When it comes to driving under the influence, police officers, lawyers, and judges have heard every excuse in the book but none of them is a valid reason to drive a car while intoxicated, whether on alcohol, drugs, or another substance. Impaired driving continues to threaten the safety of Arizonans as drivers hit the roads when they should use another form of transportation.
More dangerous than a drunk driver is a dunk driver that causes a collision and then flees the scene of the accident, leaving behind injured victims who may need medical attention and who may be unable to call for help. Because these accidents are so dangerous, Arizona imposes severe penalties on those drivers who are under the influence when they are involved in a crash and then leave the scene of the incident, often including felony charges and the potential for serious jail time.
Yet as car accident lawyers, our office receives numerous calls from victims of these crashes who did nothing wrong but were harmed through the negligence of another.
Glendale police have reported such an accident as occurring on Thursday near Glendale Avenue and 35th Avenue. They believe that a 57-year-old man was driving drunk when he caused a crash in an intersection during a left turn. The at-fault driver allegedly left the scene and was followed by a witness to the crash, leading to the man’s arrest and subsequent charges for his part in the collision. Police have reported that the man refused sobriety tests upon apprehension but that he did admit to drinking that day. As of now, the man has been charged with aggravated assault and leaving the scene of a crash that resulted in an injury; additional charges may be leveled as this investigation continues to unfold.
The driver of the second car in the crash sustained a broken knee cap and a laceration to his leg requiring medical treatment at an area hospital. He is expected to recover.
When any driver’s negligence results in injuries to another, the victim may be able to bring a claim for a financial recovery against the at-fault driver, the at-fault driver’s insurance, or even the victim’s own insurance, depending on the nature of the crash and the facts of the accident. A personal injury attorney can help a victim determine whether or not a claim is possible.
If you or your loved one has been hurt in a crash with a drunk driver, call the Phoenix car accident lawyers at Abeles & Annes, P.C. today for a free case consultation. At Abels & Annes, P.C., we never charge our clients a fee unless we make a recovery on their behalf and we keep a lawyer standing by 24 hours a day to take your call at (602) 819-5191 or toll free at (855) PHX-LAWYER. Call us now and let us help you understand your legal rights.
Prior Blog Entries:
Tucson Teen Dies In Car Crash, Phoenix Injury Lawyer Blog, published October 8, 2013.
Drag Racing in Phoenix Causes Crash, Critically Injures 3 Children, Phoenix Injury Lawyer Blog, published October 7, 2013.
Resources:
PD: Man flees collision, believed to be drunk, Fox 10 News, published October 13, 2013.