Justice was Served for the Death of 5 Nursing Students, or was it?
The Insurance Journal recently reported that a verdict has been reached for a deadly crash that was responsible for taking the lives of five Georgia nursing students. The accident that occurred on April 22, 2015, involved truck driver John Wayne Johnson, 56, from Louisiana, and five women who were enrolled in the nursing program and on their way “to their shifts in a Savannah hospital.” Car accident attorneys in Georgia recognize how serious accidents can be, and while a lawsuit can never bring back those we love from such a tragedy, some sort of justice was finally served as Johnson is now being sentenced to “five years in prison plus an additions five years on probation.”
The five women were on their way to their nursing shifts when their cars were impacted and killed.Recollecting back on the crash, according to reports, “Johnson was driving on Interstate 16 west of Savannah before dawn,” and had his tractor trailer traveling with him. The impact alone was responsible for crushing “the vehicles directly in front of Johnson’s truck,” yet when on the stand and asked to make a statement, he struggled to mutter his apologies to the families of these unfortunate victims. And while no alcohol or drug traces were present in his blood tests, he, himself, truly cannot understand what caused him to collide into the vehicles.
Johnson couldn’t explain why he physically couldn’t stop the vehicle from crashing into the other cars.Nearby Georgia car crash lawyers point out that in his speech, he displayed remorse for what he had done, and that he accepted “full responsibility for it,” however, he remembers seeing the vehicles in front of him and their red tail lights lit, yet he didn’t have enough control to push the brake pedal to impede from hitting the cars. The judge hearing the case asked him why he couldn’t stop, and Johnson replied, “Sir, that’s something I’ve been wrestling with since that morning.”
Car accident lawyers note that Johnson was originally expected to receive 93 years in prison “had he been convicted at a trial,” however, based on the plea deal, his sentence was significantly reduced. Now, while the families of these women struggle as they continue to pick up the pieces of their life, one mother didn’t agree with the sentencing Johnson received. Unfortunately, she also believes there is “nothing that would have made it right” as her daughter’s life is irreplaceable.
Because the civil suits filed by these families finally reached a settlement, the payout amounted to $78 million. Total Transportation of Mississippi, who was Johnson’s employer at the time, was held liable for this settlement as they hired Johnson even though he had engaged in an accident prior to him working for them.
A lawyer can help file car accident lawsuit, which is the most effect way to obtain justice for the untimely death of a loved one.Losing a loved one in an auto accident or having them suffer from life-altering injuries isn’t something we ever want to be faced with. But, like the surviving families of these five victims, they came forward and filed a car accident lawsuit to hold those accountable for this injustice.
If you are in search of a reputable car accident law firm in Georgia, USAttorneys.com has the potential to get you paired up with a lawyer who will fight for the justice you and your family deserve.