Drunk driving is a serious problem on Georgia roads. According to the Georgia Governor’s Office of Highway Safety, traffic deaths from alcohol-involved crashes spiked over 70 percent in a recent decade. That’s not to mention the staggering number of people injured in drunk driving collisions, a statistic that frequently goes underreported.
Still, numbers only tell part of the story when it comes to the toll a collision with an impaired driver can take on a person’s life. Accident victims and their families know the truth.
You deserve justice if you suffered injuries or other losses in a drunk driving crash. Learning the steps to take after you get hit by a drunk driver is crucial to protect your health, legal rights, and future. Here’s advice from the Law Offices of William F. Underwood, III, P.C.
Check for Injuries
After any motor vehicle accident, the first thing to do is to check for injuries. Assess yourself, your passengers, and anyone else involved in the crash. If anyone is hurt, call 911 immediately and request medical assistance.
Even if you believe your injuries are minor, getting checked by a medical professional is imperative. So-called invisible injuries such as concussions, whiplash, or internal trauma may not immediately show symptoms but can have severe consequences if left untreated.
Report the Car Crash
Always report a Georgia DUI accident to the authorities. In Georgia, you are legally required to report any crash that results in injuries, death, or significant property damage.
Provide the responding officer with a detailed account of what happened, but avoid admitting fault or speculating about the details. Be sure to mention any signs of intoxication from the other driver, such as slurred speech, erratic behavior, the smell of alcohol, or the presence of open containers of alcohol.
The officer’s police report can serve as a key piece of evidence when filing a personal injury claim for compensation. It documents the facts of the accident, the drunk driver’s condition, and any citations or arrests made at the scene.
Document the Accident Scene
Gather as much evidence as possible at the accident scene if you can. This documentation can strengthen your case and help prove the other driver’s negligence. Examples of evidence include:
- Photos – Document the damage to your vehicle, the positioning of the cars, and any visible injuries. If possible, photograph the drunk driver’s car, including the license plate, any visible alcohol containers, or other evidence of impairment. Never touch, reach, or enter the other driver’s car in pursuit of evidence.
- Witnesses – Ask for any eyewitnesses’ names and contact information. They can provide an unbiased account of the accident to your attorney, which can be valuable evidence for your claim.
Don’t worry if your injuries prevented you from collecting this information at the crash scene. The drunk driving accident attorneys at the Law Offices of William F. Underwood, III, P.C. can collect the proof you need for a robust personal injury claim.
Seek Immediate Medical Attention
Even if you don’t feel hurt immediately after the accident, you should seek medical treatment as soon as possible. Prompt medical attention can identify any hidden injuries early and prevent them from worsening.
Furthermore, seeing a doctor will create a medical record linking your injuries to the car accident. These records will strengthen your case against the drunk driver. If you delay treatment, the drunk driver’s insurance company may argue that the car accident did not cause your injuries or they are not as severe as you claim.
Consult a Georgia Drunk Driving Accident Attorney
There’s no valid excuse for impaired driving. Still, insurance companies often try to minimize settlements, even in drunk driving cases where the other motorist is clearly at fault. Having a car accident lawyer on your side can help address any disputes from the insurance company and negotiate effectively for compensation that accounts for all your losses.
Compensation for Your Drunk Driving Accident Injuries
After being hit by an intoxicated driver in Georgia, you may be entitled to various kinds of compensation, such as money for:
- Medical bills – This includes past, current, and future medical expenses for treatment, rehabilitation, and therapy.
- Lost wages – If your injuries prevent you from working, you may recover compensation for lost income, including reduced future earning capacity due to long-term disabilities.
- Pain and suffering – You may be entitled to compensation for the physical pain and emotional distress caused by the crash.
Why Choose the Law Offices of William F. Underwood, III, P.C.?
The Law Offices of William F. Underwood, III, P.C., has a heart for helping injured people. With a 10.0 Superb Avvo rating, our law firm has the skills and resources to take on complex personal injury cases and deliver meaningful results.
We are committed to putting you first and fighting for the compensation you deserve. Here’s why clients trust us with their most challenging cases:
- Client-centered approach – We understand the emotional and financial havoc an accident can wreak on victims’s lives. Our lawyers work hard to provide compassionate, personalized legal representation.
- Experience handling drunk driving accident cases – Our personal injury lawyers have extensive experience representing victims of drunk driving accidents. We know how to stand up to insurance companies to demand maximum compensation after a DUI crash.
- Prompt communication – We prioritize open communication with our clients, ensuring that all questions are answered promptly, usually within 24 hours.
- Thorough investigation – We leave no stone unturned in building your case, working with top-tier experts, consulting your doctors, and gathering all the evidence necessary to pursue a favorable outcome.
- Hometown care – Founding attorney William F. “Trey” Underwood and his team are native Georgians. You can count on us to treat you with the home-grown hospitality you need and deserve.
- Track record of success – Our attorneys have recovered millions of dollars in compensation for auto accident victims.
Our law firm has zero tolerance for drunk drivers. If you or a loved one suffered injuries in an alcohol-related crash in Albany or a surrounding Georgia community, don’t go through this difficult time alone. Contact the Law Offices of William F. Underwood, III, P.C., today for a free consultation.
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