Motorcyclist Killed in Hit Skip Crash
Ohio State Highway Patrol is investigating a fatal two-vehicle crash that occurred recently on Ohio 61 near Ohio 601 in Norwalk Township. The accident involved Chad Holbrook, 49, and Benjamin Curtis Conley, 46. Holbrook was operating his 2007 Chevy truck northbound on Ohio 61 when he rear-ended Benjamin Curtis Conley’s 2000 Harley Davidson Motorcycle.
Conley was thrown from his motorcycle and landed in a ditch. He was not wearing a helmet and suffered fatal injuries at the scene. Holbrook continued driving with the motorcycle under his truck northbound onto Seminary Road, where the bike eventually dislodged. Holbrook finally stopped in the roadway around 2 miles from the accident scene due to disabling damage.
An off-duty deputy of the Erie County Sheriff’s Office, Hayden Service, witnessed the crash and pursued Holbrook when he did not stop to render help. When Holbrook stopped his vehicle due to the damage, deputy Service identified himself as law enforcement and ordered Holbrook to remain with the truck. Holbrook disobeyed and fled on foot into the nearby wooded area.
The Ohio State Patrol was assisted on the scene by the Erie County Sheriff’s Office and other local law enforcement agencies in a 2-hour chase. The search concluded with Holbrooks’s arrest and incarceration at the Huron County Jail.
Charges of aggravated vehicular homicide, leaving the scene of a fatal crash, and operating a vehicle while impaired have been filed in Norwalk Municipal Court. He was not wearing a seat belt and was not injured in the crash.
Fatal Motorcycle Accidents
Have you lost a loved one in a fatal motorcycle accident? After such a tragic event, a lawsuit is the last thing you are thinking about, but Ohio does give surviving family members rights to compensation.
A wrongful death lawsuit can hold the responsible party accountable for the death of your loved one, and many wrongful death lawsuits have been the catalyst that improved driving and safety regulations.
Compensation You May Be Eligible to Recover in a Wrongful Death Settlement
Motorcycle accidents in Ohio increase yearly, and many are caused by drivers who are not paying attention and do not see the motorcyclist. The injuries sustained on motorcycles are often severe or even fatal due to their small size and minimal protection.
There are several types of damages you may be able to recover for losses that you suffered. Examples include:
- Lost financial support
- Loss of companionship
- Loss of services
- Loss of inheritance
- Loss of consortium
- Funeral and burial expenses
- Mental anguish
The loss of your loved one may be compounded by the financial strains their death has caused, especially if they were the primary financial support for your family. It is difficult to adjust to losing a spouse or life partner and living without their companionship.
A wrongful death lawsuit can financially compensate you for these losses so you can find the support and help you need to rebuild your life and mourn your loved one.
Factors That Can Affect the Value of a Wrongful Death Settlement
There may not be an average settlement for wrongful death in Ohio, but several factors can affect what you can recover, such as:
- The age of the victim
- The financial responsibility of the victim, whether the victim was the sole or partial wage earner for their household
- The victim’s past and future earnings
- Economic damage the victim’s family suffered
- The pain and grief the family has suffered
The amount of available insurance coverage also plays a role.
Survival Actions
If your loved one survived for any time after the accident, your attorney could file a survival action. The survival action allows the estate to recover damages between the time the negligent act occurred and when the victim died.
If your loved one was taken to a hospital after their accident and survived for a few hours to weeks after the accident, a survival claim would cover their lost wages, pain, suffering, medical bills, and mental pain during that time after the accident.
Reach Out to an Attorney if You Were Involve in a Motorcycle Accident
If your loved one has been injured or killed in a motorcycle accident in Ohio or Michigan, contact Charles Boyk Law Offices. Working with our experienced motorcycle accident attorneys, you benefit from our attorneys’ knowledge of these cases and their unique issues. Contact us today for a free consultation of your case.
