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[/profileleft]When we think of local car accidents, we tend to think of how people who are wrongfully injured retain a San Diego personal injury attorney to recover damages from a negligent driver. We also often think of that driver being in a different vehicle. While that’s the most common scenario, there are also many situations in which passengers are harmed due to the negligence or recklessness of the driver in their vehicles. Unfortunately, that appears to be what occurred over Memorial Day Weekend when a passenger was injured in a crash in which the driver of the pickup truck he was riding collided with, of all things, a Carlsbad police car. As anyone would expect, the driver is likely to face serious criminal charges along with what could be other problems.
About the Crash
According to a report filed by the Times of San Diego, a link to which can be found here, the crash occurred just after 7 p.m. on Saturday night. A 41-year-old male driver of a pickup truck allegedly ran through a red light at the intersection of Poinsettia Lane and El Fuerte St. in Carlsbad. After running through the light, the pickup truck collided with a police vehicle and overturned. The truck had been heading in an eastbound direction on Poinsettia Lane at the time. The truck came to rest on its side. The driver sustained head injuries and was hospitalized. The passenger suffered undisclosed injuries and was also hospitalized. Tests showed the driver to be under the influence and he could face a felony charge.
California DUI Accident Statistics
First, we’d like to wish our best to everyone involved in this crash. We hope that the driver and the passenger are able to fully recover from their injuries. We are also relieved to hear that the police officers involved in the accident suffered only minor injuries and were otherwise unharmed. Secondly, it’s possible that this accident will now become part of the overall body of statistics concerning California DUI accidents. Every year, approximately 1,000 people are killed and thousands more are injured in crashes where alcohol is listed as a factor.
Contact a San Diego Personal Injury Attorney
As mentioned above, a passenger does have legal rights if his or her driver is negligent and causes an accident that leads to the passenger suffering injuries. This can be a complicated situation to deal with, particularly if that passenger is seriously injured and does not possess a legal background. If you or someone you love has been harmed while a passenger in any vehicle, you need to take action to make sure that your legal rights are protected and that your legal options are fully explored. In most cases, passengers are not at fault for accidents absent relatively rare circumstances. As such, you need to seek the help of a San Diego personal injury attorney who understands what it takes to hold those responsible for this type of harm accountable. Contact the Gomez Trial Attorneys today to schedule a free initial consultation.
