According to MS News Now, a 21-year-old woman who caused a fatal drunk driving collision back in 2014 just received a 25-year prison sentence for felony DUI. According to police, the woman was driving with one passenger, a 21-year-old man, at the time of the accident.
After the collision, police claim they found the woman wandering by the road before they located her car and the passenger’s body at the scene. Officials were able to determine that the woman’s vehicle crossed into the opposite lane of traffic before flipping over and crashing.
The woman apologized to the victim’s family during the sentencing. She will serve at least 13 years in prison, as well as five years of probation upon her release.
If you sustained serious injuries while riding as a passenger in someone else’s vehicle, you may be entitled to compensation for any damages that you incurred. To discuss your situation with a car wreck lawyer and determine the best way to proceed, contact Ballard Law, PLLC.
William E. Ballard will gather evidence, interview witnesses, and help you pursue the maximum compensation for medical bills, lost income, and non-economic damages. Call 769-572-5111 to schedule a free case evaluation with a Jackson personal injury attorney.
What Are My Rights as a Passenger in a Collision?
If you are injured in a collision as a passenger, you can pursue compensation by filing a personal injury claim. That’s true even if your driver was the person who caused the crash.
A personal injury attorney can assess the circumstances of your collision to help you determine which parties may be liable for the damages you incurred. Depending on the facts of your case, you may have grounds for a claim against multiple drivers. The right to sue both motorists is beneficial if you sustained injuries so severe that they resulted in damages that exceed each driver’s policy limits. In such a scenario, you may still be able to secure full compensation by suing both motorists, as long as they were both liable.
Can a Passenger Ever Be Liable for a Collision?
Passengers typically cannot be held liable for causing a collision, but they do hold some responsibility for assuming certain risks. For example, if your friend is obviously inebriated but you get into his or her vehicle anyway, you are assuming the risk of a drunk driving collision.
If your drunk friend did end up causing an accident, you may not be able to recover full compensation for the damages you incurred. Mississippi awards damages on a pure comparative negligence basis, which means the amount that you can recover corresponds to your percentage of fault. If a jury determined you were 40 percent responsible for your injuries because you knowingly got into a vehicle being driven by an impaired driver, you would only be able to recover 60 percent of the damages awarded.
If you sustained injuries when riding as a passenger in someone else’s vehicle and you want to sue the liable party, turn to Ballard Law, PLLC. Call 769-572-5111 to schedule a free consultation with a car wreck lawyer in Jackson. You can learn more about car accident claims in Mississippi by visiting USAttorneys.com.
