Authorities reported four fatalities in connection with a Dec. 19 crash in Carbon County. The incident involved two vehicles, both of which reportedly caught fire as a result of the crash. Officials needed dental records to identify three of the four decedents, according to authorities.

According to Carbon County officials, the Lower Towamensing Township car crash happened at about 8:30 p.m., when a 17-year-old driver heading west on Dairy Road crossed the centerline and collided with an eastbound vehicle driven by an 18-year-old woman. The impact was severe enough to cause the 17-year-old driver’s vehicle to overturn and both vehicles to catch fire, authorities said.

The 17-year-old driver and three passengers in his vehicle, ages 16, 16 and 13, were killed in the incident. The county coroner reported that they died from multiple blunt force injuries. The 18-year-old woman and a 22-year-old passenger in her eastbound vehicle were also injured in the crash. Police reported that speed had played a role in the incident but did not identify which driver had been speeding.

In cases similar to this one, an injured victim might choose to file a personal injury claim after consulting with an attorney. If the lawsuit were to appear tenable, the attorney may use evidence from the police investigation to build a personal injury case showing that another party involved in the crash was negligent and should thus be held liable. It could be a strong case if evidence shows that the defendant was not following the rules of the road at the time of the wreck. Civil courts may award successful claimants with substantial restitution, covering, among other damages, any lost income due to the accident.

Source: The Morning Call, “Coroner identifies 4 teens killed in Carbon County wreck,” Manuel Gamiz Jr. , December 22, 2014