A drunk driver has left my uncle in the hospital with severe injuries. | GTAMotorcycle.com

A drunk driver has left my uncle in the hospital with severe injuries.

espinet

Member
Just wanted to leave a reminder to everyone to ride safe. When you get your first bike and start riding its probably one of the most freeing ways to spend your time. You eventually hear stories about accidents and you feel like the people who have gotten hurt made a mistake and you’re a safe rider… It’s never going to happen to you. I’ve never had something so tragic hit so close to home. Just because you are a safe rider doesn’t prevent someones selfishness from taking everything from you.


From the family’s GoFundMe page…
“On April 28, 2018, Gilbert Espinet was doing what he loved most—riding his Harley—when he was hit by a driver of an SUV who was under the influence. As a result of the accident, he sustained multiple, severe injuries including traumatic brain injury. Given the gravity of it all, the future is still uncertain, and we can only take it one day at a time, but we already know he will require long-term rehabilitation and care.” - https://www.gofundme.com/gilberts-recovery-fund?member=173180


Please be safe out there. Always consider every vehicle a threat. A left turn into your lane gives you very little time to react. I’m not saying fear what a lot of us love to do, just be aware that we are not invincible and no one is going to look out for you on the road other than yourself.


Heres some details about the accident, https://www.11alive.com/article/new...ck-that-injured-motorcycle-rider/85-547011136. A 31 year old man driving under the influence with a passenger and a child.
 
Link no worky.
 
Links work for me.

Sorry to hear about your uncle. I wish him the best of luck in his recovery.
 
According to the article the incident happened in Marietta, GA: "Marietta Police said 61-year-old Gilbert Espinet of Marietta".
Now I realize that the GTA is a big area, but not quite sure why this is posted here.
 
According to the article the incident happened in Marietta, GA: "Marietta Police said 61-year-old Gilbert Espinet of Marietta".
Now I realize that the GTA is a big area, but not quite sure why this is posted here.

I think Espinet is in GTA. I would agree with you if it was just a random fallen rider thread with no local connection.
 
According to the article the incident happened in Marietta, GA: "Marietta Police said 61-year-old Gilbert Espinet of Marietta".
Now I realize that the GTA is a big area, but not quite sure why this is posted here.
I think the message is more important then the location

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I think Espinet is in GTA. I would agree with you if it was just a random fallen rider thread with no local connection.

I do not believe it is because why would a news station in Atlanta, GA report on this incident? The OP's user name is even Espinet. Seems like someone is targeting motorcycle forums to help increase the $ on the Gofundme page.

Regardless, I wish the family and rider all the best.
 
I'm from the GTA and I'm only apart of GTA motorcycle. I did not post this to any other city forums to spam. Just wanted to remind people those left turns and careless drivers makes your 20 years of riding experience useless. Be safe.
 
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OP, it was obvious to anyone with basic comprehension skills you were from here
and registered at the site 3 years before the accident

terrible story and hope your Uncle has a speedy recovery
 
Wonder what the penalties are for that down there? The man belongs in jail for a couple years. I hope he had insurance.
 
Wonder what the penalties are for that down there? The man belongs in jail for a couple years. I hope he had insurance.

Would he be better off if he was in Ontario or where he was?

A friend had a left turner take him out in Ohio and the compensation package the US lawyer was going after made our insurance look like something out of a Cracker Jack box. It depends on the amount of coverage the DUI driver had.


In Ohio the required minimum for Bodily Injury Liability Coverage is currently $25,000 per
person injured in any one accident and $50,000 for all persons injured in any one accident.
The required minimum for Property Damage Liability Coverage is $25,000 for injury to or
destruction of property of others in any one accident
.

In Ontario we have far higher minimums but successive governments have allowed the insurers to minimize payouts. Pay big, collect small.

The Gofundme link suggests the DUI didn't have deep pockets.

Was the rider wearing a helmet?

Regardless of the financials I hope the rider recovers.
 
Would he be better off if he was in Ontario

in the short term, yes, much better off
public health care with no discussion of who pays
accident benefits portion of bike insurance will offer some income replacement
and extended therapy as the rider recovers

it's possible that the rider may end up with a decent settlement through US coursts
but that will take time, probably years, and in the meantime there is zero $ coming in

if the rider had no, or watered down, health insurance this will be very nasty for the family
 

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