Accident tests attorney’s belief in second chances

Buzgon Davis attorney David Warner believes in second chances.

Being struck himself by a drunk driver could have shaken that belief. But it didn’t.

It happened in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor the night before the 2014 Preakness Stakes. David and some friends, in town to see the second leg of horse racing’s Triple Crown, were walking to their hotel when a truck swerved off the street and onto the crowded sidewalk.

The truck hit David and several other pedestrians before turning back into traffic and coming to a stop only after crashing into a number of cars. “I heard a noise and turned, and there was a truck literally right on top of me,” David recalls. “My next clear memory is of me sitting there on the sidewalk wondering what just happened!”

David and the other pedestrians struck that night were fortunate. There were no serious injuries from that incident. The impact of what might have been still weighs on him.

“When I represent people charged with DUI, I think about the people who might have been hurt,” he says. “A split second changes the outcome. For everyone involved. We all make bad decisions in our lives, but we’re judged on the outcomes and consequences of those decisions.”

Miraculously, David wasn’t hurt. Instead of being plowed by the truck, he ended up on the hood of the vehicle before being thrown backwards. “I wasn’t seriously injured; he spent a couple of days in jail. But a fraction of a second either way, and both of our lives would have changed forever.”

That incident, still fresh in his mind with every new case, has if anything strengthened David’s resolve.

“For most people charged with DUI, it’s a one-time mistake,” David says. “They go through the legal process and never do something like that again. For the ones fortunate enough to not hurt anyone, I hope it’s something they can learn from – stop drinking and driving. Don’t let this ruin their lives.”

For anyone involved in any kind of accident, David offers three important tips:

• Gather complete information on other drivers.
  “For me, police interaction was very minimal. I didn’t think to ask the officer for his card, and he didn’t offer me one. If things had turned out differently, having more information might have made a real difference.”
• Get immediate medical treatment. No matter what.
  “I felt fine immediately after the accident. I knew I hit the ground pretty hard, but I could walk, so I didn’t go to the hospital. I really felt it in my knee and shoulder the next day. I absolutely should have gotten medical advice immediately.”
• Don’t be afraid to ask for help.

The attorneys at Buzgon Davis understand what you’re going through. Their experience – in the courtroom and out – can make a real difference in your life as well.