Criminal charges were filed against a tractor-trailer driver who allegedly caused a devastating, fatal crash. A North Carolina family was traveling home from a vacation when they were involved in the multi-vehicle accident. None of them survived. These types of motor vehicle accidents can be especially difficult for surviving family members, who must shoulder the burden of financial damages while also processing their grief.
The family of four had originally taken the train for their out-of-state vacation, but they were unable to return to North Carolina via the same route because of activity from Hurricane Florence. Instead, they rented an SUV and headed home on I-85. At some point, traffic began to slow, and the SUV, a nearby van and a tractor-trailer were forced to come to a stop.
For reasons that are not clear, the driver of a second tractor-trailer apparently did not notice the stopped traffic and struck the family’s rented SUV from behind. The SUV was then forced into the van, which caused it to hit a nearby guard rail and come back around to collide with the first, stopped tractor-trailer. Both parents, their 10-year-old daughter and 8-year-old son were killed in the accident. Both the driver who caused the wreck and his co-driver were taken to the hospital for minor injuries, and the driver has since been charged with careless and reckless driving as well as death by a motor vehicle.
Compensation after fatal motor vehicle accidents can help grieving family members address significant financial damages, including unexpected funeral expenses. These types of suits can be pursued in absence of criminal charges because they are considered a civil matter. However, while charges are not a necessary prerequisite, evidence collected by the authorities can be extremely helpful in demonstrating negligence.
