In Florida, if an accident results from a person’s decision to drive while intoxicated, the justice system allows for two different types of compensation. An injured party may be entitled to both compensatory and punitive damages. Compensatory damages are intended to cover specific losses, including medical expenses, lost wages, loss of earning capacity, pain and suffering, and loss of consortium. Punitive damages, on the other hand, are meant to punish the drunken driver directly for their negligent actions in hopes to prevent future intoxicated driving incidents.
Wear TV reports of the FHP report revealing that a driver was under the influence during a deadly crash that killed a man.
On Easter Sunday, a motorist on Mobile Highway called 911 to report a drunken driver. The caller reported that the driver was swerving erratically and ran three red lights.
The drunken driver, Marie Simpkins, was driving a Hyundai when she ran a red light at W Street and Fairfield Drive. She crashed into two other vehicles at about 4:30 p.m.
22-year-old Nelson Riley was in one of the vehicles and died due to his injuries. His father, Randy Riley was hospitalized and in critical condition. When Simpkins was interrogated, she had trouble speaking clearly and was unaware of what time it was. Authorities also discovered that Simpkins had marijuana on her.
“This is a terrible situation for all involved”, says Sherry Cross, a Los Angeles DUI Lawyer in Southern California.
In a hearing following the accident, an attorney for Simpkins claims the medication she was taking was legally prescribed.
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