Drunk driving accidents are always dangerous, but may be especially serious when the accidents are pedestrian accidents. Pedestrians have no protection from crash impact forces, so when they are struck by intoxicated drivers, injuries could be severe, permanent, or even fatal. Pedestrians and family members of walkers who are hurt or killed in pedestrian collisions need to know what their legal options are if the driver who struck them is drunk.
One recent pedestrian accident involving an intoxicated driver has resulted in the arrest of the intoxicated motorist and has left a teenager with serious injuries necessitating surgery. The accident shows how serious pedestrian crashes can be when someone who is drunk makes a dangerous choice to get behind the wheel.
WKRG reported on the recent Mobile, AL pedestrian accident which seriously injured a pedestrian. The accident happened on Dauphin Island Parkway near the intersection of Wiggins Drive and Staples Road. The incident occurred at around 9:30 PM.
A 60-year-old motorist was driving at around 9:30 when she struck a teenager who had recently graduated from highs school and enlisted in the Army National Guard. The driver was arrested by Mobile police and arraigned on charges of driving while under the influence of alcohol.
The teen motorist, who was hurt in the crash had to have surgery for doctors to put rods in his legs. He reportedly also experienced a broken pelvis, a broken nose, and swelling in his brain. He is trying to talk, but has not been able to do so, and his parents indicated to WKRG that it is not clear how long it will take the young man to recover from the pedestrian accident.
The costs associated with surgery and with brain injury rehabilitation can often be very high, especially if the brain injury caused serious cognitive impairment. The victim may need to relearn basic skills, depending upon the extent of damage to his brain, and may never recover fully or stop experience traumatic brain injury symptoms. The extent of his injuries or the necessary recovery has not yet been made clear.
Whatever his situation, he is, unfortunately, one of many pedestrians whose life is changed forever by a drunk driver. Drunk drivers are a danger to everyone, but can be especially likely to badly hurt pedestrians. Pedestrians are harder to see than cars, so drunk drivers who have delayed reaction times and impaired focus may either not notice the pedestrians or may notice and react too late to stop striking them. Crashes also often happen at higher speeds because intoxicated drivers aren’t able to react like other motorists would to slam on the brakes before hitting pedestrians. All of this means a greater chance of grave harm.
When serious injuries result from pedestrian accidents caused by motorists who are impaired, a claim should be made by victims or family members of victims to get compensation. Crash damages for serious injuries can help to pay for things like brain injury rehab and surgery, both of which the recent accident victim will need and both of which many other DUI pedestrian accident victims also require.
