Suspected Drunk Driver Surrenders After Louisiana Auto Accident
Every driver on the roads in Louisiana owes a duty of reasonable care to others. When a person decides to drink and then get behind the wheel of their car, they are likely breaching that duty. Should an auto accident result from a person drinking and driving, that individual may not only criminal charges, but could also be required to answer civil claims pursued by the people and families they have impacted.
There is a family in Louisiana that is now without their two-year-old toddler due to a suspected drunk driver. A man driving an SUV slammed into a pickup truck in which the toddler was riding. That toddler was taken to a hospital in Baton Rouge where medical personnel attempted to save his life. Unfortunately, their efforts failed, and the toddler died as a result of the injuries he sustained in the accident.
Authorities suspect that the driver of the SUV was impaired at the time of the accident. As a result, he has been charged with vehicular homicide, OWI, and other charges. The driver turned himself in to police and was booked into an area jail.
In addition to the criminal charges he is already facing, the family of the toddler retains the right to file a wrongful death claim against him. Should they be able to demonstrate that the driver was negligent and that his actions caused the death of the two-year-old boy, the victim’s family may be awarded the costs and damages they have sustained as a result of this tragic auto accident. No amount of monetary compensation will ever be able to right the fact that this young boy will never have a chance to grow up. That is something his family will never get to see. However, successfully litigating a civil action may help the family achieve some sense of justice on behalf of the life that ended far too soon.