Being involved in a car accident that results in a person’s death can be a devastating experience. It may be that the accident was a tragic occurrence that simply could not have been avoided. This can be true for situations where there is extreme weather or when there are external conditions that could have not been avoided by any driver involved.
However, there are other times when it is believed that one or multiple drivers’ negligence was a contributory factor that led up to the car crash, and therefore, the person’s death.
What is involuntary manslaughter?
If a person causes a death through intentional actions, for example if they get into a fight with someone and the person dies as a result, then it can result in a voluntary manslaughter charge. In other words, the accused voluntarily caused the death of another person. However, if person was driving while under the influence of alcohol or they were driving recklessly, they most likely never had the intention of causing the death of a person.
If, through their actions, it is determined that a death was caused, then the driver is likely to be charged with involuntary manslaughter. This is because they unintentionally caused the death of a person because they did not fulfill the duty that they have to drive safely at all times.
Car crashes are usually extremely complicated situations to assess because there are always multiple factors to consider. If you were involved in a car accident in which a person died and you were found to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs, then you must take the situation very seriously.
Source: FindLaw, “Involuntary Manslaughter Overview,” accessed Dec. 22, 2017