Many residents of Connecticut have likely been following the developments in a recent accident that claimed two young lives. Arrested for causing the accident is a foreign citizen who stands accused of driving under the influence. According to the authorities’ investigation, the man slammed into the back of a vehicle that was stopped at a red traffic signal, killing an 8-year-old child and a 5-year-old child, while injuring their parents and their older sibling who were also in the vehicle.
The accused allegedly fled the scene before being arrested on charges of reckless driving and operating a vehicle without a license, among other things. When he appeared in court recently, some of those charges were dropped and new charges were added. The new charges amount to three counts of assault, two counts of second-degree manslaughter and operating a vehicle under the influence.
According to the authorities, the accused’s blood-alcohol content proved that he was legally intoxicated at the time of the accident. The family members who survived the accident have since been released from the hospital and are continuing their recovery process at home. Obviously there is no amount of financial compensation that will make up for the loss of the two young children who perished far too soon.
The family members still have a long path of healing ahead of them. The funerals have yet to take place, as does the accused’s trial. Gaining an understanding of how the law protects their rights will give them a clear picture of whether they are entitled to file a wrongful death claim against the accused for driving under the influence. In addition, filing a personal injury claim in Connecticut for damages like pain and suffering, loss of companionship, lost wages and medical expenses can help compensate in a small way for this kind of tragedy.
Source: WFSB 3 Connecticut, Man accused in deadly Meriden crash faces a judge on new charges, Steven Yablonski, Nov. 18, 2013
