Teen Killed in Single-Car Wreck Days Before Graduation | Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp

Every June, teenagers around North Carolina celebrate their high school graduation. It’s an exciting time for these young adults; it’s the end of their childhood and the beginning of their future as an adult. For an 18-year-old, anything seems possible. Parents beam with pride as they send the child they’ve nurtured so long into the world.

Sadly, one Gaston County, North Carolina teen was robbed of this milestone, and her parents are grieving the loss of their daughter instead of celebrating her bright future. According to WCNC.com, the young woman was killed Sunday night when the car in which she was a passenger crashed on Lowland Dairy Road near old N.C. 27. North Carolina Highway Patrol troopers said it was a single-car wreck, and they are investigating the cause of the accident. No one has been charged at this time.

I am deeply sorry for the parents’ loss. To lose a child of any age is a tragedy, and I can only imagine the heartache and sorrow they are experiencing in the days following this shocking news.

If the Highway Patrol investigation determines the accident was the driver’s fault, the young woman’s parents may want to speak with a wrongful death attorney about their legal options, including filing a wrongful death case against the negligent driver.

During such a difficult time, the last thing a family should have to do is deal with an at-fault driver’s insurance provider. A wrongful death attorney can help ease this burden by negotiating with the insurance company on their behalf. The family may be entitled to compensation for funeral and burial costs, medical expenses, loss of future income, as well as sorrow and mental anguish. A lawsuit cannot bring back their daughter, but it can provide some measure of justice for their pain and help them recover from such a devastating loss. For more information, see this article on the types of damages available in a North Carolina wrongful death lawsuit.

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