Jacksonville Injury Attorney Blog
Last week, a police officer for the city of Lake City, Florida, was arrested for driving under the influence after she was involved in a car accident. According to a report by ActionNewsJAX.com, the police officer was off duty when she crashed her personal car. When the local police showed up, they an administered a breath alcohol test, and the officer registered a blood alcohol content of about .13. The officer was then arrested for driving under the influence.
Both the Florida Highway Patrol and the Lake City Police Department have said that they will investigate the accident and take appropriate action. The officer was taken to the Columbia County Detention Center, where her bail was set at $1,000.
DUI Accidents in Jacksonville
Unfortunately, this is not the first time a police officer has been charged with a DUI related offense in the Northeast Florida area. While it may be more shocking to see an officer of the law engage in such dangerous activity, the fact is that it does not make a difference who does it: drunk driving is dangerous and must be avoided by everyone.
In Florida, drunk driving accidents cause more fatalities than any other kind of traffic accident. This is due in part to the fact that, generally, these types of auto accidents involve higher speed than other auto accidents.
The legal limit for blood alcohol content in Florida is .08. While every person is different, generally speaking, this limit can be reached with two to three drinks. When these drivers cause an accident, the victim of the accident can recover from the drunk driver for medical expenses, pain, lost wages, disability and punitive damages.
DUI Cases Turn on Negligence
Almost all auto accident cases are based on the legal theory of negligence. Generally speaking, a finding of negligence turns on whether the driver of a car acted unreasonably. The law allows for injured victims of negligent drivers to recover for their medical bills, future medical expenses, as well as for their pain and suffering that was caused by the accident. In DUI cases, the victims often have an easier time proving negligence than in traditional auto accident cases – simply put, it is very difficult for a drunk driver to convince jurors that his or her actions were reasonable.
Have You Been Injured in a Drunk Driving Accident?
If you or a loved one have been injured in a drunk driving accident, you may be entitled to recover for your injuries and financial losses. To find out what your rights are and what potential causes of action you make have, contact an experienced North Florida accident attorney to discuss the facts of your case. The sooner you speak to an attorney, the more time they will have to put together a strong case for you. Click here, or call (904) 632-0077 to schedule your free initial consultation today.
Photo Credit: Chung Ho Leung via Compfight cc
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