Driver in DWI Accident That Left Student Injured Charged

It was reported on Dec. 16 that a 30-year-old New Jersey man who was involved in a car accident that left one person with severe injuries was accused of driving while intoxicated. The accident took place during the early morning hours of Oct. 4 at the intersection of Easton Avenue and Mine Street in New Brunswick.

The injured man, a 20-year-old Rutgers student, was reportedly attempting to cross the street at the intersection when he was struck by the alleged intoxicated driver. The student was immediately taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. He was later transferred to another location so that he could begin rehabilitation. A family member stated that the student had to undergo major reconstructive surgery and was expected to have a long recovery process.

Authorities reported that the accused man surrendered to police but was released after posting bail. He was ultimately charged with driving while intoxicated as well as assault by auto and aggravated assault. It was not known when the accused man was scheduled to go to court.

When a person is struck by a drunk or intoxicated driver, they are likely to suffer serious injuries that could include damage to internal organs, broken bones and lacerations. If the injuries are severe enough, the person may face months of rehabilitation, overcoming disabilities that could potentially be permanent and lose their ability to work.

If the injured person was not considered liable for the drunk driving accident, they may be eligible to recover the costs of the damages that they sustained in the crash by filing a personal injury lawsuit. The types of compensation that they may seek depend on the damages they sustained; for example, a seriously injured person may seek the cost of medical bills, the cost of admittance to a rehabilitation program and loss of future income.

Source: NJ.com, “Somerset man was drunk when car struck pedestrian Rutgers student, police say“, Timothy McDonnell, December 16, 2014