Single-vehicle crashes happen all the time, and the passengers often wonder if they are going to be compensated for their injuries. If the driver of the car was impaired, then this can make liability even more confusing.
When there isn’t another car involved in an accident, it can be confusing for the other victims in the accident. Most passengers don’t know that they can make a claim against the driver especially if the driver is a family member or a friend.
21-Year-Old Dies in DUI Crash Injuring Three Passengers
The driver of a passenger car died when he lost control of his vehicle and left the road. According to police, the accident happened on southbound Highway 41 just north of Shaw Avenue Tuesday, May 5, 2020.
After leaving the roadway, the car flipped over and ended up on an embankment. The driver of the vehicle died at the scene, and three 18-year-old passengers were taken to a local hospital.
Passenger Injuries in DUI Crash
When a driver is impaired, the chance of a deadly accident goes up dramatically. According to a study by the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, the risk of a single-car crash that ends in death or serious injury goes up if the driver has alcohol in their system.
For males, a .02-.049 BAC increases the chance by a factor of 5, and if the BAC is .08 to .09, then the risk is multiplied 52 times. For females, the numbers are 3, 7, and 15 respectively.
This means that if someone is a passenger in a vehicle where the driver has been drinking, then they suffer the same increased risks as the driver.
Liability in a DUI Passenger Injury Crash
In California, if an impaired driver injures passengers in his or her own vehicle, that driver is liable for their injuries. The law requires all drivers to have insurance, and the impairment of the driver doesn’t make the policy void. This means it can be used to cover all the injuries sustained because of the driver’s negligence.
However, sometimes the driver of the car doesn’t have insurance or has the minimum and it’s not enough to cover the injuries and damages incurred by the passengers. In these cases, if the passenger has their own auto insurance policy with uninsured and underinsured motorist’s coverage, then that policy will most likely cover the insured passenger’s injuries.
If you’ve been injured in a single-car accident where the driver was impaired, you might have been told by the insurance company that you are not covered for some reason. Don’t take their word for it, rather talk to an attorney who knows the law and has experience getting compensation for victims of auto accidents.
Contact a Personal Injury Lawyer.
After an accident involving a serious injury in the Central Valley, contact attorney Martin Gasparian for a free consultation and case evaluation. Mr. Gasparian takes a hands-on approach to every case. He believes that every client should work directly with their lawyer, get honest advice and personalized attention to detail their case deserves.
