Archives : drunk driving accident
Woman Killed in Drunk Driving Accident in Costa Mesa
At least two people have been arrested in a drunk driving accident that occurred over the weekend in Costa Mesa. The accident killed one woman. According to police, a Toyota Tundra was fleeing the scene of an accident in Santa Ana. The Tundra ran a red light at an intersection, and struck a Toyota Corolla. The passenger side of the Corolla took the full impact of the crash.
A 20-year-old woman who was sitting in the front passenger seat in the Corolla, was killed instantly. The 21-year-old driver Hao A Nguyen sustained minor injuries, and was treated at the Western Medical Center in Santa Ana. The driver of the Toyota Tundra, Costa Mesta resident Gustavo Vega was arrested at the scene of the accident. He has been booked on suspicion of murder, vehicular manslaughter, and other charges.
Every year, intoxicated driving kills more people in California than any other crash factor. The fight against driving under the influence is far from over. Even though California has made substantial progress in containing DUI crash rates, there is a long way to go. A recent survey this month shows that California still has a lot of work ahead of it, The survey revealed that a surprising number of California cities were featured in a list of the most drunk cities in the country. The city of Fresno in fact, earns for itself the tag of being the most inebriated city in the country.
Men’s Health Magazine, which compiled the list, took a number of factors into consideration to arrive at the names on the list. One of these factors was the number of drunk driving accidents. Granted, DUI crash rates were not the only factor taken in mind while compiling the list. Other factors like the number of deaths from alcohol-related liver disorders were also considered. But the list has made media headlines, and has made more than a few Californians, including those in Fresno and the other cities on the list, uncomfortable.
Drunk driving kills more than a thousand people in California every year. A big step forward in curbing DUI crash fatality rates would be requiring ignition interlock devices on all vehicles of DUI offenders, even those convicted for the very first time. A pilot program on in Los Angeles, Tulare, Alameda, and Sacramento counties currently requires that this device be installed in all vehicles of all DUI offenders. This seems to be a practice run, and if the program is found to be successful, then it will be expanded to cover the rest of California.
Car accident lawyers in California have been very supportive of this program. More steps need to be taken to deal with the problem of repeat drunk driving, and the laws make it too easy for a person convicted of DUI to drive again.
Not surprisingly, the program has critics, especially those connected with the alcohol and beverage industry. The American Beverage Institute believes the program is not necessary first time DUI offenders. California personal injury lawyers would disagree. Too many lives are lost every year in alcohol-related car crashes for legislators to slow down pressure on such motorists.
The Reeves Law Group is a law firm with offices throughout California dedicated exclusively to the representation of personal injury victims, including victims of drunk driving accidents. Please visit our website at trlglaw.com. If you desire a free consultation on a personal injury matter, please call us at (800) 644-8000 or email us.
The Reeves Law Group is not acting as legal counsel for any party in the matters discussed in this posting.
Attorneys Close to Plea Deal in Fatal Orville Drunk Driving Accident
Lawyers say they may be able to resolve a fatal drunk driving accident case which occurred last year in Orville.
Fabian Aguayo was driving a pickup truck that crashed into a Toyota south on Highway 99 in September last year. Ismael Curiel Topete was driving his wife and his 6-year-old daughter in the Toyota at the time of the crash. Topete suffered serious injuries in the accident, and died at the scene. Both his wife and daughter were seriously injured. Aguayo had been charged in the accident, and has waived a pretrial hearing.
Hamilton city-resident Aguayo had allegedly been drinking at a club north of Chico, just before he began driving and crashed into the Toyota. Employees at the Centerfolds Gentleman’s Club on Highway 99 attempted to stop him from driving away, but he drove right off. About a mile later, he made a sudden U turn, and began driving south before hitting the Toyota head on.
Drunk Driving Crash Damages in California
Victims of drunk driving accidents may hold the other motorist responsible for the accident. Driving under the influence of alcohol or a drug constitutes negligence, and a motorist can be held accountable for his actions not just in a criminal court, but also through a civil action.
