Burlington Woman Severely Injured In Car Accident

New Jersey residents may recall that back in July, a Burlington, New Jersey, woman suffered serious injuries in a car accident that occurred in Pennsylvania. According to reports, the 22-year-old driver of a dump truck smashed into a Toyota Scion operated by the Burlington woman. The man fled the scene of the accident, leaving a truck full of beer bottles and the victim fighting for her life. He turned himself in to authorities two days later and has waived his right to a preliminary hearing on charges of aggravated assault by vehicle and fleeing the scene of an accident with injuries. The case will soon go to trial. Both of the man’s charges are third-degree felonies carrying prison sentences of up to seven years upon conviction.

As a result of the accident, the 23-year-old female victim suffered organ failure and massive head trauma. She was rushed to the hospital with life-threatening injuries. Authorities say she is still recovering from the car accident but has since left the hospital to return to her Burlington home.

Personal injury laws in New Jersey and Pennsylvania are similar. These laws provide for the right of a victim to recover monetary damages for the negligent or reckless conduct of another in causing an accident. In addition to physical pain, personal injuries can result in high medical bills and lost wages, and individuals who have been injured by reckless actions have a right to answers and to seek justice. In this particular case, the evidence may lead to a conclusion that the man was drunk, potentially rendering him liable for punitive damages in addition to a monetary award for the woman’s physical injuries and pain and suffering.

Source: phillyburbs.com, “Man facing trial in car accident,” Ben Finley, Nov. 3, 2011