The thought of losing a child is too much to bear for many Oklahoma City parents. When your children are your life, losing one too soon can be devastating. Although parents do their best to protect their children, sometimes circumstances are out of their hands, as one set of Oklahoma parents sadly found out this weekend.
On Sunday, a vehicle driven by a 16-year-old in Hughes County lost control. The pickup truck veered off the county road and hit a tree. There were two other teenagers in the car at the time of the accident.
Although a 14-year-old passenger turned down treatment when authorities arrived at the scene, a 13-year-old girl died in the Holdenville crash. It is not clear from a recent news story what caused the fatal car accident.
Losing a child in any manner is something no parent should have to cope with. Losing a child suddenly and unexpectedly because of someone else’s negligence, however, is unimaginable. Although we do not know why the young driver veered off the road in this case, common causes of car accidents like this one are distraction, drunk driving and other negligent behaviors.
When another person’s negligence causes the death of a loved one, it is important to understand that there are ways to hold that person accountable, even if police choose not to.
In Oklahoma, a wrongful death lawsuit allows the family of a victim to seek compensation from a driver for funeral and medical expenses, pain and suffering, and other damages associated with the fatal accident. For some families, a successful wrongful death lawsuit allows them to focus on comforting one another during such a difficult time rather than worrying about finances.
Source: News9.com, “Girl, 13, Killed In Holdenville Crash,” Nov. 18, 2013
