Ironman Training Cut Short by Fatal Accident for 2 Louisiana Men
Many Louisiana residents looked forward to the Ironman competition that took place in the Big Easy on April 13. Two men training for the event never got to compete. The men were involved in a fatal accident on Friday, April 11, just two days before the race.
The cyclists were traveling east on Chef Menteur Highway when a vehicle slammed into them from behind. One of the riders, a 36-year-old man, suffered fatal injuries at the scene. The other rider, a 40-year-old man, suffered injuries described as serious. It was not reported whether those injuries were life-threatening, and there was no further information provided concerning his updated medical condition.
New Orleans police officers do not yet know what caused the driver of the vehicle to hit the two bicycle riders. Authorities called in a fatality investigator. As of last report, criminal charges had not been filed in the incident, but that determination could be contingent on what the investigator reports.
Every Louisiana driver is responsible for using caution when driving. When a driver fails in this duty of care, the result can be catastrophic to the driver and passengers, as well as everyone else on or near the roadway. In this case, the two bicyclists paid a severe price — one with his life.
As authorities work to determine whether the driver’s actions warrant criminal charges, the injured rider and the family of the deceased rider retain the right to file civil actions in connection with this fatal accident. Successfully proving to the court that the driver was negligent and that negligence led to the injuries — fatal or otherwise — suffered by the victims, could result in an award of monetary damages to the plaintiffs. Any financial damages received could ease the financial burdens undoubtedly forced upon the family of the decedent and the injured man.