Seattle Injury Lawyer Blog
The Washington State Patrol alleged that an 86-year-old man was driving drunk while traveling the wrong way on Interstate 5 in Tacoma on Nov. 10. According to officers, they were dispatched to the area around 10:35 p.m. after receiving calls regarding a wrong-way driver in the southbound lanes of the highway.
Troopers reported that the man, who was driving an SUV, hit a southbound minivan before hitting a sedan head-on. A 36-year-old female passenger in the sedan was injured. Emergency responders transported her to St. Joseph Hospital for treatment.
Troopers placed the elderly man under arrest and took him into custody on suspicion of DUI. He may also face charges of vehicular assault. The accident forced the closure of two lanes of the interstate while police completed their investigation and cleaned up the accident debris.
When people receive auto injuries in an accident caused by a drunk driver, they may be able to hold the driver civilly liable by filing a personal injury lawsuit. Drunk drivers whose wrongful actions result in such injuries may be ordered to pay damages to victims. Victims may be able to recover compensation for property damage, the cost of medical treatment, lost wages from work, pain and suffering and other economic and non-economic compensatory damages. In some cases, people may be able to recover punitive damages as well. Those who are injured may benefit by speaking with a personal injury attorney about the individual facts of their case.
Source: KOMOnews.com, “WSP: Drunk wrong-way driver, 86, triggers crash on I-5”, November 11, 2014