The police will then try to evaluate the cause of the drunk driving crash.
Drunk driving is one of the top causes of vehicular accidents. Alcohol normally makes drivers less alert, slows their reaction time, and changes their depth perception to the extent they can’t accurately gauge the distance between them and other pedestrians or motorists.
When hit by an intoxicated driver, you’ll often be left with the question, “What next?” The moments after might be confusing, perhaps with pain from sustained injuries, emotional turmoil, anger, inability to work, and the thoughts of the life after.
Find below a list of essential to-dos in case you fall victim to drunk driving.
1. Contact a Drunk Driving Accident Lawyer
When injured in a DUI, it’s not a must for you to hire a lawyer. You’re allowed to represent yourself in negotiations with insurance companies and in civil court.
However, it’s advisable to hire a personal injury lawyer, like the attorneys from Irons & Irons P.A., if you or a loved one has been injured because of someone else’s negligence. They can help argue out your case for better compensation and protect your rights.
When you negotiate independently, there’s a likelihood of getting short-changed. But seasoned attorneys have handled numerous similar cases and know the law in and out. They can negotiate skillfully so you get a decent settlement.
2. Examine Your Injuries
Your top worry should be the extent of your injuries. Examine your body and check for any visible cuts, bleeding, or bruises. Try lifting your hands and feeling for swelling or tenderness in those areas that hurt. Also, try moving your legs to check whether you can stand and move or you have fractures or dislocations that restrict movement.
You’d also want to assess yourself for dizziness. Don’t stand in a huff because you can faint and injure yourself further. Rise up slowly in bits, ensuring all your body parts are okay. If you can, move to the side of the road so you don’t expose yourself to further danger from moving vehicles. But if the pain is too much, don’t force yourself. Stay where you are until you receive professional help.
3. Call Emergency Services
Next, call emergency services as fast as you can in order to be attended to. You can do this yourself if you’re in a position to speak audibly over the phone. Otherwise, you could ask for help from anyone nearby. Use the medical emergency hotline 911.
Provide as much information to the emergency line operator. They’ll always ask about the location, nearby landmarks, number of victims, and the kinds of injuries you and other victims have. Witnesses and bystanders can always help you with details of the accident you can’t provide right away.
4. Talk to the Police
Many states require you to call the police after a car accident, even the ones you suppose are minor. Once on the scene, they’ll provide first aid to anyone who’s injured before professional medics arrive. They’ll also protect the accident scene so they can conduct their investigation without interruption from other traffic. Cordoning off the accident scene also provides a safe space to talk to the police and other drivers or witnesses.
The police will then try to evaluate the cause of the drunk driving crash. They’ll gather witness reports, interview all parties involved, test for blood alcohol levels, assess the extent of damage and injuries, and write a report. This document will be very important in the steps that follow, especially if you end up suing the drunk driver in court.
The report also includes the names of the victims and the culprit, their telephone numbers, names of insurance companies, policy numbers, names and contact information of insurance representatives, and license plate numbers of the vehicles involved.
Drunk driving is one of the top causes of vehicular accidents.
5. Track Your Expenses and Lost Wages
It’s important to keep track of every expense you incur and time you’ve had to take off from work.
Say you spend five days in hospital getting treatment for your injuries. It means you’ve lost five days of work. And even after getting released from the hospital, it may take time to completely heal from the injuries to the point you can resume your normal duties. Record all these details. They can help in calculating lost wages.
You’d also want to support your drunk driving accident claim with official letters from your doctor and employer explaining why you can’t work as usual. And here’s another critical step: keep copies of all prescriptions and receipts for medical tests and treatments. This information will help a lot when calculating compensation amounts.
Drunk driving is one of the top causes of vehicular accidents.
Conclusion
When you sustain personal injury from drunk driving, knowing the steps to take goes a long way in helping you bounce back to your normal life as soon as possible. For one, it can help you get enough financial compensation to meet your emerging needs. And in the midst of all this, working with a personal injury attorney is recommended because they have the know-how to protect your rights and ensure you get fair compensation.
Members of the editorial and news staff of Law&Crime were not involved in the creation of this content.
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