Poor driving habits endanger the lives of everyone else sharing the road. When individuals engage in risky behavior on the road, such as racing other vehicles, it is not surprising that serious traffic accidents causing injuries and even deaths can occur.
In June of 2011, one such car accident in Bridgeport resulted in the death of a 26-year-old man. The woman who was driving the vehicle was racing another vehicle. Even after law enforcement officers began pursuing the racing vehicles, the woman failed to slow down or stop her vehicle. She then ran through a stop sign and crashed into another car in the middle of an intersection.
The man who was killed was a passenger in the woman’s vehicle. The two were engaged to be married and had a young daughter together.
Criminal charges and car accidents
Recently, prosecutors filed criminal charges against the woman who caused the accident. She faces charges of “second-degree manslaughter with a motor vehicle, evading responsibility, driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs and three counts of second-degree assault with a motor vehicle.”
Criminal charges often play a role in accidents involving reckless driving. However, the criminal case is meant to punish the reckless driver, not help the family recover compensation.
To recover compensation, family members who have lost a loved one in a fatal car accident can bring a civil cause of action against the negligent party who caused the accident. An experienced personal injury lawyer can help a family recover compensation for damages such as medical expenses, funeral expenses, loss of income, and pain and suffering.
Source: CT Post, “Shelton woman charged in fatal Bridgeport crash,” Daniel Tepfer, July 9, 2012.