How a Personal Injury Lawsuit Can Help Drunk Driving Accident Victims in Indiana

Posted on April 5, 2024 by admin

The moment an accident with a drunk driver shatters the peace, the life of the victim changes irreversibly. The consequences of such a catastrophic event ripple through every aspect of the victim’s life – health, finances, and emotional well-being. In the state of Indiana, these victims are often left wondering where to turn, how to seek justice, and what recourse they have against the driver who so recklessly endangered them.

This blog post will explore how personal injury lawyers in Indiana play a crucial role in helping victims of drunk driving accidents rebuild their lives, secure rightful compensation, and hold the negligent parties accountable for their actions.

Call 317-881-2700 For Help With Your Drunk Driver Injury Claim in Indianapolis Indiana

Local Drunk Driving Statistics are Alarming

In recent years, drunk driving has become a major concern in Indiana. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Indiana ranks among the top 10 states with the highest number of alcohol-impaired driving fatalities. In 2019 alone, there were 109 alcohol-related fatalities on Indiana roads. This accounts for almost a quarter of all traffic fatalities in the state. Drunk driving not only puts the lives of those who choose to drink and drive at risk, but it also endangers innocent individuals who are sharing the road.

Common Damages Suffered By Drunk Driving Accident Victims

Drunk driving is a serious offense that can result in severe injuries and death. While the immediate consequences of drunk driving are well-known, there are also long-term effects that accident victims may suffer from.

Physical Trauma – One of the most common damages suffered by accident victims injured by a drunk driver is physical trauma. Collisions involving drunk drivers often result in serious injuries such as broken bones, spinal cord injuries, and traumatic brain injuries. These injuries can have long-lasting effects on the victim’s physical health, potentially leading to permanent disabilities or chronic pain.

Emotional Trauma – In addition to physical trauma, accident victims may also suffer from emotional and psychological damages. Being involved in a drunk driving accident can be a traumatic experience that leaves victims with anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder. These emotional damages can greatly impact a victim’s quality of life and may require ongoing therapy or treatment.

Financial Losses – Financial damages are also common among accident victims injured by a drunk driver. In addition to medical expenses, victims may also face lost wages due to being unable to work while recovering from their injuries. They also incur property damages for their vehicle. In severe cases, the victim may be unable to return to their previous job or may require ongoing medical care, resulting in long-term or permanent financial consequences.

Social Challenges – Drunk driving accidents can also have a significant impact on personal relationships. Victims may struggle with feelings of isolation and changes in their behavior due to physical or emotional trauma. This can strain relationships with family and friends, leading to further emotional and psychological damages.

Reduced Quality of Life – Accident victims may also suffer from a loss of enjoyment for life. The injuries and trauma caused by a drunk driving accident can limit a victim’s ability to participate in activities they once enjoyed or have long-lasting effects on their overall quality of life. This loss of enjoyment can be difficult for victims to come to terms with and may require additional support and therapy.

Being injured by a drunk driver can have far-reaching consequences for accident victims. It is important for these individuals to seek proper medical and emotional support to fully recover from the damages they have suffered. Additionally, seeking legal assistance will help victims receive compensation for their physical, emotional, and financial damages caused by the irresponsible actions of a drunk driver.

The Legal Landscape for Drunk Driving Accidents

When alcohol leads to an accident, the at-fault driver faces not only criminal charges, but also civil liability for any injuries sustained. In Indiana, the legal Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) limit for drivers is 0.08. However, even lower BAC’s are considered when determining liability and the degree of punishment.

Indiana DUI Bodily Injury Laws

Indiana has very clear laws regarding DUI related injuries. Not only are there criminal consequences for the drunk driver, but they are also subject to civil suits seeking damages for injuries caused. For the injured party, navigating these laws is complex without the guidance of legal counsel.

The Role of a Personal Injury Lawyer

Legal Expertise in Navigating Complex DUI Cases

Personal injury attorneys specializing in drunk driving accidents have a deep understanding of the legal framework that governs these incidents. From collecting evidence to documenting a compelling case and representing the victim in court, their expertise is invaluable.

Advocacy for the Rights of Injury Victims

In situations where victims may feel powerless and voiceless, a car accident injury lawyer is their strongest advocate. They ensure that the rights of the injured party are protected and zealously guard their interests throughout the legal process.

Negotiating with Insurance Companies

Insurance companies often seek to settle DUI-related claims quickly and for as little as possible. A skilled car accident attorney knows how to negotiate with these companies to ensure that the victim receives full and fair compensation for their injuries and losses.

