NC Man Pleads Guilty to Charges in Fatal Wreck
Some cases are just terribly tragic. The Asheville Citizen-Times reported on November 19, 2013 that an Asheville man pled guilty to numerous charges in a case that killed the guilty man’s three-year old daughter and injured a city worker. The 38-year-old man pled guilty to several felony charges and was sentenced by a judge to 21 months in jail, three years of probation, and $10,000 in fines. The man was also ordered to pay $8,000 in restitution to the mother of the little girl. The mother was the ex-wife of the guilty man. The daughter lived for just one day after the accident. The guilty man rear-ended another vehicle. He then flew over an embankment landing in a city parking lot where the city worker was then injured. The driver was found to be speeding.
The criminal actions may not be the end of the line for the guilty man. Depending on the insurance of everyone involved and the assets of the driver, there will likely be numerous civil cases by any one or more of the following:
- City Worker – The city worker who was injured will have a claim against the guilty driver for any medical bills, any lost wages, and for pain and suffering. Of course, if he was on the job, he would also have a NC Workers Compensation claim as well;
- Rear-Ended Car – If the driver was injured, he/she would also have claims for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering against the guilty driver and his insurance company. Additionally, the owner(s) of the car would have a claim for the repair costs or value of the damaged car;
- Wrongful Death – The mother of the daughter and any siblings will have a wrongful death claim for medical bills, pain and suffering and all the other damages that a family is allowed to collect for the wrongful death of a minor in North Carolina. Most likely, the mother will be appointed a personal representative and will then bring the wrongful death claim against the father and his insurance company. The father, inasmuch as he is guilty of causing the accident, would be precluded from obtaining any money from such a claim. Other policies, such as underinsured motorist coverage of the mother and other relatives who lived with her might be also be implicated.
The guilty plea will likely serve as the starting point for any civil claim brought by the city worker, the rear-ended car, and the family of the daughter.
Joe Miller Handles Wrongful Death Claims and Accident Claims
If a loved one died because of an accident, or if you were injured in an accident, you need the help of an experienced lawyer. Joe Miller has been securing positive results for his clients in North Carolina and Virginia for over 25 years, and is ready to put this experience to work for you. Contact attorney Joe Miller at Joe Miller Law, by calling (888) 694-1671 to learn more about your legal options following an accident.
