Every once in a while a car accident happens that causes us all to shake our heads. Living in Suffolk County and the New York metropolitan area, we may sometimes feel like we have heard or seen it all. However, news reports about some tragic accidents continue to shock us.

Earlier this month, a 5-year-old child was killed in a car accident that involved a motorist who may have been under the influence of drugs.

The accident took place in the mid-morning on Sunrise Highway in Shirley, New York. A 36-year-old West Islip man was out driving with his wife and their three children - ages 7, 5 and 2. Their 2004 Dodge Pickup truck was just east of the William Floyd Highway at the time of the crash. A 30-year-old Ronkonkoma man was driving a 2007 Toyota Scion east on the highway when he struck the family's car from behind, causing it to leave the roadway and hit a tree.

The entire family in the Dodge was taken to the hospital and the 5-year-old boy died the next afternoon. The rest of the family was treated for non-life threatening injuries.

The Ronkonkoma man has been charged with driving while impaired by drugs, and more charges may be pending now that the boy has died. He is currently being held on $150,000 bail.

This boy's family will likely want all of the details of the crash uncovered as well as to see the driver held accountable to the fullest extent of the law. In addition to criminal charges, the family may choose to pursue civil litigation, such as a wrongful death suit. No amount of compensation can begin to lessen a family's grief after the senseless death of a young child, however such litigation can mitigate additional difficult circumstances that resulted from the accident, such as medical costs and funeral expenses among other damages.

Source: CBS, "5-Year-Old LI Boy Dies Of Injuries Suffered In Suspected DWAI Crash," Dec. 11, 2011