Damages can include
Reimbursement of Medical Expenses
A drunk driving accident can often result in serious injuries. Very often, these are high impact accidents that may also involve speeding. Victims may need extensive hospitalization, surgeries, physical therapy and rehabilitation. Injuries that are severe may necessitate making changes to the victim’s house and the vehicle. These modifications can include a specially equipped car to enable the victim to be as mobile as possible, even with his injury. Victims who suffer from serious injuries like brain injuries or spinal cord fractures may also be in need of 24-hour care and assistance.
Lost Income
Even when injuries are minor, the victim of an alcohol-related accident could stand to lose many days off work. A benefits package will compensate him for the loss of this wages.
Pain and Suffering
These damages are meant to compensate for the pain and anguish that a victim suffered. It’s hard to place a monetary value on this experience, and an auto accident lawyer in California will be able to arrive at a suitable claim amount after discussing the options with you.
Property Damage
Damage to your vehicle can be massive in an alcohol-related accident. Damages can help cover the cost of such expenses.
Damages for medical costs, lost wages, pain and suffering and property damage fall under the category of compensatory damages. These are meant to compensate the victim for all the losses he suffered as a result of the other person’s negligence. However, in cases where the negligence has been severe, a court may decide to award punitive damages. These are not meant to compensate victims, but are awarded to punish the defendant for his negligence. These are also known as exemplary damages.
The Reeves Law Group is a law firm with offices throughout California dedicated exclusively to the representation of personal injury victims, including victims of drunk driving accidents. Please visit our website at trlglaw.com. If you desire a free consultation on a personal injury matter, please call us at (800) 644-8000 or email us.
The Reeves Law Group is not acting as legal counsel for any party in the matters discussed in this posting.
Sisters in Bakersfield Drunk Driving Accident Awarded Damages of $31 Million
Two sisters in Bakersfield have been awarded a massive verdict of more than $31 million in a drunk driving accident. The two sisters, Marta Perez and Rosie Landeros however, don’t believe that the award will make them feel whole again.
The accident occurred on June 15th, 2007. The sisters were in a Honda Civic, on their way out for an evening together. Just south of Bakersfield, the Honda was struck by a pickup truck driven by Gustavo Davalo Torres. He was driving under the influence when he blew a stop sign and crashed into the Civic. Torres was driving a pickup for Pala Rosa farms.
Rosie Landeros, who was driving the Civic, took the brunt of the impact. A California Highway Patrol Officer, who happened to be nearby, came to the aid of the victims. Torres first told the California Highway Patrol that he had drunk two beers. He later told the attorney for the two sisters, that he had had four beers. However, experts from the crime lab testified that for Torres to be as drunk as he was, he had to have drunk between 8 and 12 beers.
At the time of the accident, Landeros was a 16-year-old student at Arvin High School. Her dream was to become a nurse, and like any 16-year-old, she had a buzzing social life. She is now confined to a walker, and her left leg has virtually no strength. Her left arm is still bent from the impact of the crash, and she suffers from memory loss. She has no control over emotions and judgment abilities. Perez also suffered brain injuries, but has since recovered enough to go back to work.
Attorneys for the two sisters had asked for up to $300 million in damages. However, defense lawyers for Torres and the farm’s insurance company asked for an amount between $7 and 8 million. The two sisters have now been awarded more than $31 million, believed to be the largest personal injury verdict in Kern County. Perez was awarded $100,000, while her sister who suffered serious brain injuries in the crash, received the rest.
The Reeves Law Group is a law firm with offices throughout California dedicated exclusively to the representation of personal injury victims, including victims of drunk driving accidents. Please visit our website at trlglaw.com. If you desire a free consultation on a personal injury matter, please call us at (800) 644-8000 or email us.
