Massachusetts woman sentenced in possible wrongful death case

A Massachusetts judge recently sentenced a 51-year-old woman to a 52-week jail term for a drunk driving fatality. The woman was convicted of multiple charges in connection with the accident three years ago. The family of the victim may choose to seek their own closure by filing a wrongful death lawsuit against the convicted driver.

The accident occurred in 2011 in early September. The driver initially claimed that she was headed home from her job as a beautician before it was later revealed that she had made a stop at a local club before getting on the highway. As she attempted to merge with the traffic on Route 24, her vehicle made contact with the victim’s car. That car was sent into a series of rolls before finally coming to a stop.

The 57-year-old woman who was driving the car was ejected from the vehicle. She suffered massive trauma injuries to her head and lower torso and died at the scene. Her passengers — her sister and brother-in-law — were seriously injured in the crash.

The woman was recorded at having a blood alcohol level of almost twice the legal limit one hour after the accident. Additionally, Massachusetts police reportedly discovered the remains of a marijuana cigarette in her car. The woman was convicted of motor vehicle homicide while intoxicated, serious injury while driving under the influence and negligent driving.

Along with the one-year sentence, the woman received probation and 250 hours of community service. The surviving victims may have endured a long and painful recovery as well as suffering the loss of a beloved family member. The deceased woman’s family may have sought information about filing wrongful death and personal injury claims against the driver who was found criminally responsible for the fatal accident. No monetary compensation can undo the harm that was inflicted, but it may ease the financial burdens caused by such an avoidable tragedy.

Source: wcvb.com, “Hairdresser sentenced in 2011 fatal drunken-driving crash“, , July 15, 2014