Tragic North Carolina Car Accident Leaves Five Dead

April 28, 2011, by Michael A. DeMayo

On April 17, a fatal North Carolina auto accident left five people dead, and officials are still trying to figure out what caused the catastrophic crash and how future, similar accidents might be prevented.

The massive storms and tornadoes that struck North Carolina over the weekend may have played a role. But authorities currently believe that the weather may have had only a minimal impact on the crash. Among the dead are an adolescent boy, a man, a woman and two infants. Forensic investigators believe the accident happened late afternoon in Croatan National Forest. A highway patrol trooper who investigated the scene believed that the speeding contributed to the crash. Tire marks left near the scene of the crash suggest this possibility.

All of the victims had been wearing safety restraints – with the exception of the man. Officials speculate that perhaps he undid his safety restraint to try to rescue (unsuccessfully) the other people. The vehicle flipped and fell into a canal and then sunk. The rains and water “almost completely submerged” the vehicle.

When you read about catastrophic, emotionally gripping North Carolina auto accident stories, like this one, you can’t help wanting to “blame someone” for what went wrong. This is a proper reaction to have. But it’s important to strive to identify the true root cause (or causes) of a crash.

For instance, although it’s hard to tell much from this accident report, many different factors might have been at play. Perhaps the driver had been speeding. Or perhaps his accelerator pedal got stuck due to a defect in the automobile’s engineering. Perhaps another car – long gone from the scene – swerved in the way and caused the vehicle to maneuver and flip off the road. Perhaps the way the road was engineered was problematic – that is, there should have been a warning sign to slow down or to look out for a blind curve. So the defective road engineering, in this case, might have to blame.

All of this is to say, that if you or someone you care about wants maximum compensation from an accident – including medical bills and time off of work – a creditable and experienced North Carolina auto accident law firm should help build a strategy for you. The more strategic your quest for compensation, the easier and more effective your road forward will be.

More Web Resources:

Accident in Croatan National Forest

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