When a family receives news of the loss of a loved one, a process begins by which each family member attempts to come to terms with the loss in his or her own way. For some, intense sadness is the immediate response. Others go into a kind of shock and need time to process the sudden change and move past the disbelief that their loved one is lost forever. One Texas family was recently thrust into this position following a fatal car wreck, which may eventually lead to a wrongful death claim against the driver responsible for the crash.
Early reports indicate that the 23-year-old woman was returning home from a movie with friends when she pulled out of a parking lot in Fort Worth. Her vehicle was struck by a pickup truck. The young woman, who was studying to become a nurse, was killed instantly in the crash. Another young woman sustained serious injuries and was hospitalized in critical condition as of the time of this report.
The driver of the pickup truck is a 29-year-old man who serves as a civilian member of the local Sheriff’s Department courtesy patrol. Police believe that he was driving drunk at the time of the collision. He has since been arrested and charged with intoxication manslaughter. The crash occurred just blocks from the man’s home.
Recent days have left one family reeling from the loss of their loved one, and another in fear of losing the other young woman involved in the crash. As these families cope with the stress of their drastically changed circumstances, they will retain the right to pursue a wrongful death claim or personal injury lawsuit against the driver who is believed to have caused the crash. The outcome of the criminal case against them could aid them in achieving a successful outcome in a Texas civil court.
Source: The Times-Register, “Woman killed in Fort Worth crash was working toward becoming nurse,” Mitch Mitchell, Jan. 28, 2013
