If you or someone you love have been in an accident that was caused by a drunk driver, it will be vital that you work with a personal injury attorney. It is likely that seeking the assistance of an experienced attorney can be helpful in determining the best way to take legal action. Your attorney may be able to help you to prove that the person who caused the accident was negligent. It is important to note that when a drunk driver causes an accident they are almost always the one responsible.
Negligence
Negligence is the result of a person’s actions and their disregard to act in a responsible manner. Lawsuits involving negligence are one of the most common forms of personal injury lawsuits. When a person behaves in a negligent manner, they have put another person at risk. There are two primary types of negligence:
- Gross Negligence: This is when a person acts in a way that is incredibly reckless and intentionally puts another person at risk of being harmed. The biggest difference between this and negligence is that a defendant may be required to pay punitive damages.
- Comparative Negligence: Is a less severe form of negligence, in some cases a person may only be held partially responsible for the accident. In comparative negligence situations, both parties can be held responsible in some way. In situations where the person accused of negligence is only held partially responsible for the accident, they may not have to pay damages to the plaintiff.
The Aftermath of a Drunk Driving Accident
In the blink of an eye, your whole life can change. When it’s the result of another person’s bad decisions or recklessness, the process can be incredibly overwhelming. It can take time to heal from a drunk driving accident. In some of the worst accidents, you could be left with permanent disabilities or worse; you could lose a loved one in the accident. The following are some of the ways that a person could be impacted from an accident involving a drunk driver:
- You could experience serious physical injuries. Depending on the severity of the accident, you may sustain injuries that are severe. Common injuries from car accidents include:
- Brain Injuries
- Neck and spinal injuries
- Leg Injuries
- Internal Injuries of the kidneys and liver
- Broken Bones
- When a person continues to relive the trauma of the accident, they are likely to be suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). It can be difficult to put the accident behind you. PTSD can happen when you are reminded of the accident or anytime you get in the car to go somewhere. It may cause you to have trouble sleeping or to avoid things that may remind you of the accident.
- You may go through a grieving process, especially if the accident was horrific enough to result in someone’s death.
Although it can be difficult to face, retaining the services of a personal injury lawyer can be useful in obtaining the financial compensation you are entitled to. For a number of victims who have suffered injuries, the financial impact of an accident can be devastating, especially if you have medical bills.
The trauma from being hit by a drunk driver can run deep. If you were severely injured from the accident, you could have a long road of recovery ahead. It can feel overwhelming to consider filing a lawsuit when you are still healing from both the physical and emotional trauma caused by the accident. An attorney can help in not only ensuring paperwork is filed within the proper time frames; they can also negotiate with insurance companies and develop a legal strategy should your case go to trial.
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