Drunk Driver Injury Lawyer Charlotte, NC
If you have sustained injuries in a car accident caused by a drunk driver, you may want to contact a Charlotte, NC drunk driver injury lawyer. You may be entitled to compensation. An attorney can help you file a timely claim against the other party.
How Alcohol Can Affect Your Driving
Despite the many warnings against drunk driving these days, some drivers still get behind the wheel impaired. These drivers have a much higher chance of causing an accident than sober drivers. Here are some different ways alcohol can affect your driving.
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Lower Reaction Times
When you consume alcohol, it can take your brain longer to process information. When you are behind the wheel of a vehicle, this can be detrimental. If your reaction times are slower, you may not be able to react quickly to hazards on the road.
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Reduced Concentration
Drinking too much alcohol can also make it more difficult to concentrate. When on the road, you have to constantly pay attention to what is going on around you. If you lose focus for even a second, you can get in an accident.
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Poor Judgment
Alcohol can also make it more difficult to have proper judgment. When you’re driving, poor judgment can be dangerous. You might make riskier decisions on the road, like speeding or cutting off other vehicles.
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Poor Vision
As a Charlotte drunk driver injury lawyer can confirm, alcohol can also impair your vision. When you are behind the wheel of a vehicle, you must have good vision to navigate the road. If you have had too many drinks, your vision may be blurry, increasing the risk of an accident.
Common Injuries in Drunk Driving Accidents
Drivers who choose to get behind the wheel drunk can put everyone on the road in danger. Drunk driving can result in serious injuries. Here are some common injuries in drunk driving accidents.
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Traumatic Brain Injuries
Traumatic brain injuries can result from a blow or jolt to the head during a drunk driving accident. Initial signs of a traumatic brain injury include headache, nausea, loss of consciousness, dizziness and sensitivity to light. These injuries can lead to long-term physical, cognitive and behavioral problems.
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Spinal Cord Injuries
Spinal cord injuries are one of the most serious injuries you can sustain in a drunk driving accident. These injuries can cause permanent paralysis, which can change your life forever. You may need medical devices, like power chairs, to get around.
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Broken Bones
The force of a drunk driving accident can cause you to break bones in various parts of your body, including your arms, legs and hips. Broken bones cause a lot of pain and can take a long time to recover from. If a bone is broken in more than one place, you may need surgery and rehabilitation.
If you have been hurt in a car crash caused by a driver under the influence, you should schedule a consultation with a Charlotte drunk driver injury lawyer at Ted A. Greve & Associates today.
What Is a Drunk Driver?
Driving while intoxicated (DWI) or driving under the influence (DUI) is a serious offense involving criminal penalties and consequences. Speaking with a Charlotte drunk driver injury lawyer is wise if you’ve been charged.
The penalties for DWI in North Carolina depend on how many times you have been convicted of DWI within the past five years, whether anyone was injured as a result of your driving and whether there were any aggravating factors involved in your arrest. If you are convicted of DWI and have been convicted more than once within the past five years, there will be no opportunity for intervention under the First Offender Act, which means that you will not be able to get an attorney to represent you at trial if you choose to go that route.
There are two types of charges for DWI:
Driving While Impaired (DWI)
This charge includes operating a vehicle while impaired by alcohol or drugs. You can be charged with this offense if your blood alcohol concentration (BAC) was 0.08 percent or higher, regardless of whether you were driving erratically or causing an accident.
Driving Under the Influence (DUI)
This charge includes operating a vehicle while impaired by alcohol or drugs and being involved in an accident that resulted in property damage or personal injury to yourself or another person.
If someone was injured as a result of your driving while intoxicated, then those injuries can be used as evidence to prove that you were reckless while operating a motor vehicle. Reckless operation can be used as evidence against you when determining whether or not your BAC was over 0.08%. If you were injured or lost a loved one in a drunk driving accident, it is important that you consult with an experienced Charlotte drunk driver injury lawyer to discuss your rights and options.
Why Should I Get a Drunk Driver Lawyer?
An attorney will help you understand your legal rights and options after an accident caused by someone who was under the influence of alcohol or drugs. They can also help explain what compensation may be available to you after an accident caused by a driver under the influence.
You have many questions that need to be answered after being involved in an accident caused by someone driving drunk. The first question on your mind is probably about how much money will be available for compensation. Compensation is available for both economic damages (such as medical bills) and non-economic damages (such as pain and suffering). Drunk driving accidents can also result in punitive damages if there is sufficient evidence to show that the defendant acted with malice, fraud, or oppression. Punitive damages are meant to punish the person responsible for causing the accident rather than compensate victims for their losses.
Contact a Drunk Driver Lawyer
Our firm is dedicated to helping people who have been injured by the negligence of others. We are committed to providing quality legal services professionally and with integrity. Contact Ted A. Greve & Associates to speak with our Charlotte drunk driver injury lawyer today to schedule your consultation.
Dealing with Drunk Driving Accidents
A Charlotte, NC drunk driver injury lawyer knows that North Carolina – just like all states – has very stringent DUI penalties in place. In the majority of states across the country, even a first-offense conviction results in the loss of driving privileges, a hefty fine, and alcohol education program attendance. A DUI conviction also results in a high increase in how much auto insurance companies will charge for coverage. In many cases, premiums more than double what they were before the conviction.
Consequences of a DUI Crash
The consequences of a DUI are magnified when the driver has also been involved in a car crash. In addition to being charged with drunk driving, the driver may also face charges of reckless driving, assault, or driving to endanger. If there are injured victims, it is almost a guarantee that the police will file additional charges against the driver besides DUI.
Penalties for subsequent convictions are even harsher and often result in some jail time. Multiple convictions can result in the permanent loss of license.
Breathalyzer Tests and DUI Accidents
In the majority of states, when a driver refuses to submit to a breathalyzer, they automatically lose their license. Even without having the measurement of how much alcohol a driver has in their system. Police can charge a driver with drunk driving based on the behavior and actions of the driver, including their speech, appearance, reactions, and how you interact with them. If the officer suspects the driver is under the influence, the driver will be charged.
Determining Level of Intoxication
A Charlotte drunk driver injury lawyer knows that every state in the U.S. has passed laws that state that a driver is considered under the influence of alcohol if their blood alcohol concentration (BAC) is measured at more than 0.8 percent. That level is lower for minors and commercial drivers. Many states are also arresting people who are “buzzed while driving.” This determination is made if their BAC level is below 0.08 percent but the officer feels the driver’s ability is compromised by the alcohol.
Civil Consequences of a DUI Accident
Although there is no jail time involved in a civil accident claim or lawsuit when there is an alcohol-related crash as there may be for a criminal case, the consequences that the driver faces can still be harsh. In many civil lawsuits involving drunk drivers, the court will order the at-fault driver to pay the victim punitive damages along with all of the economic and noneconomic damages the victim is entitled to. They may even be forced to pay punitive damages.
Call for Legal Assistance
If you or a loved one has been injured in a drunk driving accident, you are entitled to pursue damages for the losses your injuries have caused in a personal injury lawsuit. This is separate from any criminal penalties the driver may be facing. Call a Charlotte drunk driver injury lawyer from Ted A Greve & Associates to find out what legal options you may have.
