Passenger Sues Drunk Driver

Demand

 $300,000

Offer

 $35,000

Result

 $50,000 settlement after jury selection

Venue

 Allegheny County

Judge

Lutty

Attorney

 Paul J. Walsh III

Passenger sues drunk driver for broken neck and closed head injury

This case arose out of a motor vehicle accident which occurred on S.R. 60 near the old airport. Our client was a driver with a blood alcohol content of .21 and the Plaintiff Passenger had a blood alcohol content of .37. The defense strategy was to posture the case for a non-suit based upon the assumption of the risk doctrine. In that non-suits are rare, the alternative strategy was to argue that the Plaintiff was comparatively negligent by getting into the vehicle with a visibly intoxicated driver. The Plaintiff sustained serious injuries. He had a broken neck which required a halo vest for three months in addition to sustaining a closed head injury. After jury selection the case settled for $50,000.