A man with previous convictions for driving under the influence of alcohol is facing a new DUI charge after being arrested for causing an accident with injuries at the intersection of Quay and Elwood roads in Suffolk, Virginia (VA). The Suffolk News-Herald has reported that police also charged the at-fault driver with felony hit-and-run because even though the man stopped immediately after the collision, he fled into a swampy area when officers reached the crash scene and had to be chased and apprehended on foot.
Reports on the December 18, 2011, accident related no details on the extent of the other driver’s injuries or the person’s health status. As Virginia personal injury attorneys who have represented hundreds of people hurt in wrecks caused by drivers impaired by drugs and alcohol, though, we know that DUI accidents often result in serious injuries. We certainly wish the victim a speedy and full recovery.
Should the person injured by the alleged drunk driver’s negligence and irresponsibly need to file a personal injury lawsuit to recover monetary and punitive damages to pay medical bills and replace lost wages, he or she would do well to track the progress of the criminal charges for the at-fault driver. While facts about convictions cannot be entered into evidence during civil cases, information about blood-alcohol content, police reports and even witness statements can be used by an injury lawyer to help a client receive fair compensation.
EJL