The recent television dramatization of the O.J. Simpson trial is an important reminder that an individual may face both criminal and civil liability for alleged wrongdoing. An Alabama man accused of drunk driving is learning this hard lesson firsthand.
Specifically, the 54-year-old man is facing charges for the vehicular death of the driver he allegedly crashed into at the intersection of Highway 11 and Interstate 59 in Tuscaloosa County. When authorities arrived on the scene, the man claimed that he had been trying to avoid another vehicle and simply lost control. However, he was arrested for drunk driving.
The evidence produced in the criminal trial may resurface again in the event the administrator of the decedent’s estate brings a wrongful death lawsuit. However, the civil lawsuit will be its own proceeding, and liability will attach only if the jury finds that the defendant is guilty by a preponderance of the evidence.
Our law firm focuses on wrongful death lawsuits. In fact, our website describes one of our recent outcomes. Sometimes the defendant’s insurance company or other responsible entity will not make a fair offer. However, the process of litigation allows parties to settle up until the moment the jury makes its decision.
In our case, we were able to negotiate a confidential settlement in an automobile death and injury lawsuit. Notably, we used a cellular data expert to testify that the negligent driver was likely using his smart phone at the time of the crash. To learn more about how we build a persuasive wrongful death case, often with expert testimony, check out our firm’s website.
Related post: “Automobile Death and Injury – Confidential settlement in Limestone County, Alabama,” copyright 2016, Marsh, Rickard & Bryan
Source: Al.com, “Man charged with murder in 2014 drunk-driving crash,” Carol Robinson, March 1, 2016
