Can a Bystander Be Liable in a Georgia Hit-and-Run DUI Accident Lawsuit?
An unusual criminal prosecution involving a fatal hit-and-run accident from another state raises interesting questions about the reach of civil liability legal duties involving third parties. In the fatal collision, the drunk driver who is standing trial for vehicular homicide is joined with two other defendants, that may not be as obvious. One of the other defendants is the vehicle owner who lent her car to the at-fault driver who caused the fatal collision. While this is a more common basis for imposing liability on third parties for wrongful death or personal injury arising out of hit-and-run car accidents, the fact that a bystander is charged with accessory after the fact is unusual.