Josh Brent indicted on intoxication manslaughter charge.
Losing people in car crashes.
There are many car crashes that involve someone losing their life when they are riding in the same car. In these cases, as the above-detailed story demonstrates, the driver may be the one who faces criminal charges. The driver can sometimes be sued, as well, over their negligence, even though the person they injured was a passenger.
The best way to avoid being involved in one of these accidents at all is to refuse to get into a vehicle with someone you know to be drunk. Unfortunately, there are plenty of people out there who will go ahead and get into a car driven by someone who is drunk, whether it’s out of social pressure or the desire to not offend a friend. It’s not worth it. Drunk drivers kill people, including their own passengers, almost every day.
Taking action.
If a drunk driver took a loved one from you, you may want to consider talking to a Texas wrongful death attorney. A wrongful death attorney may recommend that you file a lawsuit over the crash. This is separate from any criminal action.
In criminal court, a defendant is tried to see whether or not they will be punished under the law for their actions. In civil court, a trial is held to determine whether or not the defendant owes the people they hurt or killed compensation for what those people have been put through.
There are some cases where the people considering a wrongful death lawsuit may end up being offered a settlement before they even file the lawsuit. In such cases, you should make sure that you have a good attorney look at the settlement to see whether it’s a respectable offer or not and whether you should just go ahead and sue.