Drunk Driving: DUI Crash In Berkeley County, West Virginia
The Washington Post is reporting that a Winchester man was arrested after driving drunk on New Year’s Day and causing a crash in Berkeley County, West Virginia. The wreck occurred on Interstate 81 southbound in Berkeley County. Cody Wade Braithwaite of Winchester was charged with DUI involving death, fleeing DUI, and being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm and a fugitive from justice.
The Berkeley County Sheriff’s Department reports that a Sheriff’s Deputy was investigating a call about a reckless driver and attempted to stop Braithwaite when Braithwaite sped up and then hit a car and pushed that vehicle into a guardrail. The driver of the other vehicle was killed in the collision.
Virginia Is Worse Than West Virginia For Drunk Driving Fatalities
Statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration show that Virginia fares worse than West Virginia when it comes to fatalities caused by drunk drivers. Recently, Virginia reported 806 traffic-related fatalities with 246 of those accidents being caused by drinking and driving. That’s 30 of all fatal accidents being caused by alcohol! In West Virginia, fortunately, the numbers were much lower with a total of 290 fatal accidents and 72 of them being alcohol related. West Virginia’s alcohol-related crash ratio is around 25%.
Drunk Driving Is A Serious Crime
Getting behind the wheel of a vehicle while drunk is a serious crime. Even drinking a small amount of alcohol and then driving can often lead to dangerous situations. Driving under the influence of alcohol, also known as DUI, involves operating a vehicle with a blood alcohol content (BAC) of at least 0.08 percent.
While some drivers may not notice warning signs of being under the influence after drinking, that doesn’t make drinking and driving any less dangerous. In fact, any amount of alcohol in the bloodstream can impact a person’s driving ability. To drive safely on our roadways, you need the ability to concentrate, make good judgments, and react quickly to situations you might encounter. Alcohol, however, slows a person’s reaction time and puts the well-being of the drunk driver as well as others in jeopardy.
Alcohol can impair a driver’s ability by:
- Slowing reaction time
- Affecting coordination
- Reducing the ability to concentrate
- Decreasing vision
- Inhibiting judgment
Talk with a Car Accident Lawyer
If you or a loved one suffered injuries at the hands of a drunk driver, the Ritchie Law Firm is here to help. The experienced, certified attorneys at the Ritchie Law Firm has helped thousands of injured victims and their families recover the compensation they deserve after an accident. Contact us by phone at 800-277-6124 or by using our online contact form.
¿Cuánto tiempo puedo esperar para llamar a un abogado?
When you’re injured in an auto accident in Virginia or West Virginia, you must be aware of the statute of limitations which applies in your particular case. The statute of limitations refers to the time you have following an accident to file a lawsuit. In both West Virginia and Virginia, this time limit depends upon the circumstances of your accident and injury. The time limitation starts to run on the date of the accident. Filing a claim with an insurance company does not extend or delay the time.
Cuanto más espere para ponerse en contacto con un abogado, mayor será el riesgo de que expire el plazo de prescripción. Si lo hace, puede perder su derecho a demandar a la parte culpable y recuperar la compensación por sus lesiones. Si ha sufrido lesiones graves y la culpa es de otra persona, debe ponerse en contacto con un abogado especializado en lesiones personales lo antes posible. Ponerse en contacto con un abogado experto en lesiones personales al principio de su caso le ayudará a evitar que los plazos expiren y permitirá que su caso se prepare adecuadamente.
Para poder determinar si tiene un caso, su abogado necesita investigar a fondo los detalles sobre su accidente y sus lesiones. Investigar el accidente y recopilar información es mucho más fácil si se hace rápidamente después de que haya ocurrido el accidente. Un retraso puede acarrear muchos problemas, como la pérdida de pruebas y la imposibilidad de encontrar testigos.
Cuando contratas a un abogado para que se encargue de tu reclamación por accidente de coche, primero negociará con la compañía de seguros para intentar llegar a un acuerdo. Si las negociaciones fracasan, su abogado se preparará para presentar una demanda y preparar su caso para el juicio. Por esta razón, es especialmente importante que usted obtenga un abogado con experiencia para ayudar con su caso, como uno certificado a través de la Junta Nacional de Litigios.
El bufete de abogados Ritchie es un bufete de abogados de lesiones personales dedicado a ayudar a las personas que han sufrido lesiones graves y catastróficas o perdido a un ser querido como resultado de la negligencia de otra persona. Ritchie Law Firm sirve a todo Virginia, mientras que ayuda a los clientes en las ciudades y áreas circundantes de Harrisonburg, Charlottesville, Staunton, y Winchester también sirve a clientes en Virginia Occidental, incluyendo Martinsburg, WV.
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