Minor car accidents can be stressful. Dealing with property damage and nonlife threatening injuries can be time consuming. When a traffic accident proves to be fatal however, the survivors and loved ones of the deceased must deal with a completely different level of stress. The wrongful death claim that often follows is usually very difficult to deal with emotionally.

According to Pennsylvania State Police a father and his 22-month-old daughter were both killed in a traffic accident on Interstate 79 this past weekend. The accident occurred in Springfield Township, Pennsylvania, in Mercer County, shortly before 7 p.m.

The 34-year-old father was driving a 2010 Mercedes SUV in the northbound lane with his 29-year-old wife and their daughter when the collision with a 2006 Subaru occurred. There were two people in the Subaru, a man and woman, both 24-years-old. The crash took place at the 110.6 mile marker.

In addition to the deaths of the father and daughter, the woman who was also the wife and mother was injured. She was taken to St. Elizabeth Hospital in Youngstown. Information on the injuries she sustained is unknown. The occupants of the Subaru were not injured in the crash.

The details regarding exactly what happened are currently unknown. There are many factors to take into consideration when determining the cause of an accident. Common causes include failing to follow traffic laws, reckless driving, speeding and poor weather. Whether any of these was involved in this case remains to be seen. The accident is under investigation by the Pennsylvania State Police and its findings will likely inform whether a wrongful death lawsuit will be filed in this case.

Source: The Review, "Traffic accident claims life of father, daughter," Aug. 28, 2011