If you were recently injured in a drunk driving accident, you need experienced legal representation on your side as soon as possible. Your injuries are painful and serious, and you deserve maximum compensation for your damages. However, getting compensation isn’t easy, even when there’s plenty of evidence proving the other driver was at fault and even impaired at the time of the crash.
At Berg Injury Lawyers, our team of Alameda drunk driving accident lawyers know how to build winning claims for people hurt by drunk drivers. We never settle for less than our clients deserve, and we’re always there to answer their questions and address their concerns.
Take the first step towards getting the money you need after a crash that wasn’t your fault. Contact us now for a free consultation and to learn how we can help.
The Consequences of Drunk Driving in Alameda
Drunk driving accidents can change victims’ lives forever. Because they often result in serious and even fatal injuries, victims aren’t the only ones impacted. Their loved ones often feel the consequences of these preventable crashes, too.
Impact on Victims and Families
- Loss of Independence: The injuries associated with drunk driving crashes can leave victims unable to do certain routine tasks for themselves, and they often rely on family members to assist them.
- Emotional Struggles: Drunk driving accident victims often suffer from mental health disorders after being injured in crashes. The impact of these conditions can also affect their loved ones.
- Financial Problems: Serious injuries result in big medical bills and lost wages. For many families, the combination of these two problems is more than they can bear financially.
Long-Term Implications for Victims
- Chronic Pain: Drunk driving accident victims often suffer from debilitating pain that can last for years or even the rest of their lives.
- Disability: Injuries suffered during these crashes may result in complete or partial disability for months, years, or even a lifetime.
- Loss of Income: When victims can’t work, they can’t earn the paychecks they and their loved ones depend on.
Common Injuries in Drunk Driving Accidents
The injuries people suffer in drunk driving accidents are the same types of injuries people suffer in all types of car crashes. However, they may be more severe in drunk driving crashes, as these accidents often happen at faster speeds and without drivers attempting to swerve to avoid impact.
Types of Injuries
Drunk driving accidents can result in many different types of injuries, including:
- Traumatic Brain Injuries: Whether resulting from impact with the inside of the vehicle or the forces generated during the crash, traumatic brain injuries are common during drunk driving accidents.
- Spinal Cord Injuries: The spine is extremely vulnerable during vehicle collisions, and when it’s damaged, victims can suffer temporary or permanent paralysis.
- Broken Bones and Lacerations: It’s common for car accident victims to suffer broken bones and lacerations. These injuries can be disabling and even life-threatening when they aren’t treated right away.
- Internal Organ Damage: The forces generated during car accidents can injure internal organs. Victims may not realize they’ve suffered internal organ damage until hours or even days later, which can put their lives at risk.
Psychological and Emotional Impact
Drunk driving crashes are devastating for victims both physically and emotionally. It’s common for victims to suffer from many different types of psychological injuries, including:
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): Highly stressful and traumatic situations such as drunk driving crashes can cause PTSD, which manifests as a malfunction of the body’s natural “fight-or-flight” response.
- Anxiety: Survivors of drunk driving crashes may develop anxiety both around driving or riding in vehicles and in their daily lives. Anxiety can be debilitating and affect every aspect of victims’ lives.
- Depression: Some drunk driving accident victims develop depression due to survivor’s guilt, especially if others in the crash suffered fatal injuries. Others may develop the condition due to pain, disability, and loss of independence.
Understanding Your Legal Rights After a Drunk Driving Accident
When a drunk driver causes a crash, they can be held liable for any damages they cause just like a driver who was speeding, texting, or following too closely.
Holding Drunk Drivers Accountable
Victims of drunk driving accidents can pursue justice not only through criminal charges brought by the state but also through civil claims to recover compensation for their losses. Civil claims allow victims to hold drunk drivers directly accountable for their negligence and the harm they caused.
Pursuing Compensation
Victims may be entitled to claim compensation for various damages, including:
- Medical Expenses and Rehabilitation Costs: Coverage for emergency treatment, ongoing therapy, and future medical care
- Lost Wages and Loss of Future Earning Capacity: Compensation for income lost during recovery and any reduction in earning ability caused by injuries
- Pain and Suffering or Emotional Distress: Acknowledgment of the physical and emotional toll of the accident
- Property Damage: Reimbursement for repair or replacement of vehicles and other damaged property
Legal Actions Against Additional Parties
California Dram Shop Laws
In certain cases, establishments or social hosts who served alcohol to the drunk driver may be held liable for damages, particularly if they served a minor. These laws provide additional avenues for victims to seek compensation beyond the at-fault driver.
How Our Alameda Drunk Driving Accident Lawyers Can Help
After a drunk driving accident, it’s important to have an experienced and aggressive legal team on your side. Insurance companies don’t always cooperate, even when there’s plenty of evidence that the at-fault driver was negligent and impaired. Our experience helps us build and win claims for our clients.
Investigating the Accident
The team at Berg Injury Lawyers conducts thorough investigations to build strong cases for drunk driving accident victims by gathering:
- Police reports and BAC (blood alcohol concentration) results
- Eyewitness testimony and surveillance footage
- Accident reconstruction analysis, if necessary
Dealing with Insurance Companies
Insurance companies often try to minimize payouts. Berg Injury Lawyers has extensive experience negotiating with insurers to secure fair settlements for clients. We can counter bad faith tactics and stalls in the legal process to maximize our clients’ chances of getting every penny they deserve.
Litigation Support
If a fair settlement cannot be reached, Berg Injury Lawyers is prepared to take cases to court. Our attorneys are skilled litigators who fight for maximum compensation by leveraging decades of legal experience and compelling evidence.
Steps to Take After a Drunk Driving Accident
There are a few steps you can take to protect your health and maximize your chances of getting full and fair compensation after a drunk driving accident:
- Seek medical attention immediately. Prioritize your health and document your injuries by getting medical treatment.
- Report the accident to law enforcement. Ensure the incident is formally documented and obtain a copy of the police report.
- Document evidence at the scene. Take photos of the accident scene, vehicle damage, and visible injuries. Gather contact information from witnesses.
- Consult a lawyer. Protect your legal rights by seeking professional guidance before making statements or accepting settlement offers.
Frequently Asked Questions About Drunk Driving Accidents
- What should I do if I suspect the driver who hit me was drunk?
Call 911 immediately and share any observations about the driver, such as slurred speech or the smell of alcohol. Work with your attorney to ensure evidence of intoxication is included in your case. - Can I file a lawsuit even if the drunk driver wasn’t convicted?
Yes, civil claims operate independently of criminal proceedings. You can seek compensation regardless of the driver’s conviction status. - How long does it take to resolve a drunk driving accident claim?
Timelines vary depending on the case’s complexity, but many claims are resolved within several months to a year. Litigation may take longer. - What if I was partially at fault for the accident?
California’s comparative negligence law allows you to recover compensation even if you share fault. However, your compensation may be reduced by your percentage of fault.
Contact Our Alameda Drunk Driving Accident Lawyers
Drunk driving accidents are serious not just from a criminal perspective, but also from a civil lawsuit perspective. All car accidents are capable of causing serious injuries, and drunk driving accidents are often more devastating than other types of crashes due to the effects of impairment on at-fault drivers.
Don’t wait another day to get the legal representation you need and deserve. Contact the Alameda drunk driving accident lawyers at Berg Injury Lawyers today for a free consultation.
