A fatal crash recently took place in New York. Sometimes these types of car accidents occur because of the negligence of one driver. The reportedly negligent driver in such a case may be held liable for any deaths resulting from the accident he or she is deemed to have caused.
A fatal accident occurred a little bit before 6 a.m. on a Sunday. Police said a man, 23, was navigating a vehicle the wrong way along Interstate 684. That is when he crashed head on with a vehicle driven by a woman, age 64.
The woman ended up dying at the accident scene. Meanwhile, the man and the passenger in his vehicle suffered injuries deemed not to be life-threatening. They were taken to a hospital. The driver was arrested on a charge of criminally negligent homicide in connection with the crash. Authorities continue to investigate whether or not alcohol was a causal factor in the collision.
The surviving loved ones of the woman who died in the head-on accident may decide to file a wrongful death claim against the driver, seeking damages. If awarded, damages may help to cover the woman’s burial expenses and other losses, such as the loss of companionship, that are usually tied to such car accidents. If the arrested driver is convicted of his charge, proof of the conviction may be presented in a related civil court proceeding in an effort to establish liability in the case. Liability has to be adequately established in New York before a judge will adjudicate claims for financial damages.
Source: poststar.com, “Police: Driver arrested in fatal Westchester County crash”, Dec. 13, 2015
