A two-car accident recently occurred in Clay Township. Three people were injured, one of them seriously. The Ohio Highway Patrol seem to initially think that the car accident was caused when one driver did not yield properly, and the authorities are also looking into the possibility of drunk driving.
Shortly before 7 p.m., a 20-year-old driver was attempting to merge onto Ohio 49 heading west. However, the Ohio Highway Patrol suspects that the man did not yield to oncoming traffic as he attempted to enter the highway. The man’s vehicle then T-boned the second vehicle.
The driver of the first vehicle as well as his 24-year-old passenger were taken to a local hospital for treatment of injuries, but they were later released. However, the driver of the second vehicle — a 49-year-old woman — was seriously injured. Currently, she is hospitalized wand in a medically induced coma. The passenger in her vehicle, her 11-year-old grandson, was treated at the scene and then released to his parent. While the investigators do not believe that the driver of the first car was speeding, they are investigating whether he may have been drunk.
The expenses of maintaining a patient in a medically induced coma are understandably significant. While her prognosis is unknown, one thing that appears certain is that a civil claim against the other driver appears appropriate. In the suit, she — or someone granted authority to proceed on the victim’s behalf, could attempt to claim damages for her pain and suffering as well as her medical bills and any missed wages incurred due to the car accident. Additional damages recognized by applicable personal injury law may also be sought, though it will first be necessary to establish the other party was negligent in causing or contributing to the tragic crash.
Source: daytondailynews.com, “Driver in Clay Twp. wreck in medically-induced coma“, Nov. 25, 2014