ELIZABETH — A Union County family who lost a toddler in a deadly mail truck accident has been given $4.9 million by the U.S. Postal Service.

Ana Chacon sued the U.S. government after the 2015 accident in Elizabeth. Chacon was crossing Rahway Avenue, carrying her 2-year-old granddaughter and holding the hand of her 4-year-old grandson.

Sofia Flores died from the accident, while her brother, Jacob, and their grandmother were hospitalized with injuries.

An investigation revealed that the driver, Joseph Collins, did not look right before turning from Chilton Street. He also was using a cellphone just before the crash, according to the suit filed in U.S. District Court of New Jersey.

Following mediation, the settlement for $4.9 million was divided as $1.8 million for Ana Chacon, nearly $1 million for the Estate of Sofia Flores and nearly $430,000 for Jacob Flores.

The estate of the victim includes her parents, Mariana Chacon and Juan Flores, and her brother. The rest of the settlement went to pay legal fees and expenses.

The settlement was approved by the Department of Justice in December 2018 and payment was received in early January, according to court records.

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