Police have few clues after a quadruple-fatal car crash in Vernon Parish on Highway 10. After a driver apparently lost control of his vehicle, his pickup left the roadway, careened through several trees, and burst into flame. All four vehicle occupants, who were trapped inside the burning pickup, died at the crash scene between Pitkin and Oakdale. Although police believe that excessive speed was the primary cause, they have not ruled out impairment. None of the names were released.
Evidence Collection in Car Crash Cases
The plaintiff has the burden of proof in a negligence case, which means that there must be compelling evidence of all five elements: if the defendant breached a legal duty, and that breach legally and factually caused injury, the defendant is liable for damages. [Read more…] about Fireball Crash In Vernon Parish
Fatal Accident
Liability For Swimming Pool Accidents
Nationwide, children under 14 constitute an alarming percentage of the ten drowning victims per day; many of these events occur at private backyard swimming pools or hotel pools. Some of these tragedies occur at busy pool parties and other large events when the owner has not made adequate preparations to supervise all the guests. Other times, parents turn their heads for just a few moments, and in that time, a child falls into an open or semi-open pool. It is also not unusual for a neighborhood child to wander into an unsecured yard and play in an unsupervised pool.
In all these situations, the landowner owes a duty of care to prevent swimming pool drownings, and the outcome in these cases largely depends on the relationship between landowner and victim as well as any remedial actions the landowner undertook. [Read more…] about Liability For Swimming Pool Accidents
Police Search for Driver in Fatal Accident Involving Bicyclist
Even though it is legal for bicycles to share the roads with motorized vehicles, the danger to riders is always a concern. Louisiana bicyclists often suffer serious and even deadly injuries if they are involved in a motor vehicle accident. Occasionally, a driver fails to stop after hitting a bicycle rider, and the victim’s family is left wondering whether a fatal accident would have been survivable if the rider had received emergency medical treatment.
Friends and family may be asking this question in connection with the death of a local artist in the Big Easy. Police say that the rider was hit and left for dead. By the time emergency responders arrived at the scene, it was too late to save his life. Now, officials have released a photograph of a vehicle believed to be the same make and model that was involved in the crash.
New Orleans police expect the vehicle to have damage to the front passenger side that is most likely significant. While police search for the vehicle and driver responsible for the man’s death, a memorial “ghost bike” was placed by the victim’s friends at the intersection where the accident occurred. His girlfriend hopes that his death will increase awareness of bicycle riders and urges drivers to stop if one is hit.
The artist’s family retains the right to file a wrongful death claim against the driver police believe is responsible or this fatal accident, once he or she is apprehended. If a Louisiana court rules that the man’s death was due to the negligence of that individual, the family might receive a judgment for the monetary damages it sustained in the aftermath of his death. Such an award could help defray their financial losses and perhaps provide some sense of closure regarding the tragedy.
Fatal Accident on I-55 Leads to Vehicular Homicide Charges
Sometimes it is not the initial car accident that causes injury to Louisiana residents. The occupants of the vehicles may feel fortunate to have survived the crash uninjured, but it is shortly after a crash when they can be the most vulnerable. A seemingly minor initial wreck can quickly become a fatal accident if the drivers of vehicles approaching it fail to stop.
For instance, two vehicles were involved in an accident at approximately 4 a.m. on a recent Sunday morning on Interstate 55 in the northbound lanes. Both vehicles stopped partially on the left shoulder and partially in the left lane. The two drivers did what most people would do and got out of their cars.
As they were talking, another northbound vehicle slammed into one of the stopped cars and its driver. The 27-year-old from New Orleans died from the injuries she suffered in the crash. It is not known whether the other driver who was standing with her suffered any injuries.
The 43-year-old driver of the car that hit her is suspected of having been impaired by drugs. According to the Louisiana State Police, he was taken into custody for careless driving, vehicular homicide and driving without a valid license. At last report, he was being held at the Tangipahoa Parish Jail. Investigators are awaiting the results of a toxicology test to verify whether the man was under the influence of drugs at the time of the accident.
Meanwhile, the family of the victim in this fatal accident may exercise its right to file a wrongful death claim against the allegedly impaired driver. Her family may receive an award of damages if the court finds that the party deemed responsible for her death was negligent. The monetary proceeds of any judgment awarded to the family could help defray the expenses incurred because of her premature death.
Louisiana Grand Jury Issues Indictment in Fatal Car Accident
Many of the more serious criminal charges filed in Louisiana are often the result of a grand jury indictment. The grand jury decides whether prosecutors have adequate evidence to indicate that a crime occurred and that a specific individual or individuals may have been involved. For example, a 34-year-old woman was recently indicted by a grand jury for vehicular homicide in connection with a fatal car accident that happened in the early morning hours of Nov. 11, 2014.
At approximately 3 a.m. on the morning of the accident, the woman was on Louisiana 23, heading northbound. She lost control of the vehicle, which then left the roadway. When she attempted to get back to the road, she over corrected. This caused the vehicle to flip.
No report was given regarding whether the driver suffered any injuries that night, but she was not alone in the car. When emergency personnel responded to the crash, they discovered that her passenger, a 41-year-old woman, suffered fatal injuries. Authorities suspected that the driver was impaired, and a toxicology test revealed that her blood alcohol level was above Louisiana’s legal limit. This was part of the information provided to the grand jury.
As the woman faces the vehicular homicide charge, she may also face a wrongful death civil lawsuit in connection with this fatal car accident. The surviving family of the deceased passenger retain to right to file such a claim, seeking damages incurred due to the death of their loved one. Documenting to the court that the driver’s negligent actions caused the death of the victim could lead to a monetary judgment for specified financial losses.
Fatal Accident in Louisiana Parking Lot Robs Family of Future
An engaged couple in Louisiana were just two days away from getting married. More than likely, they were involved in last minute preparations and were excited about spending the rest of their lives together. Sadly, it was not meant to be. A fatal accident in a parking lot stole that future from them.
Shortly after 12 p.m., the couple decided to go visit her mother. As they walked across a private parking lot, an SUV careened off the adjacent roadway into the parking lot. It slammed into the couple.
The man attempted to push her out of the way when he saw the out-of-control vehicle heading toward them, but he was hit before he could get her clear of the vehicle. Tragically, she became stuck underneath one of the SUV’s tires. Both victims were taken to an area hospital to be treated for the injuries they suffered in the accident.
The man’s injuries were considered moderate, but the woman’s injuries turned out to be fatal. She died at the hospital. The Louisiana State Police are attempting to determine whether impairment caused the 52-year-old driver to lose control of the vehicle.
The woman is survived by three children. Raising them will now fall to her family. They retain the right to file a wrongful death claim against the driver in connection with this tragic fatal accident. If a civil court determines that the victim’s death was caused by the negligence of the driver, damages may be awarded to the family. Any monetary restitution could be used to pay for the burial of their loved one and provide for the children left behind.