Ensuring Full and Fair Compensation for Damages

The damages of a drunk driving accident can be severe and extend into the future. Alongside medical bills and lost wages, there are also considerations for ongoing medical treatment, rehabilitation, and emotional distress. An auto accident attorney has the experience to evaluate the full extent of damages and fight for a just resolution.

IN SUMMARY

The aftermath of an accident with a drunk driver is a trying and traumatic experience for the victim. Seeking legal counsel is often the most effective way to ensure that rightful compensation is sought and that the guilty party is held accountable. The personal injury litigator becomes not only a legal representative but a partner in the fight for justice.

In Indiana, with the right lawyer by your side, you can find solace in the fact that the law is on your side, and there is a path toward recovery. If you or a loved one has fallen victim to a drunk driving accident, do not hesitate to reach out for legal guidance. The battle against the consequences of such gross negligence can be daunting, but with the legal expertise of a personal injury attorney, there is hope for a brighter and just future.

Are you or a loved one currently dealing with the aftermath of a drunk driving accident? Contact the law firm of Craven, Hoover, and Blazek P.C. at 317-881-2700 to schedule a time with our drunk driving accident lawyers in Indianapolis. We provide free initial consultations and never collect lawyer fees unless we recover a settlement or verdict for you.

Legal and Health Measures to Take After Being Victimized in an Impaired Driving Incident

Posted on October 10, 2023 by admin

Being wrongly injured in a drunk driving accident can be a harrowing encounter, leaving victims to navigate the challenging aftermath, both legally and health-wise. This blog post endeavors to provide enlightening insights on the pivotal steps you should take after falling victim to an impaired driver. From seeking legal recourse with the help of an Indianapolis personal injury lawyer to addressing the immediate health implications and the process of recovery, we hope to help guide you through this tumultuous journey.

Understanding your rights and the resources available to you as a victim of a wrongful pedestrian or car accident can make a significant difference as you seek justice against the drunk driver responsible for the incident. Continue reading to learn more.

Call 317-881-2700 to Speak With a Drunk Driving Accident Attorney in Indianapolis

What To Do Directly After a Car Accident

The moments immediately following a car or pedestrian accident caused by an impaired driver can be confusing and chaotic. However, it is essential to take specific actions that can significantly impact potential legal and health outcomes. Let us explore some of these steps.

Call 911: The first thing you should do after being involved in an accident is to call for help. This includes contacting the police and medical services. The police report and other evidence obtained by the police will serve as crucial evidence in your case.

Seek Medical Attention: Even if you do not feel significantly injured, it is vital to get checked by a medical professional after an accident. Some injuries may only manifest later or get worse with the passage of time, and seeking immediate medical attention can help detect and treat them early on.

Gather Evidence: If possible, gather as much evidence as you can at the scene of the accident. Take photos or videos of the damaged vehicles, property, persons, and/or your injuries. Get contact information from any witnesses and exchange insurance details with the impaired driver if the police do not show up at the scene for some reason.

Seeking Legal Recourse with a Personal Injury Lawyer

After an impaired driving incident, seeking legal recourse is crucial in obtaining justice and compensation for your injuries. An experienced personal injury lawyer can help you navigate the complex legal system and ensure that your rights as a victim are protected. They can assist you in:

Filing a Lawsuit: Your lawyer will file a lawsuit against the impaired driver for compensation of your injuries, medical bills, and other damages if need be.

Negotiating with Insurance Companies: Your lawyer can negotiate with insurance companies on your behalf to ensure that you receive fair compensation for your injuries.

Representing You in Court: If the case goes to court, your lawyer will represent you and present your case to the judge and jury, fighting for your rights as a victim.

Addressing Health Concerns and Seeking Support

Aside from seeking legal recourse, it is crucial to prioritize your health after being victimized in an impaired driving incident. The emotional trauma and physical injuries can take a toll on your well-being, and seeking support is essential. Consider:

Seeking Counseling: If you are experiencing emotional distress, seek counseling or therapy to help you cope with the trauma and any potential PTSD.

Attending Follow-Up Medical Appointments: It is essential to attend all follow-up appointments with your doctor to monitor and treat any injuries sustained in the accident.

Joining Support Groups: Consider joining a support group for victims of impaired driving accidents. These groups can provide a sense of community and understanding from those who have been through similar experiences.

