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Drunk Driving Car Accidents

Virginia Personal Injury Lawyers

There is little debate that drunk driving car accidents are a problem in Virginia. These accidents are always serious and, while the drunk driver usually walks away without a scratch, the innocent driver is catastrophically injured. These cases are difficult to prove and only an experienced personal injury lawyer should handle these cases.

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In 2020, according to the Virginia State Police, there were 105,600 car accidents on Virginia roadways. That is 23,000 less than in 2019. The obvious reason for that appears to be because of less driving resulting from Covid-19 restrictions. However, in the course of these car accidents, in excess of 52,000 people including drivers, passengers, and pedestrians, suffered an injury. This is 13,000 less than 2019. Yet, 827 people died, which is only 20 less than 2019.

Unfortunately, more than 6,600 of these drivers in these car accidents were driving while impaired by alcohol, putting everyone on the road at risk. The alcohol related death rate actually went up.

Drunk drivers cause almost 300 deaths annually on Virginia roadways, and are responsible for more nearly 4,000 injuries. In spite of the fact that we have strict drunk driving laws, drivers still violate the law.

When you or a loved one is involved in a drunk driving accident, you may not know what your rights are, or how to protect them. A Lynchburg, Virginia personal injury attorney can help make sure you understand how the law applies in your specific case.

You should not have to bear the financial repercussions resulting from being a victim of a drunk driver.

We may be able to help you recover money to repair your vehicle, pay your medical bills, compensate you for lost wages, and punish the person who injured you.

Drunk driving car accidents can strike at any moment. When it does, it may result in one of many difficult injuries.

Spinal injuries to the neck or back are some of the most frequent injuries we see in car accidents. Usually, the force from the collision causes a person to jolt forward or to the side. That force pulls on ligaments in your spine that would not otherwise be damaged. Sometimes, the injury is not just to a ligament, but to a nerve. To properly treat these injuries, you have to make sure you are seeing the right doctor.
Traumatic brain injuries are caused by your brain striking the inside of your skull. There is a fluid that surrounds your brain which generally provides a cushion and protects your brain. But, when your head moves forward with any degree of force, the front of your brain moves forward and strikes the skull. Then your brain moves backward and strikes the back of your skull. This motion causes traumatic brain injuries. These injuries range in severity and can seriously affect your quality of life.
Depending on how the impact occurs, shoulder injuries from a car wreck can be very serious. Torn rotator cuffs, Superior Labrum Anterior Posterior (SLAP) tears, broken collar bones, etc. can significantly impact your daily life. The ability to use your arm is paramount for most people. If you have a physical job, but you can't use your arm, you will suffer lost wages and loss of earning capacity.
Often times, hip injuries are disguised as low back pain or groin pain. Doctors call this referred pain, in other words, the source of the pain is the hip, but it is referred to the lower back or the groin. The experts that we have worked with say that labral injuries are notoriously difficult to identify. In fact, one study noted that it takes 21 months on average and 3.3 different physicians to accurately diagnose these hip injuries. The degree of pain is usually significant.
It is not uncommon to see foot injuries depending on the mechanism of injury. Lisfranc injuries, compartment syndrome, or mid-foot fractures are common injuries after a car wreck. These injuries usually require surgery to correct and impose certain limitations to your daily life. Depending on the injury, your case may result in a permanent impairment and you are entitled to compensation for that permanent loss.

If you’ve suffered one of these injuries, you may be wondering

What Damages May I Recover?

  • Medical Expense
  • Pain and Suffering
  • Inconvenience
  • Permanent Impairment or Disfigurement
  • Lost Wages
  • Lost Earning Capacity
  • Property Damage (car repairs, total loss, or diminution of value)
  • Punitive Damages (up to $350,000)

Do you have a personal injury case?

Contacting a personal injury attorney in Lynchburg, Virginia can help you recover financially after a drunk driving car accident. Since there is a two-year window for you to be able to file a lawsuit, the sooner you contact an attorney, the better. When someone else is at fault in a roadway accident, you have rights under Virginia law and an attorney can help you preserve those rights.

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