Injury RTC - Interview at hospital?
Discussion
Some quick pointers please. A work collegue was involved in an injury RTC and was hospitalised along with his passenger. He is a US national and the early indications are that he may have been on the wrong side of the road and hit someone else head on. The car was a rental and likely a total loss. My questions are around the police investigation and interviews. I have read on here that the advice is to make use of the duty solicitor for a police interview at the station.
Questions
Would the police interview at hospital or wait until he is discharged?
If interviewed at the hospital what happens about access to legal representation?
Any other pointers would be appreciated.
Questions
Would the police interview at hospital or wait until he is discharged?
If interviewed at the hospital what happens about access to legal representation?
Any other pointers would be appreciated.
Interview can in theory take place anywhere, but legal rights and entitlements are unaffected.
If the driver wishes to have a solicitor he is entitled to be represented by one, whether at hospital or otherwise. Urgency of the investigation is irrelevant unless he intended to return to the US imminently in which case he *may* be arrested.
If the driver wishes to have a solicitor he is entitled to be represented by one, whether at hospital or otherwise. Urgency of the investigation is irrelevant unless he intended to return to the US imminently in which case he *may* be arrested.
The other car was driver only as far as I know and they walked away without any significant injuries.
The driver is a non-drinker but his injuries would not have prevented a breath test at the scene. I have no idea if this was done or not or if there wasa follow at A&E.
I will pass on the information about the legal advice. With the injuries involved I doubt he would be a flight risk.
The driver is a non-drinker but his injuries would not have prevented a breath test at the scene. I have no idea if this was done or not or if there wasa follow at A&E.
I will pass on the information about the legal advice. With the injuries involved I doubt he would be a flight risk.
This was more than decade ago, but speaks more to practice than the law. I was involved in a very serious road accident and admitted to hospital. The Police wanted to breathalysers me in A&E. The A&E Nurse stopped him, but I agreed since I knew I was clear and wanted to prove it.
I had been knocked unconscious in the accident, which happened early evening in the late summer, it was pitch black when I was loaded into the ambulance. I had 'fully' come around by A&E and 'felt' mentally alert by the time I reached A&E, but given the lost time I probably was not.
I was also interviewed in my hospital bed the following evening after surgery and was on heavy painkilling medication. I recall very little of that.
I was cleared of any wrong doing, the other driver had crossed a stop line into my path on a national speed limit road. The officer's accident report is what established my total innocence. Didn't stop his insurance company from being total arses and taking nearly two years to concede fault, but that is separate conversation.
I made a written statement around a week later in hospital. The footwells of the back seats had been full of craft beer which had raised suspicions. I was told the whole area reeked like a brewery because of spilt beer and the officer jested they and the fire crew needed to go off duty from breathing the fumes.
Bits of this are still crystal clear today, other bits have always seemed like dreamland.
I had been knocked unconscious in the accident, which happened early evening in the late summer, it was pitch black when I was loaded into the ambulance. I had 'fully' come around by A&E and 'felt' mentally alert by the time I reached A&E, but given the lost time I probably was not.
I was also interviewed in my hospital bed the following evening after surgery and was on heavy painkilling medication. I recall very little of that.
I was cleared of any wrong doing, the other driver had crossed a stop line into my path on a national speed limit road. The officer's accident report is what established my total innocence. Didn't stop his insurance company from being total arses and taking nearly two years to concede fault, but that is separate conversation.
I made a written statement around a week later in hospital. The footwells of the back seats had been full of craft beer which had raised suspicions. I was told the whole area reeked like a brewery because of spilt beer and the officer jested they and the fire crew needed to go off duty from breathing the fumes.
Bits of this are still crystal clear today, other bits have always seemed like dreamland.
Thanks for the replies. I visited the couple in hospital yesterday.
The good news is that the other person was walking wounded and, although, oth of them have serious injuries and will be hospitalised for a while, the medical stall have a plan they are confident with.
The police have been great, a quiet chat with the driver and no mention of caution or charges. One of the attending officers called at the hospital and brought all the baggage from the rental car and also emptied the hotel room for them so they have all their property which is just as well as they were both cut out of what they had on.
The rental company were not worried about the car being totaled and the insurance company had a chat with the driver yesterday to get things moving.
The good news is that the other person was walking wounded and, although, oth of them have serious injuries and will be hospitalised for a while, the medical stall have a plan they are confident with.
The police have been great, a quiet chat with the driver and no mention of caution or charges. One of the attending officers called at the hospital and brought all the baggage from the rental car and also emptied the hotel room for them so they have all their property which is just as well as they were both cut out of what they had on.
The rental company were not worried about the car being totaled and the insurance company had a chat with the driver yesterday to get things moving.
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