New Jersey Drunk Driver Charged With Manslaughter

Following a fatal drunk driving crash that occurred recently in North Brunswick, New Jersey, a 30-year-old man has been charged with manslaughter in the death of a 41-year-old woman. Both the driver and the victim were residents of North Brunswick.

According to a police statement, the man was “grossly intoxicated and driving recklessly” when he ran a red light and broadsided the victim’s car with his sports utility vehicle. The woman was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash shortly after 9 p.m. on May 15, 2012.

For reasons that have not yet been ascertained, the man’s SUV was missing its passenger-side tires at the time of the crash. According to news reports, he has been released on $350,000 bail.

Legal Remedies for Accident Victims

Under New Jersey law, drunk or reckless drivers can be held liable for any injuries or deaths that they cause. An injured person who survives a traffic accident can file a personal injury claim against the driver responsible for the crash. If a court determines that the accident was caused by the other driver’s negligence, the victim may recover monetary damages for his or her injuries, pain and suffering, medical costs, rehabilitation and lost income.

When an accident victim dies as a result of the crash, his or her immediate family members can file a wrongful death lawsuit against the driver who caused the crash. In New Jersey, eligible family members typically include the surviving spouse or children of the accident victim, but may also include other family members in some cases. If the court finds that the victim’s death was caused by the other driver’s negligence or misconduct, the surviving family members may recover damages to compensate them for their loss of support, as well as medical expenses and funeral costs.

In certain situations, additional compensation known as punitive damages may be available to accident victims or their surviving family members. Unlike compensatory damages, which are meant to repay accident victims for their actual financial losses, punitive damages are intended to deter others from engaging in similar harmful conduct by punishing a defendant who acted with extreme recklessness or malice.

If you have been injured in a car accident or suffered the loss of a loved as a result of someone else’s negligence, contact a personal injury lawyer with experience obtaining compensation for victims of traffic accidents.