Every day many head out on Pennsylvania roads with a reasonable expectation that they will be able to reach their intended destination. Most of the time, drivers follow the traffic laws, or at least the major ones, and most people stay safe. However, safe passage is not something that is guaranteed. This fact became all too real when a fatal motor vehicle accident occurred recently in Washington County, Pennsylvania.

The accident involved a tractor-trailer crossing the median and hitting two cars that were heading in the opposite directions. In this accident a mother and her 21 year old daughter were killed, Four others were injured, two of them children. While the driver was charged with homicide by vehicle, there are still many questions that are unanswered, as well as injuries that need to be attended to.

While not all fatal car accidents involve so many people, or blatant traffic violations, they all bring tragedy and a need for both justice and retribution. While these two things can go together in some ways, in others they are unrelated. It is important to look beyond "catching" the person who caused a wrongful death or personal injuries. This mentality may address criminal charges, but civil suits are something entirely different.

When a wrongful death or personal injury becomes personal, they come with a multitude of emotions — not to mention an awful lot of bills, including medical bills, lost work time, lost future wages, and other expenses. While it is likely that things will never be the same, a good personal injury can help people sort through their challenges and find a way to move forward in the future.

Source: Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, "Update: Hughesville Mother/Daughter Killed in Pennsylvania Crash," Tim Puko and Adam Smeltz, Nov. 25, 2012