Most Colorado parents, especially those with teenagers, have talked to their kids about the danger of drinking and/or taking drugs before getting behind the wheel of a car. To complete that conversation, parents may also include a warning about the danger of getting into a vehicle as a passenger with the knowledge that the driver is operating under the influence of these substances. As everyone knows, these types of situations can result in car accidents, often causing loss of life and/or serious injuries for the people involved.
As a horrific example, unfortunately, a woman is now in the hospital with multiple broken bones and a traumatic brain injury after she was involved in a crash near Erie. The incident happened early on a recent Sunday morning on Interstate 25. The driver lost control of his car, causing it to roll over. The injured woman, who turned 18 the day before the incident, was a passenger in that car.
Reportedly, the woman was pinned under the car and was thought to be dead. Fortunately, several good Samaritans stopped to help her, including a Boulder firefighter who had witnessed the crash on his way to work. After removing her from under the car, the firefighter performed CPR and essentially brought her back to life.
The young woman, at last report, was in the intensive care unit; doctors expect her to survive, but she is facing a long road to recovery. While, of course, helping her survive this tragedy is most important, her family likely feels a great deal of anger and frustration toward the person responsible. Car accidents like this one often leave survivors feeling that the entire incident could have easily been prevented had the driver only made more thoughtful choices. In this case, the driver has been arrested and charged with driving under the influence, but in addition, the family may consider pursuing a personal injury lawsuit on their loved one’s behalf through the Colorado civil justice system.