Texas Leads the Nation in Fatal Wrong-Way Collisions
The last thing you expect to see when traveling down the road are headlights pointing at you from a car traveling in the wrong direction. Unfortunately, for some wrong-way crash victims, this terrifying image is the last thing they ever see. A recent study conducted by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found that approximately 500 people die in wrong-way crashes each year. Texas is responsible for more wrong-way fatalities than any other state in the country.
San Antonio Nurse One of Two Killed by a Driver Travelling in the Wrong Direction
On August 7, 2021, a 25-year-old nurse and her 24-year-old friend were tragically killed in a head-on crash caused by a driver traveling the wrong way down Interstate 35. The young women had their whole lives ahead of them until the crash changed everything in an instant. Police have arrested a man they believe was driving drunk at the time of the collision. He may face two counts of intoxication manslaughter for the women’s deaths.
Legal Options for Surviving Family Members
If your loved one was seriously injured or killed in a wrong-way crash, you should know that you may have legal recourse. The driver who caused the crash may face criminal charges for drunk driving or manslaughter. However, you may also be able to bring a civil claim against the driver or other at-fault party. If a truck driver or another type of employee caused the crash, the driver’s employer may be liable. Money can never take away the heartbreak that comes from losing a family member or suffering a severe injury. However, compensation from an injury claim or wrongful death claim may help reduce the financial burden created by the crash. A civil claim against the at-fault party may also serve as a means of holding the party accountable for the collision.
Damages in a wrong-way driver accident may include compensation for:
- Medical expenses related to hospitalization, surgery, rehabilitative therapy, medical devices, and more
- Mental anguish and suffering caused by the crash
- Lost wages from missed work
- A deceased victim’s lost income
- Loss of companionship and consortium experienced by surviving family members
- Vehicle damage
Contact a New Braunfels, Texas Car Wreck Lawyer
Wrong-way collisions often result in severe, life-threatening injuries. If you or a loved one were involved in a wreck caused by a driver traveling the wrong way, contact a New Braunfels injury attorney at The Bettersworth Law Firm to discuss your legal options. Call 830-443-9193 for a free, confidential consultation.
Sources:
https://abc13.com/wrong-way-crash-wrong-way-driver-fatalities-deadly/10559213/
https://www.expressnews.com/news/article/San-Antonio-nurse-drunken-driver-wrong-way-crash-16375015.php
