On March 26, an Englewood Cliffs man died and his wife was hurt when a tire came loose from a pickup truck and led to a four-vehicle crash on I-80 in Denville. The accident occurred shortly after 7 p.m., according to authorities.
New Jersey State Police said a gray Dodge Ram pickup truck was headed east on the highway near the 37.6 mile marker when one of its tires came loose and flew over the concrete barrier. The tire slammed into a westbound Audi, which then crashed into a Mercedes, a Ford F-350 towing a trailer and a guardrail.
The driver of the Audi, a 77-year-old man, was pronounced dead at the accident scene. His 66-year-old wife suffered bumps and bruises and was transported to Morristown Medical Center. The Mercedes driver and the Ford driver were not hurt. No charges have yet been filed. The crash remains under investigation.
The family of someone killed in a fatal car accident may file a wrongful death lawsuit against the driver who caused the crash even if police choose not to file charges in the case. By using accident investigation reports, witness testimony and other evidence, an attorney could help the family establish that the negligent actions of the at-fault driver led to the death of their loved one. For example, if a tire detaches from a vehicle due to improper maintenance, the vehicle’s owner could be found liable for any injuries or deaths that resulted from his or her negligence. If the wrongful death claim is successful in court, the family could receive financial compensation for pecuniary damages, such as funeral costs and lost wages.
Source: WABC, “New Jersey man killed, wife hurt when tire detaches from car on I-80,” March 27, 2015