Moving Forward

Being victimized in an impaired driving accident is a traumatic experience that can leave lasting physical, emotional, and financial effects. However, by following the steps outlined above, you can take necessary legal and health measures to help you move forward from this ordeal. Remember to prioritize your well-being, seek support when needed, and trust in the legal system to help you seek justice against impaired drivers. Stay safe on the roads and always be vigilant while driving. Your safety is paramount. Together, we can work towards preventing future drunk driving accidents and ensuring justice for all victims of impaired drivers.

Were you or a loved one recently injured by an impaired driver, either here in the state or somewhere else in the country? We can protect your rights to compensation. Contact Craven, Hoover & Blazek, P.C. at 317-881-2700 to schedule a free initial consultation with a seasoned accident attorney in Indianapolis, Indiana. We can hold meetings over the phone or via online video conference if you are unable to travel. We can also visit your place of in-patient medical treatment.

Am I Liable if My Guests Drink and Drive?

Posted on June 9, 2022 by admin

Social host liability is a real thing, and you should be fully informed of this legal responsibility before serving alcohol at your next soirée. Of course, not all states have social host liability laws, such as New York and California, but most do. So, do your part by learning what it takes to be a safe and responsible social host.

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Key Facts Surrounding Social Host Liability

If you are planning to serve alcohol to guests at your next event or party, be sure you know where you stand in terms of legally liability. The law will hold you [and therefore your home owner’s insurance company] responsible for the actions and inactions of your intoxicated guests, including drinking and driving. In fact, DUI cases are among the most common scenarios in which social host liability comes into play. If you knowingly serve alcohol to an already-inebriated guest or over-serve alcohol to a formally-sober guest, and then they drive home, you can be held legally responsible for any damages and losses they cause while operating their vehicle under the influence of alcohol.

Whether they drunkenly decided to joyride across a private golf course, fall asleep at the wheel and hit a pedestrian, or cause a serious auto accident that results in bodily harm to another, responsibility for these incidents could link back to you if the driver got drunk at your party on your alcohol. In serious cases, a social host could face criminal charges on top of a civil lawsuit.

Serving Minors

Social hosts also have a legal duty of care to ensure alcohol does not get in the hands of anyone who is under the legal drinking age. If you are caught serving alcohol to a minor, and that minor, under the influence of alcohol, drives and gets into an accident, you could be held civilly and criminally responsible. This also applies in some cases of unknowingly supplying alcohol to minors. In the case that your teenager and some friends steal the liquor from the cabinet, and then an accident takes place as a result of their intoxication, the law might hold the homeowners and legal guardians liable.

Dram Shop Laws

Restaurants must uphold this same duty of care. Dram Shop laws impose legal liability onto owners of bars, restaurants, liquor stores, and any other establishments that sell alcoholic beverages and products to intoxicated customers. These laws are set to protect individuals from harming themselves or others as a result of over-indulging in alcohol. For instance, it is possible for a victim of a drunk driving accident to sue the establishment that sold the drunk driver the alcohol, but only if the driver was already intoxicated at the time of the sell.

Were you or a loved one seriously injured in an accident caused by a drunk driver? Contact the Law Office of Craven, Hoover, and Blazek P.C. at 317-881-2700 to schedule a free case evaluation with an experienced drunk driving accident lawyer in Indianapolis, Indiana. We represent all drunk driving cases throughout the state of Indiana, including car accidents, truck accidents, pedestrian accidents, motorcycle accidents, wrongful deaths, and more.

How to Make an Injury Claim Against a Drunk Driver

Posted on January 28, 2020 by admin

If you were injured in a car accident due to a drunk driver, there is a very high probability that you are entitled to compensation for your resulting damages and losses. In order to recover remuneration from an at-fault driver, you must make a personal injury claim with the drunk driver’s insurance company or the drunk driver themselves if they were uninsured. Moreover, if the drunk driver was uninsured, you can make a claim through the uninsured motorist provision of your own automobile insurance policy. In the unlikely event a settlement is not reached, a lawsuit can be filed and pursued.

Continue reading to learn how to get started on a car accident personal injury claim in Indiana, as well as, your options for suing a drunk driver.

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Drunk Driving Accidents

The statistics for drunk driving accidents are alarming, regardless of which state the data is coming from. Drunk driving accidents are among the most common types of motor vehicle accidents in the country. In fact, read our blog, “Eye-Opening Drunk Driving Facts and Statistics” to learn just how startling these numbers are. Not only are drivers and passengers common victims, pedestrians, cyclists, skaters, and more are also injured by inebriated drivers.

