A recent fatal accident occurred on I-59 early Sunday morning. Per police reports, a Picayune, Louisiana, woman drove her car the wrong way, heading south against oncoming traffic headed north.
The offending vehicle struck another vehicle head on. The collision caused both vehicles to spin around before coming to a stop with one vehicle on the median and one blocking the northbound lanes of traffic. Both drivers were reportedly wearing their seatbelts at the time of the impact. Drivers were taken to the local hospital for treatment where the victim was pronounced dead. Toxicology tests were administered and results are pending.
The Louisiana driver who allegedly caused the fatal accident will likely be charged with vehicular homicide and reckless driving charges once released from the hospital. However, the legal repercussions of this Louisiana woman’s choices may not be all that are currently facing her. She could be held liable civilly as well.
The family members of the victim in fatal accidents will be left to pay for medical expenses and funeral expenses as they try to make sense of their loss. Those who are left must grieve the loss of a loved one, and their lives may never be the same. They may need to determine whether they should try to recover their monetary losses, should evidence exist of the other driver’s negligence in a manner that caused or contributed to the tragic fatality. In such instances, a wrongful death claim can be pursued as a means of recompense for pain and suffering and other costs associated with the tragedy.
Source: WLOX Channel 13, “Picayune woman charged in fatal I-59 crash,” May 20, 2012