The Reeves Law Group is not acting as legal counsel for any party in the matters discussed in this posting.
California Increases Focus on Drunk Driving Accident Prevention
The state of California will crack down especially hard on intoxicated motorists in the year 2010. The California Office of Traffic Safety will fund more than 2,500 sobriety checkpoints this year. That is 47 percent more checkpoints than in 2009. In fact, according to the Ventura County Star, 2010 will be the Year of the Checkpoint.
One hundred forty eight law enforcement agencies across California received approximately $8 million to conduct 250 sobriety checkpoints over the December holiday season, right through the 3rd of January. That funding was an increase from $5 million the previous year. California already has more numbers of checkpoints than any other state in the country. According to officials with the Office of Traffic Safety, drunk driving accident deaths have dropped since the state began increasing funding for sobriety checkpoints in 2006.
These funding grants for checkpoints will be allocated based on the need for checkpoints in that area. For instance, Oxnard had 197 deaths in drunk driving accidents in 2008. The city was ranked at first place in an analysis of 55 cities in California in DUI accident rates. Oxnard is therefore in line for more funds for checkpoints. The city is due for a $357,000 grant to boost anti drunk driving efforts. The city will be using these grants to conduct 16 sobriety checkpoints and a dozen saturation patrols through September 30th 2007.
California drunk driving accident lawyers agree that sobriety checkpoints act as an effective deterrent to drunk driving. Across the country, state law enforcement agencies are seeing that education awareness efforts on their own, may not do much to bring about a drop in DUI fatality rates. However, when the education campaigns are combined with sobriety checkpoints and saturation patrols, there is a much higher chance of success in combating drunk driving.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there has been a drop of 7 percent in drunk driving accident rates across the country. California has seen a drop of 9 percent in its DUI accident rates. Much of the credit must go to law enforcement agencies, who pull over suspected intoxicated motorists to make sure they are off the streets. There has also been a sustained effort in California to target anti DUI efforts toward vulnerable sections of the motorist population like teen drivers. The California Highway Patrol frequently conducts awareness campaigns, targeting teen motorists and partners with local law enforcement agencies to reach more numbers of teens. Teen motorists are at a higher risk of intoxicated driving, and the state has done a great job targeting these motorists.
However, even with additional sobriety checkpoints and other activities, there still continue to be large numbers of motorists in California who think nothing of driving when they are under the influence. These motorists were responsible for the more than 1,000 deaths that occurred in drunk driving accidents in California last year.
The Reeves Law Group is a law firm with offices throughout California dedicated exclusively to the representation of personal injury victims, including victims of drunk driving accidents. Please visit our website at trlglaw.com. If you desire a free consultation on a personal injury matter, please call us at (800) 644-8000 or email us.
The Reeves Law Group is not acting as legal counsel for any party in the matters discussed in this posting.
San Francisco Court Upholds Murder Conviction in Drunk Driving Accident
A Windsor man, who was convicted in a fatal drunk driving accident and sentenced to 43 years to life in prison, has had his appeal turned down by an appeals court in San Francisco.
47-year-old Arnold Silva had been driving the car that was involved in the accident that killed Marian Tumbaga. On the day of the accident, Silva had been drinking for several hours at a bar. When he tried to leave, another patron at the bar and a bartender told him he was in no condition to drive. Another patron tried hard to prevent him from getting behind the wheel of his a Chevrolet Suburban. However, those efforts were unsuccessful, and Silva drove his vehicle onto the highway. A few minutes later, his vehicle crashed into the rear of a Ford Escort driven by 39-year-old Ukiah resident Tumbaga.
The impact of the accident caused Tumbaga to be ejected from her car, which then rolled over, crushing her to death. Silva fled the scene of the accident, but police arrested him the next day. He was charged with murder in Tumbaga’s death. Prosecutors claim that he was aware of the risks of drunk driving. He had five previous convictions for drunk driving, and as part of sentencing for one of those convictions, he had been ordered to take a 15-week program on the dangers of drunk driving. As part of the program, he was made aware that drunk driving could kill others.
