What are my Rights if I am Hit by a Drunk Driver? How Someone is Seriously Injured Every 90 Seconds
A recent study from the California Office of Traffic Safety shows that Los Angeles County had the highest number of accidents with fatal and severe injuries involving a drunk driver in the Golden State.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports 926 people are injured in accidents with a drunk driver everyday. That is the equivalent of a drunk driving related injury every 90 seconds.
It is illegal for an intoxicated person to drive in the state of California. The legal blood alcohol content level in the Golden State is .08%.
If you were hit by a drunk driver, you may be entitled to compensation. To recover compensation, you must prove the drunk drivers negligence in driving while they were intoxicated.
In regards to negligence, the American Bar Association states that a driver has a “duty to use reasonable care to avoid injuring anyone he or she meets on the road. If a driver fails to use reasonable care” and then injures someone, then the driver is “responsible (liable) to you for those injuries”.
Potential compensation you may be able to recover includes –
- Medical bills – past and present fees owed to hospitals or doctor’s visits. These can range from physical injuries to psychiatric appointments.
- Lost wages – if you are unable to work due to your injuries, you may be eligible to recover wages you could have earned if you were healthy.
- Pain and suffering – both physical or mental, these are not the exact injury, but the ramifications that can come along with it.
- Wrongful death – losing a loved one is never easy. The deceased’s loved ones may be able to recover damages following an untimely death.
You may also be eligible to recover punitive damages in addition to the other compensation. Punitive damages would require you to prove:
- The defendant was aware of potential consequences of their conduct
- They intentionally failed to avoid the aforementioned consequences
You cannot recover punitive damages on their own. They would be sought as an addition to your other damages/compensation.
There are many types of accidents that could involve drunk drivers –
- Head-on collision – when two vehicles crash into each other’s front end. These are very common amongst drunk drivers who drive onto the wrong side of the road.
- T-bone accident – when a vehicle hits the side of another vehicle. This could happen when an inebriated driver runs through a red light or stop sign.
- Rear-end collision – when one vehicle crashes into the back of another vehicle. Drunk drivers impaired vision and delayed reactions can cause them to stop too late, if they stop at all.
- Pedestrian accidents – when a vehicle hits a pedestrian at a crosswalk, street, etc. Many of the previously mentioned causes of other accidents can lead to a drunk driver hitting a pedestrian.
If you were hit by a drunk driver, contact our drunk driving accident attorneys at C&B Law Group. We do not tolerate drunk drivers, and work diligently to defend those whose lives have been impacted by their negligence.
Getting hit by a drunk driver can be catastrophic, leading to severe physical ramifications. They can take a psychological toll unparallel to others.
Frequent injuries resulting from a car accident with a drunk driver include:
- Neck pain or injuries, ranging from pinched nerves to a broken neck
- Back pain or injuries, ranging from herniated discs to back strains
- Traumatic Brain Injuries like concussions or brain hemorrhaging
- Broken or fractured bones in various parts of the body
- Deep cuts or lacerations that lead to permanent scarring or disfigurement
- Internal bleeding
- Organ damage to your liver, kidney, colon, or bladder
- Wrongful death due to any one of or any other previously mentioned injury
Get in touch with the Los Angeles drunk driving accident lawyers at C&B Law Group today.
Your initial consultation is free, and we won’t charge you a cent until we successfully win your case.
