Traveling on the nation’s Interstate roadways always has a certain degree of risk. While most drivers attempt to mitigate that risk by carefully observing all safety laws and rules of the road, a driver can’t always account for the actions of others. For example, a driver who has a vehicle barreling toward him or her typically has little time to react in any way. Recently a wrong-way accident in North Carolina has resulted in a fatality and criminal charges. The family of the deceased woman could also file a wrongful death civil lawsuit to seek financial reparations.
The accident occurred in the late afternoon on a day in late January. Police reports indicate that an 83-year-old woman was driving west on the Interstate 40 in North Carolina. A car traveling east and operated by a 22-year-old man apparently crossed over into oncoming traffic, colliding head-on with the woman’s vehicle.
The woman died as a result of the injuries she suffered in the accident. Traffic in the area was impacted for almost four hours. The man has since been arrested and charged with a misdemeanor charge related to the woman’s death.
While most people can sympathize with the woman’s family as they cope with the devastating news of her death, few people fully understand the financial impact an unexpected death can have on surviving family members. For example, the victim’s family will have to cope with the cost of her funeral and burial. Instead of spending time stressing over financial burdens, families of accident victims have the option of filing a wrongful death case in a North Carolina civil court. If they can prove the accident was caused by the man’s negligence, a claim that would be supported by a criminal conviction if one is obtained, the court could see fit to award financial damages stemming from the tragic accident.
Source: wncn.com, Elderly woman dies in head-on collision on I-40, No author, Jan. 26, 2014