A head-on collision has prompted the Louisiana State Police to remind drivers to use extra caution during inclement weather and to buckle up. Officials believe that the weather and the fact that two of the three people involved were not properly restrained were contributing factors in the crash. The car wreck took the life of one person, and two other people were seriously injured.
One vehicle whose driver and passenger were not properly restrained was headed north on LA Hwy 3125 when it drifted into oncoming traffic for an as yet unknown reason. When it veered into the opposite lane of traffic, it slammed head-on into an oncoming vehicle. As a result, the driver of the northbound vehicle has so far been charged with negligent injuring and driving on the wrong side of the road.
The passenger in the northbound vehicle was killed as a result of the accident. The drivers of both vehicles suffered serious injuries and had to be taken to the hospital. Their current conditions are unknown at this time. The Louisiana State Police is still investigating the accident, and additional charges may be filed against the driver that caused the accident.
Both the injured southbound driver and the family of the passenger in the northbound vehicle have the right to file civil action against the driver in connection with this tragic car wreck. They may recover their out-of-pocket expenses, such as medical bills, lost wages, and funeral expenses, and other damages they have sustained if they are able to prove that the driver was negligent and that his actions caused the accident that injured one driver and killed the passenger. In the immediate aftermath of the accident, filing a lawsuit may not be at the forefront of anyone’s mind, but as bills began to arrive, the need to recover those expenses may become a priority.
Fatal Crashes
Car Wreck on Louisiana Highway 17 Injures 1, Kills 1
The Louisiana State Police are continuing to investigate a crash that took the life of a Richland Parish woman. It is unknown whether alcohol played a part in the tragedy. The car wreck happened just days before Christmas, and has left her family to get through the holidays without her.
The accident occurred on Highway 17 in Franklin Parish on the south side of Interstate 20. The victim was traveling north on the highway when a southbound vehicle crossed the center line colliding with her car. The victim was injured during the accident and was taken to an area hospital. Despite the efforts of medical personnel at the hospital, the victim died as a result of the injuries she sustained in the accident.
The driver that crossed the center line suffered what are described as moderate injuries and was still in the hospital at last report. The Louisiana State Police have charged the woman with driving left of center. It is unknown whether their investigation will yield more charges against the driver.
Regardless of whether the driver is further charged by authorities, the family of the Richland Parish woman retains the right to file a wrongful death claim against her in an attempt to recover monetary damages incurred as a result of her death. If the family prevails in proving negligence, the court may award costs and any additional damages allowable under our state laws that the court believes are appropriate after considering all of the circumstances. This tragic car wreck has forever changed the face of one family, and nothing will undo that; however, a successful civil action could restore the financial losses suffered.
Louisiana State Police Seeks Second Auto in Fatal Accident
Louisiana State Police have determined that a second vehicle was involved in a crash that killed a pedestrian. Troopers believe the second vehicle involved in this fatal accident is a Chevrolet, and that it could be either a passenger car or a sports utility vehicle. Anyone with information is asked to come forward.
The accident occurred just south of Louisiana 592. A 51-year-old pedestrian was standing in the left lane of U.S. 165 when a 58-year-old woman headed northbound in a Toyota Avalon struck him. As the Louisiana State Police were investigating the accident, they determined that a second vehicle had been involved. Troopers believe that vehicle has damage to its undercarriage and front bumper.
The pedestrian was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the Toyota was properly restrained and no injuries were reported. Even though the accident is still under investigation, alcohol is not believed to have been a factor in the accident, at least in so far as the driver of the vehicle that stopped at the scene of the accident
The family of the deceased pedestrian retains the right to file a wrongful death claim in connection with this fatal accident. The family may want to wait to file until the Louisiana State Police are able to locate the second driver to determine what role that vehicle played in the accident. At that point, the family will be in a better position to assess the potential liability of both drivers for the fatal accident. In addition, since the investigation is still ongoing, it is not yet known what charges, if any, may be filed in connection with the accident. Knowing the outcome of the official investigation can help the family determine their rights under our state laws as they struggle to come to terms with the tragedy and its aftermath.
