An Aug. 12 head-on collision in North Carolina left one person dead and two others injured. The car accident occurred just before 5:20 a.m. in the 2700 block of Ellerwood Road in Lenoir. A 19-year-old man entered a curve on the road and crossed over the centerline into oncoming traffic. The man’s vehicle, a 2003 Kia passenger car, collided with a 2004 GMC Envoy in the opposite lane.
The 19-year-old man, of Hudson, died at the scene of the accident. His wife, who was riding with him, suffered minor injuries. The 39-year-old Lenoir woman who was driving the Envoy suffered unspecified injuries. Paramedics transported the two women to Caldwell Memorial Hospital. The deceased man’s wife was released from the hospital after she had received treatment. A Lenoir Police Department spokesperson did not have information about the 39-year-old woman’s condition.
An LPD news release said that an investigation found that road conditions and the Kia’s speed and vehicle equipment were contributing factors in the crash. Investigators did not think that alcohol or drugs played a role in the crash. Reports indicated that the police investigation was still underway.
Head-on crashes often seriously injure victims, sometimes resulting in head, neck or spinal trauma that may require intensive care and years of rehabilitation therapy after victims are released from hospitals. Physical therapy, cognitive rehabilitation, pain management and other treatments are frequently recommended for people who suffer from traumatic brain injuries, spinal compression, whiplash and other injuries commonly resulting from head-on collisions. The costs of these treatments, lost wages and other damages may lead some car accident victims to consider seeking compensation from negligent drivers. Personal injury attorneys may be able to provide injured people with information about filing suit against drivers or their estates after car accidents.
Source: Hickory Record, “Hudson man dies in early morning crash“, August 12, 2014