Earlier this month in Miami County, a 10-year-old girl was killed when the car that she was riding in was struck by another vehicle after that driver ran a stop sign. According to one local news report, the accident took place near the intersection of Miami County Road 1200 North and Miami County Road 100 West.
Evidently, the young girl was riding as a passenger in a Chevy Tahoe being operated by her mother. The two were traveling northbound on County Road 100 West, approaching the intersection of County Road 1200 North. As they approached the intersection, a vehicle being operated by a 37-year-old man from Logansport disregarded a stop sign and proceeded into the intersection. As he entered the intersection, his Dodge pickup truck collided with the Tahoe, causing both vehicles to end up in a nearby field.
The Tahoe rolled at least one time, and the Dodge ended up coming to a rest on its side. The driver of the Dodge was able to climb up through the broken window of his truck and waited for emergency personnel. It was later discovered that he suffered from internal injuries, and he was taken to the hospital. The mother in the Tahoe was also taken to the hospital for her injuries. Sadly, the young girl was pronounced dead at the scene.
Police are still conducting an investigation into what occurred in the moments leading up to the fatal accident. However, at this point they do believe that alcohol could have been a contributing factor in the accident.
Drunk Driving Accidents in Indiana
Each year in Indiana, there are approximately 5,500 DUI accidents. Of those, only a little less than half resulted in serious bodily injury to at least one person. Not surprisingly, there are almost 200 deaths caused by drunk drivers each year in Indiana alone.
For this reason, the lawmakers in the state have enacted a strict set of laws governing situations where drivers get behind the wheel when they are under the influence of drugs or alcohol. In addition to potential jail time, probation, and fines, a drunk driver may also be held financially liable for the injuries they caused though a personal injury lawsuit.
In many cases, an accident victim is able to prove their case against a drunk driver in an expedited manner, since drunk driving is specifically prohibited by an Indiana statute. This doctrine, called “negligence per se,” allows victims of allegedly negligent conduct to prove their cases without going through the trouble of proving the defendant’s conduct was negligent. This is applicable any time a defendant’s alleged conduct was prohibited by a statute, and the harm suffered by the plaintiff is the type of harm the statute was designed to protect against. To learn more, contact a dedicated Indiana personal injury attorney with your questions.
Have You Been Involved in a Drunk Driving Accident?
If you or a loved one has recently been involved in any kind of Indiana drunk driving accident, you may be entitled to monetary compensation for all that you have endured. Keep in mind, however, that insurance companies are rarely willing to offer fair compensation initially, and they may try and settle the case quickly with a “lowball” offer. Don’t get taken advantage of. Call one of the skilled and dedicated personal injury attorneys at the Indiana law firm of Parr Richey Frandsen Patterson Kruse, LLP at 888-532-7766 today to set up your free consultation.
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