A two-car accident on U.S. Highway 70 in Roane County took the life of one person and injured five others. According to the report, the fatal crash was believed to have been caused by a driver who was under the influence of drugs. The police said that the head-on collision occurred on Feb. 14 just before 2 p.m. when a woman from Harriman driving a westbound Chevy Trailblazer suddenly veered over into the opposite lane and into an eastbound Toyota Tacoma.

The Tacoma driver was fatally injured. The Chevy driver and her two passengers, as well as two passengers in the Toyota, all suffered unknown injuries. According to the report, the Chevy driver tested positive for drugs following the accident. Moreover, the Toyota driver and the four injured people did not have their seat belts on prior to the crash. The Chevy driver may be facing criminal charges and citations.

Following a fatal car accident, the grieving family of the decedent may choose to file a wrongful death claim in an attempt to pursue damages such as funeral and medical expenses. Sometimes, compensation for pain and suffering is also awarded in the lawsuit. However, the family must prove that negligence caused the crash if they wish to prevail. Negligence is based on the lack of the driver’s duty of care while operating a vehicle and can be shown by speeding, reckless or distracted driving or by driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

Plaintiffs are usually advised to provide documentation that could be used as evidence to substantiate their claims of negligence. Besides the police report, other documentation can include records of expenses relating to the incident, medical reports and eyewitness accounts.

Source: WBIR, “Car accident kills 1, injures 5 in Roane County”, Feb. 14, 2015