Because so many people travel on the roadways each day, many of them overlook some of the potential dangers of traveling in an automobile. One brief moment of distraction or miscalculation could have serious, if not deadly, consequences. A North Carolina family is all too familiar with this possibility after a fatal collision left them mourning the loss of a young family member.
Just after 9:30 p.m. on a day in mid-May, a 20-year-old female was driving a sedan east on a North Carolina road. Reports claim that the vehicle drifted off the left side of the road, causing the driver to overcorrect. As a result, the sedan struck a sports utility vehicle traveling west.
A 22-year-old female passenger in the sedan died as a result of the injuries she suffered in the accident. Everyone else involved in the accident, including three others in the sedan and two in the SUV, were transported to an area hospital for treatment. While the hospital no longer lists them as patients, the extent of their injuries is unclear. The driver of the sedan now faces criminal charges.
While many people are familiar with the possible physical effects of being involved in a collision such as this, they are often unaware of the potential financial ramifications. For example, the family of the deceased woman will have to cope with funeral expenses in addition to the possible loss of her income. Those who were injured, even if they suffered relatively minor injuries, may have to cope with medical bills and lost wages while they recover. Many people in North Carolina who have found themselves in a similar situation have sought financial relief in a civil court. Some who have been able to prove that their injuries or the death of their loved one was caused by someone else’s negligence have been awarded damages to cover expenses from the accident in accordance with state law.
Source: Salisbury Post, “Police ID victim in fatal Woodleaf Road crash, driver charged“, Shavonne Potts, May 20, 2014