Personal Injury Law

Drunk Driver Seriously Injures Father and Son

By Kirk Bernard, Esq.

A Seattle father and son, who both sustained major injuries in a DUI car accident, received tremendous support from their community. According to a Fox News report, the driver who struck the father and son was sentenced to two and a half years in prison. The convicted motorist was under the influence of alcohol and drugs when he hit the father and son as they stood on the driveway of their home, causing debilitating injury to both. The son lost his leg in the crash and the father suffered devastating neck and ankle injuries. The family owns a Chinese restaurant in West Seattle, which had to be shut down because of their injuries and inability to work. So far, the family is unsure if and when the restaurant can be reopened.

As we all know, drunk driving is against the law and is a serious crime. What we very often do not hear about is how these accidents affect the families of injured individuals. In this particular case, not only did the father and son suffer catastrophic injuries, but it seems like they have lost the business they worked hard to establish and they've lost their livelihood. One man's decision to get behind the wheel under the influence of alcohol and drugs greatly impacted this family's life. The driver can apologize all he wants. But the young man will never get his leg back. And the family may never get its business back.

When a drunk driver causes an injury accident, he or she can be held not only criminally responsible, but also financially responsible for medical expenses and other costs incurred by the victims or their families. In such cases, injured victims can seek compensation with the help of skilled Seattle car accident lawyers to help cover medical expenses, loss of wages, cost of hospitalization, as well as costs for any physical therapy or rehabilitation that is needed for treatment of accident-related injuries.

Full post as published by Seattle Injury Blog on March 31, 2010 (boomark / email).