Technology has advanced in leaps and bounds over the last 100 years. For example, the idea of an automobile was just beginning to emerge a century ago. However, despite these advances, a man-made product still doesn’t have a chance against Mother Nature. In a battle between a tree and a vehicle, for example, the tree is likely going to prove to be stronger. A North Carolina community is all too aware of this reality after a fatal accident that could result in a wrongful death case took the lives of two people.
The accident occurred in the afternoon in early June. Three people were traveling in a minivan on a North Carolina road. The driver, a 66-year-old woman, lost control, causing the vehicle to strike a tree.
The front passenger, a 67-year-old male, was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver was conscious when first responders arrived and is reportedly currently in the intensive care unit after being airlifted to the hospital. According to reports provided by the second passenger’s family, another female, she passed away en route to the hospital.
The passing of these two people is a tragic incident for their families and their North Carolina community. Unfortunately, their families will face several financial repercussions as a result of the death, such as funeral expenses and possibly a loss of income. However, the families have the option of filing a wrongful death case in a civil court. If the court rules that the passengers’ deaths were a result of the driver’s negligence, the families could potentially receive financial compensation for the expenses they incurred as a result of the fatal accident.
Source: Hickory Daily Record, “UPDATE: Second person is dead from Conover accident,” John Tinkelenberg, June 6, 2013