Drunk driving causes many deaths every year. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 29 people in the U.S. die every day in car accidents that involve an alcohol-impaired driver, which is one death every 50 minutes.
Holidays where people tend to drink a lot can cause havoc on the road. St. Patrick’s Day is particularly dangerous because for many people, the goal of the holiday is to get drunk. Then, they may make poor decisions like getting behind the wheel.
If you were involved in a St. Patrick’s Day drunk driver accident and now you don’t know what to do, don’t fret, because there are crucial steps you can take to get the compensation you deserve.
Holiday Drunk Driving Statistics and Safety Tips for St. Patrick’s Day
According to the latest statistics from 2014, Alabama experiences 312 alcohol-related traffic fatalities per year. Unfortunately, the state has the fifth highest rate of impaired driving deaths in the United States, with 5.5 deaths per 100,000 people.
In order to avoid into a St. Patrick’s Day drunk driver accident, you can take a rideshare instead of driving or ask a friend to drive you if you’ve been drinking. If you eat and drink water and only have one alcoholic drink per hour, you’ll be much less likely to get drunk. Make sure you never leave your drink unattended, since someone could slip a drug into it and cause you to become much more impaired. If you’re on medication that doesn’t allow you to drink alcohol, don’t mix the two. If a friend is drunk and wants to drive, you’ll need to stop them from doing so. By keeping all these safety tips in mind, you will have an enjoyable and safe holiday.
What to Do If You’ve Been in a St. Patrick’s Day Drunk Driver Accident
As soon as you get into an accident, you need to call 911 to get immediate medical attention and to file a police report. Then, you should take photographs of your injuries and the damage to your car along with the other driver’s car and license plate. Ask them for their insurance and contact information, and collect witness statements from anyone who saw what happened.
Immediately after gathering evidence, go to the hospital, even if you don’t think you’re injured. You’ll need a full check-up including X-rays. Then, follow your doctor’s treatment plan, which could include going to specialists and taking prescription medication.
When you’re home from the hospital and you’ve had a day or two to recover, call up a personal injury lawyer. They will negotiate with the defendant’s insurance company to get you the proper compensation. Then, you won’t have to worry about covering your medical bills and other damages out of pocket.
Related: Who Will Pay My Bills After an Alabama Car Accident?
How Drunk Driving Cases Are Different
Drunk driving cases are not typical personal injury cases. There may be more than one defendant who is responsible for your injuries. For example, while the drunk driver is responsible, the bartender or party host who gave them too much alcohol could be as well. Additionally, if the drunk driver only hit you because they were swerving to avoid an object in the road, the accident may not be entirely their fault. If the driver was underage, an adult who served them alcohol may be at fault. The only way to know who was to blame is if you contact a personal injury lawyer like Andy Citrin.
Drunk driving cases are not typical personal injury cases. There may be more than one defendant who is responsible for your injuries.
Andy Citrin Injury Attorneys have extensive experience with drunk driving cases. One client, Lisa, suffered multiple injuries when she got into a head-on collision with a drunk driver. She initially didn’t think she was very badly hurt, but a few days later, her head and back began to hurt. Andy Citrin and his team ended up getting a $25,000 settlement for her injuries, damages, and suffering. They have a track record of success because they fight hard for their clients no matter what.
Get in Touch With Andy Citrin Injury Attorneys
If you’ve been in a St. Patrick’s Day drunk driver accident in Alabama or Mississippi, Andy Citrin Injury Attorneys are here to represent you. Since 1986, we’ve helped thousands of injury victims and gotten our clients the compensation that’s rightfully theirs.
If you or a loved one is suffering because of a drunk driver’s negligence, we’re ready to help. To learn more about your options and what steps to take to protect your case, please schedule a free, confidential consultation. Reserve your time today by contacting our team at 251-888-8888 or complete our online form.
References
AlcoholAlert.com. (2019). “Drunk Driving Statistics Alabama.” http://www.alcoholalert.com/drunk-driving-statistics-alabama.html
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020, August 24). “Impaired Driving: Get the Facts.” https://www.cdc.gov/transportationsafety/impaired_driving/impaired-drv_factsheet.html
Nusbaum, Lydia. (2018, December 31). “Alabama has fifth highest drunk driving deaths in 2017, study says.” WSFA News. https://www.wsfa.com/2018/12/31/alabama-has-fifth-highest-drunk-driving-deaths-study-says/
The content provided here is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice on any subject.
Andy is the owner and CEO of Citrin Law Firm, P.C. He founded the firm in 1995 with the goal of helping injured people put their lives back together. His passion for protecting injured people has only grown since he opened the doors of Andy Citrin Injury Attorneys, and he has a history of winning numerous multimillion-dollar verdicts and settlements for his clients.