One person was killed in a two-vehicle accident on Louisiana Highway 594 on Feb. 19. The accident, at the intersection of LA 594 and Rowland Road in Ouachita Parish, took place just before 8 p.m.
Louisiana State Police Troopers report that the fatal motor vehicle accident involved a GMC pickup truck driven by a 35-year-old Monroe man and a Chevrolet Equinox driven by a 62-year-old Monroe woman. The man had been traveling east on Rowland Avenue when he failed to stop at a stop sign and yield the right of way, crashing into the Equinox, which had been northbound on LA 594.
Both drivers were wearing seat belts at the time of the crash. The woman was taken to a St. Francis Hospital for treatment of critical injuries. She succumbed to her injuries the next day. The driver of the pickup received a citation for failing to yield at a stop sign, and police continue to investigate. It is unknown if impairment was a factor in the accident, but police did take toxicology samples and await their results.
In fatal accidents such as this one, the family of the deceased victim might choose to file a wrongful death claim to recover economic and noneconomic damages. The information provided by the police investigation might be used to show who was liable and if that driver was negligent and responsible for the injuries and deaths. If the claim filed is successful, awards for damages might include remuneration for medical, funeral and burial expenses as well as for loss of financial support and services. Additionally, the family might receive compensation for the loss of companionship suffered because of the victim’s death.
Source: KNOE, “Update: Monroe woman killed in Ouachita Parish crash,” Jennifer Hensley, Feb. 20, 2015