A motorist’s driving ability should be adequate enough to operate a car safely when he or she is behind the wheel of a vehicle. This is why the law in Pennsylvania requires motorists to test for a drivers’ license before allowing them to drive a car on the road. Drivers will then also be required to keep their license up-to-date and in good standing. Unfortunately, one driver failed to do this and ended up killing a maintenance worker, whose family may have been able to obtain death benefits via worker’s compensation.

The 35-year-old driver had been driving a storage van with a suspended license when it swerved and crashed into a maintenance worker on the shoulder of the freeway. The driver recently pleaded guilty to a felony charge connected to the incident which happened in 2012. The worker was a 68-year-old man who suffered multiple injuries which proved to be fatal.

The prosecutor for the case stated that there were no drugs or alcohol that contributed to causing the collision. He also ruled out excessive speed as a factor in causing the crash as well. The prosecutor also said he was not able to prove that the defendant was on his cell phone when the crash occurred. The defendant may spend as many as seven years in prison as a result of the accident.

It is unclear whether the decedent’s family had filed for benefits through workers’ compensation after the fatal accident in Pennsylvania. However, if the family had, just like in any other workplace accident, they may have been able to receive monetary assistance which could come in handy when paying for funeral costs and other expenses related the crash. On the other hand, it is important to be familiar with the proper legal procedure to file for benefits.

Source: CBS Philly, “Guilty Plea In 2012 Pennsylvania Turnpike Crash That Killed Maintenance Worker,” Brad Segall, June 24, 2013