Motorcycles are a popular means of transportation and recreation in Louisiana. But there are dangers inherent in riding a motorcycle. In a collision, a motorcyclist lacks the protection of an enclosed steel vehicle body. Even the most careful rider can suffer severe injuries or even death in a collision caused by a negligent driver.
Recently a 19-year-old man from Lafayette died after a collision between his motorcycle and an SUV on Johnston Street. According to the Lafayette Police Department, the motorcyclist was northbound on Johnston at around 8:30 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 31. Police say the SUV, a 2009 Chevrolet Traverse, pulled out in front of the man’s bike from a private lot. In the resulting crash the man was thrown from his bike.
The 39-year-old woman who was driving the SUV received a citation for failing to yield the right of way. The man was taken to a local hospital but doctors were unable to save him.
The loss of a loved one in a fatal accident is always a tragedy for family members who are left behind. The civil justice system cannot bring back the family member who was killed. All it can do, if the death was caused by another driver’s negligence, is provide monetary compensation to the victim’s next of kin through a wrongful death claim. This compensation can help the family as they recover from their grief. Financial compensation can be recovered for loss of financial support, loss of companionship, medical expenses and funeral expenses.
Source: Acadiana Advocate, “Lafayette man dies from injuries in a Sunday night crash on Johnston Street, police report,” Feb. 1, 2016