Your health and safety are top priorities. Once you and your loved ones have received medical care, it may be time to call a car accident lawyer to help you recover damage for medical bills and other losses.
If you or a loved one is in a crash, you need someone on your side who can protect your rights and hold a drunk driver responsible for your injuries and damages. Call Belt, Bruner, & Barnett P.C. at (205) 933-1500 or use our online contact form.
What To Do if You Are Hit by a Drunk Driver
Drunk driving is a leading cause of car crashes and the number one factor in fatal car crashes. If you cannot avoid being hit by a drunk driver, there are five steps you can take to help you hold the driver accountable for your injuries and damages.
1. Get Medical Attention
Right after the crash, check on everyone in your car – including yourself – for injuries that need immediate attention, such as bleeding. Administer first aid if you can and call for emergency medical services.
If you don’t go to the emergency room, get medical care at an urgent care center, walk-in health clinic, or from your doctor. Follow your healthcare provider’s recommendations for rest, prescription medicine, and other instructions. Keep your receipts and bills so you can seek compensation later.
2. Call the Police
You should call the police after any car accident, but it is critical for a crash involving a drunk driver. The police will need to gather information at the scene, investigate what happened, and most likely ask the drunk driver to submit to a chemical test.
Breathalyzer test results and other chemical tests that show that the driver was over the legal limit can be used to help you recover damages.
3. Don’t Talk to the Drunk Driver
People who are intoxicated are usually confused and can say anything. While you can find out if they need medical attention, don’t accuse them of causing the accident or mention liability at all.
Drunk drivers are irrational and potentially dangerous; after all, they just caused a car accident. Avoid confrontation and let the police handle the situation.
4. Take Pictures and Videos
If possible, use your cell phone to get as many pictures and videos of the scene as possible.
Include:
- Skid marks
- Signs
- Traffic lights
- Damage to your car
- Vehicles final resting place
- Other evidence that may erode or disappear
5. Get Contact Information
There may be other drivers, passengers, and witnesses to your accident. You should collect as much information from them as possible, but at the very least, get their name, phone number, and insurance information.
How a Car Accident Lawyer Helps
A car accident lawyer who handles drunk driving injury cases can help you recover compensation and justice. An attorney with Belt, Bruner & Barnett, P.C. is an asset who protects your rights and helps with the details after a crash, including:
- Free consultation
- Collects evidence
- Secures proof of injury and damages
- Files a claim with the drunk driver’s insurance company
- Negotiates a settlement
You should not have to deal with an insurance adjuster while you are hurt. Let a car accident lawyer take care of the claim and all related actions.
Drunk Driving Facts
Drunk driving is the leading cause of car accident injuries and deaths nationwide. According to Mothers Against Drunk Drivers:
- Every two minutes, someone is injured in a drunk driving accident.
- Every 51 minutes, someone is killed in a drunk driving accident.
- Drunk driving is the number one factor in all fatal car accidents.
Get a Free Consultation
You deserve to know your legal options. If an insurance adjuster calls you and wants you to settle fast, please talk to a car accident lawyer first. The insurance company is not on your side. Their first offer is often low in many cases because they know that most people are not familiar with their legal rights.
Get a free consultation with a drunk driving accident lawyer today. Call Belt, Bruner, & Barnett P.C.at (205) 933-1500, or use our online contact form for help with your case.
