Police say that the first time they questioned a Louisiana teen about the car accident in which he was involved, he denied that he was the driver. Instead, he said that the other 17-year-old boy in the car had been driving. The other teen could not deny the allegation since he died in the car wreck.
The accident occurred when the teen driver passed a truck in a no-passing zone. As the vehicle re-entered the lane, the rear portion of his car clipped the front of the truck. This caused the driver to lose control of his car, run off the road and overturn.
The 17-year-old passenger in the vehicle was ejected. His injuries were too severe, and he was pronounced dead at the scene. The teen who police say was actually driving the vehicle has been charged with obstruction of justice and negligent homicide.
The parents of the deceased passenger retain the right to file a wrongful death claim in connection with their son’s death in this car wreck. However, the family may benefit from seeking advice regarding filing such an action due to the potential complexities. If the driver is convicted of the criminal charges now pending against him, proof of that conviction may be offered as evidence in a related wrongful death lawsuit on the issue of liability. In the civil action, the family will need to prove that the driver acted negligently in a manner that caused or contributed to the fatality. Filing a civil suit won’t bring their son back, but a successful result may give the family some measure of justice for the loss of a family member whose life had barely begun.
Negligence
Four People Injured in Recent Louisiana Crash
Car wrecks in Louisiana can be quite serious and may leave multiple people injured, suffering or even dead. A recentĀ motor vehicle accident left four people injured.
According to authorities, the accident occurred around 10:30 a.m. when a silver Ford Taurus entered the westbound lane of a road from an off-ramp. The vehicle hit a westbound gold Mazda.
Authorities are still investigating the car accident and its cause. According to reports, two individuals were in each car, all of whom sustained injuries in the crash. They were taken to area hospitals where their injuries reportedly ranged from minor to critical.
The most severely injured was the front-seat passenger in the Ford Taurus. The other occupants reportedly suffered moderate injuries. The passengers in the other vehicle were said to have suffered injuries initially characterized as minor to moderate.
Car accidents like this one can understandably result in a great deal of emotional and physical damage, not just to the owners of the vehicles, but their passengers as well. When people get behind the wheel of a motor vehicle in Louisiana, they are expected to show reasonable care to others in or near the roadway. Practicing safe driving and obeying traffic laws, as well as being cautious and aware of drivers who may not be driving as safely, can help keep people out of harm’s way.
One can only hope that those involved in this collision recover quickly and completely from their injuries. As with all car accidents, they may turn to Louisiana state courts to seek reimbursement for damages caused by the negligence of another person.