An individual recently died due to a motor vehicle crash in Georgia. The fatal accident occurred on Interstate 85. Reportedly, the victim was 44 years old.
According to police, a man was driving on the incorrect side of the interstate. Specifically, police reported that the man, said to be 23 years old, was heading north in the southbound lanes. At that time, his vehicle collided head on with another motor vehicle at a little past 3 a.m.
The accident resulted in the death of the male victim as well as injuries to a 23-year-old woman who was a passenger in the vehicle driven by the alleged wrong-way driver. Her injuries included a perforated bowel and fractured forearm. The wrong-way driver suffered minor injuries and was taken into custody after he received medical treatment. His charges include reckless driving, driving in the wrong lane and DUI — all three of which are misdemeanors.
The surviving family members of the fatal accident victim may choose to file a wrongful death claim against the accused man. Likewise, the woman who was injured may opt to file a personal injury claim against the driver. If the driver ends up being convicted in a Georgia criminal court, proof of the conviction may be presented in a related civil court proceeding in an effort to establish liability to the satisfaction of the civil court hearing the case. A monetary award in a successfully litigated personal injury or wrongful death claim may help to cover hospital costs, burial expenses and other losses, as applicable.
Source: gwinnettdailypost.com, “Man accused of wrong-way crash on I-85 Monday arrested“, Cailin O’Brien, Jan. 31, 2017