A couple was seriously injured in an Oregon car accident after a suspected drunk driver crashed into their vehicle head-on. According to a KVAL news report, Larry Gene Larson and his wife, Deborah Larson, both 63, sustained serious injuries in the car crash which occurred early morning on December 5, 2009. Oregon State Police said 47-year-old Richard Alfred Lopez was going east on Highway 126 near Florence, Oregon when his 1994 Ford Explorer crossed the centerline and slammed head-on into the couple's 2006 Subaru Forester. The couple's 21-year-old daughter, Anna Larson, was not injured. Lopez is facing several criminal charges including driving under the influence, reckless driving, assault in the second degree and recklessly endangering another person.

I sympathize with these injured victims and their family for what they are going through. I hope and pray that both recover quickly and completely from their serious injuries. Please keep them in your prayers.

Oregon Car Accident Statistics

According to Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT), 40 deaths and 1,568 injuries were reported in Lane County, Oregon as a result of car accidents in 2007. Out of the 161 car accidents which were alcohol-related in Lane County, there were 14 fatalities and 97 injuries.

Driving under the influence of alcohol or intoxicants is against Oregon law. Oregon Vehicle Code Chapter 813.010 states: "A person commits the offense of driving while under the influence of intoxicants if the person drives a vehicle while the person: (a) Has 0.08 percent or more by weight of alcohol in the blood of the person as shown by chemical analysis of the breath or blood of the person made under ORS 813.100, 813.140 or 813.150; (b) Is under the influence of intoxicating liquor, a controlled substance or an inhalant; or (c) Is under the influence of any combination of intoxicating liquor, an inhalant and a controlled substance."

An Experienced Personal Injury Lawyer Can Help

If Lopez is found guilty of the criminal charges, he should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. The Larsons would be well-advised to retain the services of a reputed Oregon personal injury lawyer, who has extensive experience and an excellent track record financially pursuing drunk and negligent drivers. In such cases, seriously injured victims would be entitled to seek compensation for medical expenses, loss of earnings and other damages. The best personal injury law firms will always offer a free consultation to injured victims and their families.

We are not representing any of the parties mentioned in this article at the time the article was posted. Our information source is cited in the article. If you were involved in this incident or a similar incident and have questions as to your rights and options, call a reputable law firm. Do not act solely upon the information provided herein. Get a consultation. The best law firms will provide a free confidential consultation to "not a fault" persons named in this article and their family members.