There is no shortage of bars in Flushing, NY and along with that comes the risk of car accidents due to drunk driving. Every day in the United States, 29 innocent people lose their lives due to drunk driving. Drunk drivers can easily miss a traffic light, change lanes erratically, or fail to notice that you have stopped. They can make these traffic errors at dangerously high speeds, resulting in serious injury or even death to you or your family.
If you’ve been in an accident with a drunk driver, and that driver has injured you, the actions you take can make a big difference in a later court case. Here are three things you can do to help solidify a potential court case if you are injured by a drunk driver.
Take video and ask for witness phone numbers
Depending on the seriousness of your injury, you may have been knocked unconscious or whisked to the emergency room right away. If not however, taking video of the drunk driver’s state at the time of the accident, and getting witness phone numbers can help solidify a case if you need to seek damages for your injuries.
A video can prove beyond any shadow of a doubt that the person who hit you was obviously drunk, and may show other details not visible to a court in a paper trail. Witnesses are also a great way to confirm the behavior of a drunk individual.
Obey doctor’s orders
The emergency room will likely be your first stop after a severe injury. The major job of the emergency room is to stabilize you. After the emergency is over, you’ll need to seek farther medical care with a specialist or primary doctor. Your emergency room doctors will most likely recommend this once you are ready to be released.
Actually obeying this recommendation is important so that you can leave a paper trail as evidence of your injury. Even if you feel the pain of a hurt neck for the rest of your life, there isn’t much proof of it if you haven’t been to physical therapy or even a primary care check up after the accident.
Hire a great personal injury attorney
Drunk drivers need to be held accountable for their actions. The unfortunate truth is that even when a drunk driver is obviously in the wrong, his attorney and insurance company will be working just as hard to prove he is innocent.
That’s why hiring a local car accident attorney is important. Your attorney can help you choose an action plan, and give you the best possible chance of getting your medical bills paid, and that you get the full amount due to you.
Drunk driving is dangerous, and frequently deadly. Even if someone drinks a fairly small amount of alcohol and tries to drive home, it can be deadly. Protecting yourself is important, and so is making sure the person who made such a poor decision is held accountable for that choice.
If you’re injured, follow these tips to help protect yourself and your family.