Nobody wants to be involved in an accident that causes the death of another person—nor does anyone want to lose a loved one in a car accident. Sadly, however, fatal car accidents happen every day. After having to experience the results of a severe accident itself, you also have to go through the litigation that is usually associated with fatal car accidents.
Fatal car accidents are, at their simplest, traffic accidents that result in the death of one or more people. These types of accidents can be the result of any number of conditions—some of which are the fault of an individual and others are the product of forces that are beyond control.
When an individual is involved, the best way to avoid an accident is by doing an evaluation of your personal liability by analyzing your personal habits behind the wheel and comparing those to the others involved. After analyzing driving habits, the results should be checked against the area’s traffic laws.
Fatal Car Accident Litigation
The litigation and legal process that goes along with fatal vehicle accidents can be very complex due to the severity of fatal accidents. The most common charges that result from fatal car accidents are, according to laws.com, vehicular manslaughter, involuntary manslaughter or murder. The exact charge depends on how the surviving driver drove their vehicle.
The litigation for fatal car accidents can be so involved because a team of lawyers will need to evaluate the surviving driver for numerous factors. These include checking for the use of alcohol and/or narcotics and how both drivers operated their vehicles in the moments before the accident. Experts will pour over both vehicles involved, checking the damage. In addition, they will evaluate evidence at the scene of the accident (including skid marks) which will help to determine the speed at the time of the accident.
Using a vehicle intentionally to murder someone is a different story, however, and generally results in a criminal trial rather than a civil case.
Fatal Car Accidents Types
There are two major types of fatal car accidents and they vary depending on when the deceased passed away.
- Sudden Death car accidents occur when the deceased dies on impact of a very severe car crash. The most common culprits of sudden death accidents are speeding and being hit by a much larger vehicle.
- Eventual Death car accidents occur when the deceased dies any time after the event of the accident, but their injuries from the accident are still the ultimate cause of death.
Read here for more information about statutes of limitations in Colorado on filing claims for a car accident.
Losing a loved in a car accident is a traumatic experience. Obtaining compensation and justice for your loss can be a long and trying process. At Babcock Law, we are here to help, so schedule a free consultation to speak with an experienced Denver car accident attorney today. Not only can we help you build your case, but our website can also provide you more information through our blog and knowledge center.