Accidents happen onLong Island every day. Sadly, one type of preventable accident that can occur is a drunk driving accident. Some motorists decide to drive while intoxicated, which can be catastrophic. Not only can drinking and driving injure others on the road, but it is also illegal and can have criminal consequences.
If you’ve been injured in a drunk driving crash, William Mattar Law Offices is here to help. Our drunk driving accident attorneys are available 24/7 to get started on your case and help you begin your claim for compensation after a Long Island crash.
Maximize Your Recovery: How Our Drunk Driving Accident Attorneys Can Help You
In the aftermath of a drunk driving accident on Long Island, you're likely facing physical injuries, emotional distress, and wondering how you’re going to move forward. Here's an experienced drunk driving accident attorneys can make a significant difference after a Long Island crash:
Focus on Healing, Not the Hassle:
- Peace of mind: Let your lawyer handle the legal legwork, allowing you to prioritize your recovery from injuries and emotional trauma.
Taking on the Legal Side of Things:
- Knowledge of drunk driving laws: DUI/DWI laws in New York can be used to establish negligence per se. An experienced accident attorney will be well-versed in these laws and how they apply to your case.
- Building a Strong Case: They'll know how to gather and preserve vital evidence, such as police reports, witness statements, and medical records, to strengthen your claim.
Dealing with Insurance Companies:
- Protecting Your Rights: Insurance companies can be challenging to navigate. A lawyer can handle communication with the at-fault motorist’s insurer, advocate for fair compensation, and protect your rights.
Maximizing Your Compensation:
- Accurate Damage Assessment: A drunk driving accident attorney can work to accurately assess your medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and potential future medical needs after a Long Island crash.
Taking it to Court (if needed):
- Skilled Negotiator: A lawyer will negotiate aggressively for a fair settlement with the at-fault party's insurance company.
- Strong Courtroom Advocate: If a settlement isn't reached, they can represent you effectively in court, advocating for your full compensation.
Why Choose Our Drunk Driving Accident Lawyers?
We have the experience to help those injured by drunk drivers. We’ve handled a variety of drunk driving accident cases, including those where a drunk driver has struck and injured other vehicle occupants, bicyclists, motorcyclists, and pedestrians.
What to Do After a Drunk Driving Accident onLong Island
Being involved in a drunk driving accident can be a frightening and stressful experience. While every situation is unique, here's a breakdown some steps to consider:
1. Ensure Safety and Seek Medical Attention:
- Check for Injuries: If there are injuries, call 911 immediately and request medical assistance.
- Move to a Safe Location: If possible, move yourself and your vehicle to a safe location away from traffic.
2. Call the Police and Report the Accident:
- Report the Accident: Report the accident to the police, regardless of the severity. Drunk driving is a serious crime, and a police report is vital for documenting the incident.
- Inform the Officer of Suspected DUI: Let the responding officer know you believe the other driver was intoxicated.
3. Document the Scene (if safe to do so):
- Take Photos: If safe and possible, take pictures of the accident scene from various angles. Capture vehicle damage, skid marks, debris, and traffic signs or signals.
- Gather Witness Information: Try to get witnesses’ names and contact information. Their statements can provide valuable evidence.
4. Do Not Engage with the Drunk Driver:
- Avoid Arguments: Do not argue with or blame the drunk driver. Their behavior may be unpredictable, so it's best to maintain a safe distance.
- Leave Explanations to the Authorities: Let the police handle any communication with the drunk driver.
5. Contact an Accident Attorney:
- Protect Your Rights: A drunk driving accident attorney can advise you on your legal rights and next steps after a Long Island crash. They can help you navigate the legal process, gather evidence, and advocate for the compensation you deserve.
How Does Alcohol Affect Driving?
Alcohol can dramatically affect the brain, impacting a person’s ability to drive safely. Thinking, reasoning, and muscle coordination can all be impaired by alcohol. This is why drinking and driving is illegal in every state in the country.
Drivers do not need to have a blood alcohol content (BAC) over the legal limit to be impaired while driving. Any amount of alcohol can potentially impact driving abilities, causing drivers to make errors on the road that could lead to a crash.
Driving while impaired or intoxicated can result in motorists speeding, failing to obey traffic signals such as red lights, and failing to yield the right of way to other motorists, bicyclists, or pedestrians.
Statistics on Drunk Driving Accidents
Drunk driving claims thousands of lives each year and injures thousands more. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), about one-third of all traffic deaths in the U.S. involve drunk drivers. Moreover, from 2010 to 2019, an average of 10,000 people died every year in drunk-driving accidents.
Despite minimum legal drinking age laws, alcohol-related accidents are still a concern for young drivers on the roadways. Approximately a third of car accidents that result in a teen death involve an underage drinking driver.
Common Injuries In Drunk Driving Accidents
Drunk driving accidents can result in a wide range of injuries, varying from relatively “minor” injuries to severe and life-altering maladies. The impact of these accidents can be devastating, often leading to medical issues that require extensive treatment and rehabilitation.
Here's a quick overview of common injuries sustained in drunk driving accidents:
- Head Injuries: These range from mild concussions to severe brain damage. Head injuries can cause long-term cognitive impairments, memory loss, and personality changes.
- Spinal Cord Injuries: These may result in partial or complete paralysis and often lead to lifelong disabilities and ongoing medical care.
