A man was killed in a New York car accident on the Staten Island Expressway after the SUV in which he was a passenger rolled over. According to a news report in The Staten Island Advance, the 45-year-old Jersey City man was one of seven people in the 2006 Dodge Durango that hit a guardrail and flipped. Officials said the passengers and driver were on their way home to New Jersey from a night cruise.
Five of the passengers, including the driver, were taken to local hospitals and treated for their injuries. A sixth passenger refused medical treatment. Police said they are investigating whether the driver had been drinking and are looking to obtain a warrant to test his blood. Police charged the driver with second-degree assault after an NYPD investigation determined that his reckless driving cause the victim’s death.
Based on the news account, officials suspect that the driver of the SUV may have been under the influence. Drunk driving is a serious problem in New York State. New York had more than 700 deaths in 2009 because of people drinking and driving, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT).
There were 10,839 fatalities involving alcohol-related car accidents in 2009 nationwide. According to the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), it is illegal for anyone to drive with a blood alcohol level of 0.08 percent or higher.
Those who survive an alcohol-related collision must deal with emotional and physical healing for years after the accident. Families who have lost a loved one in a fatal collision not only deal with the emotional trauma associated with grief and loss, but they must also shoulder the financial burdens such as paying medical bills, cost of funeral and burial, and dealing with the loss of a wage earner in the family. Family members of a deceased drunk driving victim may seek compensation for their losses by filing a wrongful death claim against the at-fault motorist.
If you or a loved has been injured in a DUI crash, please contact the experienced New York personal injury attorneys at the Law Offices of Kenneth A. Wilhelm. Call us at 1-800-WORK-4-YOU (1-800-967-5496) to schedule a free and comprehensive consultation. We can also help with personal injury cases in New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, or Florida. If you have been seriously injured in any of the 50 U.S. states, please call us and we will try to help you with your case.
Other phone numbers for us are:
1-800-RADIO-LAW, 1-888-WYPADEK, OR 1-800-LAS-LEYES
Please visit our website: www.work4youlaw.com
Source: The Staten Island Advance