Everyone knows that accidents happen. Milk gets spilt and toes get stubbed, but when accidents happen on Louisiana roadways, the repercussions can be disastrous. An auto accident can have fatal results, such as a recent crash on Interstate 59 that left one 42-year-old Louisiana woman dead and could land another woman behind bars for some time.
The head-on collision occurred early on the morning of May 20 in St. Tammany Parish. According to reports, the Louisiana woman was driving her SUV north down I-59 when a pickup truck swerved from the southbound lane into the northbound lane before colliding head on with the SUV. The 51-year-old woman who was driving the pickup was suspected of being impaired at the time of the accident.
Both of the women were taken to a New Orleans hospital. The driver of the SUV was pronounced dead at the hospital, while the driver of the pickup sustained moderate injuries. It was reported that, upon being released from the hospital, the pickup truck driver will be booked into the St. Tammany Parish jail to answer to charges of vehicular homicide and reckless driving. At the time that the Times-Picayune released an article reporting the accident, toxicology results were still pending.
An auto accident like this one illustrates just how serious the results of a bad decision can be. For Louisiana drivers, obeying traffic laws and driving responsibly can mean the difference between life and death when behind the wheel.
Serious Injuries
Louisiana Car Wreck in Reserve Ends in Death and Injury
A three-car accident ended in injuries and death for several Louisiana residents recently. The April 17 car wreck occurred shortly after 6 a.m. on River Road in Reserve. The site of the collision was near the road’s intersection with West 22nd Street.
Police say that a 31-year-old man from Lutcher was driving a car on the roadway when he inexplicably struck the back end of another vehicle. The impact of the collision caused the vehicle to veer into the oncoming lane of traffic before coming to a rest. Authorities say the man began to get out of his car, and as he did, the car was struck by a pickup truck operated by another Lutcher resident.
As a result of the collision, both drivers were taken to local hospitals. Sadly, the 31-year-old driver later succumbed to his injuries. The driver of the pickup was said to have suffered injuries characterized as moderate and remained hospitalized for further medical care.
Louisiana police are continuing to investigate the cause of this fatal car wreck. Reports indicate that they do not suspect alcohol or impairment of the drivers, but toxicology test results are pending. Once the investigation concludes, a cause for the accident will likely be determined. The report may also address which party or parties are deemed to have been at fault in causing or contributing to the fatal collision.
In any Louisiana car accident, if one of the drivers is found to have been the cause of the accident, any victims may have the right to file civil claims. In a case in which a deceased driver is determined to have been negligent, any liability would potentially result in a claim against his estate. If, however, another party is determined to have negligently caused the death, the victim’s surviving family may have the right to pursue a wrongful death claim in Louisiana courts.
Shreveport Car Wreck Leaves 1 Dead, 2 Children Injured
A car accident involving three vehicles reportedly backed up traffic on LA 3132 on April 12 in Shreveport. The car wreck occurred at the intersection of the highway and Line Avenue. Authorities indicated the accident may have been caused in part by an earlier collision on the same road.
An SUV was hit by a pickup truck then pushed into the path of an 18-wheeler. Three occupants of the SUV, a male driver and two children, were seriously injured.
They were taken to LSU Health Shreveport. Though the man was said to be in critical condition and the children in serious condition, the man subsequently died. No other injuries to those involved in the car wreck were reported.
As the police investigation continues, there will likely be a causal determination for this tragic car wreck. In the event one or more parties are found to have acted negligently in a manner that caused or contributed to the fatal accident, civil liability for injuries and other legal consequences could follow.
The injured children may suffer more than the physical injuries that have left them in the hospital. They may now be facing a long road to recovery. And the family of the deceased male driver must not only cope with his loss of life, but may also have expenses occasioned by the crash. In situations like this, damages may be able to be recovered through personal injury claims under Louisiana law should the accident be attributable to the negligence of another party. In the case of a fatality, the claim would be made in the form of a wrongful death action by the victim’s surviving family. While such a claim could never replace a life lost, it can help a victim’s family worry less about finances so they can focus on comforting one another during such a difficult time.