Have you or someone you love been injured due to the negligence of a drunk driver? Have you lost the life of a family member due to someone else’s drinking and driving?
Unfortunately, about 30% of us will be involved in an alcohol-related crash at some point in our lives.
An alcohol-related crash can be debilitating. Your life has been compromised due to several bad decisions– by the driver who drove under the influence– or the business that sold them the alcohol. And because of that poor judgment, innocent people have been harmed.
Insurance companies are good at minimizing the effects of drunk driving and will do everything in their power to keep money in their pocket. You deserve what is legally and rightfully owed to you. This is why you should hire an experienced Dallas personal injury trial lawyer to protect your rights.
What to Do After Being Hit by a Drunk Driver
Our DWI injury lawyers at Angel Reyes & Associates recommend the first step to take after any car accident is to seek medical attention. Take care of your own health before worrying about anything else. What may seem to be a minor DWI crash could turn out to be more serious—some soft tissue injuries take time to manifest. This is why it is vital to get a professional medical examination.
Follow through with any treatments or procedures that the doctor recommends. A qualified Dallas car accident lawyer will tell you that if you delay properly addressing your injuries, they can worsen and could cause additional problems with the insurance companies later on.
Contact the Police
When you speak to the police officers who arrive on the scene, be sure to tell them what you observed about the other driver before, during, and after the accident. Were you forced to swerve at the last minute to avoid a head-on collision? Was the other motorist driving well above the posted speed limit? Following too closely? Making unsafe lane changes? Did you see the driver taking a drink moments before the crash or throw out bottles immediately after the accident? All of this information is relevant for the police.
It is also wise to speak with anyone you can find who witnessed the accident. Get their contact information and ask them what they saw. Lastly, be sure to note the surrounding areas, as there may be public or private properties with surveillance cameras that may have captured the accident. The sooner you hire an experienced attorney to represent you, the sooner they can begin reaching out to those eyewitnesses and nearby property owners to investigate and build your case.
In many car accident lawsuits, liability for the crash is disputed. The more evidence you have that establishes that the other driver’s negligent or reckless driving caused the accident, the more valuable your case becomes. The essence of negligence is that someone owes you a duty of care, breaches that duty of care, and that breach causes your injuries.
By demonstrating that the other driver was intoxicated, you significantly increase your chances of maximizing your financial recovery. Driving under the influence is a clear breach of the duty of care that every driver owes to their fellow motorists and pedestrians. The right attorney will know which steps to take to build upon the evidence you have already gathered and continue amplifying the strengths of your claim.
Texas’ statute of limitations states that you must file a personal injury claim within two years. Because of this short time frame, it is crucial to contact a drunk driving lawyer as soon as possible. The quicker you act, the sooner you can get on the road to recovery.
Concerning Statistics about Drunk Driving Accidents
Drunk driving is a problem everywhere, however, it is particularly serious in Texas. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported some alarming statistics in the Lone Star State:
- More than 10,000 people in the United States die each year in motor vehicle accidents that involve someone driving under the influence of alcohol.
- Alcohol-impaired drivers get behind the wheel millions of times every year.
- In the last 30 days, 1.7 percent of adults nationwide reported having driven after drinking too much– in Texas, that figure is 2.2 percent.
- Per 100,000 people, there are 1.6 women and 4.9 men nationwide who cause alcohol-impaired driving fatalities. In Texas, those same figures are higher– 2.5 women and 7.6 men.
- Per 100,000 people nationwide, there are 3.2 alcohol-impaired driving deaths. In Texas, that number is 5.0.
- Between 2009-2018 in Texas, 13,592 people were killed in motor vehicle accidents involving an alcohol-impaired driver.
Injuries Commonly Associated with Drunk Driving Crashes
As these statistics illustrate, many drunk driving accidents are fatal. Just because a drunk driving crash does not give rise to a wrongful death claim, though, does not mean that it is not serious. In fact, these accidents often cause serious or life-changing injuries that impact the lives of the victims and their families far into the future. Here are some common injuries sustained by drunk driving accident victims:
- Lacerations and cuts
- Severe burns
- Airbag injuries
- Bone fractures or breaks
- Damage to ligaments
- Organ damage
- Head and neck injuries, which are common in a rear-end collision
- Back and spine injuries
- Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
- Disfigurement or amputation
- Paralysis
- Death
Trust the Professionals
Settling a car accident injury claim can be complicated. To get the best possible compensation for your injuries, you need a drunk driving accident lawyer on your side. Whether you were injured in a car accident, truck accident or motorcycle accident, there is no excuse for the negligence of impaired drivers.
At Reyes Browne, our drunk driving accident attorneys in Dallas have been representing victims for more than 30 years. We are proud to share that we have a 98 percent client success rate. Get started today by calling (469) 983-1970 for an immediate and confidential consultation with a professional car accident attorney.
