Alcohol can have a significant impact on your risk of being involved in a car accident. According to studies, the risk of being involved in an accident if your blood alcohol is at the legal limit 0.08% is 2.5 – 11 times that of a sober driver. A 2001 University of Chicago analysis suggested that the increased risk of being in a car accident when drunk meant that the fair penalty for drunk drivers—the one which made them bear the true cost of their behavior—would be $8000 (more than $10,000 in current dollars).
Drunk driving accidents peak around the Holidays every year. Since many will be celebrating Halloween starting this weekend I think that this is a great to to touch base on the harm that driving while under the influence causes to the individuals involved in the accident as well as the penalties and suffering that may occur in a personal injury case. Stay safe this Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years Eve. Dont’ drive under the influence.
Drunk driving continues to be an widespread problem in the United States. The most recent statistics from the Center for Disease Control show that almost 30 Americans die each day in motor vehicle crashes involving an alcohol-impaired driver. That’s approximately one person killed – and a family torn apart by tragedy – every 48 minutes.
In Illinois in 2011, approximately 30% of all car crashes involved a drunk or alcohol-impaired drivers. As a result, some 279 lives were lost and thousands more suffered life-changing injuries. Typical drunk driving-related injuries may include:
- Brain damage/head trauma
- Spinal cord injuries
- Amputations
- Internal organ damage
- Broken bones, fractures
- Lacerations
- Facial disfigurement
- Emotional trauma
The impact of alcohol on your accident risk becomes fairly clear when you look at the impact of alcohol on your body’s system. First, alcohol impairs your muscle control, starting with many of your smallest muscles, such as the ones that help your eyes focus on and track objects. This can make it harder for you to recognize dangers on the road.
Alcohol also impairs your judgment, so once you recognize a potential hazard, your decisions about how to respond are more likely to be incorrect. Because you are feeling more in control than you truly are, you are more likely to try to attempt maneuvers that you cannot complete.
Impaired muscle control also means that you are less likely to be able to safely complete maneuvers of even minor difficulty. These performance errors also make it much more likely that you will get in an accident.
Overall, the dangers of driving while impaired are not justified, and can lead to deadly accidents.
What to Do After a Drunk Driving Accident
If you or someone you love has been injured or died in an accident involving a drunk driver, consult with a knowledgeable personal injury attorney as quickly as possible. At Willens & Baez, we have ample experience and success fighting to obtain just financial compensation for victims injured by alcohol-or drug-impaired drivers. We want to fight on your behalf, too.
Contact our Chicago, Illinois attorneys today for your FREE consultation at (312) 957-4166 as soon as possible to find out how we can help you.
How a Chicago Drunk Driving Accident Lawyer Can Help You
Victims of drunk drivers, whether the person injured or surviving family members, often have a long road of ahead of them in restoring order to their lives. Injured victims frequently face months – or even years – of painful surgeries, physical therapy and other forms of rehabilitation. Families can face crushing financial stress due to an ever-growing mountain of medical bills or an abrupt loss of income.
That’s where an experienced drunk driving accident attorney, such as at Willens & Baez, can make a difference. A skilled attorney can help victims and families of drunk driving accidents secure the full and fair financial compensation they need and deserve to start rebuilding their lives.
Drunk driving victims in Illinois may be entitled to receive compensation for:
- Past and estimated future medical costs
- Lost wages and diminished future earnings
- Pain and Suffering
- Disfigurement
- Disability
In cases of gross negligence, punitive damages may also be available for victims of drunk drivers and their families. Monetary amounts awarded vary from case to case. If you have been injured or lost a loved one due to a drunk driving accident, you may be able to get compensation for your injury or loss.
