A man from St. Michael, Minnesota, has died from injuries he suffered late last week when his vehicle was rammed from behind by an RV motor home. The Minnesota State Patrol said on its Facebook page that the motor home driver was “allegedly drunk” and admitted to officers that he had been drinking. “The alleged drunk driver and his wife walked away without injuries,” the State Patrol said.
This tragic accident occurred last Thursday afternoon on U.S. Highway 12, west of Independence, as the man was slowing to make a turn in his Pontiac G6. He was a devoted husband and father of two children. It’s another good reason why a large collection of Minnesota law enforcement agencies, including the State Patrol, have been staging extra DWI enforcement in a statewide campaign that will run through Labor Day. The crash is now added to a list of recent tragedies in Minnesota that hopefully will shock some sense into motorists who contemplate drinking.
“Think about that if you ever find yourself wondering whether or not to get behind the wheel after a few drinks. Drinking and driving isn’t just about you. It’s about the lives of everyone on the road around you,” the State Patrol Facebook site says.
When drunk driving laws are broken and someone is killed, the family has the right to file a drunk driving lawsuit seeking justice for a wrongful death. The family may have a claim for punitive damages, one that seeks enough money to “punish” the wrongdoer. Our law firm only represents victims of injury and wrongful death, never the perpetrators. In fatal accident lawsuits and other cases involving alcohol, we conduct our own independent investigation of the circumstances. For instance, if the drunk driver was served alcohol by a licensed bar or restaurant, these establishments also can be sued under “dram shop” law. This could help provide a deeper recovery for the next of kin. Our law firm is a venerable Twin Cities legal group that provides free consultations and only represents clients who have suffered injury or death as victims of someone’s negligence, indifference, failure or lack of control.