A 56-year old Washington Township, New Jersey, man was recently sentenced to 270 days in jail for causing a DUI accident that left the victim with severe injuries and a permanent disability. The car accident occurred when the man failed to yield to an oncoming motorcycle being driven by the victim while trying to turn left into a motel parking lot. The motorcycle drove right into the side of the man’s pickup truck, causing the victim to suffer broken bones and hemorrhaging of the brain. The victim suffered permanent injuries as a result of the accident and now walks with a limp and a cane. Toxicology results showed that at the time of the accident, the man’s blood alcohol content was over three times the legal limit for drivers. The man pled guilty to third-degree assault by auto and drunken driving, and in addition to receiving a jail sentence, had his driver’s license suspended for two years, was placed on probation for five years and must pay restitution to the victim for his medical expenses.
This case highlights the devastating impact alcohol-related accidents can have for the victims. The motorcycle driver in this case suffered such grievous injuries that he may never fully recover, and may never walk again without the use of a cane. It is also highly likely that he will need expensive, advanced medical care for the rest of his life. Drunk driving accidents are very financially draining and physically traumatic for the victims.
Alcohol causes a loss of motor control and an impairment of a driver’s judgment. These two factors make drivers who are operating under the influence of alcohol a dangerous threat to motorists. Often, drunk drivers will fail to see oncoming traffic, or will be unable to control their vehicles and swerve into the wrong side of the road. These two occurrences are common causes of alcohol-related accidents.
Anyone impacted by an alcohol-related accident should be entitled to an appropriate relief. Victims and their families may have the legal right to seek monetary damages from the defendant, and to recover financial compensation for lost wages, medical bills, pain and suffering, and any temporary or permanent disability. Anyone affected by a drunk-driving accident has the right to seek a fair and just remedy.
Source: The Express-Times, “Washington Township, N.J. man sentenced to jail for drunken crash that injured man,” Matthew Bultman, June 21, 2013.