What to Do After Being Injured by A Drunk Driver in a Car Accident Case?

Did you know that more than 10,000 people die every year in alcohol-related car accidents? If you are involved in a car accident with a drunk driver, there are important steps you need to take following the accident. In Colorado in 2016, there were 605 traffic deaths, 27% of which were alcohol-related, according to the NHTSA. The Colorado Highway Patrol issued more than 4,400 citations in 2017 for driving under the influence. According to traffic safety statistics, over 500 alcohol or drug-related car accidents involving injuries or deaths were investigated as of early December 2017. Drunk drivers are a real threat to the safety of every person on Colorado’s city streets and highways.

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What to do Immediately After a Drunk Driving Accident

Contact the police from the scene of the accident if you suspect alcohol is involved in any way. By doing so, the details of the accident will be properly documented, which is vital when filing an insurance claim or personal injury lawsuit against the person who caused the accident. The police report will serve as a crucial piece of evidence in your claim for compensation, and your community deserves your best efforts to get drunk drivers off the street. Cooperate with the police when they arrive at the scene and tell them exactly how the accident happened.

Collect as much information at the scene as you can. Get names, addresses and phone numbers for any witnesses. Take pictures of the scene. Get the other driver’s contact information. Document as many details of the accident as possible. Get the officer’s name and the number of your police report. Be sure to get a copy of the report as soon as possible. Next, seek immediate medical attention for any injuries you sustain in the accident. Go to the Emergency Room of your local hospital to get checked out even if you’re not sure on the extent of injuries you may have sustained. Follow up with a trip to your doctor in the days immediately following the accident, as signs and symptoms of injury may not manifest within the first 24 hours. Some injuries exhibit symptoms a day or two, or even a week or more, after an accident. Listen to your body and pay attention to any changes you experience.

Contact a personal injury lawyer about filing a personal injury claim. Insurance companies will try to get accident victims to settle their claims prematurely without a proper medical work up. This is simply not appropriate and an attempt to prejudice your injury claim. However, they cannot pressure you into such an arrangement if you have an attorney working for you. Refer any questions to your attorney and let them handle the insurance company on your behalf to make sure your rights are not compromised or violated. This is your best chance of obtaining fair and reasonable compensation for your losses and damages in your personal injury case.

How Can Drunk Driving Impact Your Claim?

Driving drunk leads to impairment such as an inability to react properly to things happening on the road, an inability to make proper judgments and decisions, and an inability to observe traffic rules properly. These are the things that lead to accidents. When a driver is drunk and any of the above cause an accident, that person is considered negligent. If this negligence leads to an accident which causes property damage or personal injury, the drunk driver is reasonably considered liable for those damages. Furthermore, the drunk driver may be responsible for an entire separate category of monies owed in your case under punitive damages.

What Should You Do Now?

At Whalen Injury Lawyers, we understand how much an accident caused by a drunk driver can affect your life. Our goal is to help you get fair, full compensation for any losses you may suffer in an accident caused by a drunk driver. Our personal injury attorneys are ready to provide you with the best representation available in pursuing a legal claim, including taking your case to trial if needed. We will take care of dealing with the insurance company of the other driver, and even your own insurance company if necessary. We are experienced in handling big insurance companies and personal injury cases, and we’re not afraid to take your fight to the courtroom. If you and/ or someone you love have been injured in a car accident caused by a drunk driver, contact us today for a free, no-obligation consultation to discuss the details of your situation and consider your legal options.

You can reach us in Denver at (720) 307-2666 or Colorado Springs at (719) 644-7000 to learn more. Colorado Springs our offices are located in the Alamo Corporate Center at 102 S. Tejon Street, Suite 1100. In Denver you can find us in the Denver Tech Center at 7955 East Arapahoe Court, Suite 2375, Centennial, CO 80112. We look forward to working with you to help you receive fair and just compensation for your damages.

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