A drunk driving accident in Durham recently took the life of a 38-year-old driver. The Feb. 17 car accident on Interstate 40 happened when another vehicle collided with the victim's car and sent both vehicles off the road. The 31-year-old driver of the car that appears to have caused the accident was charged with driving while impaired.

The accident investigation by Durham police closed the interstate for almost four hours. According to a police spokesperson, the force of the car collision overturned both vehicles. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene, and the other driver was treated at a local hospital for injuries that police said did not threaten his life.

Proving that another driver was negligent depends upon the circumstances of the car accident. For example, a distracted driver who is texting and driving might be considered to be negligent for failing to maintain control the car or for failing to observe other vehicles or pedestrians. Likewise, a drunk driving accident in which the drunk driver loses control of a vehicle and causes it to crash into another car could be seen as being caused by a negligent driver. The fact that the other driver in this incident was charged with DWI indicates negligence of the latter kind.

A person who sustains a serious injury in a car accident or the family of a person who is killed in a collision with a negligent driver should speak to a knowledgeable personal injury attorney, who could possibly assist an injured person or the family of a deceased victim in establishing liability and filing a claim for compensation against the other driver. Compensation could include reimbursement for medical expenses, pain and suffering, lost wages and other losses sustained due to the accident.

Source: Winston-Salem Journal, "High Point man charged in fatal Durham crash," Feb. 18, 2013