Silva was convicted in 2007 of second degree murder, driving under the influence of alcohol, gross vehicular manslaughter and leaving the scene of a fatal accident. He was sentenced to 43 years in prison. The sentence included 30 years handed down for second degree murder, and 13 years for fleeing the seen of the accident. Silva appealed to the Court of Appeal in San Francisco. He claimed that the jury in his trial should not have been told statements that he had made to police after he had been arrested. He also claimed that pictures of Tumbaga’s body should not have been shown to the jury. However, the three-judge panel has rejected his appeal, saying that they found overwhelming evidence that Silva was aware of the dangerous consequences of drinking and driving, but chose to disregard these.
The court here has done the right thing by upholding Silva’s conviction. With five prior drunk driving convictions to his credit and participation in a drunk driving education program, Silva had sufficient knowledge about the dangers of drunk driving and the fact that such behavior could end in another motorist’s death. He disregarded that information, and it was Marian Tumbaga who had to pay the price.
We shouldn’t have to wait until a convicted and known repeat drunk driving offender kills someone in a tragic accident to wake up to the reality that such motorists are highly likely to end up causing injuries or fatal accidents. With five DUI convictions, Silva had no business being behind the wheel of his car, let alone driving drunk.
The Reeves Law Group is a law firm with offices throughout California dedicated exclusively to the representation of personal injury victims, including victims of drunk driving accidents. Please visit our website at trlglaw.com. If you desire a free consultation on a personal injury matter, please call us at (800) 644-8000 or email us.
The Reeves Law Group is not acting as legal counsel for any party in the matters discussed in this posting.
Repeat Drunk Driver Convicted in Fatal Long Beach Car Accident
Repeat offenders are far more likely to end up causing a serious or fatal accident. A Long Beach resident with a record of drunk driving has been convicted in a fatal car accident that left his passenger dead. According to the Orange County Register, 25-year-old Ivan Gandarilla was found guilty of one felony count of second degree murder. Gandarilla will be sentenced on the 18th of September, and could be looking at a maximum term of 15 years.
On February 16th last year, Gandarilla and his friend Fernando Flores were driving in the former’s Mitsubishi Eclipse. At some point, as the Eclipse exited the I-605 freeway at Katella Avenue, he suddenly turned left into the Los Alamitos race course on Sibony Street and right in front of a Chevy Tahoe. The Tahoe driver crashed into the passenger side door of the Eclipse. Flores who was sitting in the passenger seat suffered multiple trauma injuries, and died. Of the four occupants of the Tahoe, one passenger suffered minor injures.
When Gandarilla was subjected to blood alcohol tests after the accident, his BAC levels were found to be .17 percent. That is more than twice the legally allowed limit of .08 percent. Gandarilla has a long record of DUI offences. In 2005, he had been convicted for driving under the influence of alcohol in Los Angeles County. As part of his sentencing in that conviction, Gandarilla had to undergo educational programs about the dangers of drunk driving. Six months later, Gandarilla was involved in yet another accident, this time a solo vehicle alcohol-related crash in Los Angeles County. In that particular accident, Gandarilla’s blood alcohol level was .33 percent. Obviously the drunk driving education program failed to make any impact on him. Criminal charges are pending in that case.
Studies show that repeat drunk driving offenders are more likely to cause an accident that ends in severe injuries or fatalities. First time offenders in California can face fines and license suspensions. However, lack of enforcement makes it too easy for these offenders to be driving even with a suspended license. Light punishment only serves to embolden these offenders to drive drunk again with serious consequences.
As of July 1st, California has made the installation of ignition interlock devices in vehicles mandatory for drivers who are caught driving on a suspended license due to a prior drunk driving offence. The Department of Motor Vehicles has the authority to require these drivers to get an ignition interlock device installed on vehicles owned or operated by the offender. The devices will remain installed between one and three years.
