Accident Involving Alleged Drunk Driver Injures Two CHP Officers
Two officers with the California Highway Patrol (CHP) were injured in an accident near Vallejo on September 11 after their vehicle was struck while it was parked along the shoulder of the road by a drunk driver. The accident happened around 2:00 in the morning along I-80 near American Canyon Road. The officers were conducting a traffic stop at the time the incident occurred.
Alleged Drunk Driver Charged With DUI in Accident
An SUV hit the officers’ vehicle and then struck them. One of the officers suffered major injuries in the accident and was transported by air to a hospital. The other officer struck by the SUV was transported by ambulance to a hospital, where they were later released. The SUV driver was placed under arrest and charged with DUI in the incident.
Recovering Compensation Following an Injury Accident With a Drunk Driver
Despite public education efforts and police presence to curtail such negligence, drunk drivers are still a menace on the roadways. When someone is injured in a traffic collision caused by an inebriated motorist, they have the right to place a personal injury claim to recover damages. What can be recovered by filing a claim to recover compensation includes the following:
- Medical expenses: Medical costs are high these days and even a short time in the hospital can end up costing a lot. By filing a personal injury claim against the negligent driver who caused your injuries, you can recover all of your medical expenses from ambulance service to hospitalization, doctors’ bills, tests, surgeries and medications. Your rehabilitative care is also recovered as well as the cost of a care provider if you require it after you go home. Adaptive changes made to your home can make it more accessible.
- Future medical care: If your injury has not resolved and is expected to continue into the future, those costs can be calculated and included in your settlement.
- Lost wages: If you are not being paid for your time off work while you recover, those wages can be recovered as well as any bonuses, pension/insurance benefits and others. If your future earnings are affected because you have to take a lower-paying job or can no longer work due to permanent disability, those losses are factored into your settlement also.
- Pain and suffering: Compensation for your physical pain as well as the psychological and emotional trauma you have suffered because of the at-fault driver can be recovered. People involved in traffic collisions commonly suffer from the aftereffects such as nightmares, anxiety and others. A surprising number of people develop post-traumatic stress disorder and have to seek professional treatment to deal with it. Those costs are also recoverable.
Vallejo Car Accident Lawyer
I am Ed Smith, a Vallejo car accident lawyer. When you are injured in a traffic collision, you have the right to obtain compensation for your injuries as well as your lost wages and pain and suffering. You are welcome to contact us at (707) 564-1900 or from long-distance at (800) 404-5400 for free and friendly advice. We can arrange a virtual or in-person consultation with one of our accident attorneys free of charge. The legal team will review your case and let you know how you can move forward to recover the compensation you deserve. We also offer an online contact form if you prefer to get in touch with us that way.
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Photo attribution: Image by Vladyslav Topyekha from Pixabay
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