Abortion is a precarious and dangerous political football in the country these days, but women have control over their bodies and they can decide if and when to end a pregnancy, though that timeframe is being limited in many states (20 weeks is common).
However, there was a time not that long ago when a mom-to-be might lose her baby not by her choice, but because of a car accident or some other trauma of which she had no control. If the mom survives a car accident, for example, but the baby dies, in the past, the at-fault driver did not usually face any additional liability for loss of life. He or she would usually just be responsible for damage to the vehicle and any medical bills accrued by the now childless woman.
But in almost 40 states over the last few years, unborn children have been starting to develop some legal rights to life, as various infanticide bills have been passed or are big considered in state legislatures all over the country. The latest push is going on in New Hampshire, where a bill has been revived which will add infanticide charges on any incident that results in the death of an unborn child of at least 20 weeks of gestation, especially if the mother survives.
If the bill passes, a driver who is liable in a crash now may face a form of manslaughter or murder charge on top of whatever other citations that may result from the accident. With similar laws spread across the country, the risks to your rights can be highly escalated when there is a possibility of facing a felony charge for being negligent as a driver.
While very few people would be against defending the life of the innocent, if we are on the potential business end of criminal charges for liability, having a top-quality accident attorney on your side can be vital. Having the incident thoroughly and honestly investigated to determine the actual cause of the accident will ensure that your rights are protected – after all, felony charges deserve a full accounting of liability. While losing a child is tragic at any age, and it seems fair to have someone pay for the loss, it is just to make sure that closure can be found through truth.
