Supporters of a law that levied extra fees for drunk driving offenders are wondering why that part of the law is being removed by a West Virginia Senate panel.

The original law, referred to as West Virginia SB657, would boost fees and impose a $50 fee on DUI offenders.  The money generated would help pay for services for people from West Virginia with traumatic brain injuries.  Cancellation of this addition has people with brain injuries and their families wondering why.

Our brain injury lawyers believe if there is a way to help people with traumatic brain injuries, those methods should be used.  In relation, if there is a way to penalize a person’s negligence in drunk driving, those same ideas should be integrated.  One half of all brain injuries caused by car accidents are alcohol related, so anything should be done to keep these accidents from happening.

The Senate Finance Committee Chairman requested these fees be taken out because he doesn’t want to raise fees on anyone, including drunk drivers due to the bad economy.  Our brain injury attorneys don’t feel the same way.  If a person is irresponsible enough to drive drunk, then they should be punished if found guilty due to the serious after effects a brain injury can cause (i.e. brain damage, post concussion syndrome, etc.)

The president of the Brain Injury Association of West Virginia pointed out that car accidents are a major cause of brain injuries, and the fee could improve the care for people whose conditions were caused by someone else’s bad choice.

“This fee can help a lot of people who are injured because of other people’s negligence,” he said.

Because of the serious after effects a brain injury can cause, getting treatments can be extremely expensive, and anything that can get those costs down should be considered no matter what the state of the economy is.  Our San Diego brain injury lawyers believe if you do the crime, you should do the time.  Or in this case, if you choose to drive drunk, you should pay any penalties that are levied on you.

Call us now at 1-858-551-2090 or click here for a free consultation with an experienced brain injury attorney in San Diego and find out how we can help you.  We speak English and Spanish, and we look forward to providing advice for your case.  No fee if no recovery.

YOUR TAKE

Are excess fines a good way to deter drunk driving?