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Dedicated To Helping Injured
People

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Louisiana wrongful death: Lost a loved one to a drunk driver?

On Behalf of | Nov 10, 2017 | wrongful death

Louisiana sees more that its fair share of drunk drivers and DUI-related auto accidents every year. This is both a state and national problem. Sadly, numerous individuals experience the pain of losing loved ones due to the actions of those who chose to driver while impaired. Those who do may be entitled to seek compensation for their losses by pursing wrongful death claims in civil court.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 28 people die every day in the United Stated in DUI-related car accidents. In the year 2015, that added up to a total of 10,265 lives lost to drunk driving. It is believed that 209 of the victims were children, from infants up to age 14.

If these numbers are not surprising enough, to show how big the problem really is, the CDC does a yearly survey to find out, approximately, how many people have knowingly driven drunk. In 2014, there were 111 million episodes. Not all resulted in collisions, but that is quite a few people who could have easily caused accidents that resulted in even more deaths and injuries.

There are those in Louisiana who believe that they can hold their alcohol better than others. At the end of the day, though, drunk is drunk and when one is in that state, he or she should not get behind the wheel. However, many make the choice to drive anyway. Anyone who has lost a loved one in an accident with a drunk driver may have the legal right to seek relief for any resulting losses. While any judgment stemming from a successful wrongful death claim may not replace a life lost, it can help surviving family members cover any financial hardships resulting from the loss of life.

Source: cdc.gov, “Impaired Driving: Get the Facts“, Accessed on Nov. 8, 2017