It’s no secret that the opioid epidemic that has swept across our country is still in effect. While drug use of any kind can have a serious impact on an individual and his or her family, the risks associated with drug use have rippling effects that can have far-reaching ramifications. One way this occurs is when individuals who are under the influence of drugs get behind the wheel of a motor vehicle.
To see just how dangerous this act can be, one need only look at a recent fatal bicycle accident in the Mesa area. There, a man who was high on heroin and who had also recently used methamphetamine veered into the bicycle lane in the early evening hours, hitting a bicyclist. The bicyclist, a 67-year-old man, was pronounced dead at the scene.
As with most fatal bicycle accidents, the victim in this case had family members who dearly loved him. In this case, the victim’s daughter described him as being a rock in the center of many families, primarily through his work at a local church.
Although the criminal charges filed against an errant driver like the one in this instance can help provide a certain sense of justice, it does nothing to help victims recoup compensation for their economic and noneconomic damages, both of which can be quite extensive.
This is where a civil lawsuit may prove helpful. Regardless of the outcome of a criminal case, or if criminal charges are even filed, a surviving family may be able to pursue a legal claim against a negligent driver. To succeed on one of these claims, a victim’s family must prove certain legal elements, a process with which an attorney may be able to help.