DUI Accident Victim Attorney
Drunk driving is a terrible idea that puts everyone on the road at risk, not just the intoxicated driver who chose to get behind the wheel. Yet, every year, thousands of drivers choose to endanger others and create injury victims through their all-but-inevitable DUI accidents.
According to information from the New York state’s 2017 Highway Safety Annual Report, DUI-related collisions caused 5,561 injuries and 315 deaths in 2017. Long Island’s Suffolk County, in particular, has a reputation for having the highest DUI accident rate in the state, per the New York Times, with Nassau County earning second place.
DUI accident victims can be left with significant injuries, including:
- Multiple bone fractures
- Sprains and strains
- Traumatic brain injury (TBI)
- Neck and back injuries
- Spinal cord injuries, herniated discs
- Internal organ injuries
- Burns, cuts, scrapes, and bruises
Some patients will require long-term hospitalization, and a few will endure permanent effects, such as paralysis or severe disfigurement. Many, unfortunately, pass on as a result of their injuries.
If you have been hurt in a drunk driving accident as a passenger, another driver, a pedestrian, or any other type of victim, then you may have legal options for pursuing compensation from all at-fault parties. Families representing deceased drunk driving accident victims can pursue a wrongful death claim. A Long Island DUI accident victim lawyer can take your case, helping you file a claim for the full and fair amount of all of your associated damages — past and future.
You can speak to one of the knowledgeable, compassionate DUI accident attorneys in Long Island at TonaLaw for free to learn more about your available options. Your case could be the opportunity you need to avoid falling into medical debt and to, hopefully, resuming a happy, normal life after your accident.
Schedule your free, no-obligation consultation with a DUI accident victim lawyer in Long Island today when you dial 1-833-TONALAW or contact us online.
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Your Right to Pursue Compensation After a Drunk Driving Accident in Long Island
New York is a “no-fault” liability insurance state, which means that many accident injury victims must file under their own personal injury protection (PIP) or medical insurance after a serious collision. However, New York law permits these injury victims to seek compensation through a third-party bodily injury liability (BIL) policy under certain circumstances. These circumstances include cases where a “serious injury” or death has occurred.
A “serious injury” in New York can include any of the following medical conditions:
- Bone fracture
- Significant scarring or disfigurement
- Significantly limited use of a bodily system or function
- Permanent limited use of an organ, limb, or appendage
- Substantial full disability for at least 90 days
Certain incident types may also be eligible for a personal injury claim if the contributing factors behind the accident are related to possible acts of extreme negligence. This can include multi-car accidents involving drunk drivers who fail to use appropriate caution or fail to obey all traffic rules. Single-car accidents may also qualify if the driver ran off the road, lost control of their vehicle, failed to maintain safe distances, or otherwise ignored traffic markers. Many accidents involving pedestrians struck by a drunk driver may also qualify for a liability claim.
Don’t assume that your case does not qualify for a third-party personal injury claim if you have not first spoken with an experienced Long Island drunk driving accident victim lawyer. Only a qualified attorney can evaluate the laws and prior case rulings relevant to your situation to determine whether or not your claim has a chance at success.
Work with Experienced DUI Accident Victim Injury Lawyers in Long Island to Give Your Case a Fighting Chance
Proving that a drunk driver is liable for your injury costs involves demonstrating negligence. All negligence claims seek to prove that the at-fault party breached their duty of care in a way that a “reasonable person” wouldn’t, which in turn directly caused an injury with recoverable damages.
Evidence that a driver was operating a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol can often be all that is needed to build a solid claim, but the defendant can, in some instances, allege that their intoxication cannot be used as evidence or that their intoxication was not the true cause behind an accident. Insurers may also attempt to offer a lower-than-needed amount of compensation for your claim, leaving DUI accident injury victims to foot the bill for the remaining costs.
A Long Island DUI injury victim attorney will be familiar with common tactics used to shield drunk drivers from liability, and they also know the types of evidence insurers look at when weighing the strength of a claim. By collaborating with medical, economic and other experts, your lawyer can help you assess the full extent of your damages — past and future — and pursue a claim for the maximum amount of compensation available.
You may never know how much your DUI injury case is truly worth until you speak with a lawyer in Long Island who has experience with cases just like yours. Schedule your free, no-obligation case evaluation with an attorney near you today when you call 1-833-TONALAW or contact us online now.