Duson, LA – Dawn Bernard and James Bellard Die in Collision on LA-95

Duson, LA (July 17, 2021) – Louisiana State Police are investigating the cause of a two-vehicle collision on LA Highway 95, just outside of Duson. 

The fatal victims have since been identified as 44-year-old Dawn Bernard and 53-year-old James Bellard.

A police investigation determined that Bernard was driving a 2017 Honda Accord eastbound on LA 1097. As she neared the intersection of LA 95, she neglected to yield at a stop sign and entered the intersection where she was struck by a northbound 2006 Ford F-350 pick-up truck driven by Bellard. 

The force of the impact caused both vehicles to leave the paved portion of the roadway before coming to a complete stop.  

Bellard received fatal injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene. Bernard was transported by paramedics to a local medical facility where she passed away a short while later.

A toxicology sample was obtained from both drivers and will be turned in for analysis. 

This crash remains under investigation.

We would like to offer our deepest condolences to the families of the deceased victims, Mrs. Dawn Bernard, and Mr. James Bellard, at this time.  

Fatal Car Accidents in Duson

Anytime a person is harmed in an accident because of the negligence of another, it is important that they get reliable legal advice from an experienced personal injury attorney in Louisiana right away. Victims normally discover they have a wide variety of legal alternatives available to them as they look for financial recovery.

The front end of one vehicle crashing into the side of another vehicle, usually at a 90-degree angle, is referred to as a broadside, T-bone, or side-impact collision. An estimated 10,000 people lose their lives every year in the United States during side-impact crashes, accounting for about 25% of all crash fatalities in an average year. In addition to these deaths, several thousand victims sustain serious injuries during this type of car accident.

When an accident that stems from another person’s negligence causes someone harm, it is imperative that they reach out to a dependable Louisiana car accident attorney as soon as they are able. Most collision victims are entitled to financial compensation intended to help alleviate the financial obstacles they are sure to face.

Our Louisiana auto accident attorneys at Smiley Law Firm genuinely care about the health and welfare of our clients. When victims are hurt in accidents through no fault of their own, we work diligently to ensure they see justice, financial recovery, and their wrongdoers brought to account. 

Even though all kinds of accidents can happen in an intersection, by far the most extreme is a broadside collision. Often referred to as being T-boned, these dangerous accidents take place when the front end of one car crashes into the side of another. T-bone and other side-impact accidents caused the deaths of 1,770 vehicle occupants in 2017.

Our Louisiana personal injury attorneys invest fully in our clients and work tirelessly to ensure they receive the full amount of financial compensation to which they are entitled. If you were injured in a vehicle collision, do not hesitate to speak with our car accident attorneys in Louisiana by calling our offices at 504-688-3494 or 504-822-2222, and schedule a no-obligation case evaluation to learn about the legal options you have available.

Note: These posts are constructed with the use of secondary sources. These sources include but are not limited to local and state news stories, local and state police accident reports, social media platforms, and eyewitness accounts about injury accidents that take place in New Orleans and throughout Louisiana. We did not independently verify the fact surrounding this accident. If you locate any information that is inaccurate, please contact our firm and we will correct the post to reflect the most accurate information available. We will also remove this post upon request.

Disclaimer: These posts are created to raise awareness about the dangers of driving in Louisiana. We hope that by casting light on serious accidents like this one, other drivers will take heed, and avoid being seriously injured in a similar accident. This post is not a solicitation for business. The information contained in this post is not intended to be legal or medical advice. The photo used in this post was not taken at the accident scene.