Power outages are an uncommon occurrence that can introduce confusion into the days of New Mexico residents. When individuals are at home and lose power they may fire up the flashlight functions on their smartphones and search for candles and battery operated devices to illuminate their homes. When they are out on the roads, though, dangers can quickly mount as traffic lights and street lights go dim and leave drivers without clear directions to follow.
Recently a tragic accident occurred in Santa Fe where a power outage caused a commercial section of the town to go black. A father of three was on his motorcycle when he approached an intersection near a Kohl’s retail center and came to a stop. As the traffic light was out he apparently approached the cross street with caution, but while stopping at the intersection he was hit from behind by a woman operating a sport utility vehicle.
The SUV ran over the victim, causing him to suffer serious injuries that ultimately led to his death. In the wake of this tragedy, the family members of the victim have lodged a wrongful death lawsuit against the city for failing to have a back-up source of power that would have prevented the traffic light outage and would have provided a safe means of traveling through the intersection where the victim lost his life.
Wrongful death lawsuits can provide the family members of deceased victims with compensation for their losses. In order for a wrongful death claim to be successful, though, it must meet a variety of requirements. Readers who wish to better understand this and other personal injury-based claims are encouraged to discuss their questions with attorneys in their areas.
Source: abqjournal.com, “Wife of Santa Fe man killed in accident during outage sues city,” Edmundo Carrillo, Sept. 20, 2017