MADISON COUNTY, AL — One person has died after a serious head-on traffic accident that happened in Madison County, Albama on Wednesday, May 7th, 2014, according to a news report from WAFF.
Alabama State Police have said that they have reason to believe 40-year-old Chad Austin was killed when the vehicle he was driving crashed for reasons currently under investigation while driving on Gurley Pike on Wednesday afternoon.
Scene of the Accident
Chad Austin was killed with the crash, although the report is not clear if they were killed instantly in the accident or if they died at a nearby hospital a short time after the accident.
The investigation into the crash is currently ongoing.
Commentary:
If this accident happened in the State of Texas, there would be a considerable chance that this would be a first party dram shop claim. This means that whenever a bar over-serves a customer, then that customer kills or hurts themselves in a crash after leaving their supervision, the bar can be held liable for the accident. Many people do not see this as fair, but is it really that different than a surgeon letting a patient leave after a procedure while under the influence of narcotics and anesthetic? Lawmakers thought so, and when society is armed with the ability to hold bars, nightclubs, and liquor stores to a higher standard, they can work to cut down the drunk driving statistics.
–Grossman Law Offices