Passenger Injured in DUI Crash in Merced County
A driver and passenger were injured in a suspected DUI crash in Merced County on the early morning of Saturday, November 7, 2020. According to the California Highway Patrol (CHP), the truck accident occurred at the intersection of Highway 140 and North Gurr Road in the McSwain area shortly before 4:30 a.m. CHP traffic units were dispatched to the scene to respond to a call of a two-vehicle collision involving a semi-truck. A 31-year-old Turlock man was behind the wheel of a Nissan Altima headed southbound on Gurr Road. At the same time, a 2014 Freightliner big rig was traveling westbound on State Route 140.
The Nissan reportedly struck the Freightliner between the right rear tire and its gas tank, causing the big rig to catch fire. The Freightliner driver, a 64-year-old Planada man, was able to exit the truck and suffered minor injuries, the CHP reported. The Nissan driver and his passenger both suffered serious injuries in the crash. The CHP determined that the Nissan driver was driving under the influence (DUI), arrested him, and released him in care of an area hospital in Los Banos. Further details on the incident were not immediately available.
Personal Injury Claims for Passengers
Passengers involved in motor vehicle collisions often suffer serious injury. When faced with such situations, passengers may not know what to do to receive fair compensation for their injuries and losses incurred. Passenger injury claims can be particularly challenging if the incident was caused by the driver of the vehicle the passenger was riding in. No passenger wants to take legal action against a family member or friend. However, no personal injury claim should affect a relationship, especially when a settlement is needed to cover the resulting damages. When a car accident occurs with a family member or friend who is at fault for the collision, an experienced Merced personal injury lawyer can help a passenger recover the compensation they deserve while protecting the best interests of those they love and care about.
Options for Passengers Injured in a Merced County DUI Crash
When another driver is found at fault for a motor vehicle accident, the passenger of the other vehicle is usually able to file a personal injury claim against that party’s insurance policy. There are some situations where the other driver has limited insurance policy limits or none at all. Under such circumstances, a passenger may be eligible for compensation through their insurance policy or that of their driver if they have uninsured and uninsured motorist coverage (UM/UIM). This type of coverage may come into play if the other driver has little to no bodily injury liability coverage to pay for medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other losses incurred. A passenger may also file a UM or UIM claim against the driver of the vehicle they were riding in if that party was at fault for the crash. This is a viable option so long as it can be proven that damages exceed the at-fault party’s insurance policy limits, or they do not have an active liability insurance plan. For additional information on UM coverage and how it may be used in a car accident injury case, watch the video below.
Should I Hire an Injury Lawyer for a Traffic Accident?
Our Merced personal injury lawyers at AutoAccident.com have decades of experience handling passenger injury claims against difficult insurance companies throughout California. We are well-versed in California’s personal injury laws and insurance issues regarding passenger injury cases. Should you decide to hire us to represent you and your case, our legal team will do everything in our power to protect your rights and best interests. We will handle all aspects of your personal injury case and work diligently to obtain the financial compensation you are entitled to so you can focus on your recovery. Contact us to schedule a free case evaluation with one of our injury lawyers today.
Personal Injury Lawyer in Merced
I’m Ed Smith, a Merced personal injury lawyer. When a passenger needs assistance with their personal injury claim for a car accident, our law firm is available anytime to help and provide free, friendly legal advice. Contact us to schedule a free consultation with one of our car accident lawyers today at (209) 227-1931 or (800) 404-5400.
See client reviews of our personal injury law firm and our list of past case results at these links:
We are honored to be members of the National Association of Distinguished Counsel and the Million Dollar Advocates Forum.
Image Source: https://pixabay.com/photos/emergency-emergency-services-1137137/
:ds llo [cs 795]