There is often no rhyme or reason to who lives and who dies in a crash. Many of those who survive fatal motor vehicle accidents have to live with the memories. A Colorado teenager who recently lost his mother in a wreck said that he will never forget the day that his life changed forever.
The 17-year-old was in the car with his mother as they headed east on Interstate 70 on a recent Sunday. For reasons that are not yet known, a vehicle careened from the westbound lanes, through the grass median and into the path of the eastbound mother and son. The now wrong-way vehicle slammed into the unsuspecting pair.
The teen said that he was able to get out of the vehicle to call 911 as other motorists stopped to help in any way they could. Emergency personnel arrived and had to deliver the news to the teen that his mother did not survive the injuries she suffered in the impact. The driver of the wrong-way vehicle did not survive either. The Colorado State Patrol did find alcohol bottles in the vehicle, but confirmation as to whether impairment played a role in the crash was not available at last report.
As her son and the rest of her family grieve, they may consider exercising their rights to file a civil claim against the estate of the deceased driver. A successfully litigated claim in which negligence is proved through the presentation of applicable evidence could result in an award of damages as seen in other fatal motor vehicle accidents. Any restitution surviving family members receive could help with their financial losses associated with this tragedy.
Source: 9news.com, “‘One of the greatest people:’ son remembers woman killed in I-70 crash“, Victoria Sanchez, Aug. 1, 2017