In Sante Fe, New Mexico a grand jury awarded the El Paso family of Marialy and Ylairam Morga $165.5 million dollars after they were rear-ended and killed in a car crash by a FedEx truck three years ago. The three family members in the GMC pickup truck were likely on their way to visit the father at work. Mother Marialy was 22 years old, and her daughter Ylairam 4 years old when the accident took their lives. 18-month-old son Yahir was also in the vehicle at the time, but was likely saved by his child seat when the accident occurred.
The three family members were parked to the side of the road with their hazard lights flashing when the accident occurred. The driver of the FedEx truck who crashed into the pickup truck was forty-three year old woman Elizabeth Quintana. She did not survive the crash.
After the accident in 2011, the family took legal action and filed a lawsuit in July 2012 for wrongful death. The family suggested negligence on the part of the FedEx driver. Nevertheless, it is not yet fully reported whether or not negligence was the primary cause of the accident. Some have suggested that this is the largest civil case in the history of New Mexico.
The community came together to hold fundraisers to support the costs of the funeral. Although Yahir has improved, the young toddler remains in the hospital.
Since 2011, the number of fatalities caused by car crashes have increased from 3, 067 to 3,534 according to the Texas Department of Transportation. Last year alone there were 3,408 deaths caused by a wide range of factors such as driver inattention, driving under the influence, and failure to yield.
Attorneys do not always rely on police reports to obtain information. Personal injury lawyers often hire private investigators to gather more facts about each case and the true cause of an accident. Are you looking for answers to your questions?
— Article by Richard D. Weaver, a Texas personal injury attorney.