Earlier this month, a man who crashed into a stopped car, killing all four people inside as well as his own passenger, was indicted on 28 counts, including manslaughter, reckless driving, and driving without a valid license. According to one local news source, the accident, which took place back in October of last year, occurred in Oxon Hill, Maryland, near where Livingston Road meets Livingston Terrace.
Evidently, an Acura with four people inside was stopped at a red light when the driver of another vehicle slammed into the back of the car. Police documents report that the man was traveling at about 70 miles per hour at the time of the collision. All four people inside the Acura were pronounced dead shortly after the accident. The passenger of the other driver’s vehicle was also pronounced dead.
Police suspected the driver of the other vehicle of being intoxicated at the time of the accident, and they conducted toxicology tests that came back showing that his blood-alcohol content was nearly twice the legal limit. He was indicted in May of this year but evaded police until just last month. He is currently being held on $500,000 bail.
Reports indicate that the occupants of the Acura were sisters and had 10 children between the two of them.
Recovering After a Fatal Traffic Accident
As if the loss of life was not tragic enough, those killed in the fatal accident mentioned above left several young children behind who no longer will have their mothers to care for them. Thankfully, the State of Maryland and the District of Columbia permit the children or surviving spouse of an accident victim to bring a wrongful death case against the person who was allegedly responsible for their death.
Proving a wrongful death action requires that the aggrieved party show that the named defendant was somehow negligent and that the defendant’s negligence was the cause of their loved one’s death. In cases involving drunk driving accidents, this can often be straightforward. However, that does not necessarily mean that the aggrieved party will get what they deserve.
Insurance companies, which are ultimately responsible for paying out the damages in the vast majority of these cases, will often fight with accident victims over issues of liability as well as damages. Therefore, it is best that if you have recently lost a loved one in a Washington DC or Maryland accident, you contact a dedicated attorney to learn what you can do to increase your chances of recovery.
Have You Lost a Loved One in a DC or Maryland Accident?
If you have recently lost a loved one in a Maryland or Washington DC accident, contact the personal injury law firm of Lebowitz & Mzhen Personal Injury Lawyers immediately to discuss your case. The skilled advocates at Lebowitz & Mzhen have been representing accident victims in wrongful death and negligence cases for years, and we know what it takes to be successful in a Maryland or Washington DC court. Call 410-654-3600 to set up a free consultation with a knowledgeable and compassionate attorney today.
More Blog Posts:
New Study Finds Washington D.C. Most Lenient Jurisdiction for Drunk Drivers, Washington DC Injury Lawyer Blog, July 9, 2015
Investigation Continues in Accident that Seriously Injured Comedian Tracy Morgan and Killed One Other, Washington DC Injury Lawyer Blog, August 13, 2015