Car accidents are unspeakable tragedies that can change people's lives in mere seconds. In the event that someone you love has died in a car accident, there may be steps you can take to hold the responsible party accountable and recover damages—even if that person already faces criminal charges. The best way to go about this is to hire an accident attorney and file a civil lawsuit, as one family has recently done.

According to Alabama news source The Huntsville Times, the family of a 44-year-old Tennessee man who was killed in a car accident while vacationing in Orange Beach, Alabama, a few weeks ago has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the man responsible for the crash. The source reports that the victim, Taylor Colby, was crossing the 28100 block of Perdido Beach Boulevard at around 10:10 p.m. when 57-year-old Danny Pylant struck him with his pickup truck. 

Pylant, who was purportedly drunk at the time, was arrested and charged with driving under influence of alcohol and criminally negligent homicide. In the wrongful death lawsuit, the plaintiffs claim that Pylant was "impaired by alcohol to the degree that he could not safely operate a motor vehicle."

If one of your family members dies in a car accident or any other kind of incident, you may have grounds to file a civil lawsuit and seek monetary compensation in a court of law. To get this process started, it's in your best interest to contact locally based personal injury attorneys in Kansas City immediately. These experienced professionals will work tirelessly on your behalf, helping you recover damages to which you may be entitled.