Man Pleads Guilty in Drunk Driving Accident that Seriously Injures Three Women
A New Jersey man pleaded guilty today to assault by automobile, two counts of aggravated assault and driving while intoxicated stemming from an accident in which the man’s drunk driving was responsible for seriously injuring three women. At the time of the wreck, which occurred on April 18, 2009, the man’s blood-alcohol content was reportedly twice the legal limit. According to his plea deal he will be facing up to five years in prison, a far cry from the decades of prison time he would have been facing had he gone to trial. The injuries to the victims in his case were severe. One victim in particular had her skull detached from her spinal column and miraculously survived. She also suffered brain trauma and has undergone fifteen operations as a result of the accident. More on plea bargaining can be found here.
The unfortunate truth is that making one poor decision in an automobile can affect an untold number of lives. As the incident above will show, the decision to drink and drive endangers the lives of everyone else on the roadway. In situations like this, where the victims have suffered serious injuries that require multiple operations, the medical expenses alone can reach the hundreds of thousands of dollars.
The good news for the victims is that drunk driving is negligent per se in Tennessee, meaning that they will automatically be able to recover the medical expenses and other damages that result from the accident. Some more good news is that drunk driving may be considered sufficiently reckless conduct by a jury to warrant the imposition of punitive damages. The bad news for victims is that their ability to recover for medical expenses and punitive damages may be limited by the defendant’s ability to pay and insurance coverage.
The perils of driving while intoxicated are well-known. Unfortunately, such knowledge does not deter thousands of individuals per year from making the decision to engage in such conduct. Victims of such accidents would be wise to consult a personal injury attorney in order to obtain the compensation they deserve.
Source: http://www.nj.com/bayonne/index.ssf/2010/01/bayonne_man_20_pleads_guilty_i.html
