What If Someone I Love Is Killed Because of a Construction Worker’s Mistake?
As 2016 came to a close, Hillsborough was struck with tragedy when a 5-year-old boy was the victim of a deadly construction accident. WRAL-TV reports that the boy was killed when a construction worker left a dump truck at the top of a hill unattended in the Forest Ridge subdivision. The truck rolled down the hill, traveling around 100 yards before hitting the boy outside his home as he was playing soccer in the driveway.
Following the construction accident, a doctor who lived in the neighborhood jumped into action, performing CPR on the boy until first responders arrived, according to WTVD-TV. The boy was taken to the hospital, where he later died. The construction worker told emergency responders that he had set the dump truck’s parking brake, but that it rolled free anyway. He was arrested and charged with misdemeanor death by motor vehicle as a result of the fatal crash.
Since the construction worker’s arrest, WRAL-TV has reported that despite telling first responders that he set the dump truck’s parking brake before the deadly wreck, investigators discovered the parking brake was not secured prior to the incident and he left the truck engine running. In addition, the construction worker reportedly was convicted of DWI in 2009. Finally, per US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the construction worker is an illegal immigrant.
Do I Still Need a Lawyer If Those Responsible for My Loved One’s Death Are Arrested?
Even if those responsible for your loved one’s death are charged and face criminal prosecution, you should still talk to a personal injury lawyer about your situation. Criminal convictions do not help families of wrongful death victims with the financial burdens they could face following the incident. Filing a civil lawsuit can help families bring those responsible for their loved one’s death to justice financially, including covering loss of income (including estimated future earnings), hospital bills and funeral costs.