Most people would feel relatively safe walking down their road in broad daylight. A North Carolina community has to question their safety now as they deal with the death of a man who was killed by the road in a tragic accident. In a case that may qualify as a wrongful death case in the civil courts, police are beginning to discover more details of the circumstances surrounding the tragic accident.
In late March, a 31-year-old man was driving eastward when his car dropped off the edge of the road. It struck a mailbox and drainage pipe before slamming into a 49-year-old man who was walking along the side of the road. The 31-year-old then over-corrected, swerved into oncoming traffic and hit another vehicle. His vehicle then flipped. The 49-year-old suffered severe head injuries and was pronounced dead. The second man was transported to an area hospital with serious injuries.
A police investigation into the accident has found evidence that suggests the accident was caused by the 31-year-old’s use of prescription medicine as well as other drugs. He faces multiple charges. The charges include second-degree murder and driving while intoxicated, among others.
While the criminal court in North Carolina can determine guilt or innocence and mete out an appropriate punishment for those convicted, a civil court can consider a wrongful death claim for reimbursement of monetary damages on behalf of the family of the deceased man. The hardship that the death of a loved one causes is sometimes unbearable. However, compensation from a successfully litigated lawsuit could, at a minimum, relieve some financial stress on a grieving family who may suffer from loss of income as a result of the death of their loved one.
Source: News-Record.com, “Update: High Point man charged with 2nd-degree murder in pedestrian’s death,” March 27, 2013