Dedicated To Helping Injured People

Dedicated To Helping Injured
People

Exterior of Office Building of The Gaar Law Firm | Trail Attorneys

Intoxicated Louisiana man kills driver in wrong-way collision

On Behalf of | Mar 26, 2014 | Car Accidents

Driving while under the influence is a preventable and highly dangerous action that increases the risk that an accident may occur. This increased risk also heightens the danger to others of sustaining a serious injury. In addition to criminal charges, a drunk driver may expose themselves to significant liability for any injuries they may cause by their actions.

A motor vehicle accident involving two vehicles in Louisiana led to the death of one of the drivers and criminal charges for the other. The accident occurred when a vehicle traveling in the wrong direction on a one-way road struck another vehicle on I-610. After striking the car head-on, the driver struck another vehicle as well. The driver of the other vehicle was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment of her injuries, but died days later. The driver of the wrong way vehicle was charged with reckless driving, vehicular homicide and DWI. According to authorities, his blood alcohol level was .25 at the time of the accident; over three times the legal limit in Louisiana.

When car accidents occur and people are injured as a result, they may choose to bring legal action against the negligent driver. To do so, they must show that the other driver is liable for their injuries, which is done through the application of negligence. Under this rule, an injured victim must prove that the driver owed them a duty to apply reasonable care in their driving, which is almost always assumed when motor vehicles are involved. They must also show that the driver breached this duty, that the breach caused the accident and that they sustained injuries as a result. There are many actions that may evidence negligence on the part of another driver, including ignoring traffic signs and driving while intoxicated.

Intoxicated driving unnecessarily increases the risk of injury to everyone on the roadway. If anyone is injured as a result of a collision with a drunk driver, they may be able to bring a legal action to receive compensation for their damages, as well as punitive damages if warranted. An experienced personal injury attorney can assist a victim with such an action.

Source: NOLA.com, “Metairie man who killed NOPD dispatcher in DWI accident pleads guilty to vehicular homicide,” Helen Freund, Mar. 22, 2014