- Broken Bones and Fractures: Common in high-impact collisions, these can range from simple fractures to complex, multiple breaks requiring surgery.
- Internal Organ Damage: This may include injuries to the liver, kidneys, spleen, or lungs. Such injuries often require immediate medical intervention and can be life-threatening.
- Soft Tissue Injuries: These include whiplash, sprains, and strains, which can cause chronic pain and limited mobility.
- Facial Injuries: These may involve fractures, lacerations, or dental injuries and can result in permanent scarring or disfigurement.
- Burn Injuries: Possible in accidents involving fire or explosions, burn injuries can lead to severe pain, scarring, and need for reconstructive surgery.
- Psychological Trauma: This includes PTSD, anxiety, and depression, which may require long-term psychological treatment.
- Amputations: Resulting from severe crushing injuries or medical necessity, amputations lead to lifelong disabilities and need for prosthetics.
- Road Rash: Common in motorcycle accidents, road rash can lead to infections and permanent scarring.
- Eye Injuries: These may result from debris, glass, or airbag deployment and can cause temporary or permanent vision impairment.
Recovery from these injuries often requires incorporating various medical specialties, physical therapy, and psychological support. Legal representation can help ensure that victims receive proper compensation for their injuries, including coverage for medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering that may not be covered by first-party no-fault insurance.
Compensation After a Long Island Drunk Driving Accident
If you've been injured in an accident caused by a drunk driver in Long Island, you may be entitled to financial compensation. Victims of drunk driving accidents often face a range of damages, both economic and non-economic.
Economic Damages:
- Medical expenses (including hospital bills, ongoing treatment, and rehabilitation) not covered by no-fault insurance;
- Lost wages and loss of future earning capacity not covered by no-fault insurance;
- Property damage
- Out-of-pocket costs related to the accident
Non-Economic Damages:
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Loss of enjoyment of life
While economic damages are typically easier to quantify, non-economic damages can be more challenging to assess. For instance, how do you put a price on the inability to enjoy activities you once loved or spend quality time with your family?
This is where an experienced drunk driving accident attorney becomes invaluable after a Long Island crash. They can help you evaluate and pursue all forms of compensation you deserve accurately.
Legal Consequences for Drunk Drivers:
In New York, drunk drivers face severe legal repercussions.
Beyond the criminal charges of DUI (Driving Under the Influence) or DWI (Driving While Intoxicated), intoxicated drivers who cause accidents resulting in injuries may also be liable for:
- Compensatory damages: Covering both economic and non-economic losses suffered by the victim
- Punitive damages: Additional monetary penalties designed to punish the drunk driver and deter similar behavior in the future
It's important to note that punitive damages are not available in all cases but are more likely to be awarded in drunk driving accidents due to the driver's reckless disregard for others' safety.
Proving Fault in a Drunk Driving Accident Case
In a drunk driving accident case, proving fault falls on the injured party (plaintiff). To succeed, a drunk driving accident lawyer will need to demonstrate that the other driver's intoxication was the proximate cause of the accident.
Importance of Evidence:
- Police Reports: These documents describe the scene and contain witness statements gathered by officers, results of any field sobriety tests administered, and the officer's observations on the drivers' behavior. They may include an accident description that is not based on the responding officer’s personal knowledge.
- BAC Test Results: A Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) test result is strong evidence of intoxication. The legal limit in New York is .08%, but any level of impairment can be used to argue the driver wasn't operating the vehicle safely.
- Eyewitness Testimonies: Statements from bystanders who saw the accident unfold can be valuable. They can corroborate details about the drunk driver's erratic behavior or inability to maintain control of the vehicle.
- Video Evidence: Traffic or dashcam footage can be powerful evidence. It can visually demonstrate the drunk driver's actions leading up to the crash.
- Expert Accident Reconstruction: Accident reconstruction experts analyze evidence from the scene, vehicle damage, and skid marks to recreate the accident and determine how it happened. This expertise can be invaluable in situations with complex accident scenes.
Field Sobriety Tests (FSTs):
Police officers administer these roadside tests to assess a driver's level of intoxication. While not foolproof, they can be used as evidence of impairment. However, a passed FST doesn't necessarily mean the driver wasn't intoxicated.
Remember: A strong case involves a combination of evidence. A drunk driving accident attorney can help you gather evidence after a Long Island crash, interpret its significance, and build a compelling case that demonstrates the drunk driver's fault in the accident.
Is There a Legal Limit Time for Filing a Lawsuit After a Drunk Driving Accident in Long Island, NY?
There is a time limit, called a statute of limitations, for suing after an accident. In New York, you typically have three years from the crash date to file a lawsuit.
This time limit applies to most lawsuits following drunk driving accidents. Shorter limitations periods can apply, including when a governmental entity is responsible, so it is critical that an experienced attorney examine your unique situation as soon as possible.
Injured in a Long Island Drunk Driving Accident? Call William Mattar Law Offices
If you have been injured in a drunk driving accident onLong Island and are looking for an attorney, call William Mattar Law Offices. Our drunk driving accident attorneys have the experience and knowledge to get the best possible outcome for your case after a Long Island crash.
Schedule a free initial consultation today with a team member. Just submit our contact form or call our offices at (716) 444-4444.