a result of the collision. The driver of the vehicle was hurt, but was fortunate to survive. Meanwhile, the passenger suffered life-threatening injuries. Tragically, on Jan. 6, the woman succumbed to her injuries and died.
Personal injury and wrongful death cases related to car accidents caused by someone who suffers a serious medical event are not always clear cut or straightforward to pursue. Sometimes, the driver who had the medical event was completely unaware of the risks before the accident. Other times, the driver may have had similar medical emergencies in the past and should have known that it was too dangerous to drive.
When a driver knowingly risks the safety of his passengers and others on the road by driving — even though he or she knows that a medical emergency could happen — the driver may be viewed as negligent by a court, and therefore, liable to pay for the personal injury and wrongful death damages of the crash victims.
Source: Washington Post, “Maryland woman hurt in D.C. crash last month dies,” Julie Zauzmer, Jan. 07, 2018