Lebanon Injury Lawyers Represent Victims of Drunk and Drugged Driving Crashes
Fighting for car accident victims in Mt. Juliet, Cookeville, and across Tennessee
When a person who has had too much alcohol gets behind the wheel or gets high and then drives, that person is engaging in a negligent act with reckless disregard for the safety of other drivers or of his or her own. A drunk or drugged driver who has caused a traffic crash can ruin the lives of several other innocent drivers who had the bad fortune of sharing the road with them. A person who has suffered severe injuries after a drunk driving crash may want to pursue justice in the form of compensation for injuries and losses.
At Lowery, Lowery & Cherry PLLC, we understand the rage and the feelings of injustice when a client’s future has been ruined because of injuries from a drugged or drunk driving crash. Our Lebanon car accident attorneys hold those responsible for your injuries accountable for your losses. We offer free consultations, where you can discuss your case and get the answers you are looking for. You never pay attorney fees until we recover compensation for you.
Drugged driving is overtaking drunk driving in causing accidents
The Governor's Highway Safety Association found that the number of drivers killed in crashes where there was drug use detected in the driver overtook the number of alcohol-related crashes in 2015. The GHSA study found that both illegal and prescription drugs were present in about 43% of fatal crashes, while about 37% tested positive for alcohol. One of the challenges with drugged driving is measuring its presence in the body because there are many different types of drugs, which in varying amounts will have different effects on the body and are not as easy to measure as blood alcohol content is.
How dangerous is drunk driving in Tennessee?
The Tennessee Department of Safety & Homeland Security reports 71,719 alcohol-related car accidents between 2009 and 2019. Drunk driving accounts for about 21% of traffic fatalities in the state, and about 30 people die each day in the United States in an alcohol-related traffic crash.
Alcohol impairs thinking, reasoning and muscle coordination, and it slows the driver's reaction time. While the legal blood-alcohol concentration (BAC) is 0.08% or greater, even smaller amounts of alcohol in the system can hinder safe driving.
What kinds of injuries are common in drunk driving accidents?
As with any kind of motor vehicle accident, the faster the vehicles are traveling at the time they collide with one another, the more severe the injures. Some examples of the most common drunk driving accident injuries include:
- Head injuries
- Back and neck injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Bone fractures
- Lacerations
- Burns
- Amputations
- Internal organ damage
It is vital that you seek medical attention immediately after the accident, even if it does not seem like you sustained a serious injury. Brain injury symptoms do not always show up right away, and some back injuries may also take a while to become evident.
What are my options for legal action after a drugged or drunk driving accident injury?
To recover compensation for your injuries in a drunk driving accident, you must prove that the at-fault party's negligence is the direct cause of your injuries. Drunk drivers make that task a bit easier because if they were drunk and caused the accident, they were likely arrested and charged with DUI. Once they have been convicted of DUI, you can pursue civil charges against them to recover compensation for your injuries. Even if the at-fault party was is acquitted in their criminal trial, you can still seek compensation in a civil action.
It is important that you work with a drunk driving accident attorney who has the experience and the resources within the firm to investigate the crash thoroughly. At Lowery, Lowery & Cherry, we work with seasoned investigators who collect evidence and prepare a compelling case on your behalf. Most accident injury cases are settled between the insurance companies; other times, the cases are brought to trial. Regardless of the venue, the experienced drunk driving accident lawyers fight for the compensation you deserve.
What damages are available in a drugged or drunk driving accident injury claim?
You will either settle your claim with the at-fault party’s insurance company, or you will go through a trial where you will be required to prove that his or her negligence was the direct cause of your injuries. If you prevail, there are several types of damages, which is financial compensation in a drunk driving accident injury case including:
- Medical care (current and future)
- Lost wages
- Diminished earning capacity
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Punitive damages, which are decided separately and are meant to punish the perpetrator for reckless behavior
It is vital that you contact a Lebanon car accident attorney immediately so that you do not run out the clock on the one-year statute of limitations for filing a personal injury lawsuit in Tennessee. A skilled and compassionate Lebanon drunk driving injury lawyer from Lowery, Lowery & Cherry is prepared to represent you and recover the maximum compensation available.
Schedule a consultation with a Lebanon drunk driving accident attorney
Did a drunk driver’s reckless behavior cause your car crash injuries? Do you have questions about how you can obtain justice for the pain and suffering, the massive medical bills, and lost time at work? Our skilled Lebanon car accident lawyers at Lowery, Lowery & Cherry are here to help you hold those responsible for your injuries accountable for your losses. You are welcome to call 615-444-7222 or contact us to schedule a case review. We serve injured clients in Lebanon, Cookeville, Mt. Juliet, Nashville, and throughout Tennessee.