The device works by detecting alcohol in the breath, and preventing the vehicle from starting when alcohol is detected. Experts believe that the new rule will have a far-reaching impact. A person arrested for driving under a suspended license by DUI will now be unable to drive on their own, and it is estimated that up to 20,000 drivers a year may be impacted by the law.
The Reeves Law Group is a law firm with offices throughout California dedicated exclusively to the representation of personal injury victims, including victims of drunk driving accidents. Please visit our website at trlglaw.com. If you desire a free consultation on a personal injury matter, please call us at (800) 644-8000 or email us.
The Reeves Law Group is not acting as legal counsel for any party in the matters discussed in this posting.
Drunk Driver to Face Murder Charges in Accident that Killed Moreno Valley Musician
An alleged drunk driver, who was responsible for a head-on accident that killed a popular Moreno Valley musician and injured two others, will face trial on second-degree murder, manslaughter and other charges.
On April 19th Silverio Romero was driving a Ford Explorer on southbound Interstate 15 when he was pulled over for speeding. Romero sped off driving at 100mph and recklessly driving between lanes. A little while later, the Explorer crossed lines, and into an eastbound lane. The Explorer collided head on with a Toyota truck driven by Moreno Valley-resident 27-year-old Douglas Tarry.
Romero continued driving westward on the eastbound lane before the Explorer finally crashed into a Ford truck. The truck was carrying James and Jennifer Riley. The Explorer then overturned, and crashed down the embankment. Douglas Tarry suffered serous injuries, and was air lifted to the hospital, but died a short while later. At the time of the accident, Tarry was on his way home to Moreno Valley after celebrating his sister’s birthday with her in Oceanside. Douglas had, ironically enough, stayed overnight after the party because he didn’t want to drive home drunk. He only left the following evening when he had sobered up, and was hit by a drunk Romero. Romero suffered serious injuries in the accident, and had one of his legs severed below the knee. James and Jennifer Riley suffered minor injuries in the accident.
During a preliminary hearing on the 6th of July, the judge determined that Romero must face trial on charges of murder, gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, felony DUI injury, felony evading causing bodily injury and driving without a valid license. A trial date will be set on the 15th of December.
Accidents involving wrong way drivers are rare, accounting for about 300 deaths every year. However, these accidents tend to be some of the most devastating ones with severe consequences. That’s because people who are driving the right way may not be able to avoid the wrong way driver in time, leading to a serious accident. The head-on collision that usually results because of wrong way driving can have a devastating impact, leaving victims with serious injuries.
There are several reasons why a person could be driving in the opposite direction to the traffic. As we see in the accident here, drunk driving or driving under the influence of drugs is a huge factor in wrong way driving accidents. A person who is driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs is more likely to make errors while reading signs and end up in the wrong lane. Other times, these accidents are the result of simple error. Transportation authorities are required to make available appropriate signage, so that motorists don’t end up in the wrong lane, and place themselves and others at risk for injuries.
Romero’s drunk driving has cost the life of a talented and creative individual with a bright future. The judge has made the correct decision here.
The Reeves Law Group is a law firm with offices throughout California dedicated exclusively to the representation of personal injury victims, including victims of drunk driving accidents. Please visit our website at trlglaw.com. If you desire a free consultation on a personal injury matter, please call us at (800) 644-8000 or email us.
The Reeves Law Group is not acting as legal counsel for any party in the matters discussed in this posting.
Ventura County Drunk Driving Accident Trial Under Way
A 23-year-old man is on trial in Ventura County on murder charges related to an alcohol-linked car accident that occurred in 2006.
On October 28th that year, Lester Varnum allegedly drove a truck into two men one of whom was killed. David Sosa died in the collision while Felipe Arujo was injured. Arujo has testified that Varnum was driving the car that slammed into him and Sosa. According to Arujo’s testimony he, Varnum, Sosa and another man called Noe Lopez were drinking at the restaurant where they worked after it had closed for the night. Varnum was intoxicated, and the three men decided to drive him home. They dropped Varnum outside his front door but he was unable to get into the house because nobody was home. Apparently, the men then decided that Lopez would drive Sosa and Arujo home, and would return the truck back to Varnum the next day.
When the three got back into the truck, Varnum flew into a rage. According to Arujo, the inebriated man believed that the three were trying to steal his truck. Varnum pulled open the door of the truck and in a fit of rage, dragged Lopez out. The two began to fight. When Varnum was finally overpowered, the three began to walk back home, leaving Varnum and his truck behind. Varnum didn’t let the matter rest there. He got back into the truck and drove after the three men. According to Arujo, he and Sosa began to run but they couldn’t outrun the truck. Varnum slammed the truck into Sosa and Arujo. Sosa died instantly.
Varnum is claiming a head injury that caused him to lose consciousness and strike his car against the two men. His attorney insists that his client was kicked in the head by Lopez during the fight, and lost consciousness for a while. Apparently, he was not aware of his actions when he ran over Sosa. According to the attorney, he was not conscious even though he “appeared to be functional.”
Varnum has his rights to his defense, however, this seems like a case of road rage gone horribly far. Road rage can be defined as aggressive driving by a motorist that can cause harm to other motorists. It can run the gamut from cursing and yelling at other motorists and making rude gestures at them, to trying to run a driver off the road, cutting them off unexpectedly and other potentially dangerous behaviors.
A driver in the throes of road rage may slam on the brakes suddenly, causing a motorist behind them to crash into their vehicle. Every year, there are hundreds and thousands of instances where motorists lose their cool on the road attempting to take out their frustrations on fellow motorists. Taken to the extreme, road rage can lead to severe injuries and even fatalities. Pedestrians and bicyclists seem to be the focus of road rage-related accidents more frequently than drivers of other vehicles.
The Reeves Law Group is a law firm with offices throughout California dedicated exclusively to the representation of personal injury victims, including victims of drunk driving accident. Please visit our website at trlglaw.com. If you desire a free consultation on a personal injury matter, please call us at (800) 644-8000 or email us.
The Reeves Law Group is not acting as legal counsel for any party in the matters discussed in this posting.
Hit and Run Driver Sentenced to One Year in Fatal Porterville Accident
A hit and run driver who struck and killed a motorcyclist in a drunk driving accident in May this year has been sentenced to one year in jail.
23-year-old Cayetano Mendez Vielma was the driver of a car that stuck 48-year-old motorcyclist Nolan Atchison. On the 9th of May, Atchison was driving his Kawasaki motorcycle at around 9:38pm, when Vielma turned in front of the motorcyclist. Atchison hit the right side of the car, and sustained serious injuries. He died a little while later. Vielma fled the scene of the accident, and was apprehended a short while later by police. He was charged with felony vehicular manslaughter, felony driving while intoxicated, and felony leaving the scene of the accident. He also had a misdemeanor for being an unlicensed driver. After his sentence of 365 days in jail is complete, Vielma will have to take part in a substance abuse treatment program that he will pay for. He will not be allowed to leave California, unless he has written permission from his probation officer.
The sentencing was an emotional affair with Atchison’s family and friends present in the courtroom. At least 9 statements were read out by his family members, including Atchison’s mother who showed the judge her son’s picture. Nolan Atchison leaves behind four children, aged between 11 and 7, and six siblings, besides his parents and wife.
For Atchison’s family, there can be little comfort in a one-year sentence for the death of their husband, father, son and brother at the hands of a drunk driver who didn’t even stop the car to offer their loved one any comfort or help after the crash. For the family, his death has been a life-altering experience, but his name will be just one of the thousands that are included when statistics of drunk driving fatalities are compiled every year. Life will never be the same again for the families of these thousands of victims, and all because a single intoxicated motorist was careless enough to drive after a few drinks without any regard to the safety of other people on the road.
California has tough laws against drunk driving, but they still need more bite. It’s too easy for a one-time drunk driving offender to get away with a slap on the wrist. This ensures that the motorist is emboldened enough to commit the same offense again.
For such drivers, a license suspension or a fine is barely the harsh punishment that driving under the influence calls for. We make it far too easy for drunk drivers to be driving on the streets again and able to harm other people. By the time our courts act to crack down on the motorist and put them away so they can’t harm other people again, it’s usually too late for victims like Nolan Atchison. For these victims, unlike the drunk drivers who kill them, there are no second chances in life.
The Reeves Law Group is a law firm with offices throughout California dedicated exclusively to the representation of personal injury victims, including victims of drunk driving accident. Please visit our website at trlglaw.com. If you desire a free consultation on a personal injury matter, please call us at (800) 644-8000 or email us.
The Reeves Law Group is not acting as legal counsel for any party in the matters discussed in this posting.
Fontana Drunk Driver Sentenced in Fatal 2007 Accident
A Fontana man was sentenced last week to 15-years-to life in an alcohol-related car accident that occurred in Fontana in 2007.
34-year-old Cordono Octavio Cruz-Rivera was sentenced in a drunk driving accident that killed Katherine Lynn Aceves. On June 24th 2007, Cruz Rivera was at the wheel of his wife’s Nissan pickup which clipped the back of a Chevrolet Suburban. Driving the Suburban was Katherine Aceves. The Suburban went spinning out of control and crashed into two utility poles, before ending up in a culvert next to the freeway. Aceves was killed at the scene of the crash. Her husband survived the car accident.
Blood alcohol tests conducted on Cruz-Rivera revealed a blood alcohol level of .17 which is more than twice the legally allowed limit of .08. Cruz-Rivera had two prior drunk driving convictions. He had been convicted of drunk driving in 2004 and 2005. As part of sentencing for those convictions, he had been made to attend alcohol counseling sessions where he had been warned that if he drove in an intoxicated state, he could kill someone. In fact, Cruz Rivera had participated in close to 75 such counseling sessions.
On the day of the accident that killed Aceves, Cruz-Rivera testified that he had consumed about 8 beers at a family party. However, he testified that he did not feel he was a danger to anyone because of his drunk driving.
Cruz-Rivera has been sentenced to 15 years-to-life for the second-degree murder of Katherine Aceves. As a driver with prior drunk driving convictions who had been made to undergo counseling sessions warning him about the dangers of drunk driving, Cruz Rivera can’t claim that he was not aware of the hazards of driving while intoxicated.
Every year, thousands of people like Katherine Aceves die needless deaths when they are involved in an accident with a drunk driver. These drivers make just one mistake, if you can call it that, they were in the path of an intoxicated motorist who was too reckless to have someone drive him home after one drink too many.
Families of victims of drunk driving accidents may be eligible for wrongful death damages. These can include funeral and burial expenses, loss of any potential future earnings etc. Damages may not be just monetary in nature, but can also include non-monetary damages like the survivor’s loss of consortium. This refers to loss of affection, and are usually claimed by survivors who have lost a spouse in an accident.
While monetary damages can be calculated, non-monetary ones may not be that easy to calculate. That’s because it’s hard to place a value on the kind of companionship the deceased provided, or in the kind of loss his or her death caused to the survivors. A California personal injury attorney can help survivors define a claim amount so they can receive justice for their losses.
The Reeves Law Group is a law firm with offices throughout California dedicated exclusively to the representation of personal injury victims, including victims of drunk driving accidents. Please visit our website at trlglaw.com. If you desire a free consultation on a personal injury matter, please call us at (800) 644-8000 or email us.
The Reeves Law Group is not acting as legal counsel for any party in the matters discussed in this posting.