Suspected DUI Driver Crashes Van in Stockton, 6 Passengers Killed
A terrible and fatal multi-victim car accident rocked the Stockton area earlier this fall, and the frightening case raises questions among many Stockton-area residents about their rights if they are a passenger in a car driven by a drunk or intoxicated driver that causes a car accident. According to local news reports, on Sunday September 7, the driver of a minivan, who was suspected to have been under the influence of alcohol, crashed into a tree. The dangerous accident happened near the area of 6198 Pope Valley Road in Napa County. According to reports, the minivan was traveling southbound on Pope Valley Road when it left the roadway for reasons unknown, and crashed. Six people were reported to have been killed at the scene of the accident. The driver, a 53-year-old man from Stockton, was taken to the hospital with major injuries. At the time of the most recent reports, the crash was still under investigation.
The Rights of Passenger-Victims in Stockton DUI Car Accident Cases
The dangerous accident that killed six people in Stockton raises an important question in the minds of many Stockton-area residents: what rights and options do Stockton car accident victims have under California laws when they are a passenger in the vehicle that caused the accident? First, it is important for Stockton passenger-victims to know that typically when you are a passenger in a vehicle driven by someone else, you generally do not share fault for how that vehicle was operated, unless you had some role in causing the crash. Indeed, in a DUI car accident in Stockton, victim-passengers injured through no fault of their own often have stronger claims because the driver’s intoxication is a clear violation of law and standard duty of care. As a passenger, you may pursue a personal injury claim for compensation including medical expenses, pain and suffering, lost wages, and other losses, regardless of your relationship to the driver. The driver’s liability does not disappear simply because you were a friend or family member. Instead, what really matters is proving that the driver was negligent or reckless, or otherwise at fault (for example, driving while intoxicated), and that this conduct caused your injuries.
Getting Help with Your Stockton Car Accident Case
It is important for Stockton car accident victims to know that working with an experienced Stockton car accident lawyer can significantly increase your chances of getting compensation due to you under California personal injury laws. An experienced Stockton car accident lawyer knows the nuances that being a passenger-victim adds to a Stockton car accident lawsuit, and can navigate those and other complex issues throughout the litigation. An experienced Stockton car accident lawyer can fight to get compensation due to you under California laws.
If you are in the Modesto, California or Stockton, California area and you need legal help, contact the experienced Modesto, California and Stockton, California car accident lawyers at The Law Firm of R. Sam. Contact The Law Firm of R. Sam now and speak with an experienced Modesto, California and Stockton, California car accident lawyer about your case now.
Source:
fox40.com/news/local-news/drunk-driver-from-stockton-kills-6-people-in-california-crash-police-say/