California Injury Blog
Four people including two young children were seriously injured in a two-vehicle car accident in South Los Angeles. According to a City News Service report, the incident occurred the afternoon of November 17, 2016 in the 300 block of West 108th Street. Two girls, one 8 months old and another about 3 years old, were ejected from the vehicle. The children, and a man and a woman, were all seriously injured and transported to an area hospital. One person was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence. The investigation into the incident is still ongoing.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the injured victims of this DUI collision. We wish them the very best for a speedy and complete recovery.
Los Angeles DUI Statistics
According to California Highway Patrol’s 2013 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), there were 88 fatalities and 1,948 injuries reported in the city of Los Angeles as a result of DUI collisions. In Los Angeles County as a whole, 217 people died and 4,251 were injured due to alcohol-related crashes during the same year.
Laws and Liability Issues
Based on this news report, it appears that one of the drivers was operating under the influence of alcohol or drugs and may have caused the collision. According to California Vehicle Code Section 23152 (a): “It is unlawful for any person who is under the influence of any alcoholic beverage or drug, or under the combined influence of any alcoholic beverage and drug, to drive a vehicle.” The law also prohibits motorists from operating with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08 percent or higher.
In such cases, in addition to facing criminal penalties, drunk drivers could also be financially responsible for the injuries, damages and losses they cause. Injured victims in these cases can seek compensation for damages including medical expenses, lost wages, hospitalization, rehabilitation, permanent injuries, disabilities, pain and suffering and emotional distress.
DUI victims and their families often go through significant emotional and financial hardships. It would be in their best interests to contact an experienced Los Angeles personal injury lawyer who has experience handling similar cases and financially pursuing drunk drivers. The best personal injury law firms will always offer free consultations and comprehensive case evaluations to injured victims and their families.