Just after 2 am on Saturday, June 1, a man and woman crossing Grand Avenue in Pacific Beach were hit by a suspected drunken driver who ran a red light.
The 30-year-old woman and 28-year-old man were lawfully crossing the street at the Grand Avenue and Bayard Street intersection when a 28-year-old man, suspected of drunk driving, ran a red light in his Ford Explorer and hit them, according to police Officer Sarah Foster. The driver continued driving, leaving the scene. He was arrested by police shortly after, near the 3700 block of Ingraham Street.
Both pedestrians flew in the air after the collision, causing them to suffer serious injuries. They were transported to the hospital. The 30-year-old woman suffered a skull fracture along with numerous other broken bones. According to Foster, her injuries were considered life-threatening.
Potential Legal Recourse Available to Victims of DUI Accidents
“My heart goes out to the pedestrians who were hit and injured in the suspected DUI accident on Saturday morning,” says Brett Schreiber, attorney at Singleton Schreiber, “as a personal injury attorney, I’ve seen how incidents like this can turn people’s lives upside down. My thoughts are with the victims and their families as they begin their road to recovery.
“I believe it is important that the victims of this accident, and victims of similar accidents, know that they may have legal recourse and they could consider contacting a personal injury attorney to learn more about their options.”
DUI accidents can have severe, sometimes even deadly, consequences. In the accident that occurred on Saturday, the victims were pedestrians hit by a vehicle on the road. Pedestrians are especially vulnerable in these kinds of accidents due to the significant size and weight difference between their bodies and the vehicle that hits them, with the average weight of a car being 4,000 pounds.
Victims of DUI accidents may be able to file personal injury claims to obtain compensation for damages such as:
- Medical expenses: costs for immediate treatment, ongoing medical care, rehabilitation, and any future medical needs related to the injuries sustained in the accident.
- Lost wages: compensation for the income they lost due to the inability to work while recovering from the injuries.
- Pain and suffering: non-economic damages for physical pain, emotional distress, and mental anguish caused by the accident and injuries.
- Loss of consortium: compensation for the negative impact on the victim’s relationship with their spouse or other family members.
In some cases, if the involved victim dies due to the injuries they sustained in the accident, their family may be eligible to file a wrongful death claim for damages including:
- Funeral and burial expenses: costs associated with the deceased’s funeral and burial.
- Loss of financial support: compensation for the income the deceased would have provided to their family.
- Loss of companionship: damages for the emotional and psychological impact on the family members due to the loss of their loved one.
If you or a loved one have been injured in a DUI car accident and suffered a personal injury, call the San Diego pedestrian accident attorneys at Singleton Schreiber today at (619) 771-3473 or by email at info@singletonschreiber.com to learn more about your options.
