A Georgia driver is facing charges of second-degree homicide by vehicle and failure to yield in connection with a July 30 accident that claimed the life of an undercover police officer. The accident took place on in Columbus on Veterans Parkway when police officers in two unmarked SUVs were allegedly responding to a call for backup at the scene of an investigation into a meth lab at Flat Rock Park.
The officer was traveling at a high rate of speed in the emergency lane as a man in a truck attempted to make a left turn. According to witnesses, the officers were speeding and swerving in and out of traffic. The maximum sentence for the man’s charges comes with a fine up to $1000 and a maximum sentence of one year in jail, upon conviction. In addition, the family of the officer who was killed may choose to file a wrongful death lawsuit against the driver.
The police officer who was killed might have been a primary source of income for his family. When a family breadwinner is killed in a car accident, the family might find themselves facing emotional and financial distress.
An experienced Georgia personal injury attorney might spare surviving family members from the hassle and stress of dealing with the insurance company. The attorney might handle the paperwork and negotiations with the at-fault driver and the insurance company. In some situations, the insurance company might decide to pay a minimal amount or nothing at all.
In that case, the attorney might request a jury trial in civil court. The attorney might present the case for the plaintiffs before the judge and jury. The jury may be persuaded by the evidence and argument and decide to award significant damages to the surviving family members.
Source: WLTZ, “Driver charged for Corporal Slay fatal accident”, September 17, 2013