Whenever an emergency vehicle such as an ambulance or fire truck approaches with their lights flashing and siren on, other drivers are required to move out of the way. Unfortunately, not all drivers will yield to emergency vehicles, which could cause a crash. One such crash recently occurred in Munson Township in which three Ohio fire fighters and one driver were injured.
Just after 3 p.m., a fire truck was traveling on a two-lane road with the lights and siren engaged. A minivan noticed the oncoming vehicle, and the driver of the minivan decided to slow down and move to the side of the road to allow the fire truck to pass. However, the driver of an SUV who was traveling behind the minivan failed to yield.
The SUV crashed into the minivan, which sent the SUV traveling into the other lane. The SUV then hit the fire truck head-on, causing both drivers to suffer critical injuries. Two other fire fighters were also injured in the crash, and their conditions are not known. There was no report on whether the driver of the minivan suffered any injuries.
Since the Ohio fire fighters were injured while on the job, they are likely entitled to workers’ compensation benefits. Separately, since the driver of the fire truck suffered critical injuries, he may also choose to file a personal injury suit against the driver of the SUV. If successful, the fire fighter could receive compensation for damages including medical bills, lost wages and pain and suffering endured due to the crash.
Source: 19actionnews.com, “Three firefighters, one driver injured in crash“, March 5, 2015