Many people will likely agree that younger drivers tend to get into more automobile wrecks due to their inexperience behind the wheel coupled with their typically overwrought sense of self-freedom. Add to that the consumption of alcohol before driving, and the chances of a young person causing a serious or even fatal car accident increase exponentially. Such appears to have been the case with a recent wreck in Ohio that claimed the life of one young man and sent his teenage passenger to the hospital.
The single-car crash occurred around 10:30 p.m. on Friday, April 24 in Knox County. Authorities have identified those involved as being a 19-year-old driver and his 17-year-old passenger. According to reports, the driver lost control of the sedan he was driving and left the roadway. His car then struck a barn as well as another parked vehicle and then a tree. Although both occupants were apparently wearing their seat belts, each was ejected from the vehicle during the wreck, which authorities say broke the car apart.
The driver died at the scene, and his passenger was airlifted to a regional medical center for treatment of life-threatening injuries. Officials did not identify the passenger, nor was there any word of his or her condition. The Ohio State Highway Patrol is still investigating the crash, and they believe alcohol played a role in the accident.
Although the cause of the car accident has yet to be determined, the circumstances surrounding the wreck along with the suspected alcohol consumption suggest the driver was acting irresponsibly behind the wheel. If it can be proven the driver’s negligence or wrongdoing contributed to the accident, the injured passenger may file suit against the driver’s estate in an attempt to recover damages. By working with an experienced and astute personal injury attorney, the injured passenger would increase his or her chances of obtaining just compensation to help with medical bills, lost wages and other associated damages.