Compensation for Damages and Losses

With such high statistical numbers, car accident injury claims are also quite common. They fall under tort law, which provides financial relief for those wrongly injured by another person as a result of carelessness, negligence, gross negligence, or recklessness. If you are injured in an accident because of someone else’s actions or inactions, you can make a claim against their insurance company to recover compensation for damages and losses. Such losses generally include hospital bills, medical expenses, lost wages from time off work, and non-economic damages like pain and suffering.

How to Make Your Car Accident Claim

Most of the time, a claim is made by the victim (claimant) against the drunk driver’s insurance company. If a person is killed by a drunk driver, their family or next of kin can make a wrongful death claim against the drunk driver’s insurance company. If the drunk driver’s insurance company will not settle the claim fairly, a lawsuit can be filed against the drunk driver and the drunk driver’s insurance company would have to pay the verdict received against the drunk driver, up to that driver’s automobile policy limits.

In order to make a claim against a drunk driver that has injured you in an accident, whether as a driver yourself, a passenger, or a pedestrian, your very first step is the most vital one; seek proper and thorough medical treatment. Once you are stable enough, your next step is also incredibly vital: contact an Indianapolis personal injury law firm to represent you in your claim. We have the knowledge, resources, experience, and skills to recover the full and fair compensation you deserve for your suffering and loses. Just be sure to choose the right personal injury law firm that can provide comprehensive and compassionate counsel.

Choose the Law Office of Craven, Hoover, and Blazek P.C.

Call us today at 317-881-2700 to discuss your Indiana car accident claim with a licensed accident attorney you can trust. Our licensed accident lawyers gather all relevant information needed for the case, go head to head with the insurance companies, handle all communication and negotiations with the opposing parties and will go to trial if the defendant’s insurance company will not make a full and fair settlement offer, all to obtain fair compensation for our injured clients. We want everyone to have a chance at justice following a serious accident caused by another’s negligence. This is why we operate on a contingency fee basis, meaning we never collect lawyer fees unless we win compensation for you.

Indianapolis Personal Injury Lawyers 317-881-2700 — Schedule a Free Consultation!

Can I Sue a Drunk Driver That Seriously Hurt Me in an Accident?

Posted on February 27, 2018 by admin

Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol is a continuous epidemic in our country. And although we cannot control other’s behaviors, and prevent them from driving after drinking or partaking in narcotics, we can, however, make our own good choices when it comes to responsible driving.

When a person is injured in a drunk driving accident, most often the results are either fatal or serious. In the case that a person is hit by a drunk driver and injured as a result of their negligence, there is a strong opportunity to pursue a lawsuit against them for the damages you incurred from the accident. There are a few stipulations and concerns that go along with this type of lawsuit, so continue reading and learn what can happen and what should happen after being involved or injured in a drunk driving accident or collision.

Drunk Driving Accident Lawyers 317-881-2700

Drunk Driving Lawsuit

A person that is injured unintentionally, or intentionally, has the legal right to file a claim against the negligent party that caused them harm. In the case of a drunk driving collision, several outcomes can occur. Fatalities are unfortunately the most common in America. More people every year are dying as a result of dangerous motor vehicle accidents. If a person is killed by a drunk driver, their family can pursue a wrongful death lawsuit on their behalf.

If a person is seriously injured as a result of an intoxicated driver, they can file a claim and pursue compensation for their damages and losses. Most of the time, a drunk driver is not necessarily the one sued, it is their insurance company that pays out the final settlements. But if a drunk driver is uninsured, then the case must be taken to court and settled in trial. If the person does not have the finances to pay remuneration to the injured party, then they may have their wages garnished or even face jail time.

Where to Get Professional Help

It is important to retain professional legal counsel from a licensed Indianapolis car accident lawyer for proper personal injury representation. They have the proper licensing, education, training, knowledge, and resources to effectively coordinate an aggressive personal injury lawsuit against the negligent driver and their insurance company.

Personal injury attorneys and law firms generally offer free initial consultations to accident victims. With no obligation to pay, the victim and their family can discuss their case with a licensed accident attorney to determine their eligibility to legal recompense. Most personal injury law firms provide their service on a contingency-fee basis, meaning they do not collect lawyer fees unless they recover a settlement for the client.

Call Our Seasoned Indianapolis Car Accident Lawyers RIGHT NOW

Indianapolis Personal Injury Lawyers 317-881-2700

Call The Law office of Craven, Hoover, and Blazek P.C. at 317-881-2700 to file a personal injury claim in Indianapolis, Indiana. Our seasoned car accident lawyers are eager to recover the full and fair compensation you deserve. We offer free initial consultations and never collect attorney fees unless we recover for you.

Craven, Hoover, & Blazek P.C.

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