A Pennsylvania father is facing serious consequences after his teenage daughter caused a fatal car accident. The daughter was 15 at the time of the crash, which claimed the lives of three teenage victims. The father has been officially charged with endangering the welfare of children and involuntary manslaughter due to the car accident. The nature and severity of the charges filed against the daughter are not immediately clear, because she is being charged as a juvenile.
The father has been accused of allowing his 15-year-old daughter to drive on multiple occasions, even asking her to pick up food for him. In this instance, a fatal accident occurred as the unlicensed teenager was speeding down a hill, which resulted in her losing control of the vehicle and flipping the SUV. The three boys who were killed were passengers in the vehicle at the time of the accident. One additional teenage passenger was injured, but survived.
It is always tragic when a fatal accident claims the lives of young people, but it is particularly sad when the accident could have been prevented. If the father definitely had knowledge of his daughter’s actions and allowed his daughter to drive, not only could he be considered criminally liable for the accident, but financially liable as well. The families of those who were injured or killed may consider filing civil claims against the father for his role in the accident.
A successful wrongful death claim will not undo any damage that has been done by the car accident, but it can help a family recover financial losses likely sustained from a serious accident. In addition to medical and end-of-life expenses, emotional duress could also be compensated. Pennsylvania families in similar situations who are considering this option may benefit from beginning with a comprehensive examination of all case evidence.
Source: lohud.com, “Pennsylvania fatal crash: Eastchester dad Michael Ware confronted in court“, Alex Taylor, Dec. 31, 2014