A one-vehicle crash near the Lincoln Tunnel left three people dead in North Bergen on July 3. The fatal collision occurred at about 5:40 a.m. while the driver was trying to merge onto Route 495 by using a Route 3 East ramp. That accident caused the closure of all three lanes of the ramp for over two hours and led to traffic delays.
According to authorities in Hudson County, the vehicle crashed into a guardrail before flying into the air and landing on the driver’s side door. It then continued to slide sideways about 153 feet, hitting a light pole and splitting apart. The 34-year-old male driver, from Leominster, Massachusetts, was killed in the car accident. His two passengers, a 32-year-old Passaic woman and a 37-year-old man from Leominster, also died.
Authorities believe that the man was drunk at the moment of impact, suggesting that a preliminary investigation supports the theory. Additionally, investigators found sleep and pain medications, marijuana and cocaine in the vehicle.
In this case, the driver might be found liable for the accident since tests seem to show he was driving while intoxicated. In a case like this, a personal injury lawyer might advise the families of the other two victims to file wrongful death claims since the lawyer might be able to establish negligence on the part of the driver based on the findings of the investigators. If the families of the decedents choose to file the claim, they might recover damages for the funeral and burial costs they incurred. They might also be awarded funds for lost financial support or lost benefits.
Source: MassLive.com, “Authorities: Massachusetts driver in triple-fatal New Jersey crash was drunk“, July 04, 2014