Louisiana Man May Have Been Impaired at Time of Fatal Car Wreck
The Louisiana State Police say that a 31-year-old driver may have been impaired when he got onto I-12 heading westbound recently. It was this impairment that may be to blame for the car wreck police say he caused. Another Louisiana man died as a result of the accident.
The accident occurred when the allegedly impaired driver attempted to move from the right lane of the Interstate into the left lane in order to avoid a car that was stopped on the shoulder. At the last moment, he noticed a car was already in the lane. Both vehicles swerved to avoid colliding.
The driver police believe was impaired was able to regain control and kept going. However, the other car careened across the median and the eastbound lanes of the Interstate and ended up coming to a stop on the opposite shoulder. The driver did not survive the injuries he sustained in the crash.
The Louisiana State Police report that Livingston Parish deputies were able to locate the allegedly impaired driver and bring him back to the scene. The driver was then arrested and taken to the Parish prison. Once there, he was booked on charges of DWI, hit-and-run, vehicular homicide, and improper lane usage.
The family of the deceased driver retains the right to file a wrongful death claim against the driver regardless of the outcome of the criminal charges. However, should the driver be convicted of a crime in connection with this fatal car wreck, that conviction may be offered as evidence in civil court of the driver’s negligence. Nothing will bring back their loved one, but a successful wrongful death action may help the family move on financially. Expenses such as medical expenses and funeral costs are recoverable in a wrongful death action once liability is established, in addition to any other damages allowed by law.
Louisiana Truck Accident Claims the Life of an Infant
Until children reach a certain age, they rely on their parents for almost everything. Parents typically do what they can to keep their children safe, and that includes keeping them safe on the Louisiana roadways. However, even when a parent takes every precaution, the possibility of a car accident or truck accident still exists.
A Dodge Stratus containing two adults and two children was pulled over on the right shoulder of I-12 when tragedy struck recently. A delivery truck drifted off the road onto the same shoulder, causing the Freightliner to slam into the right rear of the Dodge. The impact sent the Dodge spinning across the roadway into the median.
According to the Louisiana State Police, the truck driver was not paying attention to the road when this truck drifted onto the shoulder. He has been charged with negligent homicide, among other things, due to the death of a 1-year-old that was in the Dodge at the time of the accident. A front seat passenger is in serious condition at North Oaks Medical Center. The driver and a 2-year-old boy suffered moderate injuries and were transported to St. Tammany Parish Hospital.
There are several potential legal actions as a result of this truck accident. The surviving family of the deceased baby retains the right to pursue a wrongful death action based on proof of negligence by any party deemed at fault for the tragedy. Further the three people injured in the crash also have the right to press forward with personal injury claims, again based upon evidence of negligence. If liability is established, claims for monetary damages will be considered.
Louisiana Teen Passenger Killed in One Vehicle Car Wreck
What starts out as a night of fun can quickly become a nightmare when drinking and driving. Thousands of people around the country, including in Louisiana, lose their lives every day because of drunk drivers. Accidents can happen at any time, but when drinking is involved, the possibility of a car wreck increases exponentially.
Police suspect that alcohol may have played a part in an accident that killed one 19-year-old and injured another. The 19-year-old driver was heading south on Louisiana 363 in the Grand Prairie area when he lost control on a curve, crossed the center line, careened into two cement culverts, flipped, and finally came to rest in a ditch. Even though the driver wasn’t wearing a seat belt, he was only injured. His passenger was not as lucky–he died at the scene of the accident.
Police have indicated that when the teenage driver is released from the hospital, he will be arrested on charges of vehicular homicide, reckless operation of a vehicle, no seat belt and open alcoholic beverage container. Apparently because of drinking and driving, two lives were forever altered that night. While the police complete their investigation and the driver recovers from his injuries, the family of the young man that died has to begin the excruciating process of trying to come to grips with the breadth of the tragedy.
While the driver faces the criminal proceedings against him, he will also have to deal with the possibility of a wrongful death claim from the family of his young passenger. Louisiana law permits such a civil claim when a fatality occurs through the negligent or intentional conduct of another. Whether the family chooses to pursue this avenue of relief remains to be seen, though they will likely look to the official report of the accident investigation as they consider their rights under state law in connection with this tragic car wreck.