Back in August 2014, Gary Clever was with his family in his daughter’s car when a drunk driver slammed into the vehicle, injuring everyone inside. Gary Clever, however, suffered the worst of it. He needed to be immediately transported to R. Adams Cowley Shock Trauma in Baltimore, where he stayed for two and a half months.
According to one local news source, Mr. Clever remembers the accident and recalls telling his daughter that he was “not going to make it.” He remembers the smell and the feel of his own flesh burning. Initially, upon admission to the hospital, doctors told him that he was paralyzed from the chest down. While his insurance company determined that he was ineligible for care where he was receiving treatment, he has found other alternatives. And with time and a heroic effort, he has improved. He has been using an exercise bike to slowly increase the use of his lower body, with hopes of one day being able to walk again. But Mr. Clever’s work is far from over.
The drunk driver that collided with his daughter’s car that day had been convicted of drunk driving twice prior to this incident. While that driver was insured, Maryland law only requires that a person twice convicted of DUI maintain $30,000 in insurance. However, Mr. Clever maintains that this figure is far from sufficient to help cover injuries like the ones that he sustained.
After suffering the way he has, Mr. Clever has determined that he wants to change the way Maryland treats DUI accident victims. He points to the paltry $30,000 insurance requirement, as well as other issues relevant to DUI accident victims, such as mandatory ignition interlock devices, increasing fines and costs associated with a DUI conviction to help pay for all the costs that a DUI victim must face, and increasing the prevalence of child abuse charges for those found drunk driving with kids in the car.
Alternative Means of Recovery in Maryland DUI Accidents
To be sure, the State of Maryland could do more to take care of its DUI accident victims. However, even when the state cannot help out an accident victim, the accident victim may be able to help themselves through the filing of a Maryland drunk driving lawsuit against the allegedly drunk driver. These lawsuits, if successful, can provide the accident victim or their family the much-needed financial compensation to help cover all of the costs associated with recovery. To learn more, call a dedicated Maryland personal injury attorney.
Have You Been Involved in a Maryland DUI Accident?
If you or a loved one has recently been involved in a serious or fatal Maryland DUI accident, you may be entitled to monetary damages. Keep in mind that, even when a driver admits to being drunk and causing an accident, there are still procedural hurdles that must be overcome before recovery is available. To ensure that you comply with all the requirements, contact one of the skilled personal injury advocates at the Maryland law firm of Lebowitz & Mzhen Personal Injury Lawyers. The dedicated attorneys at Lebowitz & Mzhen have the experience you need to feel comfortable putting your case in their hands. Call 410-654-3600 today to set up a free consultation.
More Blog Posts:
One Woman Dead, One Man in Critical Condition after Baynes Collision; Alcohol Suspected, Maryland Car Accident Attorney Blog, published August 11, 2015.
State Trooper in Serious Condition after Roadside Accident on Interstate 95 in Laurel, Maryland Car Accident Attorney Blog, published July 23, 2015.