Boston Drunk Driving Accident Lawyer Blog
A Somerset, Massachusetts man was arrested after allegedly hitting a pedestrian with his car while under the influence of alcohol. According to a recent report from WPRI Eyewitness News, defendant was driving when he swerved across the center lane and then lost control. Witness say the vehicle then swerved to the right, ran off the road into a ditch, and went airborne.
Victim was walking along the roadway, because he had just been involved in an unrelated car accident. Defendant allegedly told police that he never saw victim until he ran out in front of his vehicle. Other witnesses say victim walked out into the highway to cross the lanes of traffic before being hit by defendant’s car.
Prosecutors have said defendant admitted to drinking three beers. He is said to have passed two field sobriety tests but failed a third. It will be quite some time before results of a blood test are available to determine defendant’s blood alcohol content at the time of the crash. Victim was pronounced dead at the scene of the tragic Massachusetts car accident. Authorities are still investigating the cause of the accident, and defendant is scheduled to be arraigned for drunk driving and possibly other charges.
As our Boston drunk driving attorneys can explain, there are often many unanswered questions that follow a fatal alcohol-related car accident. The situation is exacerbated by the fact that victim is not able to tell his or her side of the story, and the defendant is likely only interested in avoiding being convicted of a crime such as DUI related-homicide.
One of the most important things you can do if a loved one was killed in a drunk driving accident in Massachusetts is to contact an experienced attorney as soon as possible. This will allow your attorney’s accident reconstruction specialist and investigator to go out to the scene close the time of the accident. It is important to preserve evidence of the other driver’s negligence.
It is important to determine road conditions, record weather conditions, take photographs, and most importantly, speak with witnesses while they can be found and the events are still fresh in their minds. It is also important to get the witnesses’ names and contact information, so statements can be taken and they can be subpoenaed to a deposition if necessary.
It also important to speak with an attorney before speaking with a representative from the at-fault driver’s insurance company. The insurance company representative is trained to ask you to give a recorded statement that may negatively affect your rights to a fair and appropriate financial recovery for the car accident. It is not uncommon for car insurance companies to prey on a victim’s family’s need for immediate funds to pay for medical bills or funeral expenses by making a ridiculously low offer. If you agree to this low initial offer, you will be asked to sign a general release of liability that can prevent you from collecting any additional recovery.
If you have been injured a Boston drunk driving accident, call for a free and confidential appointment at (617) 777-7777.
Additional Resources:
Driver in deadly 195 pedestrian crash faces judge, December 1, 2014, WPRI.com
More Blog Entries:
MADD Working with NFL Teams to Curb Drunk Driving, July 3, 2014, Boston Drunk Driving Accident Lawyer Blog