Anthony J. Sherman, 21, and Daniel J. Terry, 28, were injured in a Mendocino County car accident involving a suspected drunk driver. According to a news report in The Times-Standard, the DUI collision occurred on U.S. Highway 101, near Confusion Hill, the afternoon of July 9, 2011. Eric Leslie Harry, 24, was driving a 1982 Ford motor home when he struck a guardrail and then a tree. Sherman and Terry were both passengers in the RV at the time of the collision. Sherman suffered major injuries and Terry sustained moderate injuries. Harry and passenger Jeffrey Clinton Maddox, 31, were not hurt in the crash. Authorities arrested Harry on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol.

My thoughts and prayers are with Anthony J. Sherman and Daniel J. Terry following this serious injury accident. I wish them both the very best for a complete and speedy recovery.

DUI Statistics

According to California Highway Patrol’s 2008 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), 16 fatalities and 83 injuries occurred involving Mendocino County DUI collisions. Countywide, car accidents claimed 26 lives and injured 439 people during the same year.

California Drunk Driving Laws

Based on this news report, it appears that the driver of the motor home, Harry, was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the crash. According to California Vehicle Code Section 23152 (a): "It is unlawful for any person who is under the influence of any alcoholic beverage or drug, or under the combined influence of any alcoholic beverage and drug, to drive a vehicle." Under the same section, it is against the law to operate a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08 percent or higher.

Liability Issues

The victim of a drunk driver may pursue financial compensation for his or her loss by filing a personal injury claim. Injured passengers of drunk drivers can seek compensation for damages including medical expenses, loss of wages, cost of hospitalization, rehabilitation, and pain and suffering. If the driver does not have car insurance, the passengers should be able to obtain coverage through their own auto insurance policies.

An experienced California personal injury lawyer will better advise injured victims in such cases about their legal rights and options. For more information about the dangers of driving under the influence, please visit the Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) web site at www.madd.org.
Seriously injured in a California car accident? Want to know if you have a case? Want to know what your case is worth? Want compensation for your injuries? Want justice? Want to make sure the same thing doesn’t happen to someone else?

Call your best friends in the legal industry after a Mendocino County DUI accident. Call 866-990-8787. The call is free. The advice may be priceless.

Call a BISNAR | CHASE California personal injury lawyer for a free professional evaluation of your case by attorneys who have represented over 6,000 clients since 1978. You will experience award winning representation and outstanding personal service by a friendly law firm in a comfortable environment.