Fatal Massachusetts accident may prompt wrongful death lawsuit

Driving while under the influence of alcohol is not only against the law, it’s dangerous to everyone involved. When paired with a high rate of speed, driving while impaired can prove to be deadly. A Massachusetts man who allegedly did both could potentially face a wrongful death lawsuit in the aftermath of a car accident that left two people dead and two seriously injured.

Reports state the man was drunk and driving his van at high speed. He was unable to maintain control of his vehicle, and it collided into a guardrail. Upon impact, the van then careened onto the other side of the road and rammed into an oncoming truck.

The collision caused substantial damage to both the truck and the van. The Jaws of Life was needed to allow the removal of all the people in both vehicles. The driver of the truck was killed. Passengers in both the truck and the van were seriously injured and taken to a Massachusetts hospital. Neither one’s condition was immediately available.

The driver thought to be responsible was also injured and taken to the hospital by ambulance. His 3-year-old daughter was not in a car seat at the time of the accident. She did not survive.

The man has been charged with vehicular homicide. He also faces charges of driving under the influence and several other related offenses. Bail was set at $50,000 cash.

Police are working to reconstruct the accident and determine exactly what happened. Once the details are known, the driver of the van could face a wrongful death lawsuit from the relatives of the man who died. It won’t replace their loss but it could provide the financial assistance they need to help them through this trying time.

Source: masslive.com, Easthampton police arrest Mauricio Velasquez in connection with double fatal accident on Hendrick Street, Elizabeth Roman, Dec. 8, 2013