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A 19-year-old in North Carolina is facing charges after a pickup truck accident killed two teenagers on June 13, according to a North Caroline state trooper. 

The fatal, one-vehicle pickup accident happened in Balsam Grove, North Carolina, which is a remote area of Transylvania County.

There were five people in the Toyota Tacoma pickup. Three people were in the bed of the truck. One passenger in the cab died and one in the bed.

The state police stated that the driver apparently was speeding when he entered a curve. He lost control of the truck, overcorrected and flipped over. In addition to the two who died, three others including the driver suffered non-life-threatening injuries.

Our View

Our personal injury attorneys in North Carolina send our sincere condolences to the families who lost their loved ones in this deadly pickup truck crash.

The state of North Carolina does allow people to be in the cargo area of pickup trucks; they are required to be age 16 or older. Those who are 15 or younger must be accompanied by an adult. It is not clear from this news story what the ages of the people were in the cargo area.

Even if it was legal for those passengers to be in the cargo area, it is not a wise idea for passengers to be seated in the cargo area of a truck for any longer than necessary. There usually are no restraining devices in the cargo portion of a pickup. That area of the truck is typically made of metal and has little to no impact-absorbing materials.

If the driver is criminally charged in this deadly accident, the families of the deceased would have a strong argument for filing a wrongful death lawsuit against the driver and his insurance policy.

A wrongful death lawsuit can be the right legal action in a case where a driver or other party was negligent in a manner that led to a person’s death. From the description of the accident from the state trooper, the driver may have been driving too fast for conditions, which led to the death of two people.

The loved ones of the lost are undoubtedly devastated and are facing years of emotional trauma and anguish. Under North Carolina state law, loved ones can receive compensation in a wrongful death action for their mental pain and suffering. In some cases, a wrongful death lawsuit can result in a settlement in the millions of dollars. 

 

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