Drunk Driving has Decreased, but it’s Still a Problem
In 2021, the latest year statistics were available, there were over 25,000 drunk driving crashes in Texas. Those wrecks resulted in 1,029 fatalities; about 3 every day.
Even though fatal accidents caused by drunk drivers are on the decline, it is still a huge problem in Texas and around the rest of the country. Despite rideshare availability, people make poor judgements when driving, and that can end up costing someone their life.
If you’re hit by a drunk driver, do you know what to do? Do you know what to expect? Would you even be able to handle the stress of everything while you’re injured and trying to recover from those injuries? Let’s take a look at what the Car Crash Captain has to say about being hit by a drunk driver in Texas.
Make Sure the Police Show Up
If you’re in a minor fender bender, you don’t have to have the police come. In fact, it’s often best to just exchange information, get agreement on what happened, and let insurance fix the vehicle.
But if you’ve been hit by a drunk driver, a serious crime has been committed. We’re not talking about a fender bender anymore; we’re talking about a criminal that needs to be dealt with. When the police come, they can create an official report. That report is essential in helping to prove your case when you’re seeking compensation for damages, because you may need to seek compensation from more than the insurance company.
Get Medical Attention Right Away
Immediately following a wreck, you might not feel that much pain. Your body has a way of overriding those pain indicators so that you can find safety. Then, when you’re in a safe place the body calms down and you realize that you’re pretty badly hurt.
Seeking medical attention allows you to start that paper trail that shows you did indeed get the advice from a medical professional. Then, even if aches and pains start to pop up, or you have major internal injuries that only come to light later, it will be harder for an insurance company to deny your claim.
File a Report with the Insurance Companies
You will want to work with a professional car wreck lawyer, like Herbert Law Group, you also need to start the claim process with the insurance companies. But you will also want them to know that you’re not giving out any information, and that all questions should go through your personal injury lawyer to ensure that they can’t twist around your information and deny the claim.
Understand the Legal Issues Going On
Being injured in a wreck has a lot of complications. Being injured in a wreck caused by a drunk driver is quite different.
As we indicated above, the other driver has committed a crime. This means that not only were you injured due to their negligence, but also while they were engaged in criminal activity. But they might not be the only party to blame; there are issues that stem from if they were served the alcohol, and why they were allowed to drive.
You Might have to File a Civil Suit
In a drunk driving case, there is more going on than a negligent driver. The very fact that the other motorist was drunk makes him or her negligent (that’s one reason you need that police report, it will indicate their blood alcohol level; driving over the legal limit means acting negligently), but compensation can go into the punitive range as well.
A civil suit against the other driver, or even against the bar or establishment that served them beyond the point of intoxication could come up. It can get difficult, complicated, and cumbersome. Especially if you’re severely injured and unable to put all the energy into dealing with courts, insurance companies, hospitals, and more.
Herbert Law Group Helps with the Tough Stuff
The good news: you don’t have to worry about any of that. When you enlist the help of Herbert Law Group, we take over and make sure all the legal stuff and insurance stuff is handled. We keep you informed throughout the entire process so you know exactly what is going on and how close we are to finding a settlement that will award you the compensation that you need and deserve.
To get things started, we have to get to know you! If you were injured in a wreck with a drunk driver, or a loved one was killed in a wreck with a drunk driver, let’s talk about what happened and see how we can help. Call us at 214-414-3808, or fill out the contact form on our site and we’ll reach out to you.