Tragedy struck again one week when a woman was struck and ultimately died at the hands of a drunk, speeding driver in northwest Harris County. According to police, Ilyana Cuadra was preparing to turn left onto West Road from the 10100 block of Veterans Memorial Drive just after midnight on September 22, 2016 when Santos Ariel Dominguez, 30, ran the red light and hit Ms. Cuadra’s Honda Accord, police said. Cuadra was pronounced dead at the scene. Dominquez was tested and is now facing charges of intoxication manslaughter.
Losing a loved one like Ms. Cuadra’s friends and family did last week would be a time that brings great pain and difficulty to anyone. However, when that loss is the result of the negligence of a selfish and irresponsible drunk driver, the devastation can be even more difficult to bear. Have you have lost a loved one in an accident that someone else caused? You could be able to bring a wrongful death claim against that individual or company.
Under Texas law, driving while intoxicated by drugs or alcohol is a criminal offense that can have extremely serious legal consequences. Unfortunately, Houston sees another intoxication manslaughter caused by an impaired driver almost every night. You can be assured in an injury DWI or DUI accident the state will prosecute the drunk driver criminally, but that does not help the victim of a drunk driving accident. It takes a Houston drunk driving accident lawyer like those at The Pinkerton Law Firm to obtain civil justice.
If someone was killed in a car accident because another driver chose to get behind the wheel impaired and did not follow the rules of the road, a wrongful death claim may be able to be brought against the inebriated driver. It is important to consult with a qualified wrongful death attorney regarding your situation. Laws vary from state to state regarding who would benefit from a potential wrongful death claim on behalf of the deceased, but wrongful death claims are generally brought by family members of the victim. In Texas, beneficiaries of a wrongful death claim include spouses, children, and parents of unmarried children. In order to determine if you are eligible to benefit from a wrongful death claim, you should consult with an experienced wrongful death attorney about the circumstances of your case.
No amount of money will bring back your loved one. However, a person filing a wrongful death claim may be able to recover financial compensation for three types of damages depending on the applicable laws of the state where the action is brought.
- Economic Damages – Economic damages include things such as funeral and medical expenses related to the death, loss of the deceased’s future earnings, and loss of the deceased’s future benefits.
- Non-economic Damages – Non-economic damages are things that have less tangible value. This includes pain and suffering, mental anguish, loss of inheritance and loss of consortium.
- Punitive Damages – Punitive damages are sometimes awarded in addition to economic and non-economic damages as a way of punishing the liable party for willful or grossly negligent acts.
Have you have lost a loved one in an accident caused by a person driving drunk on Texas roads? Are you unsure if you are able to file a wrongful death claim? You should consult with a Houston wrongful death attorney at The Pinkerton Law Firm, PLLC as soon as possible. The amount of time you have to file a claim varies depending on the state. At The Pinkerton Law Firm, PLLC, our attorneys will provide you with a free consultation to help you determine your legal options. Contact our wrongful death attorneys today to learn how we can help you.
