As virtually all drivers are aware, the potential to be involved in a car accident is there each and every time one sets out on the road. A majority of the motor vehicle accidents that occur in Lafayette and beyond are relatively minor and result in only property damage. When they are more serious however, severe injuries can result. While no one wants to think about it, in the worst cases, death can ensue.
The family and friends of a woman, who was killed in a fatal accident last month in Lafayette, are all too aware of this possibility. The woman was died in a head-on-collision on Youngsville Highway with another vehicle that crossed the center line. Over a month after the June 9th incident, the woman’s loved ones are wondering why the man behind the wheel of the vehicle that struck her is not being held criminally responsible for her death.
It is not clear what caused the man’s vehicle to cross the line. Though he too was hurt in the incident, his injuries were described as minor.
A spokesman with the Lafayette Police Department indicated that the man has not been charged with anything because at the moment, there is no evidence to support it. After the crash, at the hospital, a sample of the man’s blood was drawn for testing. Once the results of the test are returned, things may change.
Regardless of whether or not the man is criminally charged, the family of the woman can pursue a civil case for financial damages. In a successful wrongful death lawsuit, compensation for the woman’s death can be obtained. While money is a poor replacement for the life of a loved one, it may make it easier for those the woman left behind, such as her young daughter, to move forward with their lives.
Source: KATC, “Friends and family want answers in car crash victim’s death,” Elizabeth Hill, July 2, 2012