Couple Shares The Wreck That Ruined Their Lives on Oprah
For many, July 2, 2005 was just another summer day. For one couple, it was the day a fatal DUI crash in New York killed their niece and other members of their family on their sister’s wedding day. The crash, which took place on the Long Island Sound, involved 24-year-old Martin Heidgen, who had over 14 drinks before striking a limo headed away from a wedding head-on. The crash decapitated seven-year old Katie and killed Stanley Rabinowitz, 59, who was driving the limo.
Now the family is coming forward on Oprah to share their story and its devastating details for a national audience. The family is still recovering from the deaths and the gruesome accident, which involved over 70 rescue workers and paramedics and left several of the surviving family members physically and emotionally wounded.
The couple had done everything within their power to prevent drinking and driving at their wedding. However, their decision to have the wedding on the DUI-heavy July 4 weekend had life-long ramifications. Though the driver, who drove the wrong way for over two miles before striking the limo head-on, is serving an 18-year jail sentence for his crime, nothing can ever replace little Katie and the other family members who died in the head-on car crash.
Heidgen was charged with murder – one indication that a fatal DUI can have severe ramifications from a personal injury perspective. The case surpassed a normal DUI case, involving a further criminal element and most likely a civil component as well. The complexity of such cases is not out of the ordinary for personal injury cases, which can involve extensive investigation, cooperation among different agencies, and accusations and negotiation between multiple parties. That’s why it’s so important to have the right NY personal injury attorney if you or a loved one is seriously injured in an auto accident.
Once treatment has been given, it’s time to protect your legal rights and seek compensation for your injuries. That’s when it’s time to turn to Wingate, Russotti & Shapiro, the people’s choice for personal injury representation. Interested in our car crash legal services? Call today for your free consultation.
