Thomas Torres Injured in Los Angeles DUI Accident

Castaic Man Thomas Torres Faces Life With a Prosthetic Leg After a Suspected Drunk Driver Strikes Him in Los Angeles

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA (November 12, 2026) – A 24-year-old Castaic man identified as Thomas Torres was seriously injured in a DUI accident in Los Angeles.

Los Angeles County officials are saying that the crash occurred on Sunday. Thomas Torres was struck by a driver suspected of being under the influence of alcohol, though the exact location and the events leading up to the collision have not been released.

First responders were called to the scene to treat him. Thomas Torres suffered serious injuries and lost his left foot and leg as a result of the collision, according to KHTS Radio.

At just 24 years old, Torres now faces additional surgeries, ongoing rehabilitation, and the process of learning to walk again with a prosthetic leg. His family has launched a GoFundMe to help cover his medical treatment and the costs of obtaining and learning to use a prosthesis.

The family noted that his recovery will require continued support over time, and they wrote that Torres has a long road ahead but will not walk it alone. The investigating agency, the driver’s identity, and any charges have not been publicly reported.

Liability for Los Angeles DUI Accidents

California law treats impaired driving that injures another person as a serious offense with both criminal and civil consequences. Under Vehicle Code section 23153, it is unlawful to drive under the influence and, while doing so, commit an act forbidden by law or neglect a duty that causes bodily injury to someone else. Civil Code section 1714 separately makes everyone responsible for injuries caused by a lack of ordinary care. When a driver violates a safety statute and causes the kind of harm the law was meant to prevent, Evidence Code section 669 creates a presumption of negligence. Investigators and courts typically look at several factors when deciding who is responsible for a drunk driving collision:

• Impairment: Blood or breath test results, field sobriety observations, and officer reports can show whether a driver was under the influence at the time of a crash.
• Driving conduct: Speeding, drifting between lanes, and failing to obey signals often show how impairment translated into dangerous driving.
• Prior record: Earlier DUI arrests, convictions, or court-ordered education programs may show that a driver understood the risks of drinking and driving.
• Vehicle owners: A person who knowingly lends a car to an intoxicated or unfit driver may face separate claims of negligent entrustment.
• Alcohol providers: California generally shields those who serve alcohol from civil liability, with narrow exceptions written into state law.

California courts have also recognized that drunk driving can justify more than ordinary damages. In Taylor v. Superior Court (1979), the California Supreme Court considered a lawsuit brought by a man who was injured in a collision with a driver who was allegedly intoxicated and well aware of his own history of drinking and driving. The court held that driving while intoxicated may amount to malice under Civil Code section 3294 when it is done with a conscious disregard of the probable dangerous consequences. That ruling allows injured people to seek punitive damages, which are designed to punish and deter, in addition to compensation for their losses. The decision remains a cornerstone of how California courts view the choice to drive impaired.

Life After a Traumatic Amputation

Limb loss affects far more Americans than many people realize. A 2008 study estimated that 1.6 million people in the United States were living with the loss of a limb in 2005 and projected that the number could more than double to 3.6 million by 2050. In figures published in 2015, the Amputee Coalition reported that trauma accounts for about 45% of people living with limb loss. An amputation caused by a traffic collision usually marks the beginning of a long medical journey rather than the end of one. Survivors and their families should understand the stages that often lie ahead:

• Surgery: Many patients need revision surgeries to shape the residual limb, treat infection, or address nerve pain before a prosthesis can be fitted.
• Prosthetics: Artificial limbs must be fitted, adjusted, and eventually replaced over a lifetime, and each new device requires training to use safely.
• Rehabilitation: Physical and occupational therapy help amputees rebuild strength, balance, and the ability to walk and work independently.
• Mental health: Sudden limb loss can bring grief, anxiety, and depression, which makes counseling an important part of recovery.
• Home changes: Ramps, bathroom modifications, and vehicle adaptations may be needed as a person adjusts to a new way of moving through daily life.

These needs often continue for decades, and the costs can grow well beyond the first hospital stay. Drunk driving collisions are entirely preventable, and each one that ends in a life-altering injury shows what is at stake when someone chooses to drive impaired. California law allows people hurt by careless or reckless drivers to pursue compensation for medical care, prosthetics, lost income, and the disruption to daily life. Holding impaired drivers accountable also reinforces the message that drinking and driving carries real consequences. Injured people have the right to seek answers and to be made as whole as the law allows.

Investigating DUI Accidents in Los Angeles

We at Feher Law send our best wishes for a full recovery to Thomas Torres. We hope the driver responsible is held fully accountable and that this crash pushes our community to take impaired driving even more seriously. This collision raises serious safety concerns about impaired drivers on Los Angeles roads. What could have stopped a suspected drunk driver from getting behind the wheel that night?

Have you or a loved one been hurt by a drunk driver in Los Angeles or elsewhere in Los Angeles County? People injured by impaired drivers may be entitled to compensation for medical treatment, lost wages, and the many ways a serious injury reshapes daily life. Insurance companies often move quickly after a serious crash, and their first priority is limiting what they pay. Our team of safety advocates and accident investigators can help you understand what happened, from arrest reports and chemical test results to surveillance footage and witness statements showing where the driver had been before the collision. If you would like a free, independent investigation or answers about your rights, we’re available anytime at (424) 433-4412.