Readers of our New Orleans personal injury law blog know that drunk drivers can cause serious and irreparable injuries. A recent car accident involving a drunk driver left one woman injured as she tried to run from his pickup truck. The accident happened at 5:15 p.m. in Kenner at the intersection of 27th and Salem Streets. The driver was traveling eastbound when a vehicle suddenly stopped in front of a house. This caused him to lose control of his Ford F-150 pickup.
The truck went onto the sidewalk and collided with a stop sign. Unable to regain control of the vehicle, the truck crossed the street and hit a parked car. The impact sent the car into a house and another vehicle. The 55-year-old victim tried to protect herself behind the second vehicle, but was pinned by it to a fence. She suffered several injuries including a bruised hip and soreness on the back of her head.
The driver tried to get away from the accident, but to no avail. He put the pickup truck into reverse and crashed into a tree. Police officers found him on the scene highly intoxicated with slurred speech and bloodshot eyes. The results of the driver’s blood-alcohol test are still pending. He was jailed on several charges, including driving while intoxicated, vehicular negligent injuring, reckless driving and having an open container of alcohol in a vehicle.
As shown by this incident, drunk drivers can not only cause significant property damage, but may cause innocent bystanders to suffer from serious injuries. In addition to criminal charges, the victims of a drunk driving accident may be able to file a civil claim for relief against the responsible party. A personal injury claim can recover damages for the victim, including pain and suffering, medical bills and lost wages.
Source: The Times-Picayune, “Alleged drunk driver pins pedestrian after series of crashes in Kenner,” Michelle Hunter, Mar. 4, 2013
