Many communities in states in the northern part of the country contain Amish communities, and Ohio is no exception. Amish buggies share the roadways with motor vehicles on a regular basis. Sometimes, an SUV accident occurs involving an Amish buggy that ends up causing significant injuries and, in some cases, death.
The Ohio State Highway Patrol recently reported such an accident involving five Amish family members who were traveling down a northern Ohio road on the night of March 30. An SUV came up behind the buggy and slammed into it. Four members of the Amish family were taken to an area hospital for treatment of the injuries they suffered in the crash. The injuries of one 28-year-old victim were significantly more serious than the others, and he died as a result of them at the hospital. The current conditions of the other three injured parties are not known.
Troopers suspect the 42-year-old driver of the SUV was impaired by alcohol at the time of the incident. He was taken into custody, and so far, authorities have charged him with aggravated homicide by vehicle. At his arraignment on April 1, the judge set his bail at $75,000.
The family of the deceased Amish man retains the right to file a wrongful death claim and personal injury claims against the suspected drunk driver. Medical costs can add up quickly when it is just one member of a family. Four members of a family spending any amount of time in a hospital can be financially debilitating. When a funeral is added in, the costs can be extraordinary. Successfully litigated claims may help this family recover financially from this horrific SUV accident.
Source: fox19, 2014, “Bond set for man in fatal Ohio Amish buggy crash”, April 1, 2014