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.
Louisiana
Louisiana State Police Investigate Fatal Truck Accident
The Louisiana State Police are investing a crash in which the driver of an SUV was killed. The truck accident occurred on US 190 West. It took authorities approximately seven hours to gather evidence and clear the wreckage from the scene.
A Peterbilt tractor-trailer was traveling east on the highway as it approached a private driveway. The trucker began his turn into that private driveway as a westbound SUV was heading toward him. The SUV ended up crashing into the tractor trailer. The impact was forceful enough to trap the vehicle under the 18-wheeler. As a result, the vehicle was dragged into the private driveway as the truck came to a stop.
The driver whose vehicle became wedged under the truck died as a result of the injuries he sustained in the accident. The Louisiana State Police are not yet able to say whether the driver of the truck was impaired at the time of the accident. A toxicology sample was taken in order to make that determination. It isn’t yet known whether any charges will be filed in connection with the accident.
The victim in this fatal truck accident met an untimely death, and now his family is forced to face this fact. They will also be forced to incur expenses in connection with his death, including funeral costs. Being reimbursed for these expenses may not be the first thing the family thinks about, but it may become a concern at some point. The family retains the right to file a wrongful death action in an attempt to recover these expenses based upon proof that the trucker negligently caused the fatal accident.
Mobile Device May Have Led to Fatal Car Wreck in Louisiana
The Louisiana State Police suspect that a mobile device may have led to a fatal crash in Ascension Parish. The car wreck took place at the intersection of Louisiana Highway 931 and Joe Sevario Road. The accident is still under investigation.
The intersection where the accident took place is governed by a four-way stop. A woman driving south on Joe Sevario Road stopped at the intersection in question before proceeding through it. At the same time, a man was driving west on the highway failed to stop at the intersection, causing him to slam into the woman’s car.
The Louisiana State Police say the woman was properly restrained at the time of the accident. Unfortunately, having her seat belt fastened did not preclude the woman from suffering fatal injuries as a result of the impact. Authorities have taken a toxicology sample from the man to determine whether he was impaired at the time of the accident.
A mobile device was found in his vehicle, and authorities believe the driver may have been distracted when the accident occurred. The driver was taken to the Ascension Parish Jail. He has been charged with negligent homicide in addition to other charges. Depending on the outcome of the official investigation, the man could face further charges.
Even though filing civil action could never repair the damage done to the family by the woman’s death, her family retains the right to file a wrongful death claim against the other driver. If a civil court determines that the driver’s actions in this car wreck were negligent and that his actions caused or contributed to the death of their loved one, the family may be awarded the costs and damages incurred as a result of her death. Along with any monetary compensation they receive, the family may also feel they have received some sense of justice on behalf of their lost loved one.
Auto Accident Caused By Loose Trailer Kills 1 in Louisiana
The Louisiana State Police are investigating an unusual accident that occurred earlier this month on Interstate 10 in Ascension Parish. The cause of the auto accident appears to be a loose trailer. One person was killed as a result of the accident.
A Ford F-350 was traveling west on I-10 with a trailer attached to the back of the pickup truck. Unfortunately, the trailer was not properly secured, and it came loose from the pickup. It shot across the highway through a break in the median guardrail and into oncoming traffic in the eastbound lanes of I-10.
The driver of a Ford F-150 pickup was unable to avoid colliding with the trailer. When his vehicle hit the trailer, his pickup first veered off the right side of the highway and then shot back across the eastbound lanes of traffic. The vehicle came to a rest in the median. Even though the driver of the F-150 was properly restrained, he suffered such severe injuries that he did not survive the accident.
The Louisiana State Police do not believe that alcohol was a factor in the crash, but toxicology samples were taken from both drivers as a matter of procedure. The investigation is ongoing. Even if the police do not file any criminal charges in connection with this tragic auto accident, the family of the victim retains the right to proceed with a wrongful death claim. If the family is able to prove that the other driver was negligent in causing or contributing to the death of the victim, they may be awarded the costs and damages they have incurred in connection with the tragedy.
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.
Explosion on Offshore Oil Platform Off Louisiana Injures 11
An explosion off the coast of Louisiana sent 11 people to hospitals. There were 22 people on the offshore oil platform when the explosion occurred. Nine people were uninjured, and two others are still missing.
Of the 11 known people that were injured, two were flown to the Baton Rouge General-Mid City Burn Center and are in critical condition. Two other injured crew members were on their way to Baton Rouge by ambulance from Marrero, Louisiana. There is no word on the condition of those two or the other seven injured workers.
A crew has been dispatched to assess and clean up any pollution from the explosion. The Coast Guard unit stationed in Morgan City, Louisiana, will be leading the investigation into the cause of the explosion. Preliminary reports indicate that the explosion occurred when a worker was cutting into a pipe that still had oil in it with a torch. The fire has been put out and there is no indication that oil is leaking into the Gulf of Mexico.
Those who were injured in the explosion on this offshore oil platform may be able to receive benefits in accordance with the Longshore and Harbor Workers Act. This Act provides for compensation and medical care for those employees injured in the course of their maritime employment in the same way as workers’ compensation does in other industries. Anyone injured in the course of maritime employment may want to seek the advice of counsel to ensure they are receiving all of the benefits they are entitled to under relevant laws.