Serious car accidents sometimes result in a wrongful death, meaning a death caused by the negligence or intentional conduct of one or more other people. Whether or not the person found at fault for the accident is convicted of a crime, he or she can still be held liable for another person's death.

As Littleton, Colorado, residents may know, a traffic accident in Cherry Creek during the early-morning hours of Dec. 23 left one man dead. Authorities say that the accident involved a 39-year-old man who drove the wrong way in the eastbound lanes of North Cherry Creek Drive. His 50-year-old passenger apparently opened the car door, fell out and struck his head. The victim was taken to Denver Health Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. And the driver, suspected of being under the influence of alcohol while driving, was arrested on charges of DUI and vehicular homicide.

Although police are still investigating the crash, the surviving family members of the victim may gain by discussing a wrongful death lawsuit with a Littleton-area attorney. The lawyer can help assess the circumstances of the fatality and ensure that important evidence is preserved. The events that occurred immediately prior to the accident may prove crucial to any claim, and a determination concerning the appropriate legal steps to follow in the wake of the tragedy may depend upon a full investigation of the accident.

To be sure, nothing can be done to bring the victim back to his family. But something can be done to hold accountable anyone found legally responsible for his death.

Source: There Public News, "1 dies in fatal Cherry Creek wreck," Ariel Mata, Dec 23, 2011