Impaired driving is a concern throughout the Kansas City metropolitan area and the rest of Kansas. Many intoxicated drivers believe think are still able to drive their vehicle without a problem. When drunk drivers are on the road, their reactions are slower than they think and their driving can become impaired. Sadly, the lives of other motorists sharing the road with drunk drivers are put at risk.
This was likely the situation in a recent tragic accident covered by KCTV 5. The station reported that on Aug. 30 a woman had filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the drunk driver who caused her son’s death in a 2013 crash in Kansas City, Kansas, and the bar that allegedly over-served alcohol to the driver before the incident.
It was alleged that on the early morning of Sept. 18, 2013, a 68-year-old Kansas City man was turning onto 7th Street Trafficway from I-35 when his vehicle collided with a northbound pickup truck driven by the alleged drunk driver. Police said the intoxicated driver ran a red light. The man was pronounced dead at the scene. The allegedly drunk driver was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries and was charged with DUI. According to the lawsuit, the driver was negligent for driving with BAC level of over .08, and the bar was negligent for over-serving the driver even when he was visibly intoxicated.
People are aware of the consequences of operating a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol, yet some people still choose to drive while intoxicated. Alcohol can impair the driver’s ability to react to dangers on the road, cause the driver to fall asleep at the wheel, and may cloud their decision-making faculties. Unfortunately, drunk driving accidents are far too common in the Kansas City metro area.
The family members of innocent people killed in DUI accidents may feel that criminal charges against drunk drivers are not enough. Intoxicated drivers may not mean to harm anyone, but there’s a good reason why driving under the influence is illegal. Often, innocent victims pay the greatest price in DUI wrecks.
Proof of drunk driving and running a red light may be a compelling case of negligence. While the victim’s family members may be entitled to compensation under the Kansas no-fault auto insurance system, they may also have valid grounds to seek additional compensation against the defendants though a negligence claim.
In some cases of drunk driving accidents that resulted in serious injuries and fatalities, punitive damages may also be awarded to the plaintiffs in order to punish the defendants and to deter them and others from committing the same wrongful conduct. Crash victims may seek the legal assistance of a Kansas accident attorney to determine the legal options available to them.
