In Long Beach and elsewhere, drunk drivers are a threat to anyone in or near the roadways. Auto accidents caused by impaired drivers sometimes even claim the lives of their own passengers. One such incident involved three other vehicles and occurred on Pacific Coast Highway at approximately 5 p.m. on a recent Tuesday.
According to an accident report by the Long Beach Police Department, a 31-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of drunk driving and vehicular manslaughter. He was being held as against bail of $ 2 million. The report states that the driver was speeding south on the highway. For unknown reasons, he swerved across the centerline into the northbound traffic lanes.
The 63-year-old driver of a northbound vehicle was hurt when his pickup truck was struck by the errant driver. After hitting the truck, the wrong-way vehicle smashed into another sedan with enough force to propel it into the southbound lanes. That car was then struck by an SUV heading south. The 31-year-old passenger of the alleged drunk driver died at the accident scene, and emergency workers transported another six injured people to a medical facility. No information was available about the severity of their injuries.
The relationship between the driver and his deceased passenger was not reported; regardless, the surviving family members have the right to pursue financial relief through the California civil justice system. Similarly injured victims of auto accidents, or their surviving families in event of fatalities, may pursue claims for monetary damages incurred. A Long Beach personal injury attorney’s support and guidance can help in the pursuit of maximum damage recovery. Documented claims of the deceased passenger’s surviving family would typically include the costs of end-of-life arrangements and loss of future income, among other items. In turn, the injured motorists can pursue recovery of medical expenses and lost income, as well as compensation for pain and suffering.