Drunk Driving Accident

Accident investigators with the Florida Highway Patrol suspect that alcohol was a contributing factor in a recent early morning Orlando auto accident that claimed the life of a local man. Investigators say that the victim was a 27-year-old Orlando man who crashed and overturned his vehicle on North Powers Drive near Balboa Drive. Accident reconstruction specialists say the man was driving on the wrong side of the road and nearly hit a church van when his car jumped the curb and struck a telephone pole, which fell on top of the car. The victim’s car came to rest on its top in the middle of North Powers Drive, and the victim was pronounced dead from his injuries at the scene. The driver of the church van had to veer sharply to avoid being struck head-on by the oncoming car.

FHP Trooper Montague Haight said that the accident investigation would determine whether or not the victim had been drinking before the crash but admitted that preliminary signs indicated that drunk driving was a strong possibility.

“If you’re going to come out and drive your vehicle and you’re going to be out drinking make sure you have a designated driver. There’s no reason to get behind the wheel after you have had anything to drink. But if this accident was alcohol related again that’s going to be pending the investigation,” he said.

Orlando personal injury lawyer James O. Cunningham and other Central Florida auto accident attorneys take a very dim view of drunk drivers and for very good reasons. Drunk drivers caused auto accidents that killed 66 people in 2009 and injured dozens more, and driving while under the influence of alcohol is the very definition of negligence.

If you were injured in a car accident caused by a negligent driver, you have a right to seek damages against the driver and his or her insurance company. In many cases, injured people will be contacted by the at-fault driver’s insurance company and offered a modest sum in exchange for a signature on some documents. What these unfortunate folks don’t realize until it is too late that they are signing away their rights to seek damages. Before you sign anything, have it reviewed by an experienced Orlando personal injury attorney such as Mr. Cunningham. To schedule a free consultation, call 888-425-2004 or 407-425-2000 today.

A Flagler Beach woman is facing charges in connection with a 2010 car accident that gravely injured her grandson. Police say the 43-year-old woman and her grandson were traveling on Old Kings Road in Palm Coast on September 19, 2010 when she lost control of her vehicle. The vehicle collided with a telephone pole, and the collision was so violent that the car was split in two by the impact. The boy suffered critical injuries in the accident and was airlifted to Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children in Orlando, where doctors induced a coma that lasted nearly two weeks to save his life. The driver suffered minor injuries in the crash and, according to the Flagler County Clerk of Court, now faces felony charges of DUI and DUI with serious bodily injury.

The Florida Highway Patrol has filed citations in connection with the accident, but the State Attorney’s Office has not yet announced when or if they will file formal charges. FHP Lieutenant Bill Leeper recently issued an official statement in connection with the charges. He said, “The toxicology reports came back, and she had some drugs in her system. They were prescription drugs so we have to get the amount (of drugs in her system) quantified to determine if it rises to the level of impairment. She’ll be charged with something. (The charges) depend on the opinion about whether those drugs impaired her.”

Orlando personal injury lawyer has been following this case closely and was pleased to learn that the grandson recently finished a year of physical rehabilitation and is expected to rejoin his classmates in school in the near future. Mr. Cunningham has grown increasingly concerned about the rise in prescription medication-related auto accidents in Central Florida over the last few years and the number of people injured and killed in these accidents.

If you or a close family member has been injured in an accident caused by a driver under the influence of legal or illegal drugs, including alcohol, and you would like to explore your legal options, contact Mr. Cunningham today. During your free consultation, Mr. Cunningham will explain Florida laws in clear language so that you and your family can make informed decisions about which course of action will be best for you. Call him today at 888-425-2004 or 407-425-2000 to get an experienced Orlando personal injury attorney on your side!

A nearly head-on collision caused by a drunk driver traveling the wrong way on S.R. 528 has claimed the life of an Orlando man and injured his son. According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the 45-year-old victim and his 17-year-old son were traveling west on S.R.528 shortly after 10:00 p.m. on October 1 when a sport utility vehicle traveling in the wrong direction came straight at them. FHP troopers said the Ford explorer driven by the 42-year-old drunk driver was heading east in the westbound lanes when it struck the left front of the victim’s car. The collision forced the victim’s car to the shoulder of S.R. 528 where it spun and struck a palm tree.

The victim was pronounced dead at the accident scene. His son was taken to an area hospital for treatment for minor injuries. FHP troopers report that the drunk driver fled the accident scene but was later taken into custody and faces charges of DUI, manslaughter, leaving the scene of a crash involving a death, vehicular homicide and driving the wrong way on a roadway.

Given the amount of high-profile public safety campaigns against drunk driving, increased criminal penalties, occasional roadblocks, extensive coverage of drunk driving accidents in local media outlets and other deterrents in place to combat drunk driving, you may be pleased to learn that the problem is getting better. Indeed, from 1,106 people killed in Florida drunk driving accidents in 2005, the number is down sharply to 770 people killed by drunk drivers in 2009. Still, 770 lives lost due to drivers who recklessly and negligently endanger the lives of everyone else on the road because they choose to drink and drive is completely unacceptable. When that many people killed by drunk drivers is an improvement over previous years, it is clear that our state has a serious drunk driving problem.

If you or a close family member has been injured in an accident caused by a drunk driver and you need effective and experienced legal representation, call Orlando personal injury lawyer James O. Cunningham today. He has dedicated his law practice to helping injured people since 1977 and has a proven record of success helping clients receive the best possible outcome for their cases. Call 888-425-2004 or 407-425-2000 to schedule a free consultation, and get his skills and experience on your side!

Florida Highway Patrol officers investigating a rear-end crash involving a Lynx bus say that the driver of the car that struck the bus may have been drinking before the crash. Troopers are still waiting for toxicology test results in connection with the accident that occurred on August 25 around 9 p.m. Accident investigators say the suspect was driving a 2004 GMC Envoy that rear-ended the Lynx bus that had stopped on Semoran Boulevard near the intersection with Banchory Road to release passengers. Troopers also acknowledged that they had received earlier reports about the suspect diving in an erratic and unsafe manner before the crash.

Witnesses say the Lynx bus had stopped in the right lane of Semoran Boulevard with its lights on and flashing to release passengers when the suspect cut across all lanes of traffic and drove into the back of the bus. Accident investigators say the suspect suffered serious but not life-threatening injuries and that nine passengers on the bus, as well as the bus driver, suffered minor injuries in the accident.

According to statistics compiled by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 2,558 people were killed in auto accidents in our state in 2009. Of those killed, an astonishing 1,808 victims, or nearly 71 percent, lost their lives in auto accidents involving alcohol consumption. Florida ranks third in the country behind California and Texas, respectively, in total number of people injured and killed in alcohol related auto accidents. Despite all the increased awareness of the dangers, tougher criminal penalties, stepped-up enforcement and other measures taken to reduce drunk driving, some drivers continue to negligently drink and drive and endanger the lives of everyone on Florida roadways.

Have you been injured in an auto accident caused by a drunk driver? If so, you may be entitled to damages to help defray the costs of medical care, lost time at work, pain and suffering and other accident related expenses. Call 407-425-2000 or 888-425-2004 to schedule a free consultation with Orlando personal injury lawyer James O. Cunningham. He has been helping people receive the fair and just compensation they deserve since 1977 and has a proven record of success in drunk driving cases. For answers to your questions and an explanation of your rights and legal options, call him today to get an experienced Orlando personal injury attorney on your side!

An egregious case of drunk driving in St. Cloud, FL, shows a need for aggressive prosecution for repeat offenders in DUI/DWI situations. The Florida driver was sentenced to 11 years in prison after a fifth DUI violation resulted in a fatality. This case draws the attention of those who know how devastating DUI behaviors can be for those who are sharing the road with drunk or impaired drivers.
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Tired of the number of drunk drivers on Florida’s streets and highways, Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) and many Florida personal injury attorneys are rallying support for a proposed piece of legislation which would target drunk drivers. The legislation would require that ignition interlock devices be installed in the vehicles of all first-time convicted drunk drivers. This is very encouraging and certainly a step in the right direction. However, drunk driving statistics indicate that on average, a drunk driver while drink and drive 87 times before they are arrested for DUI.
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