That call — made by Edward Zurawski, 41, who was driving a pickup truck for a local construction company just before he ran a red light and crashed into a car — was determined to be a contributing factor in the 2006 accident that took Bryla’s life.
His family was slated to get $3.35 million in a lawsuit ruling last summer against the pickup driver and his employer. Bryla left behind a wife and unborn child.
The Brylas’ attorney, David J. Heyer Jr., told me something last year that stuck with me.
He said to me, “You’re on your cell phone and you’re rushing to get home or get to work or pick up your kid. What’s an extra minute? It’s that extra minute or two which can make all the difference.
“No amount of money will ever compensate for the presence of a dad or husband,” he added.
Is texting someone about your plans that night so important that it can’t wait until your car is parked? Is it worth an accident or possibly taking a life and ruining the lives of others?
