What if I Was Hit by a Drunk Driver?

drunk driving

While driving, we count on other drivers to obey the relevant laws that keep us all safe. Primarily, these laws prohibit driving while under the influence of alcohol. All states ban DUIs, but drivers in all states regularly ignore these regulations and expose themselves and others to danger.

If you were in a car accident caused by a drunk driver and you are suffering from injuries, you deserve compensation to cover the costs of the collision. Let our Baltimore car accident lawyers at LeViness, Tolzman & Hamilton guide you through the next steps and help you claim what you are owed.

What Are the Immediate Steps You Should Take After the Accident?

First and foremost, ensure your safety and that of everyone else in the accident. Call 911 to request medical aid, even if you do not see any visible injuries; you may not see some internal damage, like concussion or nerve damage, and their symptoms may take a while to manifest.

Answer all questions from the police officers on the scene honestly, as their police report will help you with any future insurance claim or personal injury lawsuit.

Take photographs of the vehicles involved, document your experiences on a voice memo or notepad, and collect witness statements. All this evidence will help you if the at-fault driver tries to dispute your version of the events.

How Can You Prove the Other Driver Was Drunk?

When you report a drunk driver to 911 after your accident, the police will likely administer any combination of breathalyzer tests and field sobriety tests to the suspected DUI driver; the resulting police report will go a long way toward proving your allegation of drunk driving and negligence.

Maryland law punishes driving under the influence severely; you have a wide berth to seek compensation for your injuries.

What Compensation Can You Seek?

In a personal injury lawsuit, victims of drunk driving accidents can seek compensation for medical expenses, lost wages due to a reduced ability or inability to work, and pain and suffering. Because Maryland law takes drunk driving seriously, the court may award you with punitive damages to punish the at-fault driver and discourage similar driving behavior in the future.

If you want to recover these damages solely with an insurance claim, we recommend consulting with an experienced car accident attorney in your area. To save themselves money, the drunk driver’s insurance provider will attempt to downplay the severity of your injuries, lowball your settlements, or pressure you to accept an insufficient payout.

How Can a Baltimore Car Accident Lawyer Help?

To shield yourself against these tactics and protect your rights throughout the entire claims process, you need a seasoned personal injury attorney familiar with your geographical area’s legal system. Their connections will allow them to work efficiently and effectively with the court and relevant specialists and build your strongest case to claim the compensation you deserve. They will also help you fill out all the relevant paperwork, meet the applicable deadlines, and abide by all the laws that you need to.

Recover from a Drunk Driving Accident with the Baltimore Car Accident Lawyers at LeViness, Tolzman & Hamilton

If you need a compassionate legal team with all the experience necessary to protect your rights and interests, look no further than the Baltimore car accident lawyers at LeViness, Tolzman & Hamilton. Call us at 800-547-4LAW (4529) or fill out our online contact form for a free consultation.

We have offices in Baltimore, Glen Burnie, Lanham, and Owings Mills, allowing us to represent clients in Maryland, including those in Anne Arundel County, Baltimore County, Carroll County, Harford County, Howard County, Montgomery County, Maryland’s Western Counties, Prince George’s County, Queen Anne’s County, Southern Maryland, and the Eastern Shore, as well as the communities of Catonsville, Essex, Halethorpe, Middle River, Rosedale, Gwynn Oak, Brooklandville, Dundalk, Pikesville, Nottingham, Windsor Mill, Lutherville, Timonium, Sparrows Point, Ridgewood, and Elkridge.