Heading into the holiday season, Michigan drivers and their passengers will be at an increased risk of being involved in an accident. This is because they may end up sharing the road with more impaired drivers than at other times of the year. A recent fatal accident underscores this danger.
The Michigan State Police responded to the scene of a two-vehicle crash on a recent Friday evening. According to a crash report, the accident occurred shortly after 11 p.m. at an intersection in Montcalm County. Reportedly, a southbound vehicle was struck by another car.
A preliminary report indicates that the southbound driver was a 34-year-old woman, and she had a 33-year-old male passenger. The 22-year-old driver in the other vehicle allegedly disregarded a stop sign, and he entered the intersection without yielding for the other car. The first driver did not survive the crash, and she was declared dead at the crash scene. Paramedics rushed her passenger and the driver of the other car to medical facilities for treatment of serious injuries.
The Michigan State Patrol said alcohol is suspected of having played a role in this fatal accident. Losing a loved one in a preventable crash is devastating, and surviving family members may also have to deal with the financial consequences. If they can prove another party’s negligence, they likely have grounds to seek financial relief by filing a wrongful death lawsuit in a civil court. Documented claims for adjudication by the court can include the costs related to end-of-life arrangements, lost income and other economic and emotional damages.
