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Former PA congresswoman struck by teen driver

A former Pennsylvania congresswoman has apparently been recovering in the hospital for the last two weeks after a passing teenage driver struck her as she got out of her car, causing what seemed to have been serious injuries.

Initially, right after the car crash, the teen driver left the scene, but she did turn around and return to the scene almost immediately. The teen driver was visibly upset by the incident and did not show any signs of intoxication. Police investigating the car accident said that they were not certain whether the girl had been texting and driving when she struck the congresswoman, but they did indicate that no charges had been filed in connection with this crash.

While there is no information about the congresswoman’s current condition, it was reported that she “hopes to make a full recovery”.

This case illustrates that car accidents can happen to anybody, even to those whom we as a society often place on a plane of invincibility. There can be little doubt, though, that this woman who once wielded considerable power in our country suffered both financial and emotional damages from this accident.

It is quite possible that just like any other accident victim, she will have lost income, some medical expenses, and, probably, will experience the pain and suffering of having to go through this experience and having to make what could be a long and difficult recovery.

The case also is yet another example of a relatively inexperienced teen driver causing a serious car accident. It serves as a useful reminder that parents need to supervise the driving habits of their teens closely and take an active interest in their driver education. In practice, the parents of a negligent teen driver will often wind up shouldering the responsibility of making sure that the injured party gets just compensation.

Source: The Cranberry Patch, “Former Rep. Melissa Hart recovering from traffic accident injuries,” Richard Cook, Feb. 10, 2013

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