New York City residents who are injured in car accidents as a result of someone else’s negligence are justified under the law to seek personal injury compensation, even in a hit and run accident. Unfortunately in cases of a hit and run car accident, this isn’t always possible as sometimes those that leave the scene of an accident are never found. For one case however, New York State troopers were able to locate an individual involved in a hit and run, and this may only be the beginning of her legal troubles.
A car accident occurred on the evening of October 2 in the Town of Rhinebeck. Details of the accident are unclear, though State Troopers reported responding to a hit and run accident. The vehicle that fled the scene of the accident was later located on Slate Quarry Road.
When the troopers found the vehicle involved, they detected alcohol on the breath of the driver. The driver was a 48-year-old New York City woman and was carrying a 13-year-old passenger at the time. The woman was unable to perform field sobriety tests, and her BAC tested at .16 percent. The driver was charged with DWI and aggravated DWI for having a passenger under the age of 16 in the vehicle.
It is not known whether the woman driving this vehicle was the one that caused the hit and run, or was simply a vehicle that fled the scene of the accident. Even so, someone was injured in the accident that started this police hunt, and that individual may be entitled to damages as a result of someone else’s negligence. If this woman was the negligent driver, and alcohol was a factor in her negligence, the other party has a good case for seeking personal injury damages. Not every personal injury case is cut and dry, and an experienced personal injury lawyer can assist others involved in situations like this to deconstruct the scene of an accident and pursue appropriate measures to seek personal injury compensation when someone else is found to be negligent.
Source: Your News Now, “Woman was driving drunk with child in the car,” Oct. 4, 2011
