Drunk drivers may face criminal charges for breaking the law. While much deserved, those penalties do not compensate victims for what they lost when the driver decided to get behind the wheel. To fight for personal and financial justice, reach out to a car accident lawyer serving Charlottesville from The Pendleton Law Team.
Our experienced firm has been recognized with four Top Workplace awards. We take pride in providing every client with exceptional service and representation. You’ll see this commitment in action when you partner with a drunk driving victim accident lawyer handling cases in Charlottesville.
The Devastating Effects of a Drunk Driving Accident
Impaired vehicle operators have slower reaction times, are less alert, and don’t recognize risks. These factors make drunk driving accidents especially dangerous. The physical consequences are often severe. Victims can experience broken bones, crush injuries, traumatic brain injuries, and spinal cord damage.
The pain and disability these physical injuries incur can be permanent, but are not the only source of suffering. The emotional and psychological effects of a car accident bring further trauma. Victims may experience post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, and depression. They may be affected by sleep disorders and changes in mood or behavior.
Financial consequences increase the devastation of a drunk driving accident even more. Victims may require expensive medical care. At the same time, they may not be able to work and earn income. Bills pile up while bank accounts shrink. A personal injury lawyer serving Charlottesville can fight to help victims recover their losses and obtain financial relief.
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Drunk Driving Accidents Lead to Wrongful Deaths
The Commonwealth of Virginia saw 6,979 alcohol-related accidents over a recent year, according to Virginia’s alcohol-related motor vehicle statistics. These crashes produced 4,400 injuries and 293 fatalities. Data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) shows drunk driving leads to 32 deaths every day, or one every 44 minutes.
Drunk driving is one of the major causes of wrong-way car accidents. These are typically head-on collisions with vehicles colliding at their combined speeds. Wrong-way crashes can demolish vehicles and end lives.
If your loved one is a drunk driving accident victim, you may have grounds for a wrongful death lawsuit in Virginia. Virginia’s wrongful death laws allow certain surviving family members or the decedent’s personal representative to file for compensation after a death caused by another party’s negligence.
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A Charlottesville Area Drunk Driving Accident Attorney Can Fight for Justice
It’s important to know what to do when involved in a car accident. What’s most important is protecting your health. If it is unsafe for you to move, do nothing until emergency help arrives. Unfortunately, this is often the case for drunk driving accident victims.
If you can move, call the police to the scene. Take pictures of the entire accident scene, including the vehicles involved, road and traffic conditions, and the locations of mounted cameras. Collect contact details from witnesses. You will need to get the license and insurance information from the impaired driver, but if they are volatile, wait to exchange information until law enforcement arrives.
Then, get to a doctor to have your injuries documented. Be sure to follow your doctor’s orders. After ensuring your medical safety, reach out to a drunk driving victim accident lawyer handling cases in Charlottesville. The Pendleton Law Team has extensive experience with drunk driving personal injury cases in Virginia, and we will fight to get you justice.
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How a Swift Legal Partnership Helps You
You have two years to file a personal injury claim per Virginia § 8.01-243. The same deadline applies to filing wrongful death claims. Filing a claim with the court protects your right to fight for justice and compensation in court. While we will first try to settle your claim through out-of-court negotiations, the other side does not always cooperate.
Failing to file by this deadline could result in case dismissal. Still, never assume your chance to secure justice has passed without speaking to an attorney. Some situations allow for extensions to that two-year time limit.
A swift partnership also gives our attorneys the opportunity to gather evidence before time passes and evidence goes missing. Strong evidence supports a favorable claim outcome. The sooner you connect with a drunk driving victim accident attorney serving Charlottesville, the better.
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Compensation for Drunk Driving Accident Victims
Accident victims may be entitled to economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages recover the financial losses associated with the crash. These include medical expenses, lost income, property damage, and any other related expenses. If you need continuing care or are unable to go back to work, we will demand an amount to cover future costs, lost future earnings, and benefits.
Non-economic damages account for non-tangible losses. They acknowledge your physical and emotional suffering and reduced enjoyment of life. The other side will try to downplay your losses to lower their payout. Our experienced attorneys can challenge these attempts and will demand true financial justice.
Per Code of Virginia § 8.01-44.5, victims may be awarded punitive damages in drunk driving accidents. The drunk driver may have to pay this additional penalty if they knew they would be driving when they began drinking, and if they register a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .15% or higher at the time of the crash.
The Role of Contributory Negligence
Virginia operates under a contributory negligence system for personal injury claims. This means victims can only sue for damages if they bear no fault at all for the accident. You need a team that understands how a case can be affected by contributory negligence, and ours does.
We can give you immediate guidance, so you avoid saying anything that could be twisted into an admission of even minor fault. Let us protect you from having this system used against you.
We’re on Your Side and Ready to Fight
Drunk drivers can destroy lives. They must be held accountable for paying their victims back for the suffering they cause. The Pendleton Law Team is here to demand payback and get you justice.
Connect with a drunk driving victim accident lawyer serving Charlottesville for a free case consultation. We are on your side and ready to fight.
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