On the early morning of Monday, November 25, a 29-year old woman was killed after another driver caused a head-on collision while driving the wrong way on the New Jersey Turnpike in Woodbridge.
The woman was driving southbound in a Honda when she was struck head-on by a man traveling northbound in a Subaru. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene, and the 23-year old man from State College, Pennsylvania was rushed to the Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital with serious injuries.
Two weeks later, the accident’s sole survivor remains hospitalized, and the young woman’s family searches for answers. The family claims the case is going nowhere and they don’t know why.
According to the victim’s mother:
“I want to know the guy’s name, and they won’t even give me the guy’s name.”
With no information about the other driver and an ongoing accident investigation, the woman’s family is powerless to pursue legal recourse of any kind.
Nevertheless, family members are facing many of the expenses associated with a wrongful death lawsuit. In fact, loved ones have already organized a GoFundMe fundraising campaign to help offset the costs of the woman’s funeral and interment.
An Open Investigation
While family members question why the suspect has not been charged, the New Jersey State Police is seeking witnesses. The Cranberry Station Detective Bureau wants to know what happened prior to the collision and is accepting anonymous tips at (609)860-9000 Ext. 4424.
Anyone with information is urged to come forward.
Criminal or Civil Consequences?
The decedent’s sister worries that the man who caused the accident will not be brought to justice due to his medical condition. She stated:
“I fear that if it’s found that he was not under the influence of drugs or alcohol, that the charges will be dropped, that he would not be found criminally negligent.”
Regardless of the driver’s criminal status, the victim’s family should be able to pursue a civil lawsuit against the man who allegedly caused their loved one’s death.
Even if the driver is not found criminally negligent, he likely violated his duty of care to the victim by driving on the wrong side of the New Jersey Turnpike, and the accident he caused led directly to the woman’s death.
If the family can prove civil negligence in a settlement negotiation or court of law, they may be able to collect compensation for:
- Funerary expenses
- Burial costs
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of companionship
- And more
We encourage anyone who knows the family in question to refer them to our Woodbridge firm, Palmisano & Goodman, P.A. If you’ve been involved in or lost a loved one to a similar car accident, our attorneys invite you to get in touch, as well.
We offer free consultations and can be reached at (732) 709-4400.