Every Georgia driver is responsible for paying attention to the road. When a driver drifts out of his or her lane of travel, the consequences can be disastrous. If another vehicle — or a person as the case may be — is unable to get out of the way, a serious or fatal accident could result.
Recently, a 21-year-old man driving a Chevy Silverado failed to stay in his lane on Interstate 20. When the Chevy drifted into the emergency lane, he slammed into a tow truck driver who was outside his vehicle preparing to tow a car. The 45-year-old victim did not survive the injuries he suffered in the crash.
The Georgia State Police blocked the westbound lanes of the Interstate for nearly 90 minutes to investigate and clear the collision. The investigation is not yet completed. Therefore, it is not yet known what charges, if any, the driver of the Chevy will face.
The family of the victim may not yet be considering their legal options with regard to the death of their loved one. However, they will most likely be eligible for workers’ compensation death benefits. Those benefits may help cover funeral and burial expenses and provide the family with a compensation package for the loss of his income.
In addition, they may file a third-party wrongful death claim against the driver of the Chevy in connection with this fatal accident. If the driver is found responsible for the tow truck driver’s death by the court, an award of damages will be considered. Any financial restitution received could help to further alleviate the monetary burdens placed on this family as a result of this tragedy.
Source: ajc.com, “Atlanta News: Tow truck driver killed in accident on I-20”, Michelle E. Shaw and Steve Visser, July 22, 2014