by 
Many millions of Americans own a legal driver’s license and often use the roads every day in cars, pickup trucks, and motorcycles, and this makes for busy roads ranging from the Interstates to urban roads. The unfortunate truth is that these drivers are not always in good condition to operate a motor vehicle, and many drivers are either intoxicated, under the influence of drugs, or simply distracted by a handheld device, and in any of these cases, the odds of someone getting injured in a crash become much higher. A drunk driving accident becomes much more likely to take place if a driver is intoxicated, even if they are only “buzzed,” and a drunk driving accident can injure or even kill someone, not to mention property damage. If a victim becomes hurt in a crash or a drunk driving accident, what can be done to get compensation for this incident?
Dangerous Drivers
Not all Americans on the road are fit to drive, and many statistics are kept of driving Americans of all types, and some of this data shows how often people drive impaired and what kind of damage they are causing. What is causing these drivers to lose control? Many of them are intoxicated, and this can result in a drunk driving accident in many cases. If a driver’s blood alcohol content, their BAC, is too high, they are driving illegally even if they do not cause a crash. A BAC of 0.08% or higher qualifies as drunk driving as the law sees it, and some states have even lower thresholds for this. Some drivers incorrectly believe that driving “buzzed,” or partially intoxicated, is a safe alternative, but it is not, and drivers are highly discouraged from attempting it. A drunk driver simply does not have the coordination, judgment, or reaction times needed to avoid hitting other vehicles or pedestrians. Alcohol is not alone; other drugs often impair drivers as well, whether those drugs’ use is legal or not, and in fact, non-alcoholic drugs, legal or otherwise, are involved in about 16% of all motor vehicle crashes. Drugs such as marijuana, cocaine, heroin, Ecstasy, or any other may impair a driver.
A drunk driving accident can kill, but so can a crash due to inattentive drivers. Personal electronics are often used by drivers, such as cell phones, but using these devices means that the driver’s attention is not on the road, and this can make them too late to react to road developments such as a red light, oncoming traffic, or pedestrians. This can greatly increase the risks of a collision, and for this reason, using such handheld devices is often illegal just like drunk driving is. And if injuries are sustained because of a drunk driving accident or an inattentive driver, what can the victim do? What is the next step?
Hiring a Personal Injury Lawyer
Entire law firms exist that specialize in drunk driving injuries or personal injuries due to bad traffic conditions, and a victim, once they recover enough from their injuries, can look into this option and pursue litigation against an at-fault party’s insurance company to get compensation. Trying to get settlement money alone may prove difficult, but with a lawyer’s assistance, this undertaking has much better odds of a good outcome. A client may want a lawyer because their own mental state is subjective and emotionally charged, and a lawyer will, by contrast, offer a clear-headed, rational, objective view on the matter and assemble a practical case using their expertise with the law. And if the victim’s injuries will prevent them from doing paying work in the future, this complex financial impact can be skillfully calculated by a lawyer and incorporated into the case.
During litigation, a lawyer can protect his or her client from other obstacles or complications such as if the at-fault party’s insurance company refuses to pay all or any of the settlement money, and if there are multiple parties involved, this creates a complex case best left to a lawyer to untangle. Clients can visit a law firm and get consultations (which may or may not incur a fee) and find a lawyer whose skills, experience, and personality are to the client’s liking, and hire that person.
