Automobile accidents are bound to happen, but the great majority of them are preventable. This is especially true in drunken-driving accidents. Every year across the country, including in Illinois, thousands of people die because at least one driver was drunk or otherwise under the influence of a substance that impaired judgment and driving ability. Usually, drivers accused of drunken driving face criminal charges and can be held liable for damages in civil court.
Downstate in Sauget, relatives of a 23-year-old woman who was killed in a drunk driving accident in February of 2013 are still waiting for the conclusion of a traffic investigation in order for their case against an alleged drunken driver to move forward in court. At the time of the crash, the woman was with her sister, who was seriously injured. The deceased had been exercising due care as the designated driver during an evening of drinking with friends.
The deceased woman was apparently sober at the time of the crash. The driver who caused the mishap was intoxicated, with a blood alcohol level nearly twice the legal limit. She has not been charged or arrested. Authorities claim a traffic accident reconstruction investigation has yet to finish.
One year has passed and the victim’s family wishes to obtain justice and closure. Although an official investigation remains open, the family can conduct its own private investigation and hire private investigators, accident reconstructionists and forensic experts. Once the family has evidence it believes shows the negligent behavior of the other driver, it can file a civil lawsuit to recover compensation for its losses.
Source: Fox2now.com, “Still no charges filed in deadly DWI accident,” Melanie Moon, Feb. 19, 2014
