Car accidents cause injury and death in New York and across the country on a daily basis. Too often, injuries and deaths in car accidents are caused by reckless driving. When a person is involved in an automobile accident it is required that all parties stop, exchange insurance information, and give aid, if necessary.
A 57-year-old New York man was walking his dog in the evening when he was hit by a 2002 Chevrolet Cavalier. The 19-year-old driver who caused the automobile accident confessed that he passed another car on the two-lane road, drove into the oncoming lane and hit the man. The man died at the scene. The dog was not hit.
The teenage driver faces six months in jail and 200 hours of community service after pleading guilty. He was charged with criminally negligent homicide in the death of the man, who was a popular community member. According to the county District Attorney's Office, the teenager will also be placed in a drug counseling program after pleading guilty to unlawful possession of marijuana, reckless driving, and two traffic violations in connection with the crash.
A grand jury indicted the teen after a thorough investigation by local police. The teen, who was out on $25,000 bail, had his bail revoked and was sent to jail awaiting his sentencing. The maximum sentence for criminally negligent homicide is four years in prison.
Whether a driver was aware he or she struck another vehicle or pedestrian or not, one is still responsible for one's negligent actions. Drivers can be criminally liable as well and face years in prison, thousands of dollars in fines and loss of license. A victim of a car accident resulting in injury may be entitled to compensation in a personal injury lawsuit if the accident was a result of the negligent actions of another. If the accident resulted in a fatality, the deceased's relatives may file a wrongful death lawsuit for compensation. Such unfortunate situations can get messy and complicated, thus an experienced personal injury attorney can stand by you to facilitate some measure of a silver lining through such a tragic experience.
