Nearly one year ago, a 45-year-old man and a 47-year-old woman were tragically killed after a 49-year-old man’s car veered across the center line and crashed head-on into the 45-year-old’s minivan. Since the Mar. 10 crash, the man and woman’s families have been grieving and dealing with the tremendous emotional pain and suffering of losing loved ones, but the families can now take their first steps toward moving on — the man responsible for the tragic accident has pled guilty to vehicular homicide.
The crash happened right outside of Lake Charles in Vinton, Louisiana. The 49-year-old driver had been drinking prior to getting in his car and, unfortunately, had a long history of drinking and driving. According to KPLC 7, the man was on probation for his third DWI offense at the time of the accident. As the two vehicles headed toward each other on Highway 90, the drunk driver crossed the center line and slammed into the man and his female passenger, killing both of them.
Although the driver took responsibility for his actions and will spend 60 years in prison for killing two innocent motorists, the criminal conviction does nothing to help the loved ones who are left to deal with their relatives’ deaths. A civil wrongful death lawsuit would provide some compensation for the financial burdens survivors have to shoulder following a death.
Beyond paying for the loss of companionship, a family can seek lost wages and benefits from the person responsible for a wrongful death. A civil lawsuit can also be used to cover the cost of therapy necessary to function after the death of a parent, child or spouse.
Source: KPLC 7, “Guilty plea in Vinton DWI fatal crash,” Lee Peck, Dec. 6, 2011
