Fatal car accident: elderly woman struck and killed in Bethlehem

An 80-year-old woman’s life was taken last week when an SUV struck her within the 200 block of West Broad Street in Bethlehem. It is said that the woman suffered multiple blunt force trauma, causing her death. After the car accident, she was transported to a local hospital where she passed away. Her family says she was in Bethlehem attending the local Bach Festival. Her death is likely the last thing her family expected to happen while sharing a cultural event with some friends.

The accident occurred around 8:30 p.m., and it appears that weather may have played a role in the crash. The crash investigation is ongoing, but Bethlehem police did say they do not believe that alcohol was involved. The driver did agree to provide a blood sample, as is customary in fatal accident investigations. Nonetheless, this may not mean much to the victim’s family as they probably feel that the accident shouldn’t have occurred at all, regardless of whether alcohol played a role.

Depending on the outcome of the investigation, the family of the elderly woman whose life was ended as a result of the accident may be interested in learning what legal rights they may have for a wrongful death claim against the driver of the vehicle. In any car accident, if a driver is found to be at-fault and is deemed to have driven negligently in causing an accident, the victim and any surviving family members may be entitled to pursue compensation for their injuries.

While waiting for the official report on the cause of the accident, one can only hope the family is able to cope with their sudden and seemingly senseless loss.

Source: Lehigh Valley Live, “Bethlehem accident victim identified as 80-year-old woman,” May 5, 2012

Source: Lehigh Valley Live, “Bethlehem police still investigating two serious Friday accidents in the city,” Sarah M. Wojcik, May 9, 2012