Drunk driving accident victim’s family slammed with medical costs

The loss of a loved one is never a simple thing for a family to overcome. It affects every surviving member on so many different levels. The grieving process can become especially complicated when the deceased was the victim of a drunk driving accident.

During the last days of 2017, a few hours outside of Denver, several family members and friends were out on a hunting trip. Among them was a father in his early forties with his 10-year-old boy and a family friend in his mid-thirties. They were driving late at night when the driver of the car lost control, sending their vehicle tumbling down an embankment, making almost two complete flips and throwing the father and the friend out of the car.

When police arrived, they found the two men dead and the young boy severely injured. They also found a number of cans of beer, some opened, in and around the other driver’s car. The driver, who suffered only minor injuries in the crash, confessed to having consumed more than one alcoholic beverage. He is currently facing DUI, vehicular homicide and related charges.

The deceased father’s family is not only struggling with the loss of their loved one, but with medical costs associated with the son’s care at a Denver hospital, where he was flown after the crash for treatment. A fundraising web page has been established, with over $10,000 raised to date.

The generosity of others is always a welcome form of support in the wake of a fatal accident, but families in this situation are generally entitled to far greater compensation from an intoxicated or otherwise negligent driver. An award for damages through a personal injury lawsuit can help cover medical costs and other expenses, protecting a family’s financial foundation while holding the other driver accountable to some degree for his or her negligence.

Source: The Aspen Times, “Driver faces DUI, vehicular homicide charges in fatality near Rifle,” Alex Zorn, Jan. 2, 2018

Category:

• Drunk Driving Accidents