A former North Carolina state legislator recently filed a lawsuit stemming from a 2011 car crash that resulted in the death of the other car’s driver. The man who was killed was a friend. The two became friends after they both ran against each other for election for the same seat in the North Carolina State General Assembly. According to court documents, the suit names both the estate of the man killed and a local wine bar as defendants. The documents allege that the person who was killed drank too much at a local wine bar and that the bar continued to serve the man alcohol even after it was evident that he had become intoxicated.
On the day of the accident just after 11 p.m., the man who was killed had just left a Winston-Salem bar when his car swerved over the center line on the 2600 block of Reynolds Park Road and collided head-on with the car driven by the ex-legislator. The legislator was transported to Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center.
According to reports, the driver, pronounced dead at the scene, had a blood alcohol level of 0.29, more than three times the legal limit of 0.08 percent. The lawsuit stated that police found three dated bar receipts in his pockets. Reportedly, this is the second time that the bar has been sued in connection with a fatal crash involving alcohol. Originally in critical condition, the injured man was forced to give up his political career. He is still re-learning how to walk, and his medical bills continue to mount.
For North Carolina residents who may face similar circumstances, it is always considered wise to seek the counsel of an attorney experienced in drinking and driving accidents. An attorney may be able to accurately reconstruct the accident in a manner that would leave no doubt as to liability and may be able to secure monetary compensation for their client’s suffering and medical costs.
Source: Winston Salem Journal, “Womble sues Sixth & Vine and estate of man killed in 2011 crash“, Michael Hewlett, July 23, 2013
