People who have been drinking alcohol or doing drugs shouldn’t drive a vehicle. Choosing to get behind the wheel of a vehicle while under the influence of those substances is a fairly certain way to cause an automobile accident because of the delayed reaction time associated with impairment. Despite the fact that public service announcements are played and displayed regularly, some people don’t choose to heed the warning. A recent accident in Wilson County, Tennessee, highlights how far-reaching of an impact one single driver can have on an entire community.
The car accident happened when a driver failed to stop at a traffic signal and barreled into the side of a car that was driven by a noted oncologist. The cars careened into a ditch. The 59-year-old oncologist was killed in the accident.
The driver that slammed into the doctor’s vehicle has been charged with felony reckless endangerment and received a citation for failing to yield at a traffic signal. On the scene of the accident, troopers found evidence that indicated the driver might have been under the influence of drugs and alcohol at the time of the accident. His blood has been sent to analysts for testing.
A former colleague of the man says that the man stood out as exemplary in a profession of giving and caring. He says that the community lost a true hero. This man’s family, his friends and his patients now are left mourning his untimely death.
The loss of anyone in an accident caused by a driver who is under the influence is a tragedy. For family members of the deceased, seeking compensation for their loss might help them to cope with the after effects of their loved one’s death. If nothing else, monetary compensation might help them to reduce financial stresses.
Source: The Tennessean, “Noted oncologist Eric Raefsky killed in Wilson crash” Adam Tamburin, Aug. 07, 2014
