A woman was killed in an accident involving a suspected drunk driver in Hutchins on Sept. 21. The woman had pulled over onto the shoulder of the road and had turned on the vehicle’s emergency flashers prior to the crash.
According to police, the fatal car accident took place around 4:30 a.m. in the southbound lanes of Interstate 45. A truck that was being driven by a 24-year-old man slammed into the rear of the woman’s vehicle. The truck had veered from its lane into the shoulder just before the crash.
The woman had been wearing her seatbelt during the collision. She was taken to an area hospital where she was pronounced dead. The man was arrested and charged with intoxication manslaughter. He was being held on a $50,000 bond and had been bonded out as of the day after the accident. The news source said he had no apparent criminal history prior to the deadly wreck.
In cases like this one, wrongful death claims can be initiated by the families of decedents. To show negligence on the part of a defendant named in such a lawsuit, the plaintiff’s side could use evidence gathered from the police investigation, witness statements and any criminal charges brought against a defendant. In Texas, the surviving spouse, children or parents of a victim can move forward with a wrongful death lawsuit. Plaintiffs of successful wrongful death lawsuits might receive compensation for damages that can include funeral costs, a decedent’s medical expenses incurred before passing, the loss of both a victim’s income and companionship.
Source: KDFW, “Suspected drunken driver charged in crash that killed young mom“, Natalie Solis, September 22, 2014
