Every driver on highways across the country, including those in Louisiana, is required by law to be alert and attentive and to obey all traffic laws and regulations when behind the wheel. Failure to do so can spell disaster for both the driver and other people on the road.
A recent example is a crash on U.S. 90 northwest of New Iberia that killed one Jeanerette man and injured two New Iberia residents, according to the Louisiana State Police. Troopers say a 21-year-old New Iberia woman was traveling eastward on U.S. Highway 90 near Louisiana Highway 88 shortly after 1 p.m. when she ran off the road and through the median, and then began driving the wrong direction in the westbound lane. She soon struck a 2008 Honda and a 2010 Toyota.
The 47-year-old Honda driver was fatally injured and pronounced dead at a nearby hospital, an LSP trooper said. The 49-year-old Toyota driver suffered moderate injuries, and his passenger suffered minor injuries.
The LSP does not suspect any driver was impaired but is sending toxicology samples to the state crime lab per standard procedure. The woman who caused the accident has not been arrested, but could be depending on the results of the LSP investigation, which is ongoing.
The untimely and unnatural death of a loved one can be heartbreaking for family members. If there is any suspicion that the accident was the fault of another, whether through criminal action or by sheer negligence, family members can file a claim for wrongful death against the perpetrator.
To receive compensation through a wrongful death lawsuit the plaintiff must establish negligence. If successful, it can mean family members will be awarded damages to make up for the expenses incurred in medical treatment, as well as to cover burial expenses, lost wages and pain and suffering.
Source: Greenfield Daily Reporter, “State police: 3 vehicle crash on US 90 leaves Jeanerette man dead, 2 others injured,” April 1, 2014
