$7.5M Settlement in Car Crash During Hurricane Sandy that Killed Woman

A $7.5 million settlement has been reached in connection with the crash of an SUV and a police car during Hurricane Sandy in New Jersey in October 2012 which left one woman dead and three others severely  injured.

The crash, which happened about 1:20 a.m. on Oct. 30, 2012 at routes 112 and 347 in Port Jefferson Station, N.J., occurred when a Ford Crown Victoria police car broadsided the 2002 Toyota Highlander the four women were traveling in, according to a May 31 story by Newsday. The powerful storm had knocked out the electricity for the traffic light where the crash occurred and the officer, Rene Garcia, a 12-year veteran of the Suffolk County Police, did not have his car’s emergency lights on at the time of the crash. The officer’s police car was westbound on Route 347 after he had responded to storm-related call about a possible fire at Mt. Sinai Middle School.

Killed in the Highlander in the crash was Vishwaja Muppa, 21, who was a biology major at Stony Brook University from Edison, N.J., the story reported. Muppa, who was dead at the scene, was sitting in the back seat of the Highlander when the crash occurred. The other three women hurt in the SUV were Jacqueline Dincil, Tanya Khan and Disha Gupta, though it was not mentioned who was driving the SUV. Dincil suffered multiple pelvic and lumbar spine fractures in the collision, while Khan claimed multiple severe and permanent injuries. Gupta suffered permanent injuries to her spinal column and brain which required surgery and extensive medical treatment, the story reported.

No details were given about how the $7.5 million settlement will be distributed between Muppa’s estate and the three survivors.

Photo credit: iStockphoto.com/tillsonburg

These kinds of tragic legal cases occur every day when innocent victims are severely hurt or killed in vehicle crashes through no fault of their own due to the actions, inattentiveness or indifference of others. That’s why it is critical to have a legal team on your side that uncovers every fact to bolster your case and maximize your damage award.

We here at MyPhillyLawyer stand ready to assist you with your legal case if you or a loved one is ever seriously injured in a vehicle accident or incident anywhere in the United States.

We represent the families of victims who die in such tragedies as well, to ensure that their families receive every penny of damages that they are eligible to receive.

Call MyPhillyLawyer at 215-227-2727 or toll-free at 1-(866) 352-4572 anytime and our experienced, compassionate, aggressive team of attorneys and support staff will be there for you and your family every step of the way as we manage your case through the legal system.

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