Driver Injured by Wrong Way Driver in St. Augustine, Florida
A SUV driven by Raymond Claudio was apparently going the wrong way on State Road 16 in St. Augustine, Florida and was involved in two crashes, according to an article on Firstcoastnews.com. The article indicates that Mr. Claudio's vehicle sideswiped one vehicle and then crashed head-on into a second vehicle injuring that second driver and Mr. Claudio. It is unclear at this stage of the investigation whether Mr. Claudio was impaired by alcohol and/or drugs.
When there is a serious accident involving a wrong way driver and a subsequent personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit, serious questions are raised as to why someone would be driving so recklessly. Depending on the answers, a claim may be made for punitive damages in addition to the regular negligence if it can be shown that the at-fault driver was reckless in causing the accident. If drugs and/or alcohol were involved, recklessness is practically a given, but driving the wrong way is also strong evidence of recklessness particularly if it can be shown that the driver was driving the wrong way for an extended period of time.
The laws in personal injury and wrongful death cases are designed to compensate an injured victim and punish an at-fault driver when that person causes an accident in a manner that is more reckless and irresponsible than the normal accident. When a person is driving while impaired by drugs and/or alcohol or is otherwise driving recklessly, such a punitive damages claim can be made.
