Every year, numerous people across the country, including many here in Louisiana, die in crashes in which one of the drivers involved lost control of his or her vehicle. Maintaining control of the vehicle is one of a driver’s primary responsibilities. When drivers are unable to regain control of their vehicles, they and others on the road are in jeopardy of being involved in a serious car accident.
At around 3 p.m. on a recent Monday afternoon, an 18-year-old driver was traveling southbound on Interstate 49. For an as yet unknown reason, he lost control of his vehicle. It then careened through the median separating the two sides of the interstate and ended up going the wrong way in the northbound lanes. An unsuspecting northbound driver was not able to avoid the collision that occurred.
The 39-year-old driver of the northbound vehicle succumbed to fatal injuries at the scene. The other driver and his 18-year-old passenger received only minor injuries for which they were taken to a hospital in the area. The investigation into the crash is ongoing, and charges could be filed upon its conclusion. As part of the inquiry, toxicology samples were taken for analysis to determine whether impairment played a factor in the crash.
While officials continue to investigate, the family of the deceased driver could exercise its right to file a wrongful death claim against the driver believed to be responsible for the car accident. Any evidence gathered by police — and potentially used by prosecutors in a criminal proceeding — could be used as evidence in the civil claim. If the family successfully proves that their loved one died due to the negligence of the other driver, a Louisiana civil court could consider an award of damages.
Source: arklatexhomepage.com, “East Texas man killed in Louisiana crash”, Aug. 23, 2016
