Legal Question in Personal Injury in California

me and a few of my friends were drunk and were driven to a another friends house by a guy who we though was not drunk. but it happens to be that he was drunk n we crashed the car and a 1 friend of mine is seriously injured. now i am required to give a statement. as a passenger who did not know dat the driver was DUI will i get into trouble.. do statements show up in my police records ??? please help... i am really scared


Asked on 10/21/09, 8:30 pm

2 Answers from Attorneys

Norman Gregory Fernandez, Esq. The Law Offices of Norman Gregory Fernandez & Associates

If you were injured in the accident as a passenger, I may be able to help you get medical treatment and a settlement for special and general damages. Give me a call for a free consultation at 800-816-1529 x.1 or go to http://www.thepersonalinjury.com .

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Answered on 10/22/09, 12:55 am
Melvin C. Belli The Belli Law Firm

The short answer is no. If it is the police you can refuse on the grounds it might incriminate you, if it is a civil matter you don't have to talk to anybody unless they subpoena you as a witness. Again if they subpoena, you can still refuse to testify on the grounds of self incrimination.

It will not show up in a police record whatever that is. It could show up in a police report on the collision but it doesn't go on your criminal record unless you were either arrested, charged or convicted of something in relation to this collision.

That being said I would think you would want to help your friend and co operate with his attorney if you really are his friend because from the limited facts you gave I don't see your criminal exposure.

Little piece of advice ....When you're drunk as a skunk stay put or call a cab then you would have to ask these kind of questions. By the way glad to hear you weren�t seriously hurt which is another reason to heed my advice and sorry to hear about your friend I hope he makes a good recovery and doesn�t need the services of a personal injury attorney such as myself.

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Answered on 10/22/09, 1:04 am


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