According to authorities, a 59-year-old woman who was walking on a road was fatally struck and killed by a New York driver. The driver is facing manslaughter and drunk driving charges. The tragic and untimely loss of a loved one due to the negligence of another is hard to fathom, but the family of an accident victim may be entitled to compensation and may benefit from contacting a Nassau County wrongful death attorney.
The incident happened at around 8:30 pm. The 44-year-old driver left the scene after hitting the woman, but authorities later found her in a nearby home. The woman’s blood alcohol level was 0.21, which is nearly twice the legal limit of 0.08. Criminal charges in connection with this incident have been filed against the woman. The woman who was killed was apparently visiting her family.
In general, all drivers on the road have a duty to obey motor vehicle laws, such as driving within the prescribed speed limits, obeying traffic signals and not driving under the influence. When a driver breaches one of those duties, operates a vehicle in a negligent manner and, as a result, causes harm to another person, the driver may be held liable for damages.
When a life a is lost, filing a wrongful death lawsuit against the driver will not bring back the loved one, but families may find peace and closure in holding negligent drivers responsible for their actions.
Each case is different, but a family may be entitled to damages such as loss of consortium, loss of counsel and advice, funeral expenses and punitive damages.
Source:
- Wall Street Journal, “Woman visiting from China dies in NY accident,” April 1, 2013
