If you have been in a drunk driver accident, you may be experiencing a wide range of negative impacts. These impacts can range from property damage to your vehicle to dealing with serious injuries to yourself or the loss of a loved one due to an intoxicated driver. You are not alone in your experience. Almost a full one-third of traffic-accident related deaths are due to drunk driving accidents. Approximately 17% of all children killed in traffic accidents are killed by a drunk driver, and about half of those children were occupants in the same car as the intoxicated driver. No one is safe from a drunk driver: because of the erratic driving that accompanies intoxication, these accidents often occur off of the road, which means that pedestrians, bikers, and innocent bystanders are at risk.
While most people do not think of the drunk driver as a victim, there are costs for a drunk driver that can go far beyond the accident. Drunk drivers not only face potential fines, but also jail time for their crimes. Drunk drivers may not be able to obtain car insurance, or, if they can, may face higher premiums for years. A drunk driving conviction can impact job opportunities for years, and may bar employment from some jobs forever. Drunk driving accidents can even impact your credit report. If you are the driver in a drunk driver accident, you can be facing tremendous financial consequences including legal fees, possible fines, and liability to the victims. In addition, because drunk driving accidents almost always have both civil and criminal consequences, the driver in a drunk driver accident has to be very aware of the potential consequences of any legal decisions.
Whether you have been the victim or the driver in a drunk driver accident, you need expert advice on how to navigate the post-accident consequences. Personal injury and criminal law attorneys that specialize in drunk driving accidents can be a great source of information.
