Two Louisiana residents were killed in a head-on collision in St. James Parish March 4. The accident occurred at around 10:30 a.m.
According to Louisiana State Police, a 58-year-old Vacherie man was driving west on Louisiana 20 in a 1997 Ford F-150 pickup truck when he crossed the center line and smashed into a 2007 Ford Escape SUV, which was driven by a 55-year-old Raceland woman. The St. James Parish Coroner’s Office pronounced both drivers dead at the scene of the crash. A passenger in the Escape was taken to the hospital for mild injuries. Police said that everyone involved in the crash was wearing a seat belt.
It is not yet known why the F-150 crossed into opposing traffic. The coroner’s office released a statement saying it would conduct toxicology tests in order to discover if drugs or alcohol were involved in the incident. Police said they did not suspect either driver was drunk when the crash occurred.
Car accidents injure thousands of people across the U.S. each year. When someone is hurt in a car accident caused by another party, they may have grounds to pursue a personal injury lawsuit in civil court. An attorney could use accident investigation results, toxicology reports and witness testimony to prove that the at-fault driver is liable for a victim’s injuries. Such a lawsuit could bring needed financial compensation to cover medical expenses, wages lost during recovery and other related damages. If a victim is killed in a car accident, then his or her family members may decide to file a wrongful death lawsuit.
Source: NOLA, “2 dead in head-on collision in St. James Parish Friday, State Police said,” Wilborn Nobles III, March 5, 2016