Man receives sentence after victim paralyzed in DUI accident

On Behalf of | Nov 17, 2016 | Drunk Driving Accidents |

Drive driving accidents can devastate the lives of victims. In a Southern Florida courtroom, a man was recently sentenced for paralyzing a 57-year old woman in a drunk driving accident. The 31-year old man was sentenced to 12 years for the DUI, reckless driving and drug charges he was facing related to the drunk driving accident. The victim of the drunk driving accident was left a paraplegic and continues to struggle and suffer pain as a result of the drunk driving accident.

The victim was hospitalized for a year following the accident, including being in a coma for two months while on a respirator, and was then moved into a building for disabled individuals and seniors. The victim expressed difficulty realizing that she would suffer from the disability that resulted from the accident for the rest of her life. The victim also detailed some of the challenges she faces as a result of the injuries she suffered in the accident, challenges she will continue to face in the future and the fact that the accident reduced her lifespan.

She also expressed pain concerning her brother’s death while she was recovering from the accident and her inability to visit him or attend his funeral. She missed other important family events because of the impact of the accident. In addition, her mother suffers from memory loss so she must continually repeat what happened to her mother and relive it. Victims of drunk driving accidents can face staggering physical, financial and emotional damages.

Drunk drivers may not only face criminal consequences for their actions but may also face civil liability to their victims and be required to compensate them for the damages they have suffered. The civil legal process provides personal injury options to victims injured in a drunk driving accident to help them receive compensation for the medical expenses, lost earnings, loss of enjoyment of life and pain and suffering damages they have suffered because of a drunk driving accident.

Source: Sun Sentinel, “DUI driver sentenced to 12 years in crash that left woman paralyzed,” Erika Pesantes, Oct. 27, 2016

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attorneys Brad Culpepper and Brett J. Kurland