It is in some people’s nature to help out in any way they can — If they see a disabled vehicle, they will stop to help without hesitation. Unfortunately, some people have the exact opposite inclination. Instead of offering to help, they run in the opposite direction, even if they are the cause of an injury. For example, police claim that a North Carolina man left the scene of a fatal accident that killed two men who were helping a stranded motorist. As a result, the family members of the two men could file a wrongful death case.
The accident happened in the evening hours in mid-February. A man driving a tractor trailer cab spun out in the snow. The cab was left in the road. The driver placed warning signals on the road to notify other drivers while he attempted to remove the truck out of the path of traffic. Two men, a 39-year old and a 34-year-old, were assisting the driver.
As they stood behind the truck, they were allegedly struck by a car driven by a 21-year-old male. Police claim that the driver fled the scene but surrendered to police officers after he was discovered hiding in the woods. The two men died as a result of their injuries. The driver who allegedly struck them now faces several charges, including second-degree murder and driving while intoxicated.
In addition to the emotional toll the unexpected death of a family member likely causes, the financial toll can be devastating. There will be funeral expenses, and the families may also have to cope with the loss of the man’s income as well as other job-related benefits. A successfully argued wrongful death suit in a North Carolina civil court could help the families deal with these expenses. If they can prove the men were killed as a result of the driver’s negligence, the court could order financial damages be paid to the men’s surviving family members.
Source: Winston-Salem Journal, Winston-Salem man killed in hit-and-run accident, No author, Feb. 14, 2014