Driving under the influence or drunk driving if you may, is one of the leading causes of car accidents. So, if you are a driver, please think about it before you start drinking.
However, if it happens that you fall victim in a case like this then I believe that they’re two important things you should know of. One, get to know your rights, and two, get a car accident lawyer for DUI victims.
With that, let’s get to see the kinds of rights you would be entitled to as a DUI victim.
Knowing your rights
Before I get into this, I just want to let you know that the importance of knowing your rights will act as a preparation tool for what’s to come and the steps you should follow afterward.
You should also know that insurance companies will come in handy a great deal. Seriously, they will save you. However, it is necessary to have your own personal injury lawyer. This is so as to get a different opinion, as well as getting a different perspective on how you should look at the whole situation.
Anyway, that aside. Here’s what you should know:
1. Right to damage recovery
Despite the damage that has been made, regardless of it either being little or not, just know that you have a right to damage recovery.
What I mean by this is that you, the victim, is able to ask for damage recovery to help you take care of certain things like property damage, medical bills or even loss of income. This action should be done through a lawyer, who will help you calculate the amount of money, in terms of recovery damage you will be getting.
Pro-tip, tell your lawyer everything as it unfolded.
2. The right to press charges
After the occurrence of an accident that involves a drunk driver, you should contact the police officer for help. They can then arrange medical assistance in case of an injury. The police officers can also stay behind to do more investigations on what happened.
If you’re wondering why it would be important to contact a police officer, then here are a few reasons to look into:
Firstly, it is with this that an official report can be written. This report will involve a number of things such as eyewitness statements, when it happened(date), the time at which it occurred, the location and also a quick description of how the events unfolded.
Note that a report known as the toxicology report will be of high assistance, as it will show that the driver was indeed drunk or under the influence.
3. Other compensation rights
In cases where the accident that occurred has caused things such as death or complications that are long term, then you have all rights to order for compensation, as the only surviving dependent or even spouse.
If you happen to be lucky and find the judge in a good mood, then you’ll be given the right to receive reparation. This means that the drunk driver will pay for all the economic changes that were a result of the accident. These include things like loss of income, that comes as a result of being absent at your workplace to take care of your loved ones, and also your lawyer fee.
And for you as a driver, you should know that actions have consequences and not all times that coffee or an energy drink will work. On the contrary, your ability to react quickly will still be slow, as the alcohol might still be in your system. What alcohol does is that it will impair your vision and alter your ability to make decisions that are rational.
Conclusion
To be on the safe side of things, it is advisable to avoid drinking and driving at all costs. This will not only protect those around you, but will also protect you as an individual. This act will also save your loved ones from the torture, emotional or not, that might come with them seeing you in a bad situation.
Always be careful on the road and remember that your life is worth more than all the diamonds and gold combined.
One more thing — I’d suggest you keep in touch with your psychologist, as they will help you in reassurance and maintaining a clear mind at all times despite the pressure you might face.
