Conley Head-on Collision Results in Serious Injury

Clayton County Courthouse

Conley, Ga. - Clayton County officers were kept very busy this morning after a head-on collision at the intersection of Conley and Old Conley roads resulted in the serious injury of one of the drivers as well as a complete shutdown of the roadways.

No details regarding charges or fault of either driver have been released. The injured motorist is currently receiving treatment at a local hospital.

As a Clayton County DUI Lawyer, I will focus today's post on the law behind serious injury by vehicle. This is an interesting offense as it is only charged when a person has also been either driving recklessly or driving under the influence. See below.

Serious Injury by Vehicle in Georgia

Serious Injury by Vehicle in Georgia is defined by the Georgia Code in O.C.G.A. §40-6-394 as:

Whoever, without malice, shall cause bodily harm to another by depriving him of a member of his body, by rendering a member of his body useless, by seriously disfiguring his body or a member thereof, or by causing organic brain damage which renders the body or any member thereof useless through the violation of Code Section 40-6-390 or 40-6-391 shall be guilty of the crime of serious injury by vehicle. A person convicted under this Code section shall be guilty of a felony and shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than one year nor more than 15 years.

This law does not define what constitutes a serious injury, so in these situations, we have to look to other sources within the Georgia Code. Other Georgia laws define it as a “fractured bone, severe burns, disfigurement, dismemberment, partial or total loss of sight or hearing, or loss of consciousness.”  To be considered serious, the injury does not need to be permanent. Instead, a serious, temporary injury is sufficient and only needs to impair or injure a person's appearance. 

In the past, injuries such as loss of vision in one eye, blurry vision, a two-inch scar on the forehead, broken ribs, and severe bruising have qualified as “serious.”  Whether an injury is serious is a question of fact to be determined by the jury.

Serious injury by vehicle is classified as a felony offense. The penalty if convicted of serious injury by vehicle can include high fines and up to fifteen years in prison.

Practice Note

If you or a loved one is facing a DUI case in Georgia, call our offices today. We can help you now.