Driver suffers catastrophic injuries in Louisiana car crash

A Louisiana driver’s primary obligation to his or her passengers and others on the road is to maintain control of his or her vehicle and be aware of the road conditions and any potential obstacles. When a driver fails in any of those duties, disaster might follow. Sadly, any accident that results could involve catastrophic injuries.

The driver of a pickup truck and his passenger were traveling on Louisiana Highway 8 on a recent Wednesday. At approximately 12:45 a.m., something caused the driver to lose control of his pickup. The truck left the roadway and slammed into a tree.

The 21-year-old driver died at the scene. The 20-year-old passenger suffered injuries described as moderate. She was taken to a trauma center in the area, but her current condition was not reported.

Troopers with the Louisiana State Police are conducting the investigation into this tragedy. Whether they will be able to determine the cause of the crash may depend on their investigation of the scene and possibly a statement from the passenger when she is able. Getting those answers could help the driver’s family gain some closure regarding his death.

However, those answers could also be used as evidence in a personal injury claim against his estate to establish negligence on the part of the driver. Even though he is the one who suffered catastrophic injuries in the crash, his legal estate may still be found liable for it. If the court finds that he was negligent, and that his negligence led to the injuries suffered by his passenger, then an award of damages may be entered on the passenger’s behalf.

Source: tribtown.com, “State police: Dry Prong man killed in single vehicle accident on La. Hwy. 8 in Grant Parish”, Dec. 31, 2014