Head-on Collision on Highway 20 Leaves 3 Dead, 2 Injured
Three people died and two have sustained serious, life threatening injuries in a head on crash on Highway 20. According to the reports, one car had only the driver, Frederick Brand, 65, who died in the crash, while the other car had four young people, two of whom were killed in the crash. Nicole A Washington, 23, and Megan L Brown, 21, died in the crash, while the two others in their car, Quinnton Baxter, 22, and Alfredo Navarro Jr, 19, are being treated for injuries. Police found alcohol in the car driven by the younger people and suspect drunk driving to be a factor in the crash.
Effect on Families
The crash and the deaths have affected the family and friends of the dead and injured. Brand leaves a wife and three children behind, while Baxter is the father of a three-year-old.
Penalties
While all those involved in a drunk driving accident suffer from the effects, the drunk driver is likely to face severe penalties. In order to determine if a driver was under the influence police normally use a blood test to determine blood alcohol levels. The department of motor vehicles will automatically suspend the driving license of a person charged with drunk driving unless they file an appeal within ten days. In addition, the drunk driver can be fined and imprisoned. The penalty for drunk driving is greater if the accident lead to the death or injuries of others.
That is only logical.
Financial Compensation
If you or a near one has been injured in a drunk driving accident or you have lost a loved one in a drunk driving accident you can ask the insurance provider of the at fault driver or the at fault driver for compensation. For this, you need to retain the services of a drunk driving accident lawyer who will ask for compensation for personal injury or wrongful death.
Medical Treatment
The compensation for a person injured in a drunk driving accident will cover the cost of medical treatment, lost wages and income, cost of modification to the home to cope with the injuries, cost of retaining someone to perform chores normally completed by the injured person, and so on.
Non-Economic Damages
Apart from the economic damages a person injured in a drunk driving accident can also claim non-economic damages for the pain and suffering endured.
Wrongful Death
If you have lost a loved one in a drunk driving accident, your drunk driving accident lawyer will obtain compensation for wrongful death on your behalf. The driver convicted of drunk driving as well as the bars that served alcohol to a visibly intoxicated driver can be asked to compensate for the wrongful death. Those held responsible will be asked to pay the financial dependents of the person no longer with us for their loss of income.
Steps to be Taken
If you or a loved one has been injured in a drunk driving accident your first priority must be to obtain proper medical treatment. Once the emergency services have been called, you need to make a note of the circumstances of the accident such as the condition of the other driver, take photos of the accident scene, ask for the names and addresses of witnesses, and so on.
At the hospital, the injured person or their family should collect all medical records and bills since these will be used to establish the claim for compensation for the injury.
Statute of Limitations
Most states have a statute of limitations beyond which a claim for compensation for drunk driving accidents will not be accepted. In order to ensure that your application for compensation is not delayed you need to retain the services of a drunk driving accident attorney as soon as possible. Many of the lawyers that are interested in representing you will be willing to visit the hospital or your home in order to meet you without placing additional stress on you if you are unable to travel to meet them.
If they are not willing to meet with you then you need to find someone who can. They are obviously too busy or do not understand the condition you are in.
