Hundreds, if not thousands, of 18-wheelers travel the highways of Louisiana every day. Truckers spend more time behind the wheel than the average American, and that can sometimes lead to complacency. A distracted truck driver increases the risk of being involved in a truck accident, which often leads to devastating consequences.
One trucker found this out the hard way. While exiting off of Interstate 49 onto Highway 84, the truck driver failed to stop at a stop sign and pulled in front of a Chevy Impala, which was unable to avoid hitting the 18-wheeler. According to the Louisiana State Police, the driver of the Chevy was pronounced dead at the scene. The other occupant of the Chevy was airlifted to a Shreveport hospital.
Authorities are still investigating the reason why the 27-year-old truck driver failed to stop. In the meantime, he was cited for failure to stop at a stop sign. The Louisiana State Police have also reported that the occupants of the Chevy were not wearing their seat belts.
Regardless of the outcome of the investigation, the fact remains that this truck accident claimed the life of one person and seriously injured another. The families of the two occupants of the Chevy retain their right to pursue civil action should it be determined that the death and injuries were caused by the negligence of another party. Filing a wrongful death action or a personal injury lawsuit and taking it through the court process can be both time consuming and complicated. In a time of uncertainty, when the families struggle to cope with their grief and try to make sense out of what occurred, the right advice may help in assessing liability and damage issues under Louisiana law.
Louisiana
Truck Accident on I-20 in Louisiana Leaves 1 Dead
The interstates in Louisiana regularly experience traffic delays. These traffic delays can be caused by a myriad number of things, such as weather, construction, an auto accident or a truck accident. Occasionally after traffic has come to a standstill for one event, an accident occurs. Often, these accidents happen because a vehicle comes up on the stopped traffic too quickly and is unable to stop.
That scenario occurred on Interstate 20 west of Gibsland in mid July. Traffic had come to a stop due to a wreck in the eastbound lanes of I-20. A pickup truck had safely come to a stop behind an 18-wheeler when it was struck from behind by a second 18-wheeler that failed to stop in time. The impact was so violent that the pickup truck was crushed between the two tractor-trailers.
When authorities reached the pickup truck, they found the driver deceased at the scene. The Louisiana State Police are trying to identify the victim. It is unknown at this time what citations, if any, will be issued as a result of the accident.
Due to the sheer size and weight of an 18-wheeler, it is not uncommon for a truck accident to cause an incredible amount of damage to a car or pickup truck. However, property loss is only the beginning of the damage. Severe injuries and fatalities are also common when an accident occurs between a commercial trucking vehicle and a standard automobile. In this case, once the family of the victim has been notified, they will be faced with the enormity of this accident. Once the investigation is complete they may move forward with a wrongful death suit against the parties responsible for this tragic accident.
Car Wreck on Louisiana Highway 378 Leaves 1 Dead
Most people on Louisiana highways strive to be attentive while driving. However, that obviously doesn’t stop accidents from happening. Drivers often become too comfortable with their ability to drive and sometimes their attention is diverted. When drivers are distracted, they are not giving their full attention to the road, and the potential for a car wreck increases.
A Longville man may have been distracted when he pulled onto Louisiana Highway 378 from a stop sign right into the path of a Ford F-350 on July 6. As a result, the Ford slammed into the driver’s side of the Longville man’s Mazda 626. Even though both drivers were wearing their seat belts, the Longville man’s injuries were fatal, and he was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the Ford was taken to a local hospital with minor injuries.
Authorities are still investigating what caused the accident and are looking into whether either driver was impaired at the time of the accident. Whether one of the drivers was impaired could give an explanation for this accident and help authorities determine which driver was ultimately responsible. The outcome of the investigation won’t bring back the Longville man, but it may at least give the families affected by this accident some answers.
Both families now have to pick up the pieces this fatal car wreck has left behind. There are expenses such as property damage, medical bills, funeral expenses, and the like that have to be dealt with even while grieving. The uncertainty of the outcome of this investigation only adds to the stress these families may feel. While it is too early to assess whether a wrongful death action based on a claim of negligence is appropriate, the other driver — as well as the family of the deceased victim — may benefit from taking the time to be advised of their rights and responsibilities under Louisiana law.
Louisiana Physician Killed in Bicycle Vs. Auto Accident
Those in Louisiana who are avid cyclists all share one fear — being hit by a car while cycling. Unless they have the option of a dedicated bike path, cyclists are usually forced to ride on the roadway, where they are more vulnerable since many roads have no shoulder to give them a cushion from traffic. This vulnerability can cause a cyclist to be involved in an accident with a car or truck.
This is what happened to one Moss Bluff, Louisiana, physician on July 14. While out for a ride early that morning, he was struck from behind by a pickup truck. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Authorities have said that the driver of the pickup truck was not impaired, and they are completing their investigation before deciding whether any charges will be filed.
To honor the life of the physician, more than 50 cyclists took part in an approximately 15-mile memorial ride. Even cyclists who didn’t know the physician turned out for the event. Cyclists are passionate about their sport and their safety, and one cyclist took the opportunity to remind motorists that it is now Louisiana law for motorists to give cyclists a minimum of 3 feet of room when passing.
Safety on Louisiana roadways is the responsibility of everyone on them — whether in a car, a motorcycle or bicycle, or even as a pedestrian. Unfortunately, being careful doesn’t always prevent an auto accident from happening. Nothing can erase the events of that morning, for anyone involved. While the family members of the physician grieve and await the outcome of the official investigation, they may also seek advice on whether to file a wrongful death action against the driver of the pickup truck. Of course, doing so won’t bring back their loved one, but it may provide an opportunity for closure for the family.
Louisiana Woman Gets 5 Years for Fatal Car Accident
Most families in Louisiana won’t ever have to know how it feels to wait two and a half years for some sense of closure after the death of a loved one. That’s how long it has taken for one family to see the sentencing of a woman who caused a fatal car wreck in December 2009. In late June, the Point Coupee Parish criminal court sentenced the woman to five years in prison, with two of them suspended, along with two years of felony probation.
The sentence was the result of a plea bargain for vehicular manslaughter charges following an accident that took the life of a 23-year-old woman and seriously injured another individual. The “no contest” plea deal was accepted by the victims’ families. The convicted driver also received a three-year prison term for first-degree negligent injury, to run concurrently with the partially suspended five-year sentence.
It is unknown whether the families of the deceased woman or the other seriously injured victim have filed cival lawsuits as a result of the car wreck. Now that criminal proceedings have concluded, the conviction may be offered as evidence of liability in the civil actions, which have a less stringent burden of proof than in criminal court. Further, a full investigation may indicate other potentially negligent parties, particularly if the convicted woman, who was driving drunk at the time of the crash, was served alcohol at a bar or restaurant beforehand.
Having a loved one taken from you in a car wreck is tragic and many say that the pain never truly goes away. The parties have waited nearly three years for the criminal proceedings to work their way through the Louisiana court system. Now they face the question of whether to pursue claims for monetary damages in the state’s civil court system. In doing so, they would likely seek reimbursement for the damages they have suffered, while also striving to hold negligent parties fully accountable for their actions that caused or contributed to the fatality and injuries suffered.
Auto Accident Claims One Life in Louisiana
Driving the highways of Louisiana can be demanding during the day, let alone at night when vision may be hindered. Not being able to see obstacles as clearly at night greatly increases the probability of an auto accident. Staying alert while driving is essential at all times during the day, and perhaps even more so at night.
Even when a driver is vigilant, accidents can happen, and the consequences of an accident can be devastating. This was the case in an accident that occurred at 12:30 a.m. on June 19. A car slammed into the back of a tractor-trailer on Highway 23 in Plaquemines Parish. The driver, a 33-year-old man, was pronounced dead at the scene.
The truck was stopped in the highway’s right lane because the closure of Belle Chasse Bridge has resulted in traffic congestion. It is unknown whether the car driver was impaired at the time of the accident. It is also unknown whether the driver of the truck was injured, or if the truck sustained any damage.
Having an auto accident, whether during the day or at night, can wreak havoc on the lives of those involved. In this case, there is now a family grieving the loss of a loved one. In addition to having to deal with their loss and grief, they also have to deal with the aftermath of the accident itself — property damage, medical bills, and in this case, funeral costs. Getting advised of the rights and responsibilities of those involved in an accident under Louisiana law may relieve some anxiety of the parties touched by this tragic accident.