Recently in Albany, Georgia, a drunk driving father actually caused serious head injuries to his own 6-year-old daughter, according to police. The little girl had to be transported to Macon’s Medical Center of Georgia, where she was given treatment in the Intensive Care Unit and said to be in critical condition.
The father was approaching an intersection in his SUV when his vehicle ran into the rear of a tractor-trailer that was stopped on the road. The man’s daughter was wearing a seatbelt, but she still wasn’t properly restrained because she was riding in the front seat.
The father initially lied about the circumstances of the crash, according to state police. He claimed that another motorist forced him to leave the roadway and somehow change lanes, but the driver of the semi said that no other vehicles were around at the time of the accident. The truck driver reportedly walked away without injuries.
It took rescue workers 30 minutes to use the Jaws of Life and free the little girl. Members of the police force confirmed that she suffered head injuries.
Now the father is charged with a range of violations, including DUI and child endangerment.
Victims of DUI accidents have rights, and any Georgia resident whose injuries resulted from a negligent drunk driver can sue that driver for some measure of compensation. Such legal action may not return life to the way it was before, but a personal injury claim can lead to compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
Source: WALB News 10, “UPDATE: Child in ICU after DUI dad’s wreck,” Ashton Pellom, May